Beatrix Potter's book about a little wood mouse named Mrs Thomasina Tittlemouse tells the story of her efforts to keep her house in order, which is something that I have been endeavouring to do, but very slowly - hence my absence.
Currently a controversial object in our small town is this black boy statue which has graced one of the building for exactly 250 years.
The building, once a school, is now privately owned, and the little statue rings the bell on the hour.
The black boy clock was made by a local clockmaker in 1774, and is the only clock with what is known as a Jacquemart clock movement in the county of Gloucestershire.
Jacquemarts are usually part of clocks or clocktowers, and are often near or at the top of a construction. The figurine is also known as Jack of the Clock or Jack o'Clock.
Many people are calling for it to be removed, but is that actually an endeavour to wipe the slate clean and not acknowledge the awful facts and history surrounding the influence of slavery and colonialism? The current situation is that because the clock is attached to what is now a private dwelling, the local council's powers to take action are limited.
These are the difficult questions, because it is probably impossible for a white middle class male like myself to understand whether this object is offensive to a black person. If it reflects racism and discrimination a case could be made for its removal, but it seems innocuous to me. As a historical artifact I would lean towards leaving it there, but then again, that’s just my opinion, not rooted in the race relations of today. I am quite sure I have provided a “no-answer”, Rosemary, so I haven’t added much to the discourse.
ReplyDeleteYou have set out very well the two sides of the story David.
DeleteSometimes posting a prominent plaque or sign acknowledging the statue's racist roots and history can serve to put it in proper historical context and be enough of an offset to leave the offensive item standing. Whether this can be done here without encroaching on the owner's property is unknown. The whole issue is complicated by this involving private, not public, ownership.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea Debra - an explanatory plaque would be a good way of solving the issue should the owner agree.
DeleteDear Rosemary,
ReplyDeleteHow do the new owners feel about their clock? Ultimately, it is their choice whether to keep it in place or not, irrespective of its meaning.
Dear Gina - I do not know the answer to that, but presumably the owners wish to keep their rare historical clock. I personally feel that it is a very strong reminder of the way that black people were treated and something that we should not forget.
DeleteIt seems wrong to obliterate any part of history, though it does perhaps need putting into context. A small explanatory plaque might well be the solution.
ReplyDeleteHistory cannot be changed but an explanatory plaque could be the solution.
DeleteGood to see you back. I agree with the suggestion of a plaque but know people on both "sides" can get very het up about such things.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of having a plaque until blogger Debra mentioned the idea.
DeleteThese are such difficult issues. Racism and colonialism need to be addressed, but in a way that does not erase history. I dislike the polarization that happens. There seems to be no nuance and little acknowledgement of the thinking of the day. That's not an excuse, but in correcting the ills of the past we must recognize how culture changes. I like the comment that suggests an explanatory plaque. On the other hand, if removing the statue would help heal past wounds, then let it be done with eagerness and generosity, not merely as a gesture.
ReplyDeleteIt is impossible for us to know today why the local clockmaker chose to make the model of a black boy 250 years ago, but the figure is undoubtedly associated with slavery and colonialism.
DeleteI have just, however, read a comment in one of the local papers which states that the Council has no immediate plans to remove the statue as that would be comparable to erasing history. But like Debra mentioned they too have suggested that the monument should have an added plaque.
Welcome back Rosemary. I like it. It's history and I presume it's up to the owners if they want to keep it there. Are the black people offended by it?
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is mainly local people that are upset by the clock Margaret following on from the "Black Lives Matter" movement in the USA.
DeleteThank you Rosemary.
DeleteWhy stop there? In my travels around various UK towns and cities I've noticed hundreds of examples of bare breasted female statues yet the men beside them are usually clothed. Double standards. They need taken away or covered up. The same Victorian values represented by the statues also erased certain items of Egyptian or ancient Greek origin if it didn't correspond to the moral outlook of that time period. Likewise I remember reading some USA citizens, immediately after 9/11, wanted the Lord of the rings rewritten to omit any mention of The 'Two Towers' altogether. Meanwhile the current Scottish government has tied itself in serpentine loops with both hate crime and gender equality definitions. History might well follow the entertainment industry down the rabbit hole of good intentions where everyone is now too scared to take any risks at all in case they get cancelled and the creative and at times admittedly provocative spirit of the artistic muse has been replace with bland, safe
ReplyDeleteuniformity across the board, in music acts..., in comedy...., in art... all artists live in very real fear nowadays of saying anything remotely controversial so maybe history is just next in that line. Personally I preferred living during the 1950s to the early 2000s. Despite it's obvious flaws a much simpler time than today.
Bravo Bob - today life is really difficult for many of us to comprehend.
DeleteI am ambivalent about the people calling for the little black boy to be removed. On one hand it might have viewed slavery as cute or harmless. But wiping out specific images of history also wipes out proof that the particular history ever existed.
ReplyDeleteIt is wrong to whitewash history.
DeleteI have been thinking a bit about this private v public property conundrum. Does property ownership confer the right to offensive behaviour? If someone wished to install a statue of Hitler on their front lawn, would that be acceptable? Would antisemitic depictions be permitted on private property? Surely the fact that one owns a piece of land doesn’t confer the right to spew hatred and demean others. Or does it?
