The Black Lives Matter activists who tore down the statue of Edward Colston and dumped it into Bristol harbour have been cleared of criminal damage.

None of the defendants denied their involvement in the incident but claimed the presence of the statue was a hate crime, and that it was therefore not an offence to remove it.

Summing up, Judge Peter Blair QC told the jury to disregard such rhetoric about the weight and consequences of their decision and try the case purely on the evidence in front of them.

The prosecution said it was “irrelevant” who Colston was, and the case was one of straightforward criminal damage.

The jury cleared the four accused after just under three hours of deliberations.
 
Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, told BBC Breakfast: "We do have a clause in the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill which will perhaps close a potential loophole and mean you can't just go round and cause vandalism, destroy the public realm, and then essentially not be prosecuted."

On Times Radio, he said: "I don't want to be seen to be commenting on an individual case, it had a jury, they made the decision, they would have seen all the facts.

"But as a broader point, I would say we're not in a country where destroying public property can ever be acceptable.

"I'm aware they were tried under a particular piece of legislation, a particular aspect of that legislation, which the new Police, Crime, Sentencing Bill will provide other routes.

"We live in a democratic country. If you want to see things changed you can get them changed, you do that through the ballot box, or petitioning your local council, etc. You don't do it by going out and causing criminal damage.

"We'll always be on the side of the law and when necessary we will fix any loopholes in the law to make sure that's always the case."
 
Robert Jenrick, the former Housing Secretary, said on twitter:
“We undermine the rule of law, which underpins our democracy, if we accept vandalism and criminal damage are acceptable forms of political protest. They aren’t. Regardless of the intentions.”

Professor David Olusoga, who supported the defendants and gave evidence on the history of slavery, told the Guardian: “This verdict is a milestone in the journey that Bristol and Britain are on to come to terms with the totality of our history.”

“For 300 years Edward Colston was remembered as a philanthropist, his role in the slave trade and his many thousands of victims were airbrushed out of the story.
“The toppling of the statue and the passionate defence made in court by the Colston Four makes that deliberate policy of historical myopia now an impossibility.”
 
Richard Burgon MP also welcomed the judgement. He tweeted: “Justice has been done - those who pulled down the slaver’s statue in Bristol have been found not guilty. As I said at the time, they helped to draw attention to the seldom spoken truth that the establishment built British capitalism on a bedrock of slavery.”
 

 

Sources: 
Robert Jenrick - Twitter
Richard Burgon - Twitter
Times Radio – 06/01/2022
BBC Breakfast – 06/01/2022
BLM protesters cleared over toppling of Edward Colston statue – The Guardian

Sheffield City Council will not remove street names because of the “strong feeling” of residents who do not want to see them changed.

We asked
We asked for your views on the Cultural hearings of the Race Equality Commission hearing report and what actions we should consider regarding Sheffield's streets names, monuments, and library, museums and art collections and how they might better reflect our modern city and its diverse communities.

You said
You do not want to see changes to street names, monuments etc.

We did
We acknowledge this strong feeling and are not currently intending to change any of the existing street names or remove any statues.  The report into statues and street names is only part of the Council's wider response to making the city and its places, spaces and institutions more representative of the diverse people and communities that make up the city.  The report of the Race Equality Commission will be published in 2022 and we will act on its recommendations.  The Council has also recently established Local Area Committees which will bring new ways of working with a much more local focus.

Sources:
Sheffield: Our history and heritage told through our streets, monuments, museums, libraries and archives – Sheffield City Council – 17/11/2021
Cultural Hearings of the race Equality Commission report
 

 

 

The statue of explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley in Denbigh (Wales) is set to remain in place following a public consultation in which 79.6% of residents voted to keep the statue in place. 

Press Release
Following on from last night’s full council meeting, one of the items discussed was the future of the H M Stanley Statue in Denbigh.
The town councillors were given an overview by the Chair of the HM Stanley working group – Cllr Catherine Jones regarding the questionnaires received.

A vote was conducted by the town council for Denbigh residents only on Friday 15th October and Saturday 16th October.
Total number of votes for both days to include postal votes & emails came to 592.

Result:
No spoilt votes
Retain 471
Remove 121
8.8% of votes to resident’s ratio.
Of which:
79.6% of votes retain
20.4% of votes remove

The town councillors discuss the result and information received re questionnaire and agreed that the statue should remain in situ.

A decision regarding future narrative by the statue will be discussed at a later date

Source: 
Denbigh Town Council – Press Release - 28/10/2021
 

 

The site of Bonnie Prince Charlie’s final defeat has been added to a list of locations connected to the slave trade by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). It has been included in a report into links between the slave trade and historic sites because the “the Bonnie Prince” received financial backing and a boat to Scotland from a businessman linked to the slave trade. The report states:

Prince Charles Edward Stuart sailed from Nantes – a busy port in the transatlantic slave trade – to the Hebrides in summer 1745 on a French slave ship, the Du Teillay. It belonged to the wealthy Irish-born shipowner, slave trader and plantation owner Antoine Walsh, whose father had helped Charles’s grandfather escape after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. Antoine took a leading role in financing and planning Bonnie Prince Charlie’s expedition to Scotland. 

