Private tour guide Sally Helvey is someone who is always on the lookout for historical snippets to tantalise both her physical clients and those who follow her Bath with Sally – City Secrets Facebook page.
It’s good to know she keeps an eye on what l am doing too and – in response to all the dialogue about Colston and slave trade legacy in these parts – writes to say:
‘As an attempt to give a positive slant to all the negativity about the region’s slave-trade legacy……
William Wilberforce married a Bath girl in 1797 and lived in Bath. If it wasn’t for his massive efforts over 26 years spearheading the campaign to abolish slavery we would never have had full emancipation (culminating in the 1833 act).
He would have done much of his brainstorming whilst residing in Bath, yet he only has a plaque (in Great Pulteney Street) to say he lived here.
Much more needs to be said! I think we should highlight the likes of him for doing good, instead of just condemning the likes of Pulteney and Beckford who essentially inherited the bad.’
Good to put that across Sally. Actually, l have previously published a piece on William Wilberforce and draw everyone’s attention to this direct link.
https://wordpress.com/post/bathnewseum.com/5453
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I had the honour of being a poet-in-residence in the city of Hull, working with several thousand members of the public. I had to visit William Wilberforce’s home (museum) as he’s been a hero since childhood. It was both uplifting and deeply sobering, as the museum showed that slavery still thrives, it just evolved, and minutes within slavery being abolished, it simply adapted.
The fight goes on, thank you George Floyd.
Alan Summers
Good idea, Sally, and well done for highlighting the fact!
Michèle