‘Doctor Strange ‘ actor Benedict Cumberbatch’s family could possibly face legal pressure to pay reparations in connection to their ancestors’ link to the Barbados slave trade.
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After the country’s National Task Force on Reparations is currently seeking reparations from powerful families who profited from slavery, the actor’s family reportedly has historical connections to a sugar plantation in Barbados. According to Insider, officials first targeted British conservative MP Richard Drax and his family for owning a sugar plantation. Families who do not follow the procedure for paying reparations will face legal action.
Benedict Cumberbatch’s family could be forced to pay reparations to Barbados for running a slave plantation on the island in the 18th and 19th century.
When the plantation was forced to close his family were given £6,000 in compensation – in today’s money that’s £3.6million. pic.twitter.com/ZE0sy5DWyZ— Lorraine King (@lorrainemking) December 31, 2022
Abraham Cumberbatch, Cumbatches’ ancestor, owned the Cleland plantation in the late 1700s and housed 250 slaves until slavery was abolished in 1834. It is unknown whether Cumberbatch’s family will be pursued, but Caricom ambassador David Commmisong stated that the government is in the early stages of seeking reparations.
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After slavery was abolished, the British government paid the Cumberbatch family £6,000 which equals up to $1 million in today’s time. Additionally, the actor spoke about his family’s history with the slave trade and his mother told him about using a different last name for his acting career.
“We have our past – you don’t have to look far to see the slave-owning past.We were part of the whole sugar industry, which is a shocker.”
Fans were shocked by the Cumberbatch family history and have different opinions about it.
Fans of the actor were stunned by the sudden news of the ‘Doctor Who actor’s family history and others who are from Barbados said they had no idea his family owned the Cleland Plantation.
His family owned Cleland Plantation?! Had no idea. He and all the people alive who’ve benefited from the generational wealth acquired from the enslavement of Black people in Barbados need to pay up and with interest.
— Carolyn -😏- Hinds 🇧🇧 (@CarrieCnh12) December 31, 2022
*adds Sherlock to the list of shows I’m never watching again*
…unless he pays up!
— Malick Doucouré (@MaIickDoucoure) December 31, 2022
3.6 million is about one Dr Strange film for Benedict. It wouldn’t cause him any financial discomfort to pay that money back.
— Lady Applejack vibes 🏴 (@StitchCu1t) December 31, 2022