The enslaved boy from Brazil who lived free in a small Scottish town

The story of Lewis Black, who arrived in Montrose from Rio de Janeiro with his Scottish master, is starting to unravel.

On the streets of a small Scottish town, an enslaved boy from Brazil found freedom - and his good name.

Lewis Black arrived in Montrose, Angus, in 1836, when he was around 16-years-old, with his master Alexander Mackay, who had business interests in both Liverpool and Rio de Janeiro, bringing him back to the family home.

Mr Black was never to return to Brazil and instead lived in the town for 50 years where he became a “general favourite” given his charm, principles and intellect. He was educated at the academy, enjoyed fishing and hunting and then, in later life, played golf on the town’s links course.

By the time of his death in 1886 at the home he shared with his three daughters, the final emancipation of slaves in Brazil would still be two years away.

Painting of Montrose High Street, 1826, by Alexander Milne. PIC: AngusAlive. | Painting of Montrose High Street, 1826, by Alexander Milne. PIC: AngusAlive.

A portrait of Lewis Black - also known as Louis - by James Irvine, an artist of good repute who painted several prominent Montrose residents, has become the starting point for the unravelling of his life story as AngusAlive, which runs museums and culture in the area, works to reassess the history of its vast collection through the lens of colonialism and empire.

But while the man whose life in Scotland is underpinned by the portrait and only a few lines in official documents, much remains unknown about Lewis Black and the relationship between him and Alexander Mackay.

Emma Gilliland, Museums and Galleries Collections lead at AngusAlive said: “As we try to piece together the facts of Lewis’ life, his own voice is markedly missing from the narrative. Therefore, we will never know the truth of his story in all its undoubted complexities.”

On arrival in Montrose, Lewis settled at Broomley House, the fine Georgian-era family home of the Mackays, which overlooks the vast tidal basin which defines the geography of the town.

It is not hard to imagine the contrast between early 19th Century Rio and Montrose that Lewis Black must have felt when taking up residence at the fine spot where never-ending pale skies and the waters of the North Sea meet.

Lewis Black arrived in Montrose at a time Rio was in a heavy state of flux as Brazil shifted from Portuguese colony to independence. Rio around this time was still known as “City of Slaves” with large numbers of enslaved people arriving from Africa after Brazil’s independence was declared in 1825.

In Rio, Louis Black came “into the possession” of Alexander Mackay, who was among British individuals and enterprises who continued to own enslaved people after the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, which outlawed slavery across the British Empire.

Among the British community in Brazil, slavery featured at all levels of ex-pat society, from those who owned extensive plantations and vast mining operations to the warehouse and workshops of individual merchants and artisans, according to research by Dr Joseph Mulhern of Durham University.

A view across the harbour of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1860. | Getty Images

Ms Gilliland added: “Whatever Alexander Mackay’s business actually was, we know he was involved in the slave trade in some way in way.

“The issue with Lewis Black is that we have got his obituary and his death records but we don’t have many records relating to his life. What we know about him is anecdotal to a certain extent.

“We know that he came from Brazil to Montrose but we don’t know if he was born into slavery in Brazil or if he was transported from Africa. Some records say he was born in South Africa and we don’t actually have a definitive answer on that, yet.”

A painted leaf from China is one of the items in AngusAlive's World Cultures Collection which is being re-assessed through the lens of empire and colonialism. | AngusAlive

Ms Gilliland said there was evidently “good feeling” between Lewis Black and the man who brought him to Scotland.

By the time Lewis arrived in Montrose, almost 50 years had passed since the Joseph Knight case in the Court of Session, which ruled that slavery was not recognised in Scots Law and that John Wedderburn of Ballindean, the man who enslaved Knight in Jamaica, could not keep him in perpetual service in this country.

When Mr Mackay requested Lewis return to Rio with him, it was agreed that he could stay at Broomley where his freedom could be ensured. His studies at Montrose Academy continued.

The death notice said: “On Mr Mackay's return to Rio de Janeiro, he was desirous that Louis ahead accompany him; but he preferred the advantages of the freedom he enjoyed here rather than the risks he might run by visiting his native country.”

Despite the parting of ways, it was clear that Mackay “wanted to invest” in the young man, Ms Gilliland said.

He was retained in Mr Mackay’s service, with records showing he was still at Broomley working as a man servant in 1841, when he was aged 20.

At Mackay’s death, Lewis Black was provided an annuity for his maintenance for life.

By 1851, records show he was married to his wife, Margaret McKenzie, and living in town with three infant children and a 75-year-old lodger, John McKenzie.

Ten years later, and the couple have five children - three daughters and two sons. Lewis is by this time 40-years-old and working as a ‘gentleman’s servant. His place of birth is listed as Africa.

By 1881, his wife had died and he was working as a gardener and living at 60 North Esk Road with his three daughters. Lewis Black died at home aged 66.

The death notice described Lewis as “very intelligent” with a “strong regard for old ways and institutions, being a strong churchman and a Tory.

“After the death of his old master, he was often employed to serve on the occasion of public dinners, and on great occasions in private families in Montrose and neighbourhood,” the report said.

At these dinners, it is possible that came into contact with artist James Irvine, who lived at Hillside on the outkirts of Montrose, close to Broomley . Among the artist’s sitters was James Campbell, the first curator of Montrose Museum.

Montrose has one of the first purpose-built museums in Scotland. Formed in 1836 by Montrose Natural History and Antiquarian Society, its ethos was deeply infromed by the Victorian collection practices and the gathering of curios from around the world.

A uniform of the East India Company. Many of objects at Montrose Museum were donated by those who worked for the organisation and lived in the town. PIC: AngusAlive | AngusAlive

Several key members of the antiquarian society were “significantly involved” with the East India Company, with several items in the collection donated by its employees from Montrose.

They include coins and a uniform from the EIC, as well as many portraits of Montrose figures employed by the organisation.

Other objects include a high relief sculpture of the goddess Durga slaying Mahisha, which was donated by Captain James McLaggan, captain of an armed East India Company Ship called ‘Clyde’, after the idol was taken from a temple in Kolkata.

A statue of Meramuniotes, which takes pride of place in Montrose Museum, was donated by Dr James Burnes in 1837. It was one of the earliest donations to the museum and came from Burnes, a relative of poet Robert Burns.

The statue came from a temple in Thebes, or modern-day Luxor, as he travelled home from sick leave from India to Montrose.

An exhibition of items being examined by the AngusAlive’s World Cultures project will open in August this year.