Family of legendary reforming Prime Minister William Gladstone to travel to Caribbean to apologise for slavery

The family of legendary reformist Prime Minister William Gladstone plans to travel to the Caribbean to apologize for slavery.

Six descendants of the 19th-century politician who was prime minister four times have officially apologized and will travel to Guyana on Thursday.

William Gladstone was elected a Tory Member of Parliament for Newark in December 1832 at the age of 23. His education and career were funded by his father’s ties to slavery.

The former prime minister’s father owned or mortgaged 2,508 enslaved Africans who worked on his sugar plantations in Guyana and Jamaica. Early in his career, William spoke in Parliament in defense of his father’s involvement in slavery and spoke out against the abolition of slavery.

John Gladstone received £106,000 when the Slavery Abolition Act was passed in 1833, making him the fifth largest beneficiary.

Charlie Gladstone, 59 – who describes himself as an entrepreneur, author, husband, father of six and grandfather of three – said John Gladstone was a “despicable man.” He lives in Hawarden Castle, the home of his great-great-grandfather William, and said: ‘John Gladstone has committed crimes against humanity. That is absolutely clear.

Charlie Gladstone, the great-grandson of former Prime Minister William Gladstone, said much of his family’s privilege stems from slavery

“The best we can do is try to make the world a better place and one of the first things is making that apology for him.”

Charlie added that John Gladstone was “greedy and domineering.”

It’s been 200 years since the Demerara Rebellion of about 13,000 Africans began on one of John Gladstone’s plantations. It was run by Jack Gladstone, who was the first to take his owner’s name, and his father Quamina.

More than 300 Africans died as a result of the uprising.

Charlie said much of his family’s privilege is due to John Gladstone. They have agreed to pay reparations to fund further research into the effects of slavery.

Some on social media have labeled the family’s decision as “pathetic” and “more awake nonsense.”

One user said, “The idea of ​​gene-based guilt is crazy.”

Another said: ‘More waking nonsense, slavery in the UK ended about sixty years before Gladstone took office as Prime Minister.’

Early in his career, William Gladstone (pictured) spoke in Parliament in defense of his father’s involvement in slavery and spoke out against the abolition of slavery

The 21st century Gladstones are members of the Heirs of Slavery – a group of families that can trace their ancestry back to the enslavement of Africans.

The education and career of William Gladstone’s education and career as a politician through his father’s money.

They will apologize at the launch of the University of Guyana’s International Institute for Migration and Diaspora Studies, to which they gave £100,000.

Eric Phillips, Chairman of Guyana’s Reparations Commission and Vice Chairman of the Caricom Reparations Commission, said Gladstone’s apology was “an example to others” and means a lot to the anniversary.

Who was William Gladstone?

William Ewart Gladstone was born on December 29, 1809 in Liverpool.

He served as Prime Minister in four separate periods between 1868 and 1894.

William was elected a Tory Member of Parliament for Newark in December 1832 at the age of 23.

Early in his career, William spoke in Parliament in defense of his father’s involvement in slavery and spoke out against the abolition of slavery.

In 1840, Gladstone began his ‘rescue and rehabilitation’ of London prostitutes. Even when he was prime minister in later years, he walked the streets trying to convince prostitutes to change their ways. He spent a great deal of his own money on this work.

When the Tory Party fell apart in 1846, Gladstone Peel followed suit and became a Liberal Conservative, now a strong believer in free trade. In 1847 he returned to Parliament as MP for Oxford University, having lost his Newark seat.

In 1867, Gladstone became Leader of the Liberal Party after Palmerston’s resignation, and became Prime Minister for the first time the following year.

He became Prime Minister again in 1880, 1886 and in 1892.

In 1894 he resigned because he had failed to retain the support of his cabinet.

He died of cancer on May 19, 1898 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Source: UK Government.