Record revealed
Sarah Parker Remond’s application to become a British Citizen
Sarah Parker Remond (1826–1894) fought for a more equal world as an abolitionist and suffrage supporter. Sarah’s application for British citizenship reveals the discrimination she felt as a Black woman in America, and where she found support in Britain.
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Memorial for certificate of naturalisation of Sarah Parker Remond, page one. Certificate 4809, issued 11 September 1865.
Transcript
To the Right Honourable Sir George Grey, Baronet, Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department.
The Memorial of Sarah Parker Remond of Aubrey House, Notting Hill in the County of Middlesex.
Sheweth
That your Memorialist is desirous of obtaining for herself a Certificate of Naturalisation pursuant to the Act of Parliament passed in the eighth year of the Reign of Her present Majesty entitled “Act to amend the Law relating to Aliens”
That your memorialist is of African descent and a native of Salem, Massachusetts in the United States of America.
That your Memorialist is forty-one years of age and is unmarried.
That your Memorialist’s settled place of residence is in London.
That your Memorialist has resided uninterruptedly in the Country for the last six years and upwards and it is her intention to continue to reside permanently within the United Kingdom.
That the Grounds upon which your Memorialist seeks to obtain the rights and capacities of a natural born British subject are as
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Memorial for certificate of naturalisation of Sarah Parker Remond, page two, including her signature.
Transcript
follows: She has to all intents and purposes adopted England as her Country and is desirous of being able to obtain and hold real or leasehold property in this Country where many of her most intimate friends reside. The strong prejudice against persons of African descent which is entertained by a large proportion of the Inhabitants of the United States and the social disabilities under which such persons consequently suffer have determined your Memorialist under no circumstances to return to reside in America.
Your Memorialist therefore humbly prays that a Certificate of Naturalisation may be granted to her.
Sarah P. Redmond
This is the Memorial marked A referred to in the Declaration of Sarah Parker Remond made before me this eighth day of June 1865.
J H Bolton
This is the Memorial marked A referred to in the Declaration of James Stansfeld made before me this 31st day of July 1865.
[name unclear]
This is the Memorial marked A referred to in the Declaration of Peter Alfred Taylor made before me this 24th day of July 1865.
[name unclear] Walters
This is the Memorial marked A referred to in the Declaration of William Shaen made before me this 20th day of June 1865.
Stephen Williams, commissioner
This is the Memorial marked A referred to in the Declaration of Matthew Davenport Hill made before me this 24th day of August 1865.
[name unclear]
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First page of character references for Sarah Parker Remond’s naturalisation application.
Transcript
We James Stansfeld of 35 Thurloe Square in the County of Middlesex Esquire MP Peter Alfred Taylor of 19 Aldermanbury in the City of London Esquire MP William Shaen of 15 Upper Phillimore Gardens Kensington in the said County of Middlesex Esquire Master of Arts and Matthew Davenport Hill of Stapleton near Bristol in the County of Gloucester one of her Majesty's Counsel Do each declaring for himself only solemnly and sincerely declare as follows
That we separately and respectfully are British born subjects and householders and we vouch for the respectability and loyalty of Sarah Parker Raymond of Aubrey House Notting Hill in the County of Middlesex by whom the memorial now shown to us and marked “A” is signed on whose behalf the same is presented and we say that to the best of our knowledge information and belief the several statements contained in the said memorial are true
And I the said James Stanfeld for myself say that I have personally known the said Sarah Parker Remond four years and upwards
And I the said Peter Alfred Taylor for myself say that I have personally known the said Sarah Parker Remond four years and upwards
And I the said William Shaen for myself say that I have personally known the said Sarah Parker Remond for years and upwards
And I the said Matthew Davenport hill for my self say that I have personally known the said Sarah Parker Remond five years and upwards
And we severally and respectively make this
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Reverse of Sarah Parker Remond naturalisation memorial papers, showing the Home Office summary of the case and annotations.
Transcript
No = 4809
Granted 11 Sept 1865
Sarah Parker Remond
Memorial for Certificate of Naturalization
[Home Office stamp, 30 AUG 1865 No 6789]
an African born in the U.S. aged 41 a spinster has resided six years and intends to reside permanently.
Six months leave of absence granted to her see No. 1460/68 from 28 January/ 68
Further six months granted see No 833/ 68 from 28 July/ 68
Why this record matters
Date: 1865–1868
Catalogue reference: HO 1/123/4809
Sarah Parker Remond was an American slavery abolitionist, suffragette and doctor. She is believed to be the only Black woman to sign the first mass Votes for Women petition, presented to Parliament in 1866.
Growing up in the United States, she faced substantial racial prejudice. Sarah was refused entry to a segregated school and pushed down the stairs after refusing to sit in a segregated area of the theatre. In her autobiography she described the racism she experienced as a ‘gigantic shadow over my whole life’.
Sarah and her brother Charles Lenox Remond became well-known as an anti-slavery activists. This brought her to Britain, where she lectured against slavery in cities across the north of England, Ireland and Scotland. She studied at Bedford College for Women and spoke out on abolition, anti-racism and feminist issues.
Sarah’s American citizenship was questioned because of her race. When trying to visit France in 1859, the American Embassy denied her a visa, on the basis that Black Americans were not considered full citizens. This caused a press scandal, and may have been a factor in her wanting to be recognised as a citizen in Britain.
In 1865, at the age of 41, Sarah formally applied to settle permanently in England. Her application for citizenship explained that she had lived in London for six years, wanted to be able to buy property, and that this was where her ‘most intimate friends reside’. They included key activists from the period, with whom she helped found the Ladies’ London Emancipation Society.
In her naturalisation papers, Sarah defined herself as ‘of African descent and a native of Salem Massachusetts in the United States of America’. She explained that 'under no circumstances' would she live in America again due to ‘The strong prejudice against persons of African descent which is entertained by a large proportion of the inhabitants of the United States and the social disabilities under which such persons consequently suffer.’
The address Sarah gave in her application was Aubrey House, Notting Hill. This was the home of Clementia and Peter Alfred Taylor and a haven for political exiles. Sarah's character references for her naturalisation included a mix of progressive politicians and lawyers such as Sir James Stanfeld and Matthew Davenport Hill. All testified to knowing her a number of years and vouched for her ‘respectability and loyalty'.
Sarah’s British citizenship was granted on 11 September 1865. The same year, she started her medical training at University College London.
While she faced discrimination during her time in London, it was different from the open prejudice Sarah constantly felt in America. Nevertheless, she became increasingly disillusioned with Britain, particularly after brutal treatment of the Black population in Jamaica in the Morant Bay Rebellion.
Sarah moved to Florence, Italy in 1866 to pursue ‘most important study’ as an obstetrician. Records show she made a number of ‘extended leave of absence’ requests, which were initially approved by the Home Office, but she never moved back to Britain. Sarah continued to live and practice in Italy until her death in Rome in 1894.
