Statue of politician Henry Dundas in Edinburgh will have a plaque added detailing his role in delaying the abolition of slavery after it was targeted during BLM protests
- Statue of Henry Dundas sits atop the Melville Monument in St Andrews Square
- BLM activists left signs at the monument saying ‘Bring down Dundas’ in June
- Scotland’s first black professor called for plaque detailing his role in slave trade
- Now council chiefs have approved the installation of a plaque on the monument
A plaque will be added to a statue of controversial 19th Century politician Henry Dundas – detailing his role in delaying the abolition of slavery.
The monument to Conservative politician Dundas at the Melville Monument in St Andrews Square, Edinburgh, became a focal point for discussion during Black Lives Matter demonstrations in June.
Activists left signs at the monument saying ‘Bring down Dundas’, ‘Their lives mattered’, and ‘Hope’ – and some called for a plaque to be added explaining Dundas’ role in delaying the abolition of slavery while Home Secretary in the 1800s.
Academics say his actions in deferring the abolition resulted in an additional 630,000 people being transported from Africa to Britain’s colonies in the West Indies.
The monument to Conservative politician Dundas at the Melville Monument in St Andrews Square, Edinburgh, was graffitied during a Black Lives Matter demonstration in June
The statue of Henry Dundas 1st Viscount Melville on top of a 150ft column, known as the Melville Monument, stands in St Andrews Square, Edinburgh
Scotland’s first black professor, Sir Geoff Palmer, called for a plaque detailing Dundas’ role in the slave trade more than two years ago, but talks with the City of Edinburgh Council ground to a halt due to a dispute around the wording.
Now council chiefs have approved the installation of a plaque on the Category A-listed monument, which will pay tribute to the African slaves.
The planning application for the plaque attracted more than 2,200 comments from members of the public.
The plaque reads: ‘At the top of this neoclassical column stands a statue of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville (1742-1811).
‘He was the Scottish Lord Advocate, an MP for Edinburgh and Midlothian, and the First Lord of the Admiralty.
‘Dundas was a contentious figure, provoking controversies that resonate to this day.
‘While Home Secretary in 1792, and first Secretary of State for War in 1796 he was instrumental in deferring the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade.
‘Slave trading by British ships was not abolished until 1807.
‘As a result of this delay, more than half a million enslaved Africans crossed the Atlantic.
‘Dundas also curbed democratic dissent in Scotland, and both defended and expanded the British empire, imposing colonial rule on indigenous peoples.
‘He was impeached in the United Kingdom for misappropriation of public money, and, although acquitted, he never held public office again.
‘Despite this, the monument before you was funded by voluntary contributions from British naval officers, petty officers, seamen, and marines and was erected in 1821, with the statue placed on top in 1827.
‘In 2020 this plaque was dedicated to the memory of the more than half-a-million Africans whose enslavement was a consequence of Henry Dundas’s actions.’
Council Leader Adam McVey said: ‘It’s important that a more appropriate and factual description is in place so that people who visit the area can read about the monument and get an appreciation of Edinburgh’s history, and particularly the City’s role in the slave trade and the delay to its abolition.
‘I’m grateful to the Councillors on the committee for approving permission for the final plaque.
‘It is an important first step, to finalise a long-running process to tell a part of our City’s history honestly.
‘I look forward to the findings of the Edinburgh Slavery and Colonialism Legacy Review Group who will provide recommendations on next steps in addressing other features in the public realm across the City later this year.’