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Listing of 25 historic buildings amended to highlight their links to slavery and its abolition

DEPARTMENT FOR CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (087/08) issued by The Government News Network on 23 August 2008

Today, on UNESCO International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, Margaret Hodge, Culture Minister, announced new protection for four historic buildings and monuments linked to the slave trade, and upgrades and amendments for 21 others.

The four new listings are in Watford, Milton Keynes, Hackney and Windermere, and the listings of another four - in Bristol, Camden Town, Liverpool, Kingston-upon-Hull, Stratford-on-Avon and Kingston-upon-Thames - have been upgraded. The remaining 17 buildings have had their listing descriptions amended to ensure their connection with the slave trade and special historic interest is adequately reflected.

Margaret Hodge said:

"It is particularly fitting that on this day of national commemoration, so many of our historic buildings and monuments are being granted a new or increased level of protection.

"So many of these listings or upgrades show different faces of the history of the slave trade in this country - from an elaborate headstone erected by an Earl for a beloved servant, once a slave in Virginia, to an upgrade for a house occupied by a former slave turned prosperous coal merchant.

"These new listings and upgrades show the close and continuing historical and social links that much of our heritage has to the history of slavery both in this country and from around the world."

In 2006, English Heritage started a project to review listed buildings and acknowledge historic links to transatlantic slavery and the abolitionist movement. This list of amendments, upgrades and new listings continues from the 16 made in December last year.

NEW LISTINGS:

The headstone of George Edward Doney, Watford - newly listed today at Grade II

George Edward Doney was born in Gambia, West Africa, c1758. He was sold into slavery and taken to Virginia, USA, where he most likely lived on a cotton or tobacco plantation. Although the circumstances surrounding his arrival in England are unknown, he entered the service of the 4th Earl of Essex in 1766, aged about eight years old. There is no information as to his role in the Earl's household, but given the quality of the tombstone and affectionate inscription, we know that he had earned the position of particular distinction and affection within the family.

The full inscription, in Roman and italic letters, reads: 'IN MEMORY OF GEORGE E.D DONEY, / A Native of Virginia, / (who died 44 Years discharged / the duties of a faithful honest/servant/to the EARLS OF ESSEX) / he died 3rd September, 1809. // Poor Edward blest the pirate Bark which bore / His captive Infancy from Gambia's shore / To where in willing servitude he won / Those blest rewards for every duty done / Kindness and praise the wages of the Heart. / None else to HIM could joy or pride impart / And gave him, born a Pagan and a Slave / A FREEMANS Charter and a CHRISTIANS grave.'

Tomb of Rasselas Belfield in St. Martin's Churchyard, Windermere - newly listed today at Grade II

Rasselas Belfield was most likely born in Ethiopia and brought to England on 17 April 1803 by a Major Peter Taylor, who had bought him from his mother for the equivalent of about £5. Rasselas would have been about 13 years old when he arrived in Windermere, and it is probable that his master was Peter Taylor Junior, the youngest son of the Major. He is most likely to have served young Peter Taylor in a capacity similar to that of a valet. It is evident, given the quality of Rasselas' headstone and its poetic inscription, that he was a valued servant of the Taylor family.

The full inscription, in an incised scrolled design, reads: 'IN MEMORY / of/ RASSELAS BELFIELD / a Native of / ABYSSINIA. / Who departed this Life on the / 16. Day of January 1822, / Aged 32 Years. //A Slave by birth I left my native Land / And found my Freedom on Britannia's Strand: / Blest Isle! Thou Glory of the Wise and Free, / Thy Touch alone unbinds the Chains of Slavery.'

Monument to Joanna Vassa in Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington - newly listed today at Grade II

Joanna Vassa was the daughter of Gustavas Vassa, better known as Olaudah Equiano, England's foremost Black abolitionist. She was orphaned at an early age and went on to marry Henry Bromley, a Congregationalist minister. Abney Park Cemetery has a large number of memorials to activists in the abolition of slavery, including anti-slavery campaigners and writers. However, this tomb's principle value is its connection with the daughter of Olaudah Equiano. Equiano's burial place is unknown, so his daughter's tomb is one of the few tangible links with one of the most distinguished black figures, not only in the history of the slave trade, but in England's history.

The full inscription on the east face of the stone pedestal is very worn and difficult to read. It commemorates Joanna Vassa, describing her as 'Beloved wife of Henry Bromley' and '[Daughter of] Gustavas Vassa.'

Tomb of John and Mary Newton, Olney, Milton Keynes - newly listed today at Grade II

John Newton was born in London in 1725 and went to sea at the age of 11 with his father who was a master mariner. He married Mary Catlett in 1750 and worked on slave ships, visiting African communities to inspect and choose slaves, and generally being involved in every aspect of the slaver's trade, including torturing those who were rebellious. In 1764 he entered the Church and won fame as a writer and a preacher, including authoring the hymn 'Amazing Grace' with William Cowper. After meeting William Wilberforce, Newton wrote a pamphlet entitled 'Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade', in which he revealed his past as a slave trader, condemned the trade and expressed regret at his part in it. In front of a parliamentary select committee examining the slave trade later that same year, his singular position as a figure of unimpeachable moral authority and first-hand experience of the slave trade made his contribution to the success of the abolition movement invaluable.

