OC Brian Bishop, who lives in Western Australia, has kindly written to me about the fuss at Oriel College and their statue of Cecil Rhodes and the relevance to Edward Colston.

"I have been reading with interest, the problems with Cecil Rhodes and Oriel College, and this leads me on to the statue of Edward Colston in the centre of Bristol. What he did in that era of expansion of the British Empire was in that time moral and necessary for the riches which came to him and to Bristol. It also brought help to some poor boys to have a decent education. We know now that this transportation of slaves was immoral, but it gave some kids here a chance. I am sure that in some cases, the descendants of those slaves transported to the USA, have benefited from the democracy that exists in part or full there, compared to their previous homeland. 

I am sure that in the near future  there will be an outcry concerned with dear Edward. I would just like to say that from his generosity to me over the years as a “scholarship boy”, he gave me the chance to be educated, and to help provide people’s health. He also gave me the chance to help the poor people in Bali, by providing help, gratis when needed.

I am deeply indebted to him, and of course my teachers at Colston’s over the years.

It is very easy to deliberate concerning the past with hindsight. It is easy with the ability to live easily as students now, but you need a depth of knowledge, and history, to weigh up the situation as it was, all that time ago."

Regards Brian Bishop (10)




Edward Colston's statue in the city centre


Edward Colston's statue in Bristol City Museum



Edward Colston's statue in All Saints Church in St Nicholas Market