A fascinating character, Sir Thomas’ legacy is a colorful one. Early in his career, he was a guard to Napoleon during the time of his exile on the island of St. Helena. As his epitaph reads, his most notable achievement was being the head of the abolitionist movement in Tunis, and convincing Ahmed Bey to abolish slavery “throughout his dominions.” At the same time, he was also responsible for some unforgivable pillaging and irreparable damage in the archeological site in Dougga. His remains were repatriated to England in the 1950s, and his son, also named Thomas Reade, was later appointed Consul in Tunis.