Apologize from CofE Foundation Boss at Exhibition Exploring Historical Links to Slavery
The chief executive of the Church of England Commissioner apologized for the body’s “shameful” link to transatlantic chattel slavery while speaking at an exhibition displaying documents and objects products highlighting historical association.
areth Mostyn said there was “no amount of money available to repair the damage done” through the slave trade but the response of the trustees, who managed a fund that invested more than £10 billion in the Church UK, will help create “a better future for all”.
It comes after a report suggested the foundation had its roots in part from Queen Anne’s Bounty, founded in 1704 and linked to transatlantic slavery.
This has prompted the church to announce a £100 million grant for a program of investment, research and engagement to try to “resolve past mistakes”.
However, there has been criticism from some groups that the money should be better used to fund work in local parishes.
Speaking at the Enslavement: Voices From The Archives exhibition at the Lambeth Palace Library, which opened in early January, Mr Mostyn said: “What we discovered from our research on precursor funds, linked Regarding slavery in history, it is shameful and we are deeply concerned. sorry. We’ve announced a £100m funding commitment in response to what we’ve learned.
“There is no amount of money to repair the damage caused by the transatlantic slave trade.
“But we hope that our response will be an investment vehicle in a better future for all, especially communities affected by the legacy of the slave trade and to creating a positive, lasting legacy.”
Mostyn said part of the Church Trustees’ response was “to make sure that our history is told and that we’re transparent about what we’ve learned.”
He added that the exhibition “is part of that transparency, part of telling the story”.
“While our report focuses on financial transactions, our research also uncovered many other truly influential documents from here in the library, and we wanted to display those there in the exhibition.”
Displays include early 18th-century ledgers from Queen Anne’s Bounty and an anonymous letter written by a slave in 1723 to the “Archbishop of London” pleading for their freedom.
An evangelistic book from 1808 published to former slaves and slaves, edited to remove all references to freedom from slavery, will also be on display. .
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In 2019, the Church Trustees decided to conduct research into the origins of the funds, working with forensic accountants to review financial ledgers and other original documents from the Church archives. .
The report shows that, in 1777, Queen Anne’s Bounty held £440,962 of the South Sea Company annuity “calculated to be worth £406,942 (potentially the equivalent of about £724 million in today’s terms). now on)”.
The report estimated the South Sea Company transported 34,000 slaves “in crowded, unsanitary, unsafe and inhumane conditions” during its 30 years of operation.
https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/apology-from-cofe-fund-boss-at-exhibition-exploring-historic-links-with-slavery-42321296.html Apologize from CofE Foundation Boss at Exhibition Exploring Historical Links to Slavery
