The City of London Corporation has announced plans to commission research into its historical links to the transatlantic slave trade. The project aims to uncover the Corporation’s involvement and help it confront its past. The research will be based on the upcoming Lancaster University study, The Register of British Slave Traders, which is set to be published in 2026. This work will include a database identifying individuals and institutions connected to the slave trade.

According to a report by Corporation officers, the research will highlight the extensive financial ties between the City and the slave trade, showing how various societal sectors benefited from it. The paper notes that these financial gains helped establish critical systems and institutions, including schools.

The City of London Corporation plans to allocate £34,400 for the research, which will be conducted by Prof. William Pettigrew, the principal investigator for Lancaster University’s slave trade project. Work is expected to begin in January, pending committee approval.

The Corporation has pointed to similar efforts by institutions like the Bank of England and the Church of England, which have already examined their connections to the trade. In its statement, the City emphasized its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, stressing that the research will help shape its narrative and communication strategy on this sensitive issue.