After the defeat at Culloden in 1746, many Jacobite prisoners were transported to British colonies. The convicts were typically sold for £10 at the quayside into indentured labour for seven years; their life expectancy was low. In the years following the Battle of Culloden, many other Jacobites chose to emigrate, seeing no future in Scotland. Of these people, many became involved in enslavement: working enslaved crews to clear trees in the West Indies, managing plantations as ‘attorneys’ and subsequently owning enslaved people. Although many of these men died young too, the numerous Scottish surnames in Jamaica, other Caribbean islands and in the USA bear testament to the 18th-century Scots’ impact and their disproportionate involvement with enslavement. So do the subsequent compensation claims lodged, once slavery was abolished, by descendants of those Scots who settled abroad during the last decades of the 18th century. (See also 24. Glenfinnan Monument)

There was a plantation estate in Jamaica named Culloden; see the Legacies of British Slavery website.

An intriguing item on display at Culloden Visitor Centre, which may possibly indicate the presence of a West Indian man at the Battle of Culloden, is described in the A Jamaican at the Battle of Culloden story on our website. 

Culloden was acquired by the Trust in 1937, with further gifts and purchases from 1944 to 1998.

Source: 
Facing our Past – National Trust for Scotland – December 2021
 

 

Colston’s School in Bristol, a school founded by Edward Colston, has announced it will change its name. In a statement, the board of governors said:

Following an extensive period of consultation and reflection, the Governors of Colston’s School have decided that the school will change its name. The process of choosing a new name will now begin and will involve students, former pupils, parents and staff. The new name will be announced in the summer of 2022. 

Colston’s School has borne the name of Edward Colston for over 300 years not because of any attempt at any stage to glorify or celebrate the man, but because Edward Colston paid for the school to be established in 1710 in order to prepare boys from “poor families” for meaningful apprenticeships. His ‘hospital’, as it was called then, was established in a single house in the centre of Bristol during his lifetime and he visited the school when it was open. This school was not named after Colston, rather it was named by Colston. 

However, the events that took place in Bristol in June 2020, namely the toppling of the Colston statue, prompted renewed questions over the retention of his name across the city. What became clear is that the name Colston has become a symbol of the city’s extensive links to slavery and will forever be associated with the enslavement and deaths of African men, women and children. 

Colston’s School is currently a very different school to the one founded in 1710. Now situated on a 30-acre site in Stapleton, it is a diverse and inclusive school (the school is fully coeducational, serves pupils from 3 to 18, and approximately 25% of its pupils are from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds), so as well as reviewing the school’s curriculum earlier this year, the Governors launched an extensive name consultation with the school community, as well as inviting views from the general public. Alongside a wide-ranging set of educational materials, with contributions from a number of academics and political figures, the question was asked: Should Colston’s School keep or change its name? 

Of the survey’s 2,500 plus responses, more than 1,000 came from members of the public, with their overall opinion being in favour of retaining the name. However, analysis of the feedback of those respondents who are closer to the school, such as current pupils, more recent former pupils and staff, showed that they were more inclined to see a change in the name of the school as a positive step. One key aspect in these responses was the wish to make the name of the school relevant for the pupils and staff of today and tomorrow and to better reflect the values and ethos that the school stands for in modern times. 

The Governors are adamant that changing the name of the school will not erase the school’s history, and that teaching of the transatlantic slave trade and the role of Edward Colston in Bristol’s history will remain a key part of the school’s curriculum. Nor will this change impact on the holistic, wide-ranging and high-quality education provided. However, it is hoped that a new identity will do more to reflect the character of this diverse and inclusive school and to make it even more welcoming to the local community it is proud to serv
. 
The Board of Governors 
Colston’s School

Sources: 
Statement – Board of Governors – Colston’s School – 6^th December 2021
Research Material and Resources – Colston’s School
 

 

The University of Edinburgh is hiring students part-time to review course materials and the curriculum “through the lenses of equality, diversity, inclusion, and decolonisation”. The job description says applicants must “have an interest in decolonising the curriculum” and “a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion”, with these listed under the “essential” specifications. Experience of campaigning is listed as “desirable”.
 
