Author: Nicholas Rogers
publisher name: Boydell and Brewer
ISBN: 9781783274826
Murder on the Middle Passage: The Trial of Captain Kimber by Nicholas Rogers delves into the micro-history of a significant trial that took place on April 2, 1792. Captain John Kimber, accused by William Wilberforce in the House of Commons for the death of a fifteen-year-old African girl aboard the slave ship Recovery, faced trial for murder. Despite the indictment, the trial lasted just under five hours, and Kimber was found not guilty. The book explores questions of culpability, the use of evidence, and the context of pro- and anti-slavery movements during this period. It also examines the role of sailors in the abolition debate.