ReplyDeleteI do not know what the legal situation is in such cases. However, apparently the Council has no immediate plans to have the statue removed, but they have suggested that the monument should have an added plaque.
DeleteThis is an issue I deal with daily. The Tla’amin people, who are my neighbours, were forcibly moved out of their summer village to provide land for a paper mill. The town is named after the person who orchestrated the move. He was also in favour of residential schools. Thus we are in the process of renaming the town because understandbly the Tla’amin people find it offensive. It has caused a huge and bitter division between people. I am in favour of the change but I am a relative newcomer. Many people here are descendents of the first white settlers who built a town and thriving economy in the wilderness. I think we can honour both histories and I have to say the Tla’amin people are more open to this than the other side. Unfortunately so many hurtful things have been said there is now a kneejerk reaction on both sides to even the most innocent of remarks. Previously I lived in the southern US. On tours of the antebellum mansions there was until recently no mention of slavery. Now the focus has changed and the tours are well worth taking for a far more informative and honest depiction of life on a plantation. Education is the key, as with the black boy. It is an opportunity for discussion and acknowledgement. I find it painful to think of the cruelty of the past and it would be far more comfortable to close my eyes to the truth. My moral compass, however will not allow that strategy. The work of our generation and later ones is to be vigilant in preventing similar acts and repairing as best we can the damage. We can only do that if we are knowledgeable about the past.
ReplyDeleteDear Susan - Thank you very much for taking the time and trouble to describe your local difficult situation, which is extremely sad. I would like to think and hope that we are now closer to addressing these historic wrongs, openness can only be of benefit.
DeleteI agree that having discussions around such memorials must be a good way forward.
The current conflicts around the world reflecting racial and religious differences are, however, extremely depressing. The problem is sadly very much still with us.
They should leave the clock alone.
ReplyDeleteI concur.
DeleteThere are some things that just need to be accepted and black boy is one of those. It’s a talking point in itself and makes people remember about our past and the wrong doings. Remove him and you are removing history. B x
ReplyDeleteBasically it is a very fine, interesting clock, and obviously designed during the period of slavery and colonialism. Having said that, your comment is correct, you cannot remove or erase history.
DeleteYour black boy should remain in my opinion. We were the first to abolish slavery - for balance a plaque commemorating that next to your beautiful statue would stop these beautiful pieces of our history and culture from being devalued by a minority who mean well but are failing to see that history needs to be preserved and not destroyed. I hope everything is left as it is.
ReplyDeleteI understand that the Council has now decided to leave the clock in situ, and have also proposed an explanatory plaque. This appears to be the most sensible way to go forward.
DeleteLeave the clock alone. History is history...
ReplyDeleteLove from Titti
Thanks Titti - I love your comment - " History is history"💙
DeleteHello, Rosemary. So glad to see you back. The little black boy looks standing proudly to do his work and personally I’d like him to continue his work as a part of such a fine clock. History can be burden at times but we can’t erase history; we learn from history not to repeat the same mistakes. Though a little different, I was reminded of the controversy about Little Black Sambo. The book disappeared from bookstores and libraries for a certain period in my country. My children and I liked the story without knowing the racism element. Perhaps Japanese versions contained likable elements toward the black hero that was rare in books.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely poem by Housman. I didn’t know it. “The cherry hung with snow”, indeed, falling Sakura petals are like snowflakes.
Yoko
Hello Yoko - we had the Little Black Sambo book too without understanding there was a racial element. My children also loved all of the Rupert Bear and Golliwog Adventure books too. All were read innocently also without realising that the Golliwog represented a black boy.
DeleteI am pleased that you liked the Housman poem - it makes you realise just how few blossom seasons we see during our lifetime and how important it is to make the most every single one.
Nice to see this post, and hope you have been well although busy!
ReplyDeleteI think it is wrong to obliterate any part of history.
All the best Jan
Thanks for visit Jan - yes I am well, but as the years past it takes me longer and longer to complete the many Spring tasks.
DeleteI totally agree - you cannot pretend that history never happen.
Hello Rosemary, Sorry for the late reply. I was making my way to Ohio, experiencing both the earthquake in Taiwan, and the total eclipse in Cleveland--nature has many wonders! You can imagine that I am all for accurate historic preservation. Plaques that teach you and put history into perspective are always a bonus. Often, outdoor items like this can be placed indoors, which also protects them from the elements and acid rain, but this would leave the niche empty and the clock without a sensible mechanism, so that doesn't quite seem appropriate, and neither does replacing the boy with perhaps some cute animal or other figure, as that constitutes rewriting history. In the 20th century, in the U.S. there were tacky lawn ornaments of black jockey boys; a lot of homeowners elected to paint their skin white rather than remove them, although in the eyes of many, lawn jockeys of any type were in the same class as pink flamingos and silvered glass "gazing balls."
ReplyDelete--Jim
Hello Jim - I did think about you when the earthquake happened in Taiwan, but really pleased to know that all is well and that you flew off safely to Cleveland, and just in time to witness the total eclipse. I witnessed a total eclipse in August 1999 down in Devon - I found it very unworldly as the daylight and warm atmosphere suddenly turned dark and cold, and all the birds flew around in confusion.
DeleteThe consensus on this blog is that a plaque is the right way to go forward, and I have since learnt that the local council have decided that too.
I believe history should never be ignored when it comes to its truth.
ReplyDelete