The School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures is currently recruiting Critical Readers
Join a team of student critical readers who will assist The Board of Studies in The School of Literatures, Languages, and Cultures in reviewing course and programme proposals through the lenses of equality, diversity, inclusion, and decolonisation. These positions are paid, include training, and offer a chance to work collaboratively with peers and members of staff.
Role
Duties may include:

• Reading and reviewing course and programme proposals in LLC
• Discussing course and programme proposals in online meetings with peers
• Attending online meetings with The Board of Studies in LLC
• Reflecting on the experience of participating in the review process

Person Specification
Essential – you must:

• Be a current student (UG or PG) on a degree within the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• Be available from 15th November to 10th December for training, reading, and meetings
• Have a strong commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Have an interest in decolonising the curriculum
• Have an ability to deal appropriately with sensitive information
• Be able to meet deadlines and to attend all meetings on time
• Be eligible to work in the UK; passport verification will be required

Desirable (not essential):

• Experience of campaign or advocacy work or similar
• Experience acting as a Student Representative or similar
• Experience in decolonising initiatives within the context of higher education

Salary and dates of employment:

• Grade UE05, £14.66 per hour
• Approximately 25.5 hours in total (6 hours per week for 4 weeks, plus training session)
• Dates of employment 15th November to 10th December

Other information:

• Applications are invited from all years of study and subject areas within CAHSS – we would welcome a diverse range of students
• These positions are funded by a small award from the Principal’s Teaching Award Scheme. You will be taking part in a pilot study that involves student readers in The Board of Studies. The  information gleaned from this pilot will be used to inform future Board of Studies activity and, potentially, to generate another grant application aimed at amplifying EDI and decolonising initiatives within LLC.

Application Process:

• Complete the application form available here by 5pm, Friday 29th October
• Please send any questions about the role to llc.recruitment@ed.ac.uk

Source: University of Edinburgh School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures – Critical Readers Job Description – 29/10/2021
 

 

Churchill College Cambridge has said that the toast to ‘Sir Winston’ would only be raised for the annual Founder’s Feast. College Almuni have said that it used to happen more frequently. In a statement to Policy Exchange, the college said:

“The toast question is part of a wider consideration of College formalities, with a view to fostering a more inclusive atmosphere. This embraces work of various kinds in the arena of equality and diversity, as well as a new design for the College website, partly aimed at widening participation, which is a key strategic matter for us.

As far as the toasts are concerned, the pattern has in fact been somewhat variable over time, and we wanted to have an agreed set of principles for it, as well as for grace before and after dinners. There was a consultation process over the last year among students and Fellows, culminating in a survey of views across the College’s Governing Body. This yielded a strong majority in favour of the following. The toast to ‘Sir Winston’ will continue to be raised for the annual Founder’s Feast, and the toast to the Queen at this and the other two Feasts, as our most formal occasions. The toast to the College (‘Churchill’) will be used for other special dinners. There will also be toasts to those being celebrated at the dinner in question (‘the graduates’, ‘the benefactors’ etc.). The short version of the grace will be retained for all formal dinners.”

Source:
Policy Exchange History Matters Project
Is Cambridge university ashamed of Winston Churchill? – The Spectator – 26/10/2021
 

 

A group of academics have recommended renaming the ancient human species of Homo rhodesiensis to Homo bodensis because the name is “associated with Cecil Rhodes”. 

In an article published in Evolutionary Anthropology, they said:

“In our opinion, there are two primary reasons for this: (1) the taxon is poorly defined and variably understood and used; and (2) the taxon name is associated with sociopolitical baggage that our scientific community is trying to dissociate itself from.”

“At least part of the reason why H. rhodesiensis never became widely used by palaeoanthropologists stems from its pernicious political baggage. The name is associated with Cecil Rhodes and English mining colonialism and its abhorrent practices used by this self-proclaimed owner of “Rhodesia” on local indigenous populations. While these considerations are not at the root of our rejection of the name, they are not minor and should not be ignored. Discussions of hominin taxonomy cannot operate in a social void.”

“It requires a judicious evaluation of the social message that names are sending, as they have implications for our understanding of the process in the evolution of our own species. Decolonizing palaeoanthropology is an important task that needs to take precedence over rigid taxonomic rules.”

A professor at the Natural History Museum, Professor Chris Stringer, is quoted in The Times partially agreeing with the article stating: 

“I agree that heidelbergensis has been used as a rag-bag and I’m partly to blame for originating its wider usage. It does need dropping as a wider term.”

However, he did question the new name stating:

“You can’t just cancel a species name you don’t like. The name wasn’t given to honour Rhodes but the country Rhodesia. And even if rhodesiensis was somehow also suppressed, the correct thing would then be to look within the species group for the next appropriate given name — and there are several already available such as ‘saldanensis’.”

Sources: 
Resolving the “muddle in the middle”: The case for Homo bodoensis sp. nov. – Evolutionary Anthropology - 2021

 

The Imperial War Museum has apologised for a “grotesque” rap condemning Winston Churchill, which was staged at the end of the two-minute silence on Remembrance Day. In a statement to Policy Exchange on 26^th November, the museum said:

Imperial War Museums (IWM) has been working with young people since 2018 to facilitate Breaking the Silence, an annual programme that takes place at both IWM London and IWM North, exploring the relevance of Remembrance today. For four years, we have offered a platform for the voices of 11 – 18 year olds to engage with our collections and share their perspectives on war and conflict. 

