This list gives the names of members of the Black poor being given
money in 1786. It almost certainly refers to people receiving relief
from the Black Poor Committee, since the government provided much
of the Committee's funds.
The list is interesting in several ways. It shows a substantial number
of Black women, as well as men. It also indicates one of the difficulties
of researching the history of Black people in Britain. If we saw these
names in another context, in most cases we would not know that they
referred to Black people unless they were so described. On the other
hand, note the name 'Sophia Cato' (no. 45 in the women's section):
names of Roman origin were often given to Black people.
T 1/638, ff. 240, 245, 247 (1786)
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