To celebrate our new season of Family Story Walks, artist Juwon Ogungbe explains the stories behind some of Greenwich’s most notorious residents…
Ignatius Sancho – 1729 -1780
Ignatius Sancho was a writer, composer and abolitionist who was born to African parents on a ship that carried slaves from Africa to America in 1729. His parents died when he was barely two years old and he was taken to England to live with three unmarried sisters in Greenwich, London. Sancho lived with the sisters for 18 years.
The Duke of Montagu frequently visited the sisters, and he became impressed by Sancho’s cleverness, honesty, and friendliness. The duke encouraged Sancho to read and also lent him books from his personal library. Pretty soon, Ignatius surprised everyone who knew him, with his ability to read and write. There were very few Black children living in London in those days and most of them never got a chance to learn things like that.
After learning so much, Ignatius could no longer bear the feeling of not being free, so he ran away from the three sisters to join the duke’s household in Montagu House in 1749. He served the Duchess of Montagu as a butler and used the opportunity to learn more about music, poetry, reading and writing.
The power of education made a huge difference in Ignatius Sancho’s life. His friendship with the Duke of Montagu brought out sides to his personality that hadn’t been observed in other Black people living in England. There was hardly anyone like him and he was presented to folks in high society circles as ‘extraordinary’.
Ignatius Sancho’s pioneering spirit led him to publish an anthology of his music compositions – he was one of the earliest composers of Black African descent to have his music published. He also made friends with leading English artists of the day such as David Garrick – the famous actor manager. Thomas Gainsborough painted a portrait of Sancho in 1768.
Montagu House was in Greenwich and Ignatius Sancho often walked in Greenwich Park. There is a plaque in the park on the wall of the building that was built after the house was demolished, stating that Ignatius Sancho once lived there.
Sancho was a vocal opponent of slavery and the slave trade. He wrote several articles on the subject and a collection of his writings was published after his death. These essays provide a revealing glimpse into the lives of people of his time.
When the Duchess of Montagu passed away, she left Sancho some money in her will. He used the inheritance to buy a house in Westminster and opened a shop on the premises.
In those days, anyone who owned a house in Britain was eligible to vote in elections, so Ignatius Sancho became the first Black person to vote in a British election.
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