The National Trust’s obsession with slavery

Objects are presented through the prism of slavery, whether or not it is relevant

Hello. I too object to the National Trusts obsession with the slave trade. They are trying to justify an attitude to race that is in the past, which no one today has participated in. It’s ridiculous. Visiting Dunham Massey recently, I noticed that the gift shop was selling goods manufactured in China. This country has an abysmal record of human rights and has been accused of modern slavery, namely the Uyghur people. I’ve written to the National Trust, pointing out the hypocrisy of being concerned with slavery that was abolished hundreds of years ago whilst selling goods from a country accused of modern slavery!  I’ve written to the Trust but didn’t receive what I consider a satisfactory response. 

Why doesn’t the National Trust provide the full story about the slave trade? That fact that African people sold other Africans to the Slavers. That white people were also sold into slavery. What about the poor in this country, children sent up chimneys or orphan children made to work in mills such as Quarry Bank? Isn’t that a form of slavery?  

Every right-minded person finds the slave trade abhorrent but it’s part of our history that we can’t change, but can be educated about it without being made to feel guilty. 

Yours faithfully

Mrs S