The main epitaph on the south side, written by Newton himself for his memorial tablet, which remains in the church of St Mary Woolnoth, London, reads: 'JOHN NEWTON, CLERK. / ONCE AN INFIDEL AND LIBERTINE / A SERVANT OF SLAVES IN AFRICA, WAS / BY THE RICH MERCY OF OUR / LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST / PRESERVED / RESTORED, PARDONED / AND APPOINTED TO PREACH THE FAITH HE / HAD LONG LABOURED TO DESTROY. / NEAR 16 YEARS AS CURATE OF THIS PARISH / AND 28 YEARS AS RECTOR OF ST MARY WOOLNOTH.'

UPGRADED LISTINGS:

Picton House, Kingston upon Thames - upgraded today to Grade II*

Cesar Picton is believed to have been born in Senegal in West Africa in 1755. He was brought to England by Captain John Parr in 1760, and subsequently given as a gift to Sir John Philipps, 6th baronet at Norbiton Place, Kingston, in 1761. It would appear that Cesar was the particular protegee of Lady Philipps and was the only non-family member mentioned in her will. When she died in 1788, Cesar received the substantial bequest of £100. He set himself up as a coal merchant, trading from Picton House, which he purchased in 1795, and became quite prosperous. Although a relatively modest house, it has a remarkably lavish and untouched internal plasterwork and panelling.

Statue of Charles James Fox, Bloomsbury Square, Camden Town - upgraded today to Grade II*

Charles James Fox was a politician born into an affluent and influential political family. At the age of 19 he became MP for Midhurst and in 1780 he was elected MP for Westminster, a seat he retained, with brief interruption, until his death in 1806. Fox championed causes associated with liberty, including the French Revolution and American independence, Catholic emancipation and the abolition of the slave trade. One of his last acts in parliament was to move a resolution for the general abolition of the slave trade. The House of Commons voted overwhelmingly in favour of the resolution, with the Lord's assent given on 25 June, 1806. After Fox's death, it was decided that a bronze statue to him should also be erected, in addition to the marble monument in Westminster Abbey. The statue was restored in 2006 to mark the bicentenary of Fox's death.

Memorial to Scipio Africanus, Bristol - upgraded today to Grade II*

Not much is known about Scipio Africanus, other than what is inscribed on his tomb. How and when he came to England, or into the service of the 7th Earl of Suffolk remains a mystery. Information on his tomb suggests that Scipio was born in the colonies, c1702 and died on 12 December 1720. His Roman name may have been given to him by the Earl or by a previous owner, as names of Roman origin were frequently chosen for slaves.

The inscription on the memorial reads: 'I who was Born a PAGAN and a SLAVE / Now Sweetly Sleep a CHRISTIAN in my Grave / What tho' my hue was dark my SAViORS sight / Shall Change this darkness into radiant Light / Such grace to me my Lord on earth has given / To recommend me to my Lord in Heaven / Whose glorious second coming here I wait / With saints and Angels Him to celebrate'.

Tomb of Myrtilla, Oxhill, Stratford upon Avon - upgraded today to Grade II*

The tomb of Myrtilla is one of the earliest known examples of a tomb established to commemorating a person of African descent. She was considered to be the slave of Thomas Beauchamp, a member of a prominent local family, who were known to have family members with registered business interests on the West Indian island of Nevis. According to the information gleaned from her headstone, it would appear that Myrtilla was baptised only a few months before her death. Most slaves were baptised upon their arrival in England, and it is possible to speculate that the shock of an English winter contributed to her death. However, the full history of Myrtilla and the Beauchamps is currently being researched. What can be known for certain is that she was given a dignified grave with a decoratively carved headstone, indicating that she was valued by the Beauchamp family.

The inscription on the tomb, in Roman letters, reads: 'HERE / LYETH THE BODY OF / MYRTILLA, NEGRO SLAVE / TO MR THO BEAUCHAMP / OF NEVIS / BAPD OCT HY 20TH / BURIED JAN HY 6TH / 1705'.

62 Rodney Street (W), Liverpool - upgraded today to Grade II*

The house at 62 Rodney Street is not only a good example of a late C18 merchant's town house in a remarkably well-preserved Georgian street in Liverpool, but also the birthplace of William Ewart Gladstone, arguably one of Britain's greatest prime ministers. It also has numerous connections with the slave trade. The house was commissioned by Gladstone's father, John Gladstone, in 1792. Gladstone senior moved to Liverpool in 1786 and owned several sugar plantations in the West Indies. From 1809 he was chairman of the Liverpool West Indian Association, and opposed total abolition, although he did acknowledge the responsibilities of slave owners.

Rodney Street itself was laid out by William Roscoe, one of Liverpool's most ardent abolitionists, as the beginning of a Georgian residential development away from the old town centre, and its length, width and straightness was unprecedented in Liverpool at that time. The street itself is remarkably well preserved, with over 70 listed Georgian houses and 14 listed C19 lamp posts.

