On the corner of Grenville Street in Camden, opposite Brunswick Square, there is a blue plaque dedicated to a Sarah Parker Remond who once lived here. The plaque tells us that she was an advocate for the abolition of slavery in the United States, a lecturer, a suffragist, polyglot and an obstetrician. How did Redmond, living in the nineteenth century when opportunities were scarce for women, achieve so much? 🔊Listen Now: Episode 132: Suffragette or Suffragist?
Early Life in America
Sarah hailed from the USA and was African American. She was born into a large family of children in Massachusetts, a northern state free from slavery. Her parents, John Remond and Nancy Lenox Remond, ran successful catering and hairdressing businesses in Salem where the family lived. Slavery in other US states was not abolished until 1865 and John and Nancy were activists in the Abolition Movement. Many meetings were held at their house and Sarah was brought up rubbing shoulders with people who supported the movement and who spoke out against injustice.
Overcoming Racial & Gender Barriers
There was still racism in the North. Sarah and her sister were not allowed to attend their local high school even though they passed the entrance exam because they were black. Sarah’s parents were determined that their children should be educated and moved to Rhode Island where a private school was set up by African Americans.
When they returned to Salem in 1841, Sarah was able to continue her education by going to lectures, reading and most of all being part of the anti-slavery movement. She, her sisters and mother belonged to the Salem Female Anti-Slavery Society and Sarah gave her first lecture when she was just 16. By 1856, she was a well known speaker and was touring widely in the USA on behalf of the American Anti- Slavery Society. She was then asked to come to Britain.
Journey to Britain
Britain had abolished the slave trade in 1807 and then slavery itself in 1838 and a number of American speakers came to lecture here to try and gain funds and support for ending slavery in USA. In 1858, Sarah undertook the difficult voyage from Boston to Liverpool-at one point the boat was covered in ice- and began her tour. She told huge audiences in England, Scotland and Ireland about the horrors of slavery including the sexual exploitation of black enslaved women and raised money for the cause.
Despite her busy schedule, in 1859 Sarah enrolled at Bedford College for Ladies, where she is thought to have been the first black student. She studied History, French, Latin, Music, English Literature and Elocution in her two years there, continuing her lecture tours whilst on school breaks. It was at this time she lived in Grenville Street with Elizabeth Jesser Reid, the founder of Bedford College. 📚Read more: The Power of One: The Story of Bedford College
During the American Civil War, fought between 1859 and 1865, Redmond urged Britain to buy cotton from India rather than the slave owning southern states of the USA. Interestingly she also became involved in promoting votes for women and was a signatory to the women’s petition presented to parliament in 1866 pressing for new legislation.
Medical Career in Italy
After the emancipation of slavery in the USA Sarah continued her education and trained as a nurse. She then went to Italy which she had visited while staying in Britain and was able to train as a doctor there and became an obstetrician. She remained in Italy for the rest of her life and practiced medicine for more than 20 years. She died and was buried in Rome in 1894.
Legacy and Recognition
The blue plaque in Camden, quietly honouring Sarah’s legacy, serves as a powerful reminder that history is often shaped not only in palaces or parliaments, but in classrooms, on public platforms, and through acts of everyday resistance.
Join us on our Women’s History Walk to uncover more powerful stories of women who left their mark in the heart of London.