Presenting the cause, course and consequence of war from the First World War to the present day, IWM’s challenging remit attracts multiple view points and opinions. We do, however, recognise that Remembrance Sunday at IWM London, with the meaning it holds for different people, was not the moment to share this particular iteration of Breaking the Silence. We apologise to anyone who attended who was offended or upset by the performance in any way.

As an organisation founded during the First World War, IWM has always dealt with difficult subjects relating to war and conflict, and we continue to do so to this day. By working with young people on performances like Breaking the Silence, we ensure that different perspectives on Remembrance are shared, helping both participants and visitors to explore their own attitudes towards Remembrance today. By offering this prominent platform to young people we hope to remove and reduce barriers to make the museum, and the important stories it holds, open to everyone.

We will continue to ensure that IWM remains a space where important debates and discussions can take place, and we continue to be committed to sharing perspectives, as well as hearing different viewpoints from multiple voices.

Source:
Policy Exchange History Matters Project – 26/11/2021
 

 

The Museums Association has published guidance for museums on how to decolonise their collections. It says it was intended to “empower more people to take action and lead change as museums address the legacy of British colonialism”. It states:
 
“Colonialism has profound human consequences. It is an expression of power that relies upon oppression, extraction of resources and silencing other ways of being and knowing.”
 
“Many museums in the UK are part of the legacy of British colonialism through the collections they steward, their institutional histories, structures and wealth, and the stories they tell.”

“Throughout history, museums have helped to make the case for colonialism by collecting and cataloguing Empire, and by advancing racist and prejudiced views of the world. Such views and attitudes still exist today – museums can and must play their part in righting past wrongs and creating a better world for all those affected by colonialism.”

The guidance also sets out principles for curators including “challenge neutrality”, “acknowledge power and privilege” and “be brave”.

Read the full report here.
 
Sources: 
Supporting Decolonisation in Museums – Museums Association – November 2021
Press Release – Museums Association
 

 

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School in Richmond has removed the names of Sir Winston Churchill and JK Rowling from houses “to be more diverse”. In a newsletter to parents on 21^st October, the school said: 
 
“The children across school have been keen to change some of the names of the school houses to be more diverse.”
 
“The JLT compiled a shortlist and the children have been involved in voting.”
 
“We are pleased to be able to announce the name changes during Black History Month. Churchill has been replaced by Rashford and Rowling by Seacole.”
 
Source: 
Policy Exchange History Matters Project
 

 

The Museum of the Home, formerly known as the Geffrye Museum, is reconsidering its stance on the statue of Robert Geffrye. The board of trustees had decided last year that the statue would remain in its alcove above the entrance to the museum’s central chapel. In a statement, the museum has now said that the statue should be moved to an “alternative and less prominent space”.
 
Geffrye, his statue and its future
There is a statue of Robert Geffrye on the Museum's buildings to acknowledge his donation to build the almshouses.

The statue reflects the historic connection the Museum buildings have to Geffrye, an English merchant who made part of his money from his investment in transatlantic slavery.

Geffrye is not connected to the founding of the Museum or its collections.

The legacy of transatlantic slavery within our history
We acknowledge the pain caused by the connections between the Museum buildings and the forced labour and trading of enslaved Africans.

There is much debate within the Museum and its wider communities about what the statue of Geffrye symbolises today.

The Black Lives Matter movement has demonstrated a profound need for people and institutions to educate themselves about the legacy of structural racism and colonialism. We have a responsibility to act against injustice, and this includes confronting the legacy of colonialism and transatlantic slavery within our own history.

The Museum's position on the future of the Geffrye statue
The Museum of the Home strives to be a welcoming place for all. We feel that the statue of Robert Geffrye on the front of the Museum's buildings does not promote the sense of belonging that is so important for our visitors, and fundamental to the Museum's values.

We have been listening to many views and considering all options concerning the display of the Geffrye statue.
We believe there is potential to retain the statue on site but in an alternative and less prominent space, where we can better tell the full story of the history of the buildings and Robert Geffrye's life, including his involvement in transatlantic slavery.

Next Steps
As a Grade I listed building, there is legislation that the Museum must take into account in making any decision. The Museum will work closely with its stakeholders as anticipated additional guidelines are issued by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport on effective decisions concerning heritage, as well as the process around Listed Building Consent.

Contextualising and reinterpreting the statue
We are developing a curatorial programme to explain and contextualise the statue on site. 

When the Museum reopened in June 2021, we installed a panel at ground level beneath the statue with a brief overview of who Robert Geffrye was. This includes his connections with the forced labour and trading of enslaved people from Africa, and acknowledges that the statue is the subject of intense debate.

The Museum continues to develop its programme of curatorial work explaining and re-contextualising the statue and exploring themes of migration, race and identity in the context of 'home'. Through this programme we confront, challenge and learn from the uncomfortable truths of the origins of the Museum buildings, and fulfil our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

We also commissioned Michael McMillan to make the film Waiting for Myself to Appear, exploring ideas around Black women's identity, gender, diaspora migration and home. The film is a permanent exhibit in the almshouses chapel.

