Our historic links to transatlantic slavery
New research has identified further links between donors to our predecessor hospitals and the transatlantic trafficking and enslavement of African people. This includes individuals commemorated in the Great Hall at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, like the former governor Edward Colston who profited directly from the slave trade.
Transatlantic slavery was an abhorrent, violent and dehumanising system through which African people were abducted, transported, bought and sold, subjected to forced labour and denied their freedom across generations. It created enormous wealth for individuals and institutions in Britain through the exploitation and suffering of enslaved people.
The historic gifts and legacies to St Bartholomew’s and the London Hospital (now The Royal London) are a source of the endowment now managed by Barts Charity. This wealth was used to care for the sick and poor of east London, a purpose to which our modern group of hospitals remains committed.
However, that noble calling does not lessen the injustice through which the funds were acquired, and we are deeply sorry that our predecessor institutions benefited in this way. This legacy lingers in the inequalities experienced by Black people in Britain today and underlies our contemporary commitment to tackling the health inequalities faced by our local population.
Through our WeBelong approach to equity, diversity and inclusion we pledge to eliminate racism, discrimination and inequality. We use workforce, population-health and equity data to make improvements in areas like maternity outcomes and cardiovascular health.
The Barts Archives documents some slavery connections and we encourage further research into these links. Barts Heritage, which manages the Great Hall, makes clear that some charitable donations were gained through the suffering of others.
Nevertheless, the Trust is now discussing with Barts Charity and Barts Heritage what more we could do to appropriately acknowledge and address the latest findings. We welcome input from patients, staff networks, and local community groups.
This is not about erasing history. It is about telling it as honestly and completely as possible, recognising those who suffered, and letting that understanding inform practical, measurable action for the future.