Thomas Broad

Thomas Broad (1730-1803) was a prominent English banker and merchant based in London during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was a senior partner in the banking firm Broad, Burton & Co., which played a significant role in financing trade and commerce, particularly with the West Indies.

Broad's wealth was substantially derived from interests connected with the transatlantic slave trade. His banking house provided credit and financial services to merchants and planters who were directly involved in the enslavement of African people and the production of goods like sugar and rum using slave labor. He also had personal investments in plantations.

Beyond his business activities, Broad served as a Director of the Bank of England, further solidifying his position within the British financial elite. He also held public office, serving as a Member of Parliament for Milborne Port.

The legacy of Thomas Broad is complex. While he contributed to the economic development of England, his prosperity was inextricably linked to the exploitation and suffering of enslaved people. His involvement in the slave trade places him firmly within the history of British colonialism and its impact on Africa and the Americas.