In Spring 2022, we will re-open Almshouse 14 to the public after a period of closure due to Covid-19 restrictions. While closed we have reinterpreted the information and displays in Almshouses 14 to further explore the Museum buildings' connection to Robert Geffrye.

We are confronting, challenging and learning from the uncomfortable truths of the origins of the Museum buildings, to fulfil our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Discussions and debate about the statue
Following an initial process of reflection, debate and research, and a public consultation conducted in partnership with Hackney Council, in July 2020 the Board of Trustees of the Museum decided to keep and explain the statue of Robert Geffrye in its current position.

Read the original statement from the Board of Trustees - July 2020 (pdf)

Public consultation
The Museum wanted to seek feedback on the future of the statue and held a public consultation to help inform the Board's decision-making process. The online consultation was designed as an easy, accessible way for as many people as possible, particularly local residents, to have their say on this important issue.
Over 2,000 people took time to share their views. Overall, the response was in favour of removing the statue. There was a wide range of responses and suggestions, including how the Museum should share the historic connections between the buildings and Geffrye. Read the summary of the public consultation about the statue July 2020 (pdf).

Additional views
Responses from Museum community groups, members of staff and sample postcode data from a petition about the statue were shared.

Other information the Board considered

The Board also took into account other information including the government's position to 'retain and explain', the building’s Grade I listed status which means any decisions to change the building require planning permission, and independent research into Geffrye.

Structural and cultural change

Alongside the debate about the statue, the Museum is committed to a transformative programme of structural and cultural change to become truly representative and inclusive, through our workforce, creative programming and partnerships.

We want to work with all our communities to fulfil the Museum's vision to create a diverse and dynamic cultural experience around home.

Read more about the plans to create greater diversity and representation at the Museum
 
Source: 
Geffrye, his statue and its future – Museum of the Home – Autumn 2021
 

 

A portrait of Sir Thomas Picton has been removed from the Faces of Wales gallery at the National Museum Cardiff and will be “reinterpreted over the comings months”. In a statement, Kath Davies, the Director of Collections and Research said:

“This is another important step for Amgueddfa Cymru in examining our national collections and thinking about who we display in our Faces of Wales gallery and why. This project replaces one artwork - which assigns great importance to someone whose actions as Governor of Trinidad even at the time were seen as cruel - with a celebratory portrait of a worker - someone we could today consider to be a hero.”

“Looking ahead, Amgueddfa Cymru will be creating educational resources on the history and achievements of communities experiencing racial inequalities within our society. These will support the recently announced changes to the curriculum by the Welsh Government.”

The Sub Sahara Advisory Panel (SSAP) will decide the future of the Picton portrait and will be redisplayed and reinterpreted by two additional artworks. Its director, Fadhili Maghiya said: 
 
“As we aim to build a Wales that is inclusive, built on the foundations of equality and one which focuses on community cohesion and appreciative of the different cultures that exist in our country, we need to celebrate those who are representative of the society we live in. Those individuals should be displayed on the Faces of Wales Gallery”

Commission by the National Museum Cardiff, the two additional artworks are by Trinidadian and Tobagian multidisciplinary artist, Gesiye, and the UK-based Laku Neg, a group of four members of Trinidadian heritage which promotes expressions of African diaspora knowledge through art and culture. The following link is the Instagram page of Laku Neg: https://www.instagram.com/lakuneg/?hl=en-gb

Source: 
Press Release : Portrait of Picton to be removed and reinterpreted at National Museum Cardiff – 02/11/2021
 

 

The University of Oxford has confirmed press reports that it has received a donation from the Alexander Mosley Charitable Trust. In statements to Policy Exchange, the University and Lady Margaret Hall said:

Oxford University:
“We can confirm that donations to the Department of Physics from the Alexander Mosley Charitable Trust, including endowment of a chair in Biophysics named after Alexander Mosley, a graduate of the University, were all considered and approved by the University’s Committee to Review Donations and Research Funding. All large donations to the University must pass scrutiny by the Committee, which is a robust, independent process taking legal, ethical and reputational issues into consideration.”
 
Lady Margaret Hall:
"The AMCT donation to Lady Margaret Hall, approved by its Governing Body, enabled a cohort of students from very diverse and low-income backgrounds to attend Oxford and participate in LMH’s pioneering Foundation Year. 

Lady Margaret Hall's due diligence included noting that the Trust had been considered and approved by the University’s Committee to Review Donations and Research Funding. The Chancellor's Court of Benefactors official report also lists AMCT as a member of its fellowship "who have provided exceptional philanthropic benefactions to Oxford."

