Saturday 20 June 2009

Abolition! The Thomas Clarkson Story


I have blogged in the past about Thomas Clarkson, his links to Ipswich and the key part he played in the abolition of the slave trade.
His links to the town is something we should be proud of, and this month, Ipswich Museum have opened an exhibition about his life with plenty on the fight to abolish the slave trade.

Ipswich has recently seen a number of statues appear in the town, the most recent the Rugby playing, Russian emigre who fought with the RAF in World War II. Now he deserved a statue as he fought from Martlesham Airfield and his grave is in Ipswich cemetery, but surely a statue of Thomas Clarkson is long overdue.
Location? How about Barrack Corner, a number of the streets around that part of town are named after those from the Quaker movement and others involved in the abolition of the slave trade.
Recently I have read the biography of William Wilberforce, after his death there occurred a number of arguments between Clarkson and the sons of Wilberforce about who played the major role in the Abolition movement. But both have been quoted - Clarkson and Wilberforce, that this evil trade would not have been abolished with out the efforts of the other.

So Ipswich council, when ou ext get a cash handout from some property developer, a statue of Thomas Clarkson would be a excellent visual reminder of a son this town can be proud of.

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