26 Facts About Edward Colston

Edward Colston was an English merchant, slave trader, philanthropist, and Tory Member of Parliament.

Edward Colston was deputy governor of the company from 1689 to 1690.

Edward Colston supported and endowed schools and other public institutions in Bristol, London and elsewhere.

Edward Colston's name was widely commemorated in Bristol landmarks, and a statue of him was erected in 1895.

The city's concert venue, Edward Colston Hall, was renamed Bristol Beacon along with several other locations that held his name.

The Edward Colston family had lived in the city since the late 13th century.

Edward Colston was brought up in Bristol until the time of the English Civil War, when he probably lived for a while on his father's estate in Winterbourne, just north of the city.

The family then moved to London, and Edward Colston was educated at the Christ's Hospital school.

In 1654, Edward Colston was apprenticed to the Mercers Company for eight years, and in 1673 he was enrolled into it.

Edward Colston traded silk with Virginia and was a regular trader of Newfoundland cod to Naples.

Edward Colston had built up a successful business trading with Spain, Portugal, Italy and Africa.

In 1680, Edward Colston became a member of the Royal African Company, which had held the monopoly in England on trading along the west coast of Africa in gold, silver, ivory and slaves from 1662.

Edward Colston was deputy governor of the company from 1689 to 1690.

Edward Colston was established by King Charles II, together with his brother the Duke of York as the governor of the company, City of London merchants and other investors.

The value of Edward Colston's shares increased and being without heirs he began to donate large sums to charities.

Edward Colston used his money and power to promote order in the form of High Anglicanism in the Church of England and oppose Anglican Latitudinarians, Roman Catholics, and dissenter Protestants.

Edward Colston withdrew from the African Company in 1692, but continued working on his private businesses until he retired in 1708.

Edward Colston was then an MP for Bristol from 1710 to 1713.

Edward Colston's will stated that he wished to be buried simply without pomp, but this instruction was ignored.

Edward Colston's body was carried to Bristol and was buried at All Saints' Church.

Edward Colston's monument was designed by James Gibbs, with an effigy carved by John Michael Rysbrack.

Edward Colston supported and endowed schools, houses for the poor, almshouses, hospitals and Anglican churches in Bristol, London and elsewhere.

Edward Colston gave money to schools in Temple and other parts of Bristol, and to several churches and the cathedral.

In July 2018, Bristol City Council, which was responsible for the statue, made a planning application to add a second plaque which would "add to the public knowledge about Edward Colston" including his philanthropy and his involvement in slave trading, though the initial wording suggested came in for significant criticism from members of the public and a Bristol Conservative councillor, with the result being that the plaque was reworded.

Edward Colston made money from trading in commodities and interest from money lending.

Edward Colston said that it is planned that the portrait will be hung in the proposed Museum of Abolition in the city at a future date.