[Castlebar]

The British banned it before we did.

The British emancipated Irish Catholics in 1825, and Blacks in 1831.

But they retained their slave empire in India for another century.

[Vanders9]

Actually you are both wrong. There was no slave empire in India...except if you count the one that the hindu caste system instituted on itself. Slavery was officially abolished in all of Britains colonies, protectorates and dominions by the Slavery abolition act of 1833. It was banned in India in 1843 when the sub continent officially became part of the Empire.

However, technically, you couldnt be charged with a crime of owning slaves in the UK until fairly recently - 1998 in fact. That's not to say slavery was legal, its just that if you were enslaving someone you would be charged with breach of other offences (kidnap, failing to pay minimum wages, assault etc).