Civic leaders are considering calling for the removal of an 18th century clock and statue of a black slave boy from Blackboy House in Stroud.
More than 1,600 people have responded to a Stroud District Council-led review of street or building names and monuments that helped inform recommendations.
These include renaming Blackboy House, removing the statue and offering it to The Museum in the Park collection and reviewing the street name ‘Blackboys’ in Dursley.
The council says the recommendations could start a process leading to the removal of the Blackboy clock and statue from its current location in Stroud, following concerns raised by residents in the wake of the Black Lives Matters protests of 2020.
Other recommendations include the council progressing plans to restore the Anti-Slavery Arch, Paganhill, a task force established to contextualise the statue and oversee the installation of an information plaque outside Blackboy House, and the development of a community project for the commemoration of an individual, group of individuals or event suggested in the survey responses.
The council’s street naming protocol could be reviewed so that names will not be considered that may be construed as discriminatory or offensive under the Equality Act 2010; or ‘not in the spirit’ of the act.
The recommendations also say the council’s culture strategy, which is currently in development, should empower communities and individuals to celebrate and share their history, heritage, culture and identity.
This strategy is intended to focus on increasing representation of Black, Asian and Ethnically diverse communities as well as those from a range of social and economic backgrounds, celebrate aspects of the district’s cultural and community diversity, and support the creation of work that demonstrates collaboration across a wide range of diverse backgrounds
The day after the Edward Colston statue was toppled into Bristol Harbour on June 7, 2020, all four Stroud District Council political group leaders issued a joint statement reaffirming the council’s commitment to promoting equality and tackling discrimination, then actions were outlined including consulting on any street and building names, statues and architectural features that may be considered offensive.
Subsequently, district residents raised concerns about the Blackboy Statue and Blackboy House in Stroud’s Castle Street, and called on the council to consider its removal. Stroud District Council established a review panel to undertake a public consultation and review of streets, statues and monuments across the district iwith the Blackboy Statue included.
Academics and historians were invited to be part of a review panel and three community representatives were recruited through an open application process.
The council says the review panel carefully researched, analysed, and debated evidence on the origins of the Blackboy Clock and Statue.
As well as this, the panel received and considered more than 1600 responses to a public consultation which ran from July 7, 2021 to September 1, 2021.
The clock is dated 1774 and is an unusual example of a Jacquemart clock, designed by John Miles and originally set on the front of his shop in Kendrick Street, Stroud before being moved to the Duke of York pub in Nelson Street, then bought by subscription and finally installed on the front of the National School for Girls – now known as Blackboy House.
Since 1974, Blackboy House has been listed as a Grade II building and freehold is owned by Blackboy House Management Company Limited. However, the statue and clock belong to The Blackboy Clock Trust.
The key findings from the survey were that 79% of respondents felt the statue should be removed, 59% that the statue should be placed in a museum and 22% that it should stay where it is.
A broad spread of people/groups to potentially commemorate were suggested. But, theconsultation did not identify any individuals who were central to the slave trade as having have been commemorated, although there are beneficiaries of hereditary wealth and colonialism within the district.
The survey responses made clear that the statue causes pain and offence but it should not be hidden from the public, instead put in a place where an interpretation can be provided, providing learning and education so that we can continue to challenge what is no longer acceptable, provoke thinking and to demonstrate that change is needed.
Most Blackboy House residents supported removal of the statue, though some wanted to keep the clock. The review panel is consulting with a family member of the trustees of the Blackboy Clock Trust, who are unable to comment.
Any removal would need listed building consent, and under new national regulations if a council intends to grant listed building consent and Historic England objects, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will make a final decision.
Any artefact offered to a museum must fit its collecting policy in order to be accepted into the collections.
The review panel also considered that, regardless of the origins, the street name of Blackboys in Dursley causes offence. Other reviews have taken place for similar names across the country which have resulted in name changes.
There are eight properties on this street with a ‘Blackboys’ address and the review panel recommend that the council consults with the residents of Blackboys to consider renaming the street. Councillors will consider the report at the full council meeting on April 28.
Councillor Natalie Bennett (L, Nailsworth) , who chairs the Review Panel said: “Consulting with the public was a positive action for SDC to have taken and enabled a democratic, transparent and open process to be followed.
“The review panel has taken time to carefully consider the responses and a complex set of issues before making recommendations. Key to moving this work forward will be the ongoing involvement of our communities so that we can continue to take a collective and collaborative approach to equalities, diversity and inclusion in our district.
Review panel member Dan Guthrie said: “Being a part of this review panel over the last few months has been an interesting experience, and I hope people take the time to read through and think about the recommendations we have come up with. Hopefully, these recommendations will help us to continue conversations about how our district can become a more inclusive place for everybody living in it, and potentially start new ones off too.”
Council Leader Doina Cornell (L, Dursley) added: “This review was undertaken in response to the rightful challenge posed to us all by the Black Lives Matter movement and by local residents, to tackle systemic racism, and is part of a wider piece of work that the council has undertaken.
“I’m grateful to the panel for all the work they’ve put into this and how they have ensured that their recommendations reflect our community’s views as to what next steps are needed.”
Conservative leader Stephen Davies, (C, Severn) said his group will be supporting the recommendations however he does not believe it will be straightforward as the council does not own the building. He also said it is a listed building consent will be needed.
By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter