The gallery is asking local residents to share their family histories and reveal what they know about the Borough's connection with slavery. Many of the gracious mansions built in the 18th century exist because of their owner's involvement in the slave trade. Now a number of these houses belong to English Heritage and the National Trust who are carrying out their own research into the seamier side of these properties. Portraits of black servants and slaves alongside aristocratic sitters are amongst the most familiar images of Black people in Britain during the period.

The public have already come forward with a number of leads. There's evidence of a slave trader who lived in Mortlake and was respected as a prominent local philanthropist. Conversely, there's this press cutting from a local paper published in 1771 has clear overtones of moral outrage, 35 years before it became illegal to hold a slave in England. It says:

"Wednesday, at a sale of Gentleman's effects at Richmond, a Negro boy was put up, and sold for 32l. in this land of liberty."

The other great source of evidence is the parish records for Twickenham from the late 18th century onwards. Researchers have already spotted one man 'Thomas son of Mevy a Black servant of Govr Pitt' who lived for a time at what is now Orleans House. The Museum hopes that people searching the parish records over coming months will keep an eye out for more such entries.

The museum is also interested in how influential local dignitaries such as the poet Alexander Pope, the actor David Garrick and politician Horace Walpole contributed to debates on abolition.

If you've got a lead, an idea - or would like to contribute in any way to the Orleans House research, please contact Miranda Stearn or phone on 020 8831 6485. We'll be reporting back in a few months on what turns up.