A medal made to celebrate those who had voted for the unsuccessful candidate, Thomas Leyland, in the Liverpool by-election of 1816. Leyland was deeply involved in slavery. On the obverse is a Liver bird, symbol of Liverpool, with the inscription: 'LIVERPOOL BE FREE'. On the reverse is the inscription: 'T. Morison ONE OF THE INDEPENDENT MINORITY 738 WHO VOTED FOR THOS. LEYLAND ESQ. AT THE LIVERPOOL ELECTION 1816'. The medal (with personalised inscription) was intended to be given to each of the 738 freemen who voted for Leyland: this copy was made for the joiner Thomas Morison. An advertisement to raise money for the medals appeared in the Liverpool Mercury on 19 July 1816.
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Michael Graham-Stewart Slavery Collection; ZBA2815
Images © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
