On Sunday, 26th October, St Mary’s Henbury held a special service to mark the unveiling and blessing of a commemorative plaque struck in memory of John Isaac and the many thousands of others who were enslaved by the Daniel family in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Thomas Daniel, the second in a line of slave merchants, is buried and memorialised in St Mary's church. He was the son of the Thomas Daniel memorialised in the Rose Window at Bristol Cathedral. He, along with his brother John, received one of the highest amounts of compensation under the Act of Abolition in 1833.
Henbury Church, and the surrounding area, have a rich history associated with former Bristol Merchants. Many wealthy people - like Thomas Daniel – whose fortunes were made and consolidated by their involvement in transatlantic chattel slavery, are memorialised on the walls of St Mary’s church. This had led to it becoming a significant site of contested heritage in the city and region.
The plaque was donated by Gloria Daniel, founder of Transatlantic Trafficked Enslaved African Corrective Historical (TTEACH) plaques. Gloria is a descendant of John Isaac and is campaigning nationally for corrective plaques to be installed across the country in significant sites of heritage associated with the slave trade.
The blessing was conducted by the Very Reverend Dr Mandy Ford, Dean of Bristol. It marks a significant step in the vital corrective work St Mary’s wants to carry out in bringing to greater attention to the stories of those who were enslaved by the people memorialised in the church and in developing it as a Site of Conscience for justice.
Speaking about the plaque, Rev’d Jae Chandler, Priest-in-Charge of St Mary’s, said:
“We now believe that slavery in any form is a crime against humanity, and that the church was wrong in its historic complicity with the systems and cultures that perpetuated the slave economy. Some may question why we should discuss such issues since they are in the past; however, whilst this particular form of slavery might be ‘in the past’, we know that much of the modern economy is predicated on enslavement. Additionally, as the people of God, called to ‘do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God', I believe we must acknowledge and repent of the legacies of the many past injustices that endure and benefit us in the present.”
As part of the broader 'Transforming Church Together' vision, the Diocese has created a Racial Justice Strategy, a fundamental aspect of our mission to transform our community and culture, ensuring that every action reflects our dedication to social transformation, witness, and worship. If you would like to learn more about this, please click the link below.