Nathaniel Wells | |
|---|---|
 Wells' seal | |
| Born | 10 September 1779 |
| Died | 13 May 1852 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | Planter, politician, military officer |
Nathaniel Wells (10 September 1779 – 13 May 1852) was a British planter and politician of Afro-Caribbean descent. Born on a slave plantation in Saint Kitts, he was sent to Britain to complete his education, eventually serving as a magistrate after being called to the bar. Inheriting his white father's estates in the British West Indies, Wells served in the Yeomanry Cavalry, becoming the second Black person to serve as an officer in a British military unit after Royal Navy officer John Perkins. He was also the first Black sheriff in Britain. Wells died in 1852, remaining wealthy despite his slaves having been emancipated 19 years earlier by the Slavery Abolition Act 1833.