Contested Heritage
Thomas Corker slave trader memorial
In 2020, following the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement, a spotlight was shone across the country on memorials to slave traders. Many witnessed the toppling of the Colston statue into Bristol harbour. At the same time, calls came from sections of the local community in Falmouth that a memorial in KCM church to Thomas Corker (a 17th Century slave trader) must be removed from the building. Others in the community felt that the monument should be retained as it was part of the history of the area.
In 2021 there was an initial consultation with the community about what should happen with the memorial. It became apparent that the possibility of removing the memorial from the building altogether was not viable due to the size and the lack of alternative storage facilities.
Drawing on the experience of the central team from the Church of England and input from the Racial Justice Unit, the Parochial Church Council (PCC) agreed an outline plan to move the memorial to a less prominent area within the church. This would include the creation of an educational space detailing the truth of the life of Thomas Corker, condemning the slave trade of the past and highlighting the continuing injustice of modern day slavery. Furthermore, a small plaque to Joseph Emidy, a freed slave of musical renown was to be become a focus point with a statue commissioned.
Church of England legal processes:
Changes to Church of England buildings are governed by a legal process known as the Faculty System. Advice and guidance for church buildings | The Church of England This involves PCCs applying for permission to make changes to buildings so that heritage is protected for future generations. The process involves research and detailed plans. The PCC at KCM are preparing information to apply for a Faculty.
The Diocese of Truro Church Buildings team are supporting KCM to progress the project. The Church of England cathedral and church buildings department are involved in an advisory capacity. It has been determined that a heritage impact report is required to further evaluate the significance of the memorial and this has been commissioned. The report and recommendations are expected early 2025. The diocese have also commissioned monument conservators to produce a condition report of the memorial, the findings of which will feed into the heritage impact report.
Wider engagement:
The PCC have elected a sub-group to work specifically on this project. The group have been meeting monthly to review progress and provide information for the next steps. Diocesan representatives have also been engaging throughout the process with Black Voices Cornwall and the original campaigners to ensure that their views are fed into the process.
Plaque:
In October 2024, a group purporting to speak for the people of Falmouth stuck a plaque in the church which detailed the life of Thomas Corker. This was done without recourse to the legal planning procedure and without engagement with the PCC or campaigners and has now further complicated the already complex process. However, it is recognised that it was perhaps felt no progress was being made. This webpage will therefore be used to update progress as and when it happens. The Parochial Church Council work as volunteers and the memorial to Thomas Corker is one of many different areas of church that they are responsible for. If you have questions or concerns we ask that you make contact and discuss them with us.
For more information about Contested Heritage and how it impacts historic buildings please do listen to our podcast: https://trurodiocese.org.uk/podcasts/contested-heritage/