The AMCT knew that the cohort of students came from diverse and under-represented backgrounds and was pleased to support the scheme and its aims. Six students from the cohort are now Oxford undergraduates. The gift was therefore fully in line with – and helped to deliver on - LMH’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

There was no attempt to ‘rehabilitate the Mosley family name.’ The AMCT trustees did not ask for, and were not given, any public acknowledgement of the donation."

Sources:
Policy Exchange History Matters Project
Full report: Chancellor’s Court of Benefactors 2020-21
 

 

Cecil Rhodes House in Camden has been renamed ‘Park View House’ by the Council.

The Council said: “In 2020, the Council launched a review into individuals memorialised across the borough. As part of this review, Cecil Rhodes House was identified for renaming for Cecil Rhodes’ involvement in creating a political system of racism, discrimination and segregation which led to the apartheid in South Africa in the 19th century. The renaming of Cecil Rhodes House is one part of a wider programme of work to ensure Camden’s public realm is inclusive and representative of its diverse and vibrant communities.

All Cecil Rhodes House residents were invited to take part in a ballot in February to choose a new name for their block. The vote received an excellent turnout with 77% of households voting for their favourite name. Nearly two thirds of voters chose Park View House, named after the building’s view of St Pancras Gardens, in a shortlist of four names.”
 
Sources: 
‘A significant moment’ - residents of Park View House celebrate block’s new name – Camden Newsroom – 22/09/2021
Renaming Cecil Rhodes House – Report
 

 

Following press reports that Nelson, a village in Wales, had been added to a Welsh Government dossier of places linked to slavery, a Caerphilly County Borough Council spokesman said: 

“We are keen to set the record straight on this matter as the audit was initiated by Welsh Government, not Caerphilly council. The Welsh Government document contains references to hundreds of streets, buildings and other locations that are named after historical figures across the whole of Wales, so we are not sure why the village of Nelson has been unfairly singled out in the press.”

Source:
Policy Exchange History Matters Project – 10/2021
 

 

A group of students have launched a campaign to rename the Seeley Historical Library at the University of Cambridge. In an open letter to the Faculty of History, the group said:
 
“To the History Faculty at the University of Cambridge,
 
The Seeley Historical Library was named after John Robert Seeley, a Cambridge Regius Professor known for his justification of the British Empire. The library’s name must be changed to the History Faculty Library. In dedicating the history library to Seeley, the University is associating itself with his career and beliefs. It reflects the University’s historic and ongoing justification and support of colonialism. If Cambridge is committed to looking into its legacies of empire and colonialism, then it cannot continue to blindly celebrate such a figure. Current and future students should not have to set foot in a library that commemorates British imperial conquest.

John Robert Seeley was born in 1834 in London, and went on to study at City of London School, and Christ’s College, Cambridge. After becoming head of the Classics tripos, he was elected fellow of Christ’s and became a tutor in Classics. In 1883, while a Regius Professor of Modern History at Cambridge, he wrote ‘The Expansion of England’. This text has been lauded as “the single influence which did most to develop the imperialist idea” by Robert Ensor. In 1895, a memorial fund was raised to commemorate his services to the British Empire and the University. Most of this fund was endowed to the history library, which was named in his commemoration in 1897.
 
For too long figures like Seeley have had their legacies neutralised by their vague liberal beliefs like supporting the admission of elite women into universities. The library’s naming and association is representative of Cambridge’s lack of desire to confront its legacies of colonialism. Permitting Seeley to remain an unchallenged, neutral figure in history serves to naturalise how logics of imperialism and colonialism remain central to the university.
 
The library could instead name a section with texts on imperialist history to make it clear what Seeley’s legacy represents. At Seeley’s own Christ’s College, the History Society has been renamed from the Seeley History Society to Christ’s College History Society. Changing the name would be a symbolic act to show Cambridge University’s commitment to decolonisation.
 
We, the undersigned, call on the University of Cambridge and its History Faculty to immediately remove Seeley from the name of the library and to rename it to the History Faculty Library.”
 
Source:  
RENAME SEELEY LIBRARY OPEN LETTER – Accessed December 2021
 

A new research project at the National gallery highlights the links of hundreds of paintings to slavery. Many paintings including from artists such as Titian, Raphael, Peter Paul Rubens, John Constable and William Hogarth are highlighted by the project which aims to “find out what links to slave ownership can be traced with the gallery and to what extent the profits from plantation slavery impacted our early history”. The project puts several British monarchs including Queen Victoria in the “related to slavery” section.
 
See the list of people related to slavery here. 
 
Source: 
National Gallery and Legacies of British Slave-ownership research project – 08/11/2021
 

 

A tourist guide funded by TfL claims that botanical terms such as ‘native’ and ‘invasive’ species “parallels human histories of conquest”. It adds that “plants’ classification also mirrored the empire’s classification of human beings, promoting an ideology of otherness that persist today”.
 
“Colonialists believed land which other people lived on was theirs to take. This often meant the colonialists and their people became very rich. These acts still affect who owns a garden today and who doesn’t. Community gardens can help everyone grow plants, flowers and food together. Why it is important to share our gardens and green spaces?”
 
