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Formerly enslaved man memorialised at Bristol Cathedral
A new memorial plaque has been unveiled at Bristol Cathedral dedicated to John Daniel, a man born into chattel slavery on a Barbados plantation owned by 19th-century Bristol businessman Thomas Daniel.
The plaque also remembers 4,424 people who were enslaved by the wider Daniel family during the era of transatlantic slavery.
The high commissioner and deputy high commissioner of Barbados were in attendance at the unveiling of the plaque alongside lord lieutenant Peaches Golding.
is needed now More than ever
The installation of the plaque comes after years of campaigning from Gloria Daniel, John Isaac’s great-great-granddaughter – photo: Martin Booth
The six-foot plaque was crafted from Welsh blue slate by Marcia Bennet-Male, and unveiled by Uriel and Hallam Daniel – two of John Isaac’s great-grandsons.
The unveiling came after years of campaigning by Gloria Daniel, Uriel’s daughter and the founder of the Transatlantic Trafficked Enslaved Africa Corrective Historical Plaques (TTEACH Plaques).
In 2020, following the resurgence of popular support for the global Black Lives Matter movement, Gloria Daniel looked up the family name on UCL’s Legacy of British Slavery database.
John Isaac was born into chattel slavery in Barbados in 1828 – photo: Martin Booth
Searching through the database, she discovered she was a descendant of John Isaac and that John was born on one of Thomas Daniel’s plantations.
She later discovered there was a large memorial to Thomas Daniel at Bristol Cathedral, below the rose window, describing him as a ‘respected merchant’.
As she told Bristol24/7, this greatly upset her.
She said: “Words are important… I thought this hypocrisy cannot be allowed to sit.
“So, I had a meeting with the bishop, the dean and bishop Joe Aldred (the then principal officer for Pentecostal, Charismatic and Multicultural Relations at Churches Together in England) and said we need to have a plaque in the church.”
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In 2021, John Isaac was featured in a temporary exhibition at the cathedral about legacies of slavery.
After years of advocacy, Gloria and TTEACH Plaques finally accomplished their goal of getting a permanent memorial put up.
On the new plaque unveiling, Gloria said: “The memorial highlights the historical ties imposed upon our ancestors.
“While global conversations about reparative justice continue, this memorial provides a concrete gesture of acknowledgement and respect.
“It underscores the vital role descendants of enslaved people have in leading the efforts for reparative justice.”
Dean of Bristol, Mandy Ford, added: “The unveiling of this corrective memorial is an important catalyst in healing relationships between human beings as we come to terms together with the impact of transatlantic chattel slavery on our histories and lives.
“I am deeply grateful to Gloria Daniel for her willingness to assist us in our learning and for this beautiful, truthful and challenging addition to the fabric of the building. ”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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