In 1786, former slave John Stewart warned Granville Sharp that an African servant, Henry Demane, had been duped by his master and was being held on a slave-ship bound for the colonies. Sharp at once mobilised Stewart and other friends, and even though it was the weekend managed at last to obtain a writ forcing the ship’s captain into court.

On Sunday morning, Sharp learnt that his friends had gone to serve the Writ on the slave-ship’s captain the previous night. At noon on Monday, Sharp was relieved to see them return together with Henry, whom they had rescued with barely a minute to spare before the ship set sail for the colonies.

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