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Edward Colston statue: Bristol City Council to hold exhibition

Reuters Edward Colston statueReuters
The statue was thrown into Bristol Harbour after being pulled down and rolled through the streets

The statue of slave trader Edward Colston toppled during a Black Lives Matters march in Bristol will go on public display next month.

The bronze memorial to the 17th Century merchant was thrown into Bristol Harbour on 7 June 2020 in the wake of George Floyd's murder in Minneapolis.

It was recovered from the harbour days later by Bristol City Council and put into storage.

It will go on temporary display from 4 June alongside placards from the march.

Bristol residents are now being asked to take part in a survey led by the We Are Bristol History Commission about what should happen to the statue next once the exhibition, at the M Shed museum, ends.

PA Media Protesters pull down a statue of Edward Colston during a Black Lives Matter protestPA Media
Protesters knelt on the neck of the bronze statue of Colston before the statue was lowered into the harbour

Feedback from the survey will inform the commission's decision on the long-term future of the statue.

Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said: "June 7 2020 is undoubtedly a significant day in Bristol's history and had a profound impact not just in our city but also across the country and around the world.

"The future of the statue must be decided by the people of Bristol and so I urge everyone to take the opportunity to share their views."

Prof Tim Cole, chair of the commission, said: "This is an opportunity for everyone to have a say on how we move forward together.

"The display is not a comprehensive exhibition about Colston or transatlantic slavery in Bristol, but it is intended to be a departure point for continuing conversations about our shared history."

Jon Kent/Bristol Live Colston statue cleaningJon Kent/Bristol Live
Fran Coles worked to stabilise spray paint from the statue once it was recovered from the harbour

Conservators cleaned the statue and stabilised spray paint graffiti on it to prevent flaking once it was recovered.

Fran Coles, conservation and documentation manager at M Shed, said: "The aim of our conservation work was to stabilise the statue and prevent deterioration from the water and silt it had been exposed to.

"This will prepare the statue for whatever its future may be. M Shed's role is to reflect the history and contemporary issues relating to Bristol, telling the stories that matter to the people of Bristol."

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