Church investigates after ‘people of Falmouth’ install slave trader plaque without permission

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Fri 25 Oct 2024

The Diocese of Truro is investigating after a plaque highlighting the involvement of one of its parishioners in the slave trade was erected in a church in Falmouth without permission.

The brass plaque at King Charles the Martyr Church has been placed underneath an existing marble memorial to Thomas Corker. It reads: “Thomas Corker was England’s Chief Agent for the Royal African Company on York Island. He oversaw and profited from the kidnap, enslavement and sale of slaves. The Royal African Company shipped more enslaved men, women and children to the Americas than any other trading company in the world.”

Over 500 people had previously signed a petition calling for the original memorial to be removed, however after a public consultation, a decision was made in 2023 that it shouldn’t be destroyed, but instead used as a focus for racial reconciliation. Those responsible for the new plaque say it has been designed to provide historical context.

However, any alteration to the fabric of a listed church building is covered by law and must follow a faculty process.

Pip Horton who is Parochial Church Council Secretary at King Charles the Martyr Church told the Falmouth Packet that it was believed “a lone individual, who purports to be ‘the people of Falmouth’ has taken it upon themselves to enter the church and erect a plaque without our knowledge or the proper permissions.

“Quite frankly, we don’t feel this is helpful at all and detracts from the very good and inclusive work we are doing in partnership with others including Black Voices Cornwall.

“We understand that some people may have concerns about what they see as a delay, but this is not helpful to our efforts and has caused unnecessary distress.”

A spokesperson for the diocese and church said in a statement: “The memorial to him (Thomas Corker) in King Charles the Martyr Church in Falmouth is an offence to many people. There are different views on how best to respond to its presence in an ancient, historic building which is strictly governed by legislation.”

An email signed by ‘the people of Falmouth’ and sent to Cornwall Live said that although the new plaque was “done as an act of protest, its intention is as a donation to the church, to give them opportunity to acknowledge harms and inform the public, in the assumption that this is what they would wish to do.

“For years, people have campaigned for either the removal of the memorial or written recognition of Corker’s key role he played in the slave trade, yet the church has not acted on either such call.”

The Acting Bishop of Truro, Rt Rev Hugh Nelson said work to find a solution was ongoing:

“Our consultations have made clear that there are a range of views across Falmouth, and we have been listening and working with all perspectives.

“The people involved in this work are mostly volunteers who are working tirelessly for justice, and to tell the story of Cornwall’s slave links. They are doing this within and through the proper legal processes. We have not been giving regular updates on the process because we were waiting until we had tangible news to share but we recognise that as a result some people may have thought the process had stopped.”

Corker, who worked as a slave trader in West Africa for the Royal African Company, died in 1700 during a trip returning enslaved Africans to Falmouth.

Post expires on December 30th, 2024

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