# Bank of England removes paintings of governors linked to slave trade
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2021-08-27
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Bank of England Removes Artwork Linked to Slave Trade
Meta Description: The Bank of England has taken down portraits and busts of directors with slave trade connections and hired a slavery researcher for its museum.
URL: https://financedigest.com/bank-of-england-removes-paintings-of-governors-linked-to-slave-tradehtml

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By Huw Jones and Carolyn Cohn

LONDON (Reuters) – The Bank of England said on Friday it has removed 10 oil paintings and busts of seven governors and directors who had known connections to the slave trade in the 18th and 19th centuries and hired a researcher on slavery for its museum.

The British central bank said following Black Lives Matter protests last year that it would review its art collection.

The review is now complete and artworks depicting former Governors and Directors, where we have been able to [establish links to the slave trade](https://www.financedigest.com/tips-for-establishing-strong-trade-relationships-overseas.html "Tips for establishing strong trade relationships overseas"), have been removed from display,” a BoE spokesperson said.

We have also appointed a researcher to [work in our Museum to explore the Bank’s](https://www.financedigest.com/boes-bailey-says-bank-reforms-worked-but-questions-about-liquidity-buffers.html "BoE’s Bailey says bank reforms worked but questions about liquidity buffers") historic links with the transatlantic slave trade in detail. This [work will inform future](https://www.financedigest.com/meetings-in-the-metaverse-how-likely-is-this-the-future-of-work.html "Meetings in the metaverse – how likely is this the future of work?") Museum displays interpreting these connections.

The portraits and busts depicted Gilbert Heathcote, the [Bank’s founding director](https://www.financedigest.com/peter-warrack-former-director-of-aml-fintech-advisory-and-compliance-officer-at-the-bank-of-montreal-joins-bitfinex-as-chief-compliance-officer-cco.html "Peter Warrack, Former Director of AML (Fintech Advisory) and Compliance Officer at the Bank of Montreal, joins Bitfinex as Chief Compliance Officer (CCO)") and a governor, James Bateman, Robert Bristow, Robert Clayton, William Dawsonne, William Manning and John Pearse. They had been on display within the BoE’s headquarters and adjoining museum.

Announcing the review in June 2020, the BoE said it had never itself been directly involved in the slave trade, but that it was aware of some “inexcusable [connections” involving former governors and directors](https://www.financedigest.com/previous-chief-scientist-of-rsa-releases-smart-contract-connectivity-whitepaper-facebook-director-of-engineering-llvm-creator-joins-chainlink-advisory-board.html "Previous Chief Scientist of RSA Releases Smart Contract Connectivity Whitepaper, Facebook Director of Engineering & LLVM Creator Joins ChainLink Advisory Board"), and apologised for them.

The 330-year-old Lloyd’s of London [insurance market advertised in February for an archivist whose tasks would include researching artefacts related](https://www.financedigest.com/covid-19-insurance-related-litigation-deluge.html "Covid-19 – Insurance Related Litigation Deluge") to the African and Caribbean history of slavery and abolition.

The City of London, where both [financial institutions](https://www.financedigest.com/what-financial-institutions-will-be-like-in-10-years.html "What Financial Institutions Will Be Like In 10 Years") are located, is itself reviewing what to do about the statue of William Beckford in its ancient Guildhall home.

Beckford was twice Lord Mayor of London in the 18th century and had plantations in Jamaica with slaves.

(Reporting by Huw Jones and Carolyn Cohn, Editing by Catherine Evans)


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