Freetown City Council unveils plaque in memory of Governor Thomas Perronet Thompson
By Mohamed Faray Kargbo
The Chairperson of the Freetown Society in Hull has unveiled a plaque commemorating the life of General Thomas Perronet Thompson, the first Crown Governor of Sierra Leone.
Kathleen Guthrie unveiled the plaque at the Sierra Leone National Museum on Thursday 26th October, 2017 in the presence of the Mayor of Freetown and other dignitaries.
In his statement preceding the unveiling ceremony, the Mayor of Freetown City Council, His Worship Franklyn Bode Gibson lamented that history has not done justice to Thomas Perronet Thompson noting that not much has been written about him in Sierra Leone history books. He promised to popularize the contributions of this great man.
Chairperson of the Monuments and Relics Commission, Madam Isatu Smith thanked the Freetown/Hull Societies for the recognition of one of the advocates for the abolition of the slave trade. She assured all that the Monuments and Relics Commission will equally contribute towards the publication of the contributions of General Perronet Thompson to the development of Sierra Leone.
Mr. Raymond De Souza George read the historic profile of General Thomas Perronet Thompson (1783-1869) who was a politician and reformer. His father was Thomas Thompson, a merchant and banker of Hull. His mother, Philothea Perronet Briggs, was related to Vincent Perronet, a Methodist and close friend of John Wesley. Thomas Perronet Thompson served both in the navy and the army, and was in 1808 the first governor of Sierra Leone.
This plaque was done in recognition of Freedom Week and to cement the 37- year relationship between the twin cities of Freetown and Hull. The British Council in Sierra Leone, under the leadership of its Director Simon Ingram Hill, is leading the observance of the week of Freedom.
In another development, the bust of William Wilberforce was unveiled at Wilberforce Village in Freetown on the same date. The bust was jointly unveiled by the Chair of Hull Society in Freetown, Dr Modupe Taylor Pearce and the Chairperson of the Freetown Society in Hull, Kathleen Guthrie.
Making a statement before unveiling the bust, Dr Taylor Pearce noted that William Wilberforce was a great man who fought very hard to abolish the slave trade. “He was a good man that is why we have named places in his memory. We remember him with Wilberforce village, Wilberforce Street, etc. This memorial represents victory.” The Chairman concluded.
William Wilberforce was a deeply religious English member of parliament and social reformer who was very influential in the abolition of the slave trade and eventually slavery itself in the British Empire.
Education and Outreach Unit
Monuments and Relics Commission
23 Pultney Street
Tel: +23276387711/+23222220110
Email: info@mrcsl.org
Website: www.mrcsl.org
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