List of public statues of individuals linked to the Atlantic slave trade explained

This is a list of public statues of individuals linked to the Atlantic slave trade.

United Kingdom

StatueLocationRelation to slaveryRef
31 Jewry Street, LondonJohn Cass was one of the major developers of the Atlantic slave trade and had direct business contacts with slave agents in the Caribbean and African forts. An 18th-century lead statue of Cass by Louis-François Roubiliac, commissioned by the Sir John Cass Foundation, was sited for many years on Aldgate High Street, but was moved to the John Cass Institute in Jewry Street in 1869. It was removed to the Guildhall in 1980. A fibreglass replica was placed in the empty niche of the John Cass Institute in Jewry Street in 1998. Several copies have been made; one is sited in the entrance lobby of the London Metropolitan University Archive.[1]
Plymouth Road, TavistockSir Francis Drake was involved with capture, transport, and sale of slaves across his career, and was particularly influential in establishing early British slave trade.[2] [3]
Forecourt of Guy's Hospital, LondonThomas Guy owned a substantial shareholding in the South Sea Company. Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust said in a statement that they would work with the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm to "...consider the right way forward. We recognise and understand the anger felt by the black community and are fully committed to playing our part in ending racism, discrimination and inequality".[4]
BristolThe statue of Edward Colston, a slave trader, was toppled and thrown into the Bristol Harbour by protesters.[5]
Trafalgar Square, LondonThe Duke of York James, later James II of England, was the principal Governor of the Royal African Company and its largest shareholder.[6] [7]
LondonStatue of Robert Milligan, Scottish merchant and slave trader, outside the Museum of London Docklands. It was removed following a request from the Canal & River Trust.[8]
LondonRobert Geffrye was an English merchant who made part of his wealth from slavery, and part-owned a slave ship. A petition was raised for the removal of his statue outside the Museum of the Home; the Museum elected to "reinterpret and contextualise" the statue in its current location.[9]

Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm

In June 2020 the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, established the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm to "review and improve diversity across London's public realm to ensure the capital's landmarks suitably reflect London's achievements and diversity".[10] Khan said "When you look at the public realm – street names, street squares, murals – not only are there some of slavers that I think should be taken down, and the commission will advise us on that, but actually we don’t have enough representation of people of colour, black people, women, those from the LGBT community."[11]

Khan also announced a pledge to create a National Slavery museum or memorial.[12]

See also

Further reading

External links

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/84-of-black-britons-reject-toppling-statues-w2v5hf9f8

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Statue: Sir John Cass statue – Jewry Street. London Remembers. 9 June 2020. 10 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200610212944/https://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/sir-john-cass-statue-jewry-street. live.
  2. Web site: Sir Francis Drake and the African Slaves. Vicary. Tim. English Historical Fiction Authors. 4 October 2012 . 13 June 2020. 22 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170822180357/http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/sir-francis-drake-and-african-slaves-by.html. live.
  3. Web site: Petition calls for removal of Sir Francis Drake statue from Plymouth Hoe. Green. Alex. Plymouth Live. 9 June 2020 . 13 June 2020. 10 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200610101621/https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/petition-calls-removal-sir-francis-4204163. live.
  4. News: Guy's Hospital considers taking down controversial statue of businessman who profited from slavery. 9 June 2020. ITV News. 9 June 2020. 10 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200610172101/https://www.itv.com/news/london/2020-06-10/guy-s-hospital-considers-taking-down-controversial-statue-of-businessman-who-profited-from-slavery/. live.
  5. Web site: Siddique . Haroon . BLM protesters topple statue of Bristol slave trader Edward Colston . The Guardian . 7 June 2020 . 7 June 2020 . 7 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200607170052/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/blm-protesters-topple-statue-of-bristol-slave-trader-edward-colston/ar-BB159ZRo . live .
  6. Book: The King's City . 6 February 2018 . Simon and Schuster . 9781681777023 . 27 September 2020 . 27 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200927081037/https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_King_s_City/PqAvDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PT150 . live .
  7. Web site: Legacy of Slavery Working Party recommendations. Jesus College, Cambridge. 27 September 2020. 26 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200726000243/https://www.jesus.cam.ac.uk/articles/legacy-slavery-working-party-recommendations. live.
  8. Web site: Statue of 18th century slaver Robert Milligan in east London removed after pressure from campaigners . Evening Standard . London . Rachael . Burford . 9 June 2020 . 22 June 2020 . 10 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200610125120/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/statue-18th-century-slaver-robert-milligan-in-east-london-to-be-removed-as-soon-as-possible-a4464341.html . live .
  9. News: Museum of the Home to keep Sir Robert Geffrye statue. BBC News. 30 June 2020. 29 August 2020. 27 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200927081041/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-53592951. live.
  10. Web site: Mayor unveils commission to review diversity of London's public realm. 9 June 2020 . Mayor of London. 22 June 2020. 22 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200622085626/https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/mayor-unveils-commission-to-review-diversity. live.
  11. News: Morris . Nigel . Sadiq Khan says London slave trader statues could be pulled down after review . 10 June 2020 . inews.co.uk . 9 June 2020 . en . 10 June 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200610165437/https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/london-slave-trader-statues-pulled-down-sadiq-khan-review-441728 . live .
  12. News: Robert Milligan: Slave trader statue removed from outside London museum. 9 June 2020. BBC News. 9 June 2020. 9 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200609160536/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-52977088. live.
  13. News: 2014-01-08. New Jersey founder Sir George Carteret to get statue in home island. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-06-08.
  14. News: 2020-06-11. Jersey statue of slave trader defaced with paint. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-06-08.

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