Falmouth protesters surreptitiously mounted a brass plaque beneath a memorial in a church chastising a 17th-century parishioner for his role in the slave trade.

Anonymous activists installed the plaque in the church of King Charles the Martyr, beneath a memorial to local-born Thomas Corker, who worked for the Royal African Company in the late 1600s.

The group hoped their unauthorized work would provide visitors with “context” and act as a “protest”.

The plaque reads: “Thomas Corker was England’s chief agent for the Royal African Company on the Isle of York.

“He oversaw and profited from the kidnapping, enslavement and sale of slaves. The Royal African Company shipped more enslaved men, women and children to the Americas than any other trading company in the world.

Born in the late 16th century, Corker moved to the Guinea coast at the age of 14 and joined the English trading company, later becoming chief agent on York Island, present-day Sherbro Sierra Leone.

The slave trader married the daughter of an African chief, with whom he had two sons, but died on a business trip to Falmouth in 1700, aged 30.

The memorial was erected in the Grade II listed church by his older brother Robert, who also donated to the church in 1708.

Following a consultation in 2023 on the future of the memorial, the Parish Church Council (PCC) said the tribute would go ahead, much to the dismay of some campaigners.

In an email to Cornwall Live signed “Sincerely, the people of Falmouth”, the anonymous campaigners claiming responsibility for the plaque said: “This is to give context to the memorial, which does not recognize any part of this story and rather glorifies his life. .”

He added: “Although this is done as a act of protesther intention is to donate to the Church, to give it the opportunity to acknowledge harm and inform the public, assuming that is what she wishes to do.

One of the activists said: “It seems that the Church does not feel obliged to understand the role it plays in maintaining white supremacy and would rather bury its head in the sand and avoid responsibility of the pain that the memorial causes.

The group identified the Church’s £9 billion endowment fund as having been “significantly funded” by the transatlantic slave trade.

“This undermines the good, inclusive work we do”

Pip Horton, PCC lay vice-president and secretary at King Charles Church, and a member of the subcommittee involved in Thomas Corker’s work, said an “individual” had erected the plaque without permission.

She said: “Frankly, we don’t think this is helpful at all and it undermines the very good inclusive work we do in partnership with others, including Black Voices Cornwall.

“We understand that some people may be concerned about what they see as a delay, but this does not help our efforts and has caused unnecessary distress.”

The diocese said it was investigating what action could be taken, as due to its status as a Grade II listed building the church is protected by law.

The Right Reverend Hugh Nelson, Acting Bishop of Truro, revealed the church had considered installing a “trigger warning”.

He said: “The presence of a memorial to a man who benefited from the human trade in a building that points to the God of justice and liberty is deeply disturbing. »

“Part of the discussion around what is on display in relation to this memorial includes a trigger warning due to the sensitive nature of the subject and we have a duty of care to all visitors.”

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Truro said it was “working closely” with the community to find an “honest depiction” of Corker’s “involvement in slavery”.

In a statement they said: “We also hope to tell the story of Joseph Emidy, a black musician and composer, who was a freed slave who settled in Cornwall and who already has a small memorial in the church, and describe and challenge the evils of modern slavery.

“This has not been a quick process, but a lot of energy and resources have gone into it, and we would like to thank everyone who is working with us through the appropriate channels to achieve a positive and rewarding outcome.” »

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