"a coloured man" meaning?

[Maiden Stone]

Do you know if there would be any immigration / naturalization records for these? If so I will check through the registers and see if his name is mentioned.


Interestingly enough, there was another incident described in the Chester Chronicle in 1821 in which a a Mrs James taunted a Betty Price, saying "there's your black husband", referring to Mr Charles Price of Handbridge.

Fascinated by this, I began researching Charles Price to see what I could find, but nothing in his ancestry seemed unusual as both of his parents were also born in Chester. This leads me to think that standards of what was considered "black" or dark were much lower than they are nowadays.

I think 1820 was too early for immigration or naturalisation records. Look up immigration on National Archives Discovery website.
You're assuming because Charles Price's parents were born in Chester that neither of them were of black ethnicity. There were black people in England 500 years ago and earlier.
The only thing that's certain is that Mrs James was a prejudiced woman.

[majm]

If John Potter was born in any locality within the realm of George II or III, then he was not a foreigner as he was a natural born subject of the  British Kings, so did not need to become naturalised.  The colour of his skin did not determine his nationality.    Among those men and women transported to the British Colony of New South Wales were people with surnames including GREEN, White, Black, Brown, Potter, Archer, Bowman, Caesar, BLUE .... Billy Blue and Black Caesar ... two very famous men of colour in NSW history.  I am sure though that John Green's skin colour is not indicated in his surname, just as I am sure his ancestors include people born St Kitts in the 1770s and through into the 1810s.

JM.

[youngtug]

You are assuming coloured means black and of negro origin. There were a lot of different ethnic groups who came to England during the 17th and 18th century's, and earlier. During the 16th century there were Arabic migrants also.
At that time most English seem to have been Ag, Labs, [so many  on here complain of ] and working outside in all weathers leads to a darker complexion.
In my opinion I would not consider the quote to mean "gypsy" most times I have seen in parish registers Egyptian [ or variants]used if that was the case.
Further links follow;

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z327cwx/revision/2

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-35843991

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z8bbtyc/revision/3

[Regorian]

There were many coloured people in the Country as Youngtug points out. Can't quantify as had British names. Subject has come up before. I posted a pic. of R Bucks Militia musicians incl black musicians c1795. Most, if not all regiments both regular and Yeomanry and Militia had some  black musicians in their bands.

I could post a pic. of the kettle drummer of the Royal Horse Guards in State Dress, black, c1750, but won't.

 

[Maiden Stone]

BBC Bitesize "The growth of Asian and African communities 1750-1900" mentions "coloured seamen" and Lascars. Lascars were merchant seamen, originally from Asian regions but the term was also used to refer to all seamen of Asian, African and Caribbean origin. Lascar derives from an Urdu word and is another example of a word which broadened in meaning.
 https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z8bbtyc/revision/1

[majm]

Some links    Several people who were tried in English Courts, found guilty and sentenced to transportation beyond the seas and who arrived in New South Wales 1788 include:

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/caesar-john-black-12829

and

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/blue-william-billy-12804

and


http://www.fellowshipfirstfleeters.org.au/johnrandall.htm 


JM

[bevo]

 Link to baptisms at St James church Toxteth, Liverpool

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~hibernia/baptisms/black_baptisms.html

[History Lives]

BBC Bitesize "The growth of Asian and African communities 1750-1900" mentions "coloured seamen" and Lascars. Lascars were merchant seamen, originally from Asian regions but the term was also used to refer to all seamen of Asian, African and Caribbean origin. Lascar derives from an Urdu word and is another example of a word which broadened in meaning.
 https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z8bbtyc/revision/1

Seemed most Africans in London in 1780s and 1790s were deported / repatriated under the Committee for the Relief of the Black Poor and similar acts. Don't know if this would apply to Africans in Liverpool.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_for_the_Relief_of_the_Black_Poor

[History Lives]

 Link to baptisms at St James church Toxteth, Liverpool

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~hibernia/baptisms/black_baptisms.html

Fascinating. Seems the records from the time were fairly explicit in specifying if the child being baptised was a "negro" or "mulatto" yet none of the records of John Potter mention him as a negro or his children as mulattos.