1782
'The Letters of the late Ignatius Sancho, an African. In Two Volumes' published
20th May 1783
'William Talar, a black of Red House Wharf' buried at St Paul's, Deptford
25th May 1783
'John McCoy, a black drowned' buried at St Paul's, Deptford
8th September 1783
John Tarr 'an adult person about the age of 21 years and a black' baptised at St Paul's, Deptford
28th November 1783
George Meads 'an adult Negro about the age 21 years, Red House Wharf' baptised at St Paul's, Deptford
1785
William Wilberforce lives at Dartmouth Grove, Blackheath [a house named 'Lydia' today] until 1788. During this time he make many speeches on abolition in Parliament. He lived here whilst his mother was ill and living at Shooters Hill, she died 17th December 1788
31st December 1785
'William Brown, a black man' buried at St Nicholas, Deptford
17th March 1786
John Caesar was tried at Deptford for stealing cash with a value of 240 shillings (12 pounds). He was sentenced to transportation for 7 years and left England on The Alexander aged about 23. His occupation was listed as servant or labourer. He died in 1796
30th July 1786
Jane Thomas 'daughter of John and Ann (Negro's) of Griffin Street, born Feby 15' baptised at St Paul's, Deptford
1787
The Bounty is fitted out at Deptford for an expedition to take breadfruit to the West Indies from the South Seas to feed the slave population
Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade is founded
Alexander Glenny [c. 1737 – 3 January 1787] dies. He was of the island of Dominica and died at Bromley Hill. There was a memorial to his family at St Mary’s church, Lewisham.
23rd February 1787
The Sierra Leone Resettlement Plan fleet sails from Deptford with 350 black emigrants
1788
Joseph Hardcastle resident at Hatcham House in New Cross until 1819. He was the first treasurer of the London Missionary Society. Thomas Clarkson was a regular visitor and wrote part of his 'History of the Abolition of the Slave Trade' there.
1789
'The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African written by Himself' published
1789
Francis Baring purchases the manor house, Lee, which he later rebuilds
1791
Haitian revolution led by Toussaint L'Ouverture
4th October 1796
Billy Blue, a 'lumper' at Deptford Dockyard is convicted at Maidstone, Kent, of stealing raw sugar from The Lady Jane Halliday and sentenced to seven years transportation. After four years in convict hulks, he was transported to Botany Bay in The Minorca. He was described in convict records as 'a Jamaican Negro sailor' aged 29 in 1796