A PETITION has been launched calling for the removal of a statue in Chester city centre which features a former slave owner.

The bronze statue, which sits on the traffic island on Grosvenor Road between the HQ building and the entrance to Chester Crown Court, depicts Field Marshal Stapleton Cotton, 1st Viscount Combermere (1773-1865), on horseback dressed in military uniform.

Records show that the celebrated cavalry officer, diplomat and politician received compensation of more than £7,000 for the liberation of 420 slaves in the Caribbean when slavery was abolished in 1833.

The statue was erected in 1865 – not long after his death – and in January 1972 became a Grade II* listed building.

The petition, launched today (June 18), calls on Cheshire West and Chester Council to remove the statue and potentially place it in a museum where people can learn about his complete history.

It was set up by Tanisha Adolph who is part of a group that spoke at and were involved in the recent Black Lives Matter protest in Chester, and who are working together to create a charitable organisation to hold more events that are educational, celebratory, and promote black individuals and businesses.

She said: "I want people to understand that we are not trying to discount the achievements of Viscount Combermere, we are just trying to educate people on the reality of where some of his success came from, and want the full and real history of these people we choose to commemorate in the form of a statue shared.

"We also believe that the fact he is Grade II* listed and placed on a prestigious site in Chester is inappropriate as we should not be glorifying slave traders.

"We therefore think it is more appropriate that he is, for example, placed in a museum – where people can choose to go and look at him and learn about his history – and have him replaced."

Cheshire West and Chester Council has confirmed that it is carrying out a review of the borough’s historical association with slavery to inform debate with residents.

Statues with links to slavery have been removed in some parts of the country.

The petition states: "We are petitioning to have the statue removed from its 'prestigious site' in Chester and possibly placed into a museum where people will be able to learn about Combermere's full history.

"We do not believe that the removal of these statues and the changing of street names is the sole way to remove the systemic racism that is deep rooted in our country and its history.

"It is also not a way for us to try and 'remove' the past as this is not possible. We are also not discounting the achievements of these commemorated individuals but rather revealing the reality that comes with/behind some of their success.

"We do however believe that in doing this we are taking small steps towards educating the UK about our true history and hope that this education will create some change in the fundamental issues our country was built upon."

To view the petition visit https://bit.ly/2AGwfAS