Strathclyde University’s expresses ‘shock’ after discovering links with slavery

Strathclyde University has acknowledged the “uncomfortable truth” about the links between its foundation, the profits of slavery and the key role four enslavers played in the origins of the institution.

An investigation at The University of Strathclyde found that four separate presidents of the Anderson’s Institution, the forerunner to the university, owned enslaved people in the West Indies during their tenure.

They included John Hamilton, a merchant dealing in sugar and rum who owned several plantations in Jamaica and served as Lord Provost of Glasgow.

Hamilton was a member of Glasgow West India Association, a group that lobbied in favour of slavery before the Abolition of Slavery Act 1833, as were a disproportionate number of city merchants who served as trustees during a period when the debate over abolition of slavery in British colonies was at its height.

A further eight presidents out of 20 who served between 1796 and 1877 had positions, shares or associations with companies that had a clear connection with slavery. Three presidents had a very strong incidental relationship.

The report was instigated by the University’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Jim McDonald.

Whilst Strathclyde was created in 1964 through the award of Royal Charter to the Royal College of Science and Technology – the modern-day University traces its origins to the foundation of Anderson’s Institution in 1796. This Institute was the result of a bequest by Professor John Anderson (1726-1796), who wished to create ‘a place of useful learning’ in the city following his departure from the University of Glasgow.

However, Anderson left insufficient funds for this new institution and the 81 Trustees named in his Will and Legacy were left to raise the necessary money to fulfil his wish. The report found that some of these funds came from the city’s merchants, much of whose wealth derived from the profits of businesses involving enslaved people in the Americas and which flowed into many of the city’s civic institutions.

The research, carried out by historian Professor Richard Finlay in the Department of Humanities, identifies individuals in the University’s past with links to slavery who donated money or played a significant role in the institution’s governance.

These include four past Presidents, all of whom were members of the Glasgow West India Association – a group that lobbied in favour of slavery before the Abolition of Slavery Act 1833. Several other Presidents and Trustees had indirect links with the slave trade through their professions, business activities, relatives or associates.

Professor Finlay said: “Anderson’s Institution was founded in a city that was still sucking in the profits from slavery. Indeed, it came into existence at a time when trade with the slaving economies was at its most lucrative.

“Glasgow’s merchants, through ruthless efficiency and business innovation, established themselves by the 1760s as the main port in the United Kingdom for the tobacco trade.

“Great fortunes were made and the legacy of tobacco can be seen in the street names of the Merchant City, and on the eve of the American War of Independence, Glasgow accounted for 40 per cent of British trade.

“The Tobacco Lords did not just profit from the labour of enslaved Africans; they actively promoted and extended the use of enslaved labour through the supply of credit and loans for plantation development.

“Given the omnipresent nature of the engagement with the slaving economies of the Americas in Glaswegian society in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries… many of the hundreds of individuals who served as Trustees of the institution will have had some kind of casual acquaintance with or participation in business connected to slavery.”

Professor Sir Jim McDonald said: “Today the University of Strathclyde prides itself on being a socially progressive institution that champions equality and diversity.

“This important report has revealed that in our early history, our antecedent institution was a beneficiary of money that was derived from business profits involving slavery, and that some of its governors, trustees and donors were enablers, supporters and profiteers of slavery.

“As an institution so closely entwined with the City of Glasgow, it was perhaps inevitable that there would be connections to the abomination that is slavery. It is nonetheless shocking and provides new context regarding the University’s foundational story.

“It is only right that we acknowledge this uncomfortable truth and to recognise and accept that much of our city’s, and our nation’s, history and prosperity has been built through the exploitation of other peoples and this is deeply regrettable.”

Eva Curran, President of Strath Union, said: “This report, detailing Strathclyde University’s historical links to Transatlantic slavery, is a welcomed step in the right direction. As a Student Union, we stand for racial equity and actively work to fight prejudice and discrimination in all its forms.

“The impacts of colonialism continue to reverberate through generations – by discussing the failings of the past, we can create a better future for all our students. The student Executive Team and I look forward to continuing our partnership with the University, keeping Black students and the wider student community engaged in our work.”

Jennifer Ba, the University’s Senior Race Equality Officer, said: “In a series of focus groups, surveys and Principal-led workshops, Black, Asian and minority ethnicity staff and students highlighted the fundamental importance of trust, transparency, and accountability. Recognising these core values, the publication of the report encourages us to strengthen our commitment to race equality and actively address the historical impact of colonialism on knowledge and learning.”