Statement by Stand Up To Racism:
THE GORDON PLAQUE, St Peter’s Church, Dorchester
The Black Lives Matter movement, and recent discussion about memorials to white supremacy, have focused attention locally on the Gordon plaque in St Peter’s Church, Dorchester.
This plaque commemorates, with approval, the action of plantation owner John Gordon in the bloody suppression of a slave revolt in Jamaica in 1760, which resulted in the death of almost 500 enslaved people. The horrific punishments meted out to those perceived as leaders are well documented by contemporary sources.
The plaque is on the north wall, in a prominent position opposite the main door. Stand Up To Racism has joined others in bringing attention to this memorial, including members of the congregation, the South West Dorset Multi-Cultural Network, Dorchester Town Council, and other concerned individuals. We have contacted the Bishops of Salisbury and Sherborne, and the Parochial Church Council, requesting that the appropriate church authorities act as swiftly as legally possible to remove the plaque from its prominent position. We have offered to contribute to discussion on how to use this artefact in education about colonial history and the slave-based plantation economy.
We have had a positive response from the Bishop of Sherborne, and we understand that the PCC is in discussion about the next steps.
The position of Stand Up To Racism is clear: this a commemoration of slavery and murder. It is offensive and inappropriate: it cannot remain on prominent display. The Black Lives Matter movement has taught us that we cannot be neutral in opposing racism, we must be resolutely anti-racist. There is no place for “it was OK in its day” moral relativism.
We look forward to hearing from the church authorities on their next steps.
Stand Up To Racism Dorset: see us on Facebook; email: [email protected]
