Sarah Newton

The Newton family enslaved people on their plantations in Barbados from the 1640s.  Sarah married Sir Lister Holte of Aston Hall, Warwickshire, now overshadowed by the Aston Villa FC stadium. (The Holte End Stand in the stadium is named after the family.) Archaeological excavations of the Newton estate burial ground provide a unique insight into its workings and the everyday lives of the enslaved, revealing extremely low life expectancy, multiple injuries, disease and malnutrition. Their lives are further illuminated by detailed reports sent back to England by a series of overseers, and include the incredible story of Betsy Newton, who escaped the plantation and travelled all the way to London to confront her enslaver and demand freedom for herself and her children.
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