Welsh Government BLM Review: "The Billy" pub identified among controversial place names

By Alex Jones

26th Nov 2020 | Local News

Various road names, a school name and a pub in Barry have been investigated in the Welsh Government's review of commemoration.

The Slave Trade and the British Empire: An Audit of Commemoration in Wales looked into ten locations across Barry to determine their links to slavery and Empire.

It found that all but Ffordd Penrhyn - which is in fact named after a topological feature - are linked to the controversial figures William Gladstone, Christopher Columbus, Samuel Hood and King William IV.

The King William IV pub on Bridge Street will be put forward for Phase Two of the review.

The report found that the nineteenth century monarch "spoke out strongly and on many occasions in favour of plantation owners and against abolition of the slave trade" and that the pub is a "clear" commemoration of him.

The pub name was placed in category three, denoting "certain commemoration and definite personal culpability".

Columbus Crescent, named after explorer Christopher Columbus, was placed in the same category and will be closely examined in Phase Two.

According to the report, Columbus was "personally accused of brutal treatment of both indigenous people and colonists."

It is currently unclear precisely what Phase Two will entail. According to the report, "the present document seeks to capture information, not provide a set of answers."

However, it is clear that the Government intends to find ways to commemorate ethnic minorities in the future.

"A further step is to evaluate the potential for commemorations of people of Black heritage," the report states.

Commemorations of nineteenth century British Prime Minister William Gladstone were also investigated.

Gladstone Primary School, Gladstone Bridge, Gladstone Road, Gladstone Gardens, Nelson Road and Hood Road were found to be "certainly" linked to the historical figures William Gladstone, Horatio Nelson and Samuel Hood.

However, the commemorations were placed into category two, denoting "person responsibility uncertain", as the figures have complex historical records.

According to the report: "Gladstone's statues have been criticised by campaigners on the grounds of his father's enormous profits from enslaved plantation workers and his own support for compensation of plantation owners at emancipation.

"He appears to have had no culpability in slavery personally and he became one of the leading reformers of the nineteenth century.

"While Nelson may have condoned the slave trade privately and Wellington may have supported West India interests, it is not clear whether he had any responsibility for the perpetuation of slavery."

Eighteenth century Admiral Samuel Hood was also found to have no "direct involvement in plantations or the slave trade."

Nub News has approached the owners of the King William IV pub for comment.

     

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