British Sold White Servants ~ Cheaper Than Black African Slaves
In the 1700s, the British government paid to ship convicts to America. Over 50,000 "convict servants" were forced to leave their homes and families in Britain, and were shipped mostly to the Chesapeake colonies of Virginia and Maryland, where they would be bought. Who would buy them? Usually it was landowners who wanted cheap labor, as for example, on tobacco plantations.
1770 advertisement for tobacco:
source: The Boston Post Sep-24-1770 full page
Newspaper advertisement from 1770 shows how white men from Britain were treated like slaves....
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July 2, 1770.
RAN away from the Subscriber, near Annapolis, a Convict Servant Man, named JOHN STILLIN, is very slim made, about 5 Feet 8 or 9 Inches high, wears his own Hair, which is of a light Colour, and is a little mark'd with the Small-Pox:
Had on, and took with him, a coarse Felt Hat, light coloured Fearnought Jacket, Two Osnabrig Shirts, One Check ditto, a Pair of Osnabrig Trousers, a Pair of brown Roll ditto, a Pair of old Fall Shoes, and an old Match Coat Blanket, but as he is an artful Rogue, it is probable he may change his Name and Dress, as he did once before when he ran away.
Whoever takes up, and secures the above Servant, so that his Master may have him again, shall receive a Reward of Forty Shillings, if taken in the Province, and if out of the Province, Four Pounds, including what the Law allows, paid by
THOMAS RUTLAND.
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source: Maryland Gazette Jul-12-1770 full page
Usually, these British convict servants were sentenced to forced labor in America for 7, 14, or 21 years. But once they were shipped to America, they almost never returned home. Convicts who wished to return had to arrange and pay for their own passage across the sea on ship, which was challenging and expensive, especially if they had no money or resources.
The shipment of British convicts to America ended in 1776 because of the American Revolution. When the British were unable to send convicts to America, they began sending them to Australia.
1770 advertisement for tobacco:
A few Hogheads of the very best Virginia Tobacco
source: The Boston Post Sep-24-1770 full page
Newspaper advertisement from 1770 shows how white men from Britain were treated like slaves....
bquote2
July 2, 1770.
RAN away from the Subscriber, near Annapolis, a Convict Servant Man, named JOHN STILLIN, is very slim made, about 5 Feet 8 or 9 Inches high, wears his own Hair, which is of a light Colour, and is a little mark'd with the Small-Pox:
Had on, and took with him, a coarse Felt Hat, light coloured Fearnought Jacket, Two Osnabrig Shirts, One Check ditto, a Pair of Osnabrig Trousers, a Pair of brown Roll ditto, a Pair of old Fall Shoes, and an old Match Coat Blanket, but as he is an artful Rogue, it is probable he may change his Name and Dress, as he did once before when he ran away.
Whoever takes up, and secures the above Servant, so that his Master may have him again, shall receive a Reward of Forty Shillings, if taken in the Province, and if out of the Province, Four Pounds, including what the Law allows, paid by
THOMAS RUTLAND.
/bquote2
source: Maryland Gazette Jul-12-1770 full page
Usually, these British convict servants were sentenced to forced labor in America for 7, 14, or 21 years. But once they were shipped to America, they almost never returned home. Convicts who wished to return had to arrange and pay for their own passage across the sea on ship, which was challenging and expensive, especially if they had no money or resources.
The shipment of British convicts to America ended in 1776 because of the American Revolution. When the British were unable to send convicts to America, they began sending them to Australia.
May 17, 2026, 1:38:28 PM | by Admin