Edward Colston
A wealthy 17th-century merchant whose fortune, built on the transatlantic slave trade, funded Bristol's public buildings and sparked modern-day reckoning.
1636–1721 (age 85)·English merchant and slave trader·Birthday: November 2
Biography
Edward Colston was born into a merchant family in Bristol, England, and spent much of his early career in London. His rise to immense wealth was inextricably linked to the Royal African Company, where he served as a deputy governor. The company held a monopoly on English trade along the west coast of Africa, which included the trafficking of enslaved people to the Americas. Colston's involvement was direct and financial, profiting from a system of profound human suffering. Later in life, he channeled portions of this wealth back into Bristol and London as philanthropy, funding schools, almshouses, and churches. For centuries, he was memorialized as a benevolent father of the city, but in the 21st century, his legacy became a focal point for examining Britain's role in slavery, culminating in the dramatic toppling of his statue in Bristol Harbour in 2020.
#1 When Edward Was Born
The biggest hits of 1636
Edward's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1636Born
1641Started school
1649Became a teenager
1652Could drive
1654Could vote
1657Turned 21
1666Turned 30
1676Turned 40
1686Turned 50
1696Turned 60
1706Turned 70
1716Turned 80
1721Died at 85
Key Achievements
- Served as a deputy governor of the Royal African Company, which transported over 80,000 enslaved Africans.
- Used his mercantile wealth to become a major philanthropist, endowing schools and hospitals in Bristol.
- Served as a Tory Member of Parliament for Bristol from 1710 to 1713.
- His statue, erected in 1895, stood in Bristol city centre for 125 years before being pulled down by protesters.
Did You Know?
The Colston bun, a sweet bun with dried fruit, is named after him and is still sold in Bristol.
Several major Bristol institutions, including Colston's School and the Colston Hall concert venue, bore his name for generations.
He was a high sheriff of Gloucestershire and a master of the Mercers' Company.
A significant portion of his philanthropy was directed towards Anglican religious causes.
“Commerce is the lifeblood of a great city, and all its trades must flourish.”
