Ignatius Sancho was born aboard a slave ship in about 1729 and brought to England when he was two. Under the patronage of members of the Montagu Family, he was able to receive an education not enjoyed by his fellow slaves and later became a respected man of letters and a composer of some worth. Through his contacts he met with many of the key figures of his day, including Laurence Sterne (with whom he corresponded at length), David Garrick and Catherine Hyde, the Duchess of Queensbury. A more detailed biography can be found here Sancho was the first known black person to vote in a Parliamentry Election and the first African to have an obituary in England. He died in 1780 Click on the titles below to hear mp3's of Sancho's music. ___________________________________________ Thanks to the Museum of Richmond and especially to Valerie Boyes for her encouragement in including Sancho's music as part of their Trading in Human Lives; The Richmond Connection exhibition held from March 21st - July 29th 2007. Visit the museum's website here | 
Words on a Memorial Plaque, Elmina Castle, Cape Coast Castle, Ghana IN EVERLASTING MEMORY
OF THE ANGUISH OF OUR ANCESTORS
MAY THOSE WHO DIED REST IN PEACE
MAY THOSE WHO RETURN FIND THEIR ROOTS
MAY HUMANITY NEVER AGAIN PERPETRATE
SUCH INJUSTICE AGAINST HUMANITY
WE, THE LIVING, VOW TO UPHOLD THIS
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| Some of these performances also form part of Westminster Council's events to mark the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade. Visit them here  The BBC have also produced an excellent website here The BBC are also running a series of programmes on Radio 4 entitled My Alter Ego which airs on Monday 2nd March 2009 at 3.45 . These arrangements of Sancho's music will be used in this programme. Links to other sites created by Paul Freeman My original compositions click here You may also like to visit Amemptos who have recorded my composition I Wonder as I Wander part of their CD Excelsior. To see this and all their other recordings, go here The first 2001 digits of Phi and Pi set to music: here Vexations by Eric Satie - Complete performance; over 24 hours long! here A short essay on the importance of numerology in Stravinsky's In Memoriam Dylan Thomas: here Walton Summit, a poem inspired by the beauty of Clent Hills in Worcestershire: here **NEW** Chorium. The High I.Q. Society for Musicians: CLICK HERE |
If you would like information regarding anything on this site, or if you would like to use any of the recordings of Sancho's music, please contact me, Paul Freeman, here
