Black Plaque Project
16
William
Brown Armed Forces
1789 — 1835
Plaque
Category

Armed Forces

Location

Master Shipwright's Palace, Watergate St, Deptford, London

Visit location

The woman who stopped at nothing to serve her country

In 1815 it was discovered that Seaman William Brown was a Black woman who had secretly disguised herself as a man in order to serve in the British Royal Navy.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, it wasn’t unheard of for a woman to pass herself off as a man to enlist in the military, but to be Black added an extra level of scrutiny. At the time, Britain was the most powerful naval force in the world. It was a highly respected position, but being a sailor was no glamorous job it was tough and dangerous work.

There are a few varying accounts of Brown’s story, but one version published in the Annual Register for 1815 states that she served on the flagship of Britain’s premier battle fleet, the HMS Queen Charlotte, for upwards of eleven years!

Historic Locations
30
Frank
Arthur Bailey
Firefigther
1925 — 2015
29
Earl
Cameron
Actor
1917 — 2020
28
Mona
Baptiste
Entertainer
1928 — 1993
1
Robert
Wedder­burn
Politicial Activist and Abolitionist
1762 — 1835
2
Ladipo
Solanke
Activist
1886 — 1958
3
Sarah
Baartman
 
1789 — 1815
5
Dyke
Dryden & Wade
Entrepreneurs
6
Ethel
Scott
Athlete
1907 — 1984
7
Errol
Brown
Musician
1943 — 2015
8
Val
Mccalla
Entrepreneur
1943 — 2002
9
George
Bridge­tower
Violinist
1778 — 1860
11
Phil
Lynott
Rock Star
1949 — 1986
12
Fela
Kuti
Entertainer and Activist
1938 — 1997
13
John
Lagey
Musician and Wrestler
1920 — 1994
14
Kathleen
Wrasama
Community Activist
1917 — UNKNOWN
15
Adelaide
Hall
Entertainer
1901 — 1993
16
William
Brown
Armed Forces
1789 — 1835
17
Ken
'Snakehips' Johnson
Entertainer
1914 — 1941
19
Winifred
Atwell
Pianist
1914 — 1983
21
Kenny
Lynch
Pop Star
1938 — 2019
22
J.SCelestine
Edwards
Academic and Activist
1858 — 1894
23
Lilian
Bader
Armed Forces
1918 — 2015
26
Alice
Kinloch
Activist
1852 — 1915
27
Fanny
Eaton
Artist's Model
1835 — 1924
More unsung heros View all