Reasonable Blackman (fl. 1579–1592)[1][2] (also possibly known as John Reason and Reasonable Blackmore)[3] was a silk weaver resident in Southwark, London, in the late sixteenth century.[4][5][6] He was among the earliest people of African heritage to be living and working as an independent business owner in London in that era.[7]: 121  He may have come to London via the Netherlands,[4] which had a relatively significant African population at the time and also a significant trade in silk, although his original provenance is unknown.[5]

The first record of Blackman is in the records of St Saviour's church (later Southwark Cathedral) in 1579.[6] By 1587 Blackman was married and therefore clearly had sufficient means to support a family.[5] It has been suggested that he made costumes for the theatres in the area.[2][3] He had at least three children,[4][5][6] of whom at least one (Edward)[5] was baptised at St Olave's Church, Southwark in 1587,[3] and a fourth child with a similar surname who was also baptised at St Olave's may also have been his.[7]: 123  Two of his children, Edmund and Jane, died in 1592 of plague.[3][4][5][6] They were buried with due ritual in St Olave's churchyard.[6][7]: 132 

The name and ethnicity of Blackman's wife are unknown.[5] The small number of people of African descent in London at this time makes it likely she was a white Englishwoman.[5]

References

  1. ^ Kaufmann, Miranda (2017). "The Men and Women in BLACK TUDORS: THE UNTOLD STORY". Miranda Kaufmann. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
  2. ^ a b Habib, Imtiaz (2015). "The Resonables of Boroughside, Southwark: an Elizabethan Black Family Near the Rose Theatre". Shakespeare. 11 (2): 135–156. doi:10.1080/17450918.2013.766633. S2CID 191181138.
  3. ^ a b c d Salkeld, Duncan (2018). Shakespeare and London. Oxford University Press. p. 146. ISBN 9780192559784. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d Bidisha (30 October 2017). "Tudor, English and black – and not a slave in sight". The Guardian. London, England. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "The prosperous silk weaver". BBC History Magazine. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e "London's forgotten black Tudors, including a Southwark-based 16th century silk trader". Southwark News. Southwark, London, England. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  7. ^ a b c Kaufmann, Miranda (2017). Black Tudors: The Untold Story. UK: OneWorld. ISBN 978-1-78607-396-9.


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