Why was this statue there?

[ChangedAgainJune]

Why was Edward Colston's statue on display in Bristol? I am not asking why it was toppled and pushed in to water. I am
Interested why it was in a place it was? Never heard of him before (I am not from the UK originally) and google does not give me an idea. Only read he was a slave merchant, member of Parliament.
When was his statue erected? Why? Who did it?

He was a slave trader. He made a large fortune from it.

The statue and road names were because he donated fortunes to build schools etc.

This is the problems with history. So much wrong done but sometimes honourable outcomes from that.

We've learnt a lot from those times. But we can't erase actions or change history.

Google will have told you that he was a Bristolian who gave money to found and support charitable causes in the city.

Many statues are commissioned by the people themselves aren't they, or associations set up in their names. www.brh.org.uk/site/articles/myths-within-myths/?fbclid=IwAR0Kk1_uVpAlBEhDxhAbxCdCOid2AeLnauWFQwcfsUjVvoW-qSiKDJkirBg here's a bit more about Colston though.

He gave a lot of money to Bristol. However he made his money from being a slave trader!