Colin Kemp, a 76-year-old management consultant, has initiated a project to erect a £70,000 monument commemorating the 17,000 sailors who sacrificed their lives to end the slave trade.
He firmly believes that Britain has very little to apologize for regarding its historical role in the abolition of slavery.
Kemp's fundraising campaign is aimed at creating a memorial to honor the Royal Navy's West Africa Squadron, which played a pivotal role in liberating over 150,000 enslaved individuals during the 19th century, following Britain's ban on the slave trade in 1807. At the peak of its operations, this squadron accounted for 50% of the Royal Navy's budget.
Sculptor Vincent Gray has been enlisted to design the proposed monument, which could find a home in Portsmouth, the heart of the West Africa Squadron. The monument's design features a slave before abolition, a naval officer, and a freed slave.
Kemp passionately expressed his perspective on Britain's historical role, stating, "I am patriotic, I think we have got very little to apologize for. Slavery was obviously awful, no one in their right mind could support it, but it happened." He strongly believes that Britain should be acknowledged for its pioneering role in ending the slave trade.
The West Africa Squadron, formed in 1808, played a crucial role in the abolition of the slave trade. Approximately 2,000 sailors died in direct combat, while an additional 15,000 succumbed to diseases and illnesses during their voyages. The squadron involved 36 ships and 4,000 sailors at its peak in the 1840s and 1850s, amounting to around two percent of government expenditure. It captured 1,600 slave ships and liberated their prisoners before ceasing operations in 1867.
Kemp emphasized the importance of educating people about the West Africa Squadron, stating, "I like history, but I had never heard of the West Africa Squadron. I started looking into it. It's absolutely fascinating." He commissioned research that revealed that only one out of 189 individuals surveyed had heard of the squadron. He is determined to rectify this historical oversight, saying, "We stood alone and did it on our own."
Kemp firmly opposes the notion of Britain paying reparations to nations affected by the slave trade, stating, "I think it is absolute rubbish, it's nonsense. We have quite a large overseas aid budget. I don't agree with slavery. It was awful, it was terrible, but no, we should not pay reparations."
Kemp's project has already garnered nearly £900 in funds since its launch, with a goal of completing the memorial within six months. The sculptor, Vincent Gray, previously designed a monument to the Battle of Trafalgar hero Horatio Nelson, which earned a design award from the Sussex Heritage Trust last year. The proposed monument aims to commemorate the sacrifices of those who played a pivotal role in ending the transatlantic slave trade. Photo by Irwin Bevan, Wikimedia commons.