A controversial presence: the 1895 statue of Edward Colston

Edward Colston (2 November 1636 – 11 October 1721) was a Bristol-born English merchant and philanthropist. Much of his wealth, although used often for generous purposes, was acquired through the trade and exploitation of slaves. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (939x1917, 1238 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Edward Colston ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (939x1917, 1238 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Edward Colston ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... Events February 24 - King Christian of Denmark gives an order that all beggars that are able to work must be sent to Brinholmen Island to build ships or as galley rowers March 26 - Utrecht University founded in The Netherlands. ... October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years). ... // Events Pope Innocent XIII becomes pope Johann Sebastian Bach composes the Brandenburg Concertos April 4 - Robert Walpole becomes the first prime minister of Britain September 10 - Treaty of Nystad is signed, bringing an end to the Great Northern War November 2 - Peter I is proclaimed Emperor of All the Russias... Bristol (IPA: ) is a city, unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, 115 miles (185 km) west of London and located at With a population of 400,000, and metropolitan area of 550,000, it is Englands sixth, and the United Kingdoms ninth, most populous city... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi   - Water (%) Population... Merchants function as professionals who deal with trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves, in order to produce profit. ... A philanthropist is someone who devotes his/her time, money, or effort towards helping others. ... The Buxton Memorial Fountain, celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, London. ...

He was born 2 November 1636 in Temple Street, Bristol, the eldest of at least eleven children. His parents were William Colston, a prosperous merchant and Sarah (née Batten). He was brought up in Bristol until the time of the English Civil War, when he probably lived for a while on his father's estate in Winterbourne, south Gloucestershire. The family then moved to London where Edward may have been a pupil at Christ's Hospital. November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... Events February 24 - King Christian of Denmark gives an order that all beggars that are able to work must be sent to Brinholmen Island to build ships or as galley rowers March 26 - Utrecht University founded in The Netherlands. ... Bristol (IPA: ) is a city, unitary authority and ceremonial county in South West England, 115 miles (185 km) west of London and located at With a population of 400,000, and metropolitan area of 550,000, it is Englands sixth, and the United Kingdoms ninth, most populous city... William Colston (fl. ... The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651. ... Winterbourne is a town in South Gloucestershire, near Bristol, in the United Kingdom. ... Gloucestershire (pronounced ; GLOSS-ter-sher) is a county in South West England. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom. ... View of the Christs Hospital campus View of the Christs Hospital quad Christs Hospital (also popularly known as the Bluecoat School, and also known by the nicknames Housey and CH) is a full board boarding school located in the countryside just south of Horsham, West Sussex, England. ...

He was apprenticed to the Mercers Company for eight years and by 1672 was shipping goods from London. He built up a lucrative business, trading with Spain, Portugal, Italy and Africa. In 1680, Colston became a member of the Royal African Company, which had held the monopoly in Britain on gold, ivory and slave trading since 1662. The Worshipful Company of Mercers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. ... Events England, France, Munster and Cologne invade the United Provinces, therefore this name is know as ´het rampjaar´ (the disaster year) in the Netherlands. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and of the United Kingdom. ... For other uses, see Africa (disambiguation). ... Events First Portuguese governor was appointed to Macau The Swedish city Karlskrona was founded as the Royal Swedish Navy relocated there. ... The Royal African Company was a slaving company set up by the Stuart family and London merchants once the former retook the English throne in 1660. ... General Name, Symbol, Number gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 6, d Appearance metallic yellow Atomic mass 196. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Events February 1 - The Chinese pirate Koxinga seizes the island of Taiwan after a nine-month siege. ...

His parents had resettled in Bristol and in 1682 he made a loan to the Corporation, the following year becoming a member of the Society of Merchant Venturers and a burgess of the City. In 1684 he inherited his brother's mercantile business in Small Street, and was a partner in a sugar refinery in St. Peter's Churchyard; shipping sugar from St. Kitts. But he was never resident in Bristol, carrying on his London business from Mortlake in Surrey until he retired in 1708. Events March 11 – Chelsea hospital for soldiers is founded in England May 6 - Louis XIV of France moves his court to Versailles. ... The Society of Merchant Venturers (or just the Merchant Venturers) is a private charitable organisation in the English city of Bristol, which dates back to the 13th century. ... Burgess was originally a freeman of a borough. ... Events France under Louis XIV makes Truce of Ratisbon separately with the Empire and Spain. ... Saint Kitts (also/previously known as Saint Christopher) is an island in the Caribbean. ... Mortlake is a part of south west London between Sheen and Barnes and bounded by the river Thames to the north. ... Surrey is a county in southern England, part of the South East England region and one of the Home Counties. ... // Events March 23 - James Francis Edward Stuart lands at the Firth of Forth July 1 - Tewoflos becomes Emperor of Ethiopia September 28 - Peter the Great defeats the Swedes at the Battle of Lesnaya Kandahar conquered by Mir Wais In Masuria one third of the population die during the plague J...

He founded almshouses in King Street and on St. Michaels Hill, endowed Queen Elizabeth's Hospital school and helped found Colston's School, which opened in 1710 leaving an endowment to be managed by the Society of Merchant Venturers for its upkeep. He gave money to schools in Temple and other parts of Bristol, and to several churches and the cathedral. He was a strong Tory and high-churchman, and was returned an MP for Bristol in 1710 for just one parliament. The Almshouse at Sherborne, Dorset The Almshouse at Woburn, Bedfordshire West Hackney Almshouses in Stoke Newington, London. ... Queen Elizabeths Hospital School Queen Elizabeths Hospital (more commonly known as QEH) is an independent school for boys in Clifton, Bristol, England. ... Colstons Collegiate School is an independent co-educational school in Bristol, England. ... // Events April 10 - The worlds first copyright legislation became effective, Britains Statute of Anne Ongoing events Great Northern War (1700-1721) War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713) Births January 3 - Richard Gridley, American Revolutionary soldier (d. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district to a parliament; in the Westminster system, specifically to the lower house. ...

He died 11 October 1721 at his home in Mortlake. His body was carried back to Bristol and was buried at All Saints Church. October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years). ... // Events Pope Innocent XIII becomes pope Johann Sebastian Bach composes the Brandenburg Concertos April 4 - Robert Walpole becomes the first prime minister of Britain September 10 - Treaty of Nystad is signed, bringing an end to the Great Northern War November 2 - Peter I is proclaimed Emperor of All the Russias...

Colston and Bristol today

A statue was erected in Bristol in 1895 commemorating Colston. He was widely viewed as an inspirational figure for the city, due to his donations of money to schools and other causes. His name permeates the city in such landmarks as Colston Tower, Colston Hall, Colston Hill, Colston Street,Colston's Girls' School and Colston's Collegiate School. He is also remembered, particularly in schools, by Colston's Day, on 13 November. 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Colstons Girls School, is a Selective Independent School for girls aged 10 - 18 (Years 6 - 13) in Bristol, Avon, England. ... Colstons Collegiate School is an independent co-educational school in Bristol, England. ... November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ...

Colston is a controversial figure these days in Bristol. In the 1990s, public knowledge of his participation in the slave trade grew. Bristol band Massive Attack refused to play at Colston Hall, and his statue has been repeatedly defaced and vandalised. This article is about the year. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...