Read the full guide here.
 
Source: Brixton Botanical Map - TFL - 2021 
 

 

Jesus College has returned a Benin Bronze, presenting it to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM). In an article on its website, the college said:

Jesus College today became the first institution in the world to return a Benin Bronze, presenting it to Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM).

Delegates from Nigeria and Benin took part in a ceremony to complete the handover process and celebrate the rightful return of the Bronze.

His Royal Highness, Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, immediate younger brother of the Oba of Benin said: “For coming to the conclusion that it’s immoral to retain such items, Jesus College is challenging the erroneous argument that stolen art cannot be returned.

“We are grateful for the student body who initiated the efforts for the return of the bronze. We are also grateful for the work of the Legacy of Slavery Working Party and most importantly we must thank Sonita for the promptness with which she decided Okukor is a royal ancestral heirloom.”

Ms Sonita Alleyne OBE, Master of Jesus College said: “This is a truly momentous occasion. We are pleased to be able to welcome here today representatives from Nigeria and the Royal Court of Benin and return this property.

“This is the right thing to do out of respect for the unique heritage value and history of this artefact. I would like to thank all those both in the UK and Nigeria who have worked towards this moment and made it possible.”

Professor Abba Isa Tijani, Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments of Nigeria, said: “It’s an honour to be here at Jesus College and to be part of this ceremony to do what’s right. We are very happy to be part of this process.

“We want to enable Nigerians to see what belongs to them – objects of their history, of cultural and religious importance, that have been away for so long.

“We would like other museums and institutions across the world to take this opportunity and follow suit.”

In May 2019 Jesus College set up its Legacy of Slavery Working Party (LSWP) – comprising Fellows, staff and student representatives – to explore the historical, legal and moral status of the College’s ownership of the Bronze. They examined evidence showing that the statue was looted directly from the Court of Benin, as part of the punitive British expedition of 1897, and was given to the College in 1905 by the father of a student.

Dr Véronique Mottier, Chair of the LSWP, said: “I think I can speak for the entire LSWP when I say that this is a moment of mixed emotions. We are all thrilled at seeing this day arrive, when the Bronze is finally returning home, but we are also painfully aware of having deprived its rightful owners for so long of its presence, and offer our heartfelt apologies for this historic wrong.

Source: 
Jesus College returns Benin Bronze in world first, Jesus College Cambridge – 27/10/2021

See also:
Why Jesus College shouldn’t have returned its Benin bronze – Michael Mosbacher – the Spectator – 27/10/2021
 

 

The University of Aberdeen has begun the process of returning a Benin Bronze to Nigeria. In a statement, the University said:

The University of Aberdeen will complete the return of a Benin Bronze at a handover ceremony on Thursday.

Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, the younger brother of the current Benin monarch; Chief Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan, the Obasuyi of Benin; Professor Abba Isa Tijani, Director of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments; Babatunde Adebiyi, the Legal Adviser of National Commission for Museums and Monuments; and Abdul Mohammed Gimba, Director, Museums, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, will visit Scotland to receive the sculpture.

They will be accompanied by Prince Isa Bayero, a Prince of the Kano Emirates; His Excellency, Suleiman Sani, Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria in UK; and Mrs Edith Ekunke, Retired Director of the National Museum, Lagos.
The University became the first institution to agree to the full repatriation from a museum of a Benin Bronze in March and will hand back the Bronze this week, as will Jesus College Cambridge.

The sculpture, which depicts the head of an Oba (king), is one of thousands of religious and cultural artefacts looted by British forces in 1897 during the destruction of Benin City in present-day Nigeria by a British military expedition.

It was purchased by the University of Aberdeen at an auction in 1957. A recent review of collections included research into its provenance confirming that it was one of the so-called ‘bronzes’, acquired in immoral circumstances during the Benin Punitive Expedition in which the royal palace of the Oba was burned and looted.

As a result, in 2020 the University instigated a conversation through Professor Bankole Sodipo, Professor of Law in Babcock University, Nigeria, with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments of Nigeria, the Edo State Government and the Royal Court of the Oba, regarding its return.

A formal request for repatriation by the Nigerian Federal Government and supported by the other parties, was then proposed and in March 2021 this was unanimously approved by the University Court following discussion by an expert panel, which included representatives of the University, the Director of the Hunterian Museum in the University of Glasgow and Professor Sodipo representing the Nigerian partners.

The process of a legal transfer then began with the University working to support the timescales identified by the Nigerian partners for its physical return.

His Royal Majesty, Oba of Benin, Omo N'Oba N'Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II, said: “Much has been said about the significance of heritage art and, in spite of the occasional attempts in some quarters to downplay their cultural and religious relevance, these works are often imbued with the spirit of the people from whom they were taken.

“Regardless of the resistance in some quarters, the return of stolen art is the right thing to do. Some say that they acquired their own collections. This is like saying, well, I know this item was originally stolen but because I bought it somewhere, then I’m okay. That notion is completely wrong and unfortunate.

