The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho
There is much to recommend in this debut novel by the writer and actor, Paterson Joseph. The book is in many ways a labour of love for Joseph, who has long been absorbed by the story of the writer and composer, born on a slave ship, whose life he has previously presented as a one-man show. Charles Ignatius Sancho burst into being in 1746, and Joseph tells his extraordinary story, a “quest for freedom”, vividly, through a mix of letters to his son Billy, letters to and from his wife, and diary entries, jumping back and forth through time.
On occasions, this feels confusing, and although signposted with dates, more editing could have pared this exhilarating read down, reducing the need to refer back and forth between different timelines and writing styles. Sancho, in real life, was the first Black man to vote in the UK; he mixed with high society, whilst at the same time fleeing from the slave catchers who lurked on London streets. Real characters from the time, including the artist Thomas Gainsborough, who painted Sancho, and the actor David Garrick are also brought vividly to life. But its key strength is the raising of the forgotten voices of the many Black and dual-heritage Britons who should be far better foregrounded in literature. Here, Sancho, his future wife and other Black Britons live again as complex and real people, neither victims nor saints.
This is a long overdue re-framing of Georgian society. This is a must-read for those who enjoy historical fiction that foregrounds forgotten people. Joseph gives us back the glorious—and rotund—figure of Charles Ignatius Sancho, and we are all enriched by this portrait of a man who deserves to be far better known.