Statue of William Wilberforce in the garden of Wilberforce House - upgraded today to Grade II*

William Wilberforce was born in the eponymous house in 1759, and lived there for most of his life. In 1776, Wilberforce entered Cambridge and resolved to follow a political career. After his election as MP for Yorkshire in 1784, he experienced a conversion to evangelical Christianity and resolved to devote his life to God. He was counselled by John Newton and by his friend, William Pitt, to remain in politics and in 1787 he was persuaded by prominent abolitionists to represent their cause in Parliament. He worked ceaselessly, introducing bills and calling for an end to the slave trade, securing a select committee to examine the slave trade in 1788. The Foreign Slave Trade Abolition Bill finally received royal assent on 25 March 1807. Wilberforce continued to strive for the abolition of slavery itself. On 26 July 1833, Wilberforce heard that the bill for the emancipation of all slaves in British colonies had passed its final reading, and on 29 July he died.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The 1807 Abolition of the Slave Trade Act outlawed the slave trade throughout the British Empire and made it illegal for British ships to be involved in the trade. It followed a long fought campaign by the abolitionists, headed in parliament by William Wilberforce. Slavery itself was finally made illegal in 1833 with the Slavery Abolition Act.

2. 23 August 2008 has been designated as the UNESCO day for the International Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. This is the first time this has been marked as a national focal date for abolition commemorations. There are a number of activities taking place around this time, including the launch of Bristol's African Voices Forum at the Malcolm X Centre in St. Paul's, a showcase of black culture and heritage inspired by the gallery themes of the new International Slavery Museum in Liverpool and the story of Africa, a young boy who escaped to find freedom, performed at the Museum of Docklands in London. A full list of events can be found at http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/slavery/DG_170793.

3. A full list of the buildings is as follows:

* Listed: All newly listed at Grade II: Headstone of George Edward Doney (Church of St. Mary, Church Street, Watford); Tomb of Rasselas Belfield (St. Martin's Churchyard, Lake Road, Windermere); Monument to Joanna Vassa (Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington High Street, Stoke Newington); Tomb of John and Mary Newton (Church of Saints Peter and Paul, Church Street, Olney, Milton Keynes)
* Upgraded: All upgraded to Grade II*: Picton House (52 High Street, Kingston Upon Thames); Statue of Charles James Fox (Bloomsbury Square, Camden Town, London); Memorial to Scipio Africanus (Church of St. Mary, Church Close, Bristol); Tomb of Myrtilla (Church of St. Lawrence, Oxhill, Stratford On Avon); 62 Rodney Street (Liverpool); Statue of William Wilberforce in garden of Wilberforce House (High Street, Kingston upon Hull).
* Amended: Listed at Grade I: Town Hall (Water Street, Liverpool); Church of St. Mary Woolnoth (Lombard Street, London); Church of Saints Peter and Paul (Church Street, Olney, Milton Keynes); Dr. Johnson's House (17 Gough Square, London); Wilberforce House Museum and Attached Garden Wall (High Street, Kingston upon Hull). Listed at Grade II*: Storrs Hall (Newby Bridge Road, Windermere); Allerton Hall (Springwood Avenue, Liverpool); The Director's House, Truman Brewery (91 Brick Lane, Bethnal Green, London); Clarkson Memorial (Bridge Street, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire); Playford Hall and Attached Revetments around the most inner bank of the enclosing moat (Playford, Suffolk). Listed at Grade II: Headstone of Charles Bacchus (Church of St. Mary, Queens Street, Culworth, Northamptonshire); Monument to Sir Tomas Clarkson (Church of St. Mary, Playford, Suffolk); Statue of Joseph Sturge in front of Tube Investment House (Harborne Road, Birmingham); Statue of Edward Colston (Colston Avenue, Bristol); Statue of Joseph Pease (High Row, Darlington).

4. Listed buildings are graded to show their relative importance:
- Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest
- Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest
- Grade II are of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve them

All listed buildings possess special interest. Those listed in Grade II* possess more than special interest and those in Grade I possess exceptional interest. Grade II* exists as a category to mark very fine buildings, which approach but fall short of, the uppermost tier.

5. English Heritage started a project in 2006 to review listed buildings and acknowledge historic links to transatlantic slavery and the abolitionist movement. Simultaneously, several previously unknown sites were discovered during research for English Heritage's Sites of Memory project, and more were being suggested by interested members of the public. The Sites of Memory leaflet and web micro-site, http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/sitesofmemory, was the first research by English Heritage to provide an overview for the public of the buildings and memorials across England that reflects the role of the slave trade and resistance to it.

6. The project was just one of those undertaken by English Heritage to help mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade in a way that extends far beyond the general activities for 2007.

7. The main purpose of listing a building is to ensure that care will be taken over decisions affecting its future, that any alterations respect the particular character and interest of the building, and that the case for its preservation is taken fully into account in considering the merits of any redevelopment proposals.

8. English Heritage, statutory adviser on the historic environment, protects and provides advice on this country's unique legacy of historic buildings, landscapes and archaeological sites. It also manages over 400 sites and welcomes more than 11 million visitors to these each year.

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