As part of its commitment to tackling racism in all its forms, the organisation’s Court of Common Council – its primary decision-making body - previously agreed to ‘retain and explain’ the statues at its Guildhall headquarters of plantation owner, William Beckford, who served two terms as Lord Mayor, and slave trader and former MP, Sir John Cass.
The William Beckford statue is located within the Grade I listed Great Hall and required Listed Building Consent for the works to go ahead, whereas the plaque for the Sir John Cass statue does not require this permission.
The City Corporation partnered with arts and heritage charity, Culture&, to commission designers, writers, and poets, and an inter-generational panel and accessibility panel were consulted to develop a response to both statues.
Following the approval of Listed Building Consent, both plaques will explain the men’s links with slavery and be installed in the New Year.