The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) received hundreds of pounds in 'compensation' for the loss of labour of slaves at an estate they owned in Jamaica, it has been found.
Research from NHS Lothian has discovered the hospital's historic ties to the Atlantic slave trade. Founded in 1729, the RIE owned and lease Red Hill pen, in St Thomas-in-the-East, in Jamaica between 1749 to 1892. The estate and 39 enslaved people of African descent was left to the establishment in the will of of Scottish surgeon and enslaver Dr Archibald Kerr.
The hospital gained substantial rents from the property by owning and leasing enslaved people until slavery was abolished across Britain's colonies in 1834. After abolition, Red Hill employed 'apprentice' black labourers and received around £832 from the British Government to make up for their loss of labour from the enslaved people.
