Bath, Art and Architecture: 08/26/20

Wednesday 26 August 2020

Edward Colston by Michael Rysbrack

Under Construction

Rysbrack and Bristol.

Edward Colston (1636 - 1721).

A Bust and Monument

by Michael Rysbrack

In no way is this post glorifying the life of Edward Colston or his contribution to the slave trade as a member of the Royal African Company.

I am in full sympathy with the removal of the statue of Colston by John Cassidy in Bristol in 2020.

https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1202137

for a brief life see:

http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/History/bristolrecordsociety/publications/bha096.pdf

For a brief overview of Bristol's role in the slave trade see:

https://www.bristolmuseums.org.uk/stories/bristol-transatlantic-slave-trade/

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The Terracotta Bust

Bristol Museum.

Image from undated Bristol Post 1952

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The bust when in position at Armoury Square, Stapleton Road St Paul's, Bristol.

Photographs courtesey Historic England.

Built in 1837

First named Armoury Place in 1849 and finally Armoury Square in 1852. Some of the armour houses do still survive as nos 12,19, 39 and 46, and it was in no. 46 that Mr Packer began his famous chocolate company which is now in Greenbank. Nothing remains of the old armoury building but its memory is kept alive in the local pub, the Armoury Tavern.

A full and detailed history of the armoury and the square, with illustrations, appears in Bristol’s Vanished Georgian Armoury and The development of Armoury Square by John Bartlett and John Penny of Fishponds Local History Society.

The bust was replaced with a fibreglass replica c. 1980.

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All photographs above taken from the web.

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The Monument to Edward Colston

All Saints Church, Corn Street, Bristol.

The church is closed.

I have tried several times to gain admittance to the church but have been unsuccessful and so the photographs below will have to suffice for the time being. I will try again to gain access in the future.