Robert Hibbert (merchant)

Robert Hibbert (1750 – 1835) was a prominent British merchant, politician, and slave owner. He was a leading figure in the West India interest, a powerful lobby group representing the interests of plantation owners in the Caribbean.

Hibbert was born in Jamaica to a family with extensive holdings in sugar plantations and enslaved people. He moved to London and established himself as a merchant, specializing in trade with the West Indies. His firm, Robert Hibbert & Co., grew to become one of the largest and most influential in the trade.

Hibbert was a staunch defender of the slave trade and slavery. He argued that it was essential to the British economy and that enslaved people were well-treated on his plantations. He actively campaigned against the abolition movement and used his wealth and influence to lobby Parliament against ending the slave trade and, later, slavery itself. He testified before parliamentary committees, arguing against abolition and advocating for the continuation of the system.

Hibbert served as a Member of Parliament for Seaford from 1806 to 1812. He used his position to further the interests of the West India lobby. He also held positions such as Chairman of the West India Dock Company, further cementing his influence in the trade network.

The wealth Hibbert accumulated through the exploitation of enslaved people allowed him to live a life of considerable luxury and influence. He owned several estates and properties in Britain. Following the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, his family received substantial compensation for the enslaved people they were forced to free. The exact amount is difficult to pinpoint due to the distribution and management of claims, but it was a significant sum, reflecting the large number of enslaved people he and his family held.

Robert Hibbert's legacy is inextricably linked to the transatlantic slave trade and the system of slavery. He exemplifies the individuals who profited immensely from the exploitation and suffering of others. While he was a successful merchant and politician, his actions and beliefs are now widely condemned.