Branding iron

This is a replica of an early 19th century branding iron from America. It is not known whose initials, V S, are on the iron but it would have been used to mark African captives as belonging to a particular owner. Branding irons were sometimes used to mark all captives routinely during the trade, but more often were used to single out runaways to ensure their return if they should escape again.

Credit/copyright
© Hull Museums

Themes
Life on the Plantation