Goldsmiths students have lost their battle to tear down statues of Lord Nelson and Sir Francis Drake after residents said they wanted them to stay. Over half of locals said they were against removing the carvings on the university-owned Deptford Town Hall in London.
Students demanded the four statues, which also include 17th century admiral Robert Blake and an anonymous naval figure, were torn down during a protest in 2019. They said the individuals’ links to the slave trade meant they should be removed during a 137-day sit-in.
Following the protests, the university in New Cross sent surveys to 8,500 local residents asking them if they wanted the statues removed. Of the 122 people who replied, 58 per cent said they were against the move to remove the 117-year-old statues.
In a further online survey, where anyone could submit views, 85 per cent of people said they thought the carvings should stay. Goldsmiths has now agreed the statues will remain.
Instead the university, whose alumni includes Princess Beatrice and artist Damien Hirst, will install panels near the statues explaining the history of the individuals represented and their links to the slave trade. Local schools will also be handed information packs explaining their history.
Sir Francis Drake was the first Englishman to travel across the globe, but he was also one of Britain’s first slave traders. Drake took part in voyages to West Africa to capture men and women as early as 1560.
Lord Nelson, Britain’s most famous naval hero, won a series of victories at sea against the French during the Napoleonic wars. But he also defended the slave trade while others like Hull-born politician William Wilberforce were arguing against it.
Professor Frances Corner, warden of Goldsmiths, said: “I would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit their views as part of our public consultation. We will continue to consult with local people as we develop our plans to address the complex legacy of the area’s maritime heritage embodied in the Deptford Town Hall statues.”
