What Did Benedict Cumberbatch Say About His Family In Barbados And Their Horrific History?
When English settlers arrived in Barbados in 1627, they employed forceful measures against the remaining Indigenous inhabitants and established their control over the island. Over the years, Barbados has been pursuing reparations from the colonial powers responsible for subjecting its people to the atrocities of slavery for nearly four centuries. However, the focus has now shifted to affluent descendants of individual slave owners.
Among those who might be implicated is the family of Benedict Cumberbatch. The Oscar-nominated actor has enjoyed remarkable success in his career portraying Sherlock Holmes and MCU's Doctor Strange. However, his family's history carries a more horrific legacy. The actor's ancestor, Abraham Cumberbatch, obtained an extensive sugar plantation in Barbados in 1728. It is believed that over a century, more than 250 individuals were coerced into labor on the estate, contributing to the Cumberbatch family's wealth and prominence in Britain during that era.
Benedict Cumberbatch's Ancestors Were Involved In Human Workforce Exploitation
According to a 2014 report by the Daily Mail, during the 1700s, Benedict Cumberbatch's seventh-great-grandfather, Abraham Cumberbatch, acquired two sizable estates in Barbados. These properties were transformed into a sugar plantation known as the Cleland Plantation, which generated profits for the British monarchy.
Historical records from the early 1800s indicate that the Cumberbatch family owned nearly 300 slaves on the plantation. Now, almost two centuries after the family relinquished ownership of the plantation, there is a possibility that their descendants may be obligated to provide restitution for the wrongs of the past.
As the British Empire began to abolish slavery in 1833, the government secured a loan of approximately $4.25 billion in present-day currency to compensate landowners for their loss. Regrettably, no compensation was provided to the enslaved families themselves, as it was instead granted to the owners for the perceived value of their property.
Reportedly, the Cumberbatch family accepted a payout in 1834, which, in today's value, would amount to approximately $6.38 million. Benedict Cumberbatch has openly acknowledged his family's involvement in social injustices. In a 2018 interview with The Telegraph, he stated, "We have our past, you don't have to look far to see the slave-owning past. We were part of the whole sugar industry, which is a shocker."
Benedict Cumberbatch Did Not Try To Hide His Family's Horrific History
While both of Benedict Cumberbatch's parents, who are also actors, changed their last names to avoid inquiries about their heritage, the actor himself has never concealed his family's historical background. This is true even after he was abducted in Africa.
In a 2007 statement with Scotsman, he shared his mother's concern about potential financial implications, saying, "When I became an actor, Mum wasn't keen on me keeping it. 'They'll be after you for money,' she used to say."
Ongoing reparation cases are being pursued in American courts, as highlighted by his mother. Although the Cumberbatch family no longer possesses the property associated with their past, Benedict Cumberbatch has openly acknowledged his familial history.
"There are lots of Cumberbatches in our former Caribbean colonies. When their ancestors lost their African names, they called themselves after their masters. Reparation cases are ongoing in American courts. I've got friends involved in researching this scar on human history, and I've spoken to them about it. The issue of how far you should be willing to atone is interesting. I mean, it's not as if I'm making a profit from the suffering..." Cumberbatch stated as per BuzzFeed report.
While his ancestors were wealthy in the 18th century, Cumberbatch clarified that the family's wealth had significantly diminished by the time of his birth, and he grew up in a distinctly middle-class environment. The Doctor Strange star has led his private family life, but early in his acting career, Cumberbatch gravitated towards roles in historical films that explored the legacy of slavery. He appeared in the 2007 film Amazing Grace, portraying former British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, who advocated for the abolition of slavery.
Additionally, in 2013, he portrayed William Prince Ford, a Southern plantation owner in the critically acclaimed film 12 Years a Slave, which won the Best Picture Oscar in 2014.
Reflecting on his choice of roles, Cumberbatch admitted that he may have been motivated by a desire to address historical injustices. He acknowledged this while discussing his performance in Amazing Grace in an interview with Scotland Newspaper.
Benedict Cumberbatch And His Family Will Not Face Slavery Reparations In Barbados
The British publication, The Telegraph, reported in December 2022 that Benedict Cumberbatch and his family might face reparation claims from nations within the Caribbean Community due to their historical involvement in the social injustices in Barbados.
The news of these potential claims spread widely across online platforms. If a ruling were to favor the island's case, it could establish a precedent, opening the door for Barbados to seek compensation from other descendants of landowners.
David Denny, the General Secretary of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration, expressed the view that any descendants of white plantation owners who benefited from human exploitation should be held accountable. "Any descendants of white plantation owners who have benefited from the slave trade should be asked to pay reparations, including the Cumberbatch family."
However, a member of the Caribbean Community's reparations commission clarified the commission's position and stated that they are not currently seeking reparations from the Cumberbatch family. David Comissiong, a Barbados politician, activist, and commission member, addressed the issue in an op-ed published in Barbados Today. He emphasized that neither the reparations commission nor Barbados had officially made any reparations claims against a European family.
Comissiong explained that the task force finds it more feasible to concentrate on legal entities like governments or companies rather than targeting a specific family. He also noted that he was misquoted in the Telegraph article.
While the Caribbean Reparations Commission (CRC) primarily directs its attention toward governments and companies, there has been a recent focus on a British politician named Richard Drax. In 2017, Drax inherited Drax Hall, a 600-acre estate in Barbados, operated with the labor of coerced individuals.
Additionally, the Drax family owned a plantation in Jamaica and played a significant role in the introduction of sugar production and African oppression in the Americas during the 1700s.
The governments of Barbados and Jamaica have both expressed their intention to pursue reparations from Richard Drax, considering his family's historical involvement in the slave trade and their ownership of plantations associated with enslaved labor.
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