“In any event, we thank the University of Aberdeen for this noble act of returning our bronze work. We hope that other institutions worldwide will see the injustice when they insist on holding on to items which in fact should be a reminder to them of the great injustice that was inflicted on a people so far away and so long ago“

Professor Abba Isa Tijani, Director-General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments, said: “We at the National Commission for Museums and Monuments of Nigeria really appreciate the initiative of the University of Aberdeen to release the Benin Bronze head in their collection.

“The University commenced this move without being instigated. This is unprecedented. On its volition, the University felt it ought to return to Nigeria an important cultural object it obtained some decades ago through what can pass in the United Kingdom as legal acquisition. I must appreciate Professor Bankole Sodipo who linked up with Lawyer Babatunde Adebiyi of the Commission to ensure that an avenue for discussion was created.

“The synergy was an added impetus to the initiative of the University of Aberdeen. Today, we are witnessing the success story. The Commission intends to cement its relationship with the University of Aberdeen and also work with the University in fashioning mutual agreements with other universities and institutions in the region regarding Nigerian artefacts in their holdings. We earnestly expect without any doubt that other persons and institutions will reach out to us for talks on the way forward concerning Nigerian artefacts in their possession. The Aberdeen return should inspire all to a future of friendly returns.”

The Minister of Information and Culture of Nigeria, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said: "Nigeria warmly welcomes the return of the Benin Bronze Head by the University of Aberdeen and once again calls on all individuals, organizations and countries in possession of Nigerian artefacts to voluntarily return them to where they belong – Nigeria."

Professor George Boyne, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, said: “Over the last 40 years the Benin Bronzes have become important symbols of injustice.

“It would not have been right to have retained an item of such great cultural significance that was acquired in such reprehensible circumstances.

“The University took a proactive approach to identify the appropriate people to discuss what to do and we are extremely grateful for the collective approach taken by the partners in Nigeria, which has facilitated this return.
“We are delighted to welcome our guests representing the Federal Republic of Nigeria , the Kingdom of Benin, and the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and commend their spirit of co-operation in making this possible.”

The partners have committed to the safe-keeping of the Bronze ‘in such a manner and in true essence of its sovereignty’, until it can be put on public display at the Oba’s palace or other agreed place.

Source: 
Ceremony to complete the return of Benin Bronze – University of Aberdeen – 27/10/2021
 

 

Imperial College has published a report which has “uncovered and reviewed various elements of the College’s history – some of which are positive, and some of which are uncomfortable in the context of our modern values – to create a set of specific recommendations”. It recommends renaming a building and removing the statue of English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley. It also recommends celebrating people like professor Abdus Salam (Nobel Prize for Physics 1979) by making his portrait more prominent in the college.
 
“Imperial is starting a dialogue with its community to deepen understanding of the College’s history and legacy.  

The initiative comes as the College’s independent History Group
publishes a report which sheds new light on associations with figures linked to past injustices, as well as additional insights into undercelebrated people from Imperial’s past.

The community is now being asked to share their views on the report and its findings ahead of the College deciding what further actions to take. 

The History Group was commissioned last year by Imperial’s President and Provost to examine the history of the College, with a focus on links to the British Empire. It included broad representation of staff and students, as well as external advisors.   

Their report takes into account contributions and input from Imperial’s staff, students, alumni and partners who shared their knowledge and views to help the History Group’s research.     

Read the full report and its recommendations.

The commissioning of the History Group was part of a series of initiatives focussed on addressing racial inequalities and inclusivity. As part of this, the College recently launched new scholarships for Black British students, among other initiatives.

Recommendations
The History Group’s report suggests that the names of buildings, rooms and other locations on campus should be used to project the College’s ethos and values, and that they should celebrate a wider range of Imperial people.

The report makes specific recommendations linked to the way Imperial currently highlights its associations with key figures. These include rethinking the names of some locations on campus like Beit Hall and the Huxley Building, acknowledging the Beit brothers' ties to the diamond and gold mining industry in South Africa and writings by Thomas Henry Huxley which contributed to a belief in a racial hierarchy of intelligence.   

Decisions to rename buildings should be taken carefully, allowing for historical context, the report says.   
The report also calls for the College to find ways to better mark the impact and contributions of brilliant but undercelebrated Imperial people like Abdus Salam, Margaret Fishenden and Francis Allotey.

Decisions yet to be made    
No decisions have been made yet. The wider College community is now invited to read the report, learn more about the College’s history and share their views on how Imperial should respond to the issues raised in it. 
The College’s President’s Board will make final decisions on the report’s recommendations in early 2022 once the Imperial community has had a chance to reflect on and discuss the report’s findings.”
 
Source: 
Dialogue begins as community confronts, celebrates and learns from past – Imperial College London
Community Report from the History Group, Imperial College London, October 2021