Barbados’ oldest sheet music to unlock enslaved people’s voices

Rider Shafique, a Gloucestershire musician of Barbadian descent, and Vanley Burke – commonly known as the godfather of black British photography – will head up the project, which will explore the transatlantic slave trade from their point of view.

Mr Burke told the BBC he was shown the manuscript a few years ago when mentoring a group of young people.

He met up with Mr Shafique to plan for the upcoming exhibition.

“This trauma resonates through the community – and it’s a very big topic,” he said.

Mr Burke added he wants people to see “glimpses” of slavery through their work, and said the manuscript is “one of many important materials held in archives”.

“It’s hidden in plain sight,” he added.

There will also be contributions from Voices Gloucester, as well as four other stitching groups, with the project being displayed at the city’s cathedral between the 6 and 30 of September.