A timeline for the Portchester prisoners

1789 French Revolution begins and a declaration of the rights of man and the citizen is written, but the phrase ‘all men are born and remain free and equal in rights’ does not extend to women or the enslaved

1791 The enslaved on Saint Domingue, modern-day Haiti, orchestrate a revolt which will lead to the abolition of slavery on the island in 1793 and an independent nation by 1804

1793 After King Louis XVI was guillotined, war between Britain and Revolutionary France breaks out and their overseas colonies are dragged into the conflict.

1794 The abolition of enslavement is ratified by the French Revolutionary government in Paris and applies to all French islands. Britain takes control of Martinique and Guadeloupe, though the latter is quickly reclaimed by French forces

1796 The French on St Lucia surrender to British forces who then retake control of St Vincent (May/June)

Many of those fighting on the French side on St Lucia and St Vincent are then be sent to Britain as prisoners of war – these include formerly enslaved people from Martinique and Guadeloupe

Late 1796 over 2000 Black and mixed race men, women and children from the fighting in the Caribbean arrive at Portchester Castle as prisoners of war

The British move the indigenous Garifuna (and some Kalinago) to Baliceaux island. The Kalinago who survive are returned to St Vincent but the Garifuna are sent to Roatan off Honduras.

1797 Most of the Caribbean prisoners of war are exchanged for British prisoners and ‘returned’ to France

1798 The French government segregate Black and mixed-race soldiers and form them into a separate Black battalion. Some of the Portchester prisoners of war will join this and others will return to the Caribbean

1799 Napoleon Bonaparte becomes first consul of France

1802 Napoleon reinstates slavery. Some of the prisoners of war from Portchester, led by Louis Delgrès, will fight on Guadeloupe against former comrades and will blow themselves up rather than be re-enslaved

French forces sent to re-possess Haiti are unsuccessful and many are subsequently captured by the British and sent back to Britain as prisoners of war

1807 Some of these Napoleonic French forces put on a play about the revolution on Haiti called the Revolutionary Philanthropist.

1810 French prisoners of war from the Napoleonic wars in Spain arrive at Portchester, build a fully working theatre and acquire a copy of the Revolutionary philanthropist for a production

1814 Napoleon abdicates and a monarchy is restored in France. Prisoners of war return to France

Black Prisoners at Portchester Castle | English Heritage (english-heritage.org.uk)

Speaking with Shadows Podcast Series 1 Episode 2 | English Heritage (english-heritage.org.uk) (and bonus episode at the bottom of the page)