To feel emotional at the slave trader statue

[Millicent10]

being pulled down earlier.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52954305

This says so much and the symbolism of throwing it in the river is such a suitable ending. Reminds everyone what happened to so many slaves.

In 1833, Britain used £20 million, 40% of its national budget, to buy freedom for all slaves in the Empire. The amount of money borrowed for the Slavery Abolition Act was so large that it wasn’t paid off until 2015. Which means that living British citizens helped pay to end the slave trade.

OK, but why were slave owners compensated and not the victims?

He has been dead for 100 years then. And he didn't own any slaves

Goady little fucker 🙄

He has been dead for 100 years then. And he didn't own any slaves

Was going to reply, deleted and here have this instead

How is it goady? Try saying things that make sense or have some basis in fact rather than things that are just nonsense and make no sense at all.

@Endoftether2000

And what was their reward? What thanks did they get?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/11/david-olusoga-black-soldiers-first-world-war-expendable

Goady because it's not even accurate. I think he died in 1721 and the statue was put up in 1895. Being the director of the company which helped to traffic, sorry transport, slaves in appalling conditions is acceptable is it? Think of an example of more recent history. Is it acceptable to transport people in cattle wagons? Or was that OK because the driver or the railway company who owned the wagons personally didn't round the people up?

OK, but why were slave owners compensated and not the victims?

Why ask questions that you could just look up on Google?

"WHEREAS divers Persons are holden in Slavery within divers of His Majesty's Colonies, and it is just and expedient that all such Persons should be manumitted and set free, and that a reasonable Compensation should be made to the Persons hitherto entitled to the Services of such Slaves for the Loss which they will incur by being deprived of their Right to such Services: "

It's the first sentence of the Slavery Abolition Act. It was felt that having been deprived of their property, slave owners should be paid compensation.

Goady because it's not even accurate. I think he died in 1721 and the statue was put up in 1895.

What on earth are you talking about?

The post was

In 1833, Britain used £20 million, 40% of its national budget, to buy freedom for all slaves in the Empire. The amount of money borrowed for the Slavery Abolition Act was so large that it wasn’t paid off until 2015. Which means that living British citizens helped pay to end the slave trade.”

Not surprising he had plenty of cash to donate to good causes but whose money was it really ?

and my reply directly afterwards without any intervening posts

He has been dead for 100 years then. And he didn't own any slaves.

I was saying that he very obviously couldn't have got lots of cash to donate to good causes from that because he was dead. And because he wouldn't have been entitled to compensation because the slave trade (which he did profit from) had already been banned. He was a slave trader not a slave owner.

People should really have the first idea what they are talking about before posting on a given topic.

> OK, but why were slave owners compensated and not the victims?
Why ask questions that you could just look up on Google?

Oh blimey, I wasn't asking because I thought it couldn't be asked on Google!
More from a moral point of view!
I'm sure Google would spew out lots of facts like you just did there from what looks like a quick google, I meant more WHY were the slave owners compensated and not the victims? Surely the victims should have been compensated? Not the white people who saw black people as their property just like they would a settee or a kitchen appliance?

I think it's really minimising to keep saying it's vandalism. To me vandalism is damaging our urban environments and making them less attractive to live in. Graffiti, damaging infrastructure etc. This is quite clearly the opposite. Bristol is better off without that statue.

I see no need to put it in a museum. On another pedestal. History books are enough to remember his acts.

History books are enough to remember his acts

Agree, we don't need a statue.

I meant more WHY were the slave owners compensated and not the victims? Surely the victims should have been compensated?

The record is in Hansard api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1833/jun/11/ministerial-plan-for-the-abolition-of , and a motion not to pay compensation was made but it was overwhelmingly opposed. Presumably it was seen that if it was legal to own slaves, then you could make it illegal, but you could not just make that which was previously legal illegal without compensation.

@ShootsFruitAndLeaves
You're still ignoring what I'm saying and reeling off data and laws.

Seeing as I don't seem to be getting through, how is it OK to see people as property? Like you would a bit of the furniture? The kitchen table, or your bike you stamp your postcode on in case it gets lost or stamp people with RAC as also your property

@lemonadeanddaisychains stop getting your knickers in a twist. When all is said and done this is people we are talking about. I'm from Bristol and that bugger should remain where it is at the bottom of the harbour. I can't stand racist statues or act of any kind at the end of the day we are all humans no colour cread religion is better than the other we are all the same our body and organs are all the same

@lemonadeanddaisychains stop getting your knickers in a twist. When all is said and done this is people we are talking about. I'm from Bristol and that bugger should remain where it is at the bottom of the harbour

Did you mean to tag me there?
I'm in complete agreement, his statue should remain at the bottom of the harbour!
Fitting end in my opinion seeing as lots of slaves ended up in the water.

I'm not sure if the bbc programme still available with David Olosuga looking st the ledgers but it is shocking ..
all of the ledgers are in the national archives...yes ledgers, each slave was itemised, a calculation was made as to their worth and they had to carry on working for four years. It is truly heart rending.

Another Brizzle girl here. I would love there to be memorial to the slaves who suffered at the hands of that vile trade in place of that statue.

I visited Cragside House in Northumberland last year and the original owner was anti-slavery (even though Cragside was built some time after abolition). There is a beautiful statue in an alcove on the stairway of an African slave girl, with a plaque re-iterating that this slave girl is a daughter of Eve (a human being) also. a very moving and beautiful piece of sculpture. SOmething like that in Bristol would be a fitting tribute, I feel.

Bristol born and bred here too - lived here over thirty years. Happy it's gone.

I also encourage everyone to find out about the lives of people such as Paul Stephenson - a wonderful activist.

What I would like to add is those who are advocating reparations to the slave community.

We have been paying in taxes for some hundreds of years to the slave owners whose slaves were freed, up until 2015 I think? Makes you question that decision a bit.

Slave owners ....so directly benefiting this country not slave community who btw where not freed but made to contonue to work.

@Undercovermuvver

What I would like to add is those who are advocating reparations to the slave community.

We have been paying in taxes for some hundreds of years to the slave owners whose slaves were freed, up until 2015 I think? Makes you question that decision a bit.

I have just realised this was covered later in the post. Apologies as I haven’t read everything.

Yeah most of the established financial institutions in London benefited directly and lots of middle classes too...I know this is aimed at 14-16 yrs old but the actual documentary wasn't
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2XQ4ZkDRK5HGBx7Q50HPgPm/britains-forgotten-slave-owners

I always find History more thought provoking , more profound if I can see it.

There is always so much to learn. I didn't fully understand the complexities, disgraceful behaviour and other nuances of the Irish Potato Famine until fairly recently.

@LemonadeAndDaisyChains I did mean to tag you because it's a thread not a one on one bickering contest with other posters

I am bloody glad of these threads however, where so many people are revealing themselves as complacent (at best) in the face of racism and oppression.

I agree, but depressing, still...…

Excellent they took that statue down.