Family of legendary reforming Prime Minister William Gladstone to travel to Caribbean to apologise for slavery
- Former Prime Minister’s father owned or held mortgages over 2,508 Africans
The family of legendary reforming Prime Minister William Gladstone plan to travel to the Caribbean to apologise for slavery.
Six descendants of the 19th century politician have made an official apology and are traveling to Guyana on Thursday.
The former Prime Minister’s father owned or held mortgages over 2,508 enslaved Africans, who worked on his sugar plantations in Guyana and Jamaica.
John Gladstone was compensated £106,000 when the Slavery Abolition Act was passed in 1833, making him the fifth largest beneficiary.
Charlie Gladstone, 59, described John Gladstone as a ‘vile man’. He said: ‘John Gladstone committed crimes against humanity. That is absolutely clear.
Prime Minister William Gladstone who served in four seperate period between 1868 and 1894
Charlie Gladstone great- grandson of former prime minister William Gladstone said much of his family’s privilege comes from slavery
‘The best that we can do is try to make the world a better place and one of the first things is to make that apology for him.’
Charlie added that John Gladstone was ‘greedy and domineering’.
It has been 200 years since the Demerara rebellion by around 13,000 Africans – which began on one of John Gladstone’s plantations. It was led by Jack Gladstone, who was first to take his owners name, and his father Quamina.
More than 300 Africans died as a result of the uprising.
Charlie said much of his family’s privilege stems from John Gladstone. They have agreed to pay reparations to fund further research into the impact of slavery.
Early in his career, William Gladstone (pictured) spoke in parliament in defence of his father’s involvement in slavery and spoke out against the abolition of slavery
The 21st century Gladstones are members of the Heirs of Slavery – a group of families who can trace their ancestors back to the enslavement of Africans.
The education and career of William Gladstone’s education and career as a politician by his father’s money.
They will make their apology at the launch of the University of Guyana’s International Institute for Migration and Diaspora Studies – to which they have given £100,000.
Eric Phillips, chair of the Guyana reparations committee and vice-chair of the Caricom Reparations Commission, said the Gladstone’s apology was ‘an example to others’ and means a great deal on the anniversary.
Who was William Gladstone?
William Ewart Gladstone was born on December 29, 1809 in Liverpool.
He served as Prime Minister in four seperate periods between 1868 and 1894.
William was elected Tory MP for Newark in December 1832 at 23-years-old.
Early in his career, William spoke in parliament in defence of his father’s involvement in slavery and spoke out against the abolition of slavery.
In 1840 Gladstone began his ‘rescue and rehabilitation’ of London’s prostitutes. Even while serving as Prime Minister in later years, he would walk the streets, trying to convince prostitutes to change their ways. He spent a large amount of his own money on this work.
When the Tory party broke apart in 1846, Gladstone followed Peel in becoming a Liberal-Conservative, now believing strongly in free trade. In 1847 he returned to Parliament as MP for Oxford University, having lost his Newark seat.
In 1867, Gladstone became leader of the Liberal party following Palmerston’s resignation, and became Prime Minister for the first time the following year.
He became Prime Minister again in 1880, 1886, and in 1892.
In 1894 he resigned having failed to retain the support of his Cabinet.
He died on May 19, 1898 from cancer and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Source: UK Government.
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