Popular Music Venue Named After Slave Trader Removes His Name From The Building
By Kieran Webber
The name has been taken off the side of the building which the Bristol Music Trust called a “symbolic moment”. The venue announced a name change 3 years ago but moved slowly until recently. It has said a new one will be announced later this year. There has actually been a petition to change the name to ‘Big Jeff Hall’, in honor of Bristol’s most avid gig goer.
Edward Colston made his fortune during 1672 and 1689 as a slave trader, a merchant of suffering. It is believed that he was responsible for the transportation of 80,000 men, women and children from Africa to the Americas. The hall was built 150 years after his death in 1721 and according to official was not “founded with his money”.
The Bristol Music Trust added: “We cannot continue to be a monument to his memory.
“We have no wish to forget the past, but when we reopen our redeveloped building as one of the best arts and educational venues in the country, it must be as a place that is welcoming to everyone.”