‘The lovelocks on Pero’s Bridge are an insult to Pero’s memory’

Over the last decade, a curious occurrence has been growing across the bridges of Europe.

‘Lovelocks’, small padlocks with names or initials written on, meant to symbolise love, have begun appearing on bridges in major towns and cities across the continent.

The tradition, which began with the Pont Des Arts bridge in Paris has been copied multiple times, with many bridges now groaning under the weight and part of the Pont Des Arts itself collapsed under the added weight of the locks in 2014.

In Bristol, the bridge the public decided would best suit locks is Pero’s Bridge, a small but busy pedestrian bridge crossing between Narrow Quay and Bordeaux Quay in the heart of Bristol.

Its wire mesh sides make it ideal for the placing of padlocks. But while a declaration of love like this is admirable, there is a major issue with it.

For me, the issue is the choice of bridge itself.

Putting aside the fact that it is a working bridge (it lifts to allow access to St Augustine’s Reach) and the weight of the locks may begin to interfere with its proper working, it is the name of the bridge that is the biggest issue.

When it was built in 1999, the bridge was named after Pero Jones – an enslaved West Indian who lived in Bristol in the late 18th century – as a memorial to those affected by the slave trade.

A small memorial stone, dedicating the bridge to Pero, is hidden behind some bike racks on the Millennium Square side of the bridge and is almost invisible to passers-by.

The plaque remembering Pero on the side of the bridge named after him – photo: Martin Booth

The fact that this is the only memorial in Bristol to the victims of the transatlantic slave trade (barring a small plaque on the side of M Shed) is frankly insulting.

Other cities such as Liverpool, Glasgow and Lancaster that profited from the Triangular Trade during the 18th Century have built museums and memorials that attempt to educate and inform citizens of the horrors that helped build their prosperous harbour towns.

The symbolism of adorning a bridge named after a slave with thousands of locks is shocking.

I do not cast any blame on the people that put them there, as so few people know the story behind the bridge’s name.

I am sure that if the people who placed the locks knew of the history of the bridge and the symbolism of attaching padlocks, they would not want their love associated with it, and would choose an alternative location.

…………………………………

Read more: Rees pledges to keep ‘iconic’ lovelocks

…………………………………

Since the Colston statue was dragged into the docks just metres from Pero’s Bridge, Bristol residents have become more reflective of our colonial past, so we must take this opportunity to respect Pero’s memory.

We are campaigning for the lovelocks to be removed from the bridge, and an information board to be put up, that highlights the story of Pero Jones, the wider slave trade in Bristol and the recent history of the Colston statue to educate the public on a trade that built Bristol using the profits of slavery.

You can sign our petition here. The locks could be collected if people wanted to retrieve them and the rest could be turned into a sculpture.

A rare lifting of Pero’s Bridge – photo: Martin Booth

I think we need to emulate other former slave trading cities and establish a new dedicated memorial or museum exploring our slave trading past aside from Pero’s Bridge.

However, respecting Pero’s memory, by removing the locks and informing people of the history, should be the first step in memorialising those that were taken against their will and forced into slavery.

Alex Hartley is the Lib Dem candidate for Hotwells & Harbourside ward

Main photo: Martin Booth

Read more: The untold history of Pero’s Bridge