Susannah Cullen (1762 – February 1796) was an Englishwoman of Scottish descent, best known as the wife of Olaudah Equiano, a prominent African abolitionist and writer. Born in Fordham, Cambridgeshire, to James and Ann Cullen, she came from humble beginnings. Susannah met Equiano during his book tour in Cambridgeshire around 1789, where she subscribed to the 1790 and 1791 editions of his autobiography, “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano.” Equiano’s World
The couple married on April 7, 1792, at St. Andrew’s Church in Soham, Cambridgeshire. Their union was noted in contemporary publications, with the General Evening Post reporting: “Gustavus Vassa (Equiano Olaudah), the African, well known in England as the champion and advocate for procuring a suppression of the Slave Trade, was married at Soham, in Cambridgeshire to Miss Cullen, daughter of Mr. Cullen of Ely, in the same County, in the presence of a vast number of people assembled on the occasion.” Equiano’s World
Susannah and Olaudah had two daughters: Anna Maria, born on October 16, 1793, and Joanna, born on April 11, 1795. Tragically, Susannah passed away in February 1796 at the age of 34 and was buried in Soham. Her gravestone bears the inscription: “Susannah Vassa, Wife of Gustavus the African, aged 34 years.” Capturing Cambridge
Following Susannah’s death, Equiano continued his abolitionist work until his own passing in 1797. Their surviving daughter, Joanna Vassa, went on to marry Congregational minister Henry Bromley and lived in various locations, including Devon, Essex, and Hackney, where she died in 1857. Abney Park
Susannah Cullen’s marriage to Olaudah Equiano represents a significant historical union, reflecting the interconnected narratives of abolition, cultural exchange, and personal resilience during a transformative period in British history.
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