St Martin-in-the-Fields church on Trafalgar Square is celebrating its 300th anniversary with a new exhibition and online archive that uncovers the lives of ordinary Londoners buried in its churchyard. Among the discoveries are the stories of William Fatt, a chimney sweep who is now recognized as one of Britain's earliest known Black voters.
Unearthing Forgotten Lives
The Stories Behind the Stones project is building an online archive of those buried in the churchyard, using engraved memorial stones set into the crypt floor and walls. These stones offer glimpses into long-forgotten lives, including that of William Fatt, who worked as a chimney sweep for the Admiralty and Royal Hospital Chelsea. His father, also named William Fatt, was a Black chimney sweep for the king's palaces and voted in the 1749 Westminster byelection, making him one of the very first known Black voters in Britain.
Historian Dr Robin Eagles noted that John London had previously been considered the first Black voter, but Fatt appears to be the joint-earliest, both pre-dating Ignatius Sancho by 31 years.
Mystery of Richard James Said
Another stone memorializes Richard James Said, described as 'a native of Africa,' who died at age 19 in 1810. The inscription states that the family he served for seven years placed the stone over his grave. Dan Kaszeta, volunteer archivist, said: 'It's a little bit of a mystery. He could have been a freed slave.' However, he added that the 'weight of evidence' at a time when 'the majority of black residents were slaves' pointed to enslavement. The stone cost £20 in 1810, about £2,000 today, indicating that those who paid for it were not poor.
Exhibition Highlights
The free exhibition, titled 300 Years at the Heart and on the Edge, showcases the church's history as a place of activism and protest, focusing on those 'at the edge of society.' Art and artifacts on display include a royal chair last used by Queen Mary, the original door handle from 1726 featuring St Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar, and the Lampedusa Cross, made from wood of a boat that sank in 2013. Audio recordings from 1928 of the choir highlight the church's history of innovation, including services relayed via the Victorian Electrophone.
Rev Sam Wells, vicar of St Martin, said: 'The phrase we've used is at the heart on the edge, so the heart refers to obviously the compassion associated with issues surrounding homelessness or since the first world war.' The church opened its doors to soldiers during WWI and later formalized its fight against homelessness with the Social Services Unit in 1948. Today, The Connection at St Martin cares for about 7,500 individuals each year.
The exhibition runs from 24 June to 15 November 2026.
