Unearthing Roots: Bristol Man Connects Africans to Heritage

Adrian Stone, 52, from Bristol, is facilitating workshops to help individuals of Caribbean and African descent reconnect with their ancestral roots. The sessions provide practical skills for genealogical research, enabling participants to explore historical records like plantation slave registers and passenger lists from the Windrush era.

Stone's own journey into genealogy was sparked by a desire to understand his heritage after his mother fell ill. His research led him to Jamaica, where he honed his skills in utilizing local historical sources, uncovering connections to music legend Bob Marley and an enslaved Nigerian woman named Eboe Venus.

The excitement derived from these personal discoveries fueled Stone's commitment to assisting others. Some workshops have taken place at the St Paul's Learning Centre, with attendees like Amanda Sterling-Bynoe emphasizing the importance of reclaiming lost history and understanding ancestral origins in Africa and the Caribbean islands.

Participants face challenges, including elders' reluctance to share oral histories and difficulties with historical naming conventions like pet names or maternal surnames. Stone highlights that many individuals will likely trace their lineage back to enslaved people, as historical records show compensation was paid to slave owners upon emancipation.