Merton today is a diverse community, with a council committed to race equality. This has not always been the case. We recognise the fact that some previously lauded local figures have links to the transatlantic slave trade, and we want to acknowledge that fact, and make more people aware of those links.
Some roads in Merton have been named after individuals who have an historical link with the slave trade, either through their own actions or the actions of their families. It is important to acknowledge this history and the impact these individuals’ actions have had, and continue to have, on our society.
The council has discussed how we should do this with our ethnic minority representatives, through the Joint Consultative Committee with Ethnic Minority Organisations, and we have now launched a consultation about how best to acknowledge the history of individuals with links to slavery who some Merton streets have been named after.
This is an opportunity for all Merton residents and organisations to express their views.
While we are not proposing to rename any streets, we have put forward several proposals to acknowledge these historical links, and look forward to hearing any other proposals from residents and organisations in Merton.
The consultation will run until 31 May.
Councillor Eleanor Stringer, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Civic Pride, said:
“Our shared history and how we remember it in the places that we live, work, and socialise matters – and that includes recognising the uncomfortable fact that some previously lauded local historical figures have links to the transatlantic slave trade.
“At Merton Council, we want to make more people aware of this and what it means today, which is why we are consulting all residents in the borough on how best to acknowledge the history of these individuals that streets are named after. This approach is supported by Merton’s Joint Consultative Committee with Ethnic Minority Organisations.”
Councillor Edith Macauley, MBE, Chair of the Joint Consultative Committee with Ethnic Minority Organisations, said:
“I and the committee are happy the council is consulting with everyone in Merton about how best to acknowledge historical links to the slave trade. We hope many people will take part and give their views.
“Speaking personally, as someone born in Africa, I remember my Afro Caribbean parents talking to me about the slave trade when I was young.
“I understood that many African people taken to Caribbean countries as slaves did not even know where their parents were born, simply accepting the country where they ended up.
“That is just one of the reasons it is so important to explore how best to recognise historical links here in Merton – so that future generations learn about and remember our history.”