University to rename Gladstone Hall after students' concern at slave trade links

A university hall named after former prime minister William Gladstone will be renamed, after students pointed out his links to the slave trade.

Gladstone Hall, on the University of Liverpool's Greenbank campus, will be given a new name selected by a "democratic process", a spokesman for the university said.

An open letter written by students to the vice-chancellor, Professor Dame Janet Beer, called for the university to show "solidarity in the rejection of black oppression" following the death of George Floyd in America.

The letter referred to parliamentary speeches in which Gladstone defended the rights of owners of slave-run plantations, such as his father.

It said: "We must learn our history, for all the rights and wrongs, and acknowledge the people who profited from black oppression.

"We cannot facilitate normalising people like William Gladstone by naming our campus after them."

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has said he would support moves to rename the many buildings and roads in the city named after slave traders. Credit: Liverpool Echo

A university spokesman said: "Gladstone Hall is part of the University of Liverpool's Greenbank site which was demolished and recently rebuilt.

"Discussions between the university and its Guild of Students around naming this hall have been in progress for some time.

"A recent open letter from current students calling for the hall to be renamed has further highlighted that this is an important issue within our university community.

"The selection of an alternative name will be a democratic process involving students and colleagues across the university."

Gladstone, born in Liverpool, was prime minister for 12 years across four terms between 1868 and 1894.

The move to rename the hall follows the pulling down of a statue of slave trader Edward Colston in Bristol on Sunday by campaigners at an anti-racism protest

Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson has said he would support moves to rename the many buildings and roads in the city named after slave traders.

Responding to a post on Twitter, he said: "We will have a discussion and debate with the black community and others to see what action we should take."

He said there was no evidence the city's Penny Lane, made famous by The Beatles, was named after slave trader James Penny, but the name instead referred to a toll.

The International Slavery Museum, based in the city, has said research is being carried out into the origins of the name.