In the small church yard of St Martins Church, Bowness, is the grave of Rasselas Belfield, an Abyssinian slave who was bought by a Major Taylor, and who lived at a house called Belfield. (Not the Belsfield Hotel). Rasselas cost Major Taylor £5, a considerable sum of money in the 18th century, and was given the surname Belfield to denote where he lived. The tomb stands near the edge of the churchyard, roughly five metres from the east end of the church. Despite it's age, the inscription is quite clear, revealing that Rasselas passed away on the 16th January 1822, aged just 32 Years.
Although deemed a slave, his true position is unclear. Certainly he was 'bought' by Captain Taylor, however, his arrival in 1803, at the age of 13, was just 4 years before slavery was abolished. One theory is that he was paid for by Captain Taylor to prevent him being sold as a true slave, and that his position within the household was the same as the other servants.The 'Abolition of the Slave Trade Act' came into force in 1807. It had been promoted by William Wilberforce, a personal friend of the Taylor family. Wilberforce had rented Rayrigg Hall, the Taylor's previous family home, from them in the 1780's.
It seems that Rasselas was a much loved member of the Taylor family, as indicated by the quality of the inscription upon his headstone. He was also well regarded in the local community, where his polite manners and generally happy and helpful disposition won him many friends. The church was, evidently, full to overflowing for his funeral.
Ironically, at the opposite end of the churchyard stands the stone which formerly marked the vault of John Bolton, who was born in Ulverston and had made his fortune as a Liverpool slave trader. He lived at nearby Storrs Hall, and was a key figure in the social life of the area, entertaining the wealthy and famous in style. He held lavish dinner parties, organised regattas on the lake, and ingratiated himself with the celebrities of the day, including William Wordsworth and Sir Walter Scott. However, when he died 15 years after Rasselas, his funeral was in direct contrast to that of the 'slave'. It was attended by a few family members, and a small number of close friends and business associates. Over half the pews remained empty.
