Three weeks into their topic on Black History, Year 5 discovered that Thames Ditton was home to an ex-slave, Cesar Picton! In 1761, he was brought over from Senegal at the age of 6, as a gift to a man in Kingston. His story is a fascinating one and Year 5 uncovered amazing facts about the slave trade, as well as Cesar’s experience, through a workshop provided by The Elmbridge Museum. Cesar’s story truly came to life when they took a walk to see the house in Thames Ditton where he later lived as a successful coal merchant.
