Museum aims to tell Whitehaven's slavery links 'more honestly'
A museum is changing its exhibits to reflect a town's "glossed over" connections to slavery. The Rum Story in Whitehaven opened in 2000 and highlights the history of the Jefferson family business which was involved in shipping and the trading and enslavement of African people in the 18th Century.Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners and the charity Anti Racist Cumbria said they would use a grant of almost £250,000 carrying out fact-checks with historians and trying to trace descendants of those affected.Head of the charity, Janett Walker, said for years the role that ports such as Whitehaven played in the slave trade had not been properly reflected.
She said this meant the "intergenerational consequences, including trauma had been ignored".She also said there had been "active avoidance or euphemism" with the use of terms such as "shipping" or the "Virginia Trade" to refer to slavery.The museum will spend £249,431 awarded from the National Lottery Heritage Fund on improvements and updating exhibits.
Project manager Katy Haigh said the aim was to find out how the trading and trafficking of African people had left a "legacy" on affected families.She said the funding will also be used to make the exhibits more engaging and tell stories in a "more honest way".The museum also wants to explore how it can work with communities, schools and businesses as well as attract tourists to the town.
'Not shy away'
The head of the non-profit Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners, Deanne Shallcross, said people should not have to travel to big cities to "learn about enslavement and how it has shaped our country". "We have the history right here and we want to make sure the way it is told is shaped by the community and does not shy away from recounting a fuller picture of history," she said. Businesses, universities, artists, historians and curators are being urged to get involved later in the year. Ms Haig said: "I am so excited about this project and I really believe it has the potential to bring communities together and re-engage people with the history of their town."
Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Send your story ideas here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
15 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Family stunned to find their pet Joey the tortoise is actually a girl after 95 YEARS
Joey spent decades being passed down through the family CAME OUT OF SHELL CAME OUT OF SHELL Family stunned to find their pet Joey the tortoise is actually a girl after 95 YEARS A PET tortoise thought to be a boy for 95 years turned out to be a girl. Joey finally came out of her shell at a vet's examination shortly before her death from a stomach tumour last week. 2 Joey, who ate lettuce and strawberries, was well-known among locals in Whitwell Credit: Supplied The African spurred tortoise was bought from high street chain Woolworths in 1930 by Louise Dimmock, as a gift for son Alan. Joey spent the next nine decades being passed down through the family — ending up with Alan's granddaughter Lorraine Steward. The cabin crew trainee, 43, said: 'We always thought he was a boy until we took him to the vets to be examined before his death. 'We knew something was wrong as he wasn't taking his food. 'He had never needed to go to the vet before and it's difficult to check the gender. They were stunned he had done so well. 'They were examining him and revealed, 'I'm led to believe he's actually a girl'. 'We couldn't believe it. Maybe he was more of a Josephine than a Joey all this time. But after knowing him as a boy for 95 years, we're not going to change now.' Joey, who ate lettuce and strawberries, was well-known among locals in Whitwell, Herts. Lorraine added: 'We will all miss him greatly. He lived a simple life. He was very low maintenance and happy as anything.' 2 The pet tortoise thought to be a boy for 95 years turned out to be a girl Credit: Supplied Giant tortoise found again after it was believed to be extinct for a century
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Daily Mirror
'I was watching TV at home when deadly African scorpion crawled past my feet'
The homeowner from Swindon was given the shock of her life when the deadly scorpion appeared on her living room floor - but acted quickly to trap it under a wine glass A woman has been been lauded for her brave actions after a terrifying African scorpion appeared on her living room floor while she was watching TV. The homeowner, from Swindon, was given a huge shock when the exotic creature began scuttling across the carpet one evening earlier this month - and quickly trapped it under a wine glass. After carefully transferring the arachnid into a jam jar, she got in touch with the RSPCA, who told her to get in touch with a specialist. The scorpion - later found to belong to the venomous and potentially deadly Buthidae family - is thought to have hitched a ride in her luggage back to England after a recent trip to Africa. It was initially given to local expert Jonathan Cleverly, who lauded the anonymous woman for her quick-thinking response. He told the BBC: "She'd done a brilliant job of moving it from a wine glass into a jam jar with a secure lid so it couldn't move and escape. "She put in some lettuce for a bit of moisture. She looked after it brilliantly well." Mr Cleverly, who runs a 'Jungle Roadshow' that educates local children on different types of wildlife, said he did not believe the scorpion was an escaped pet - and believed it was likely a stowaway which had survived the trip over. He added: "The scorpion, I would like to say, is absolutely gorgeous - even if it is potentially harmful to humans, it's a very rare thing for these sorts of scorpion to make their way into the UK." The scorpion has since been sent to live with an expert who holds a Dangerous Wild Animals (DWA) licence. It's believed the critter was around 4cm long, with Jonathan calling it the "most dangerous animal" he ever had. It's not the first time a scorpion has made an unexpected visit to Britain. Last summer, a couple were left stunned after discovering a 'venomous' scorpion stowaway in their suitcase. John Gray, 27, and his girlfriend, Jodie Daly, 26, were unpacking their luggage after arriving back in England from Mexico when the unwelcome visitor suddenly emerged. He managed to trap the scorpion in a pint glass before transferring it to a takeaway container with added air holes and calling a local reptile rescue. Soon after, they discovered the arachnid was pregnant, and they kept it overnight before it could be taken to a rescue centre the following morning. Describing the incident last July, John, a client solutions manager from Streatham, South London, said: "We got back to the flat and Jodie was sorting out the washing. As she pulled out a t-shirt and the scorpion dropped out and ran into the bedroom. All I heard was her screaming and shouting - I had no idea what was going on. "She was shouting 'scorpion', but I still didn't know what she meant I ran in there and found a six-inch scorpion sitting in the bedroom trying to hide under the washing. We didn't even see one while we were in Mexico - I was shocked. I called Mitcham Zoo who work with non-native species and reptiles, and they wanted to send it over to their team to do some research. "They said it was highly likely it was highly venomous - we kept it in a container inside a Hello Fresh box. We were trying not to kill it but to also stop it from killing us."
Glasgow Times
05-06-2025
- Glasgow Times
Trevoh Chalobah hoping his England career lasts longer than brother Nathaniel's
The Chelsea defender has received his maiden call-up for Thomas Tuchel's squad for forthcoming games against Andorra and Senegal following a successful season. He will be hoping to get on the pitch in the World Cup qualifier against the minnows in Barcelona on Saturday or the City Ground friendly against the African side three days later. His sibling Nathaniel, who currently plays for Sheffield Wednesday, won his one and only England cap in a Nations League win over Spain in 2018, appearing for six minutes and 54 seconds as a late substitute. And Trevoh is hoping that this is just the start for him. The 25-year-old said: 'When I found out I phoned my dad, spoke to my family, let them know, and they were over the moon for me also. And my older brother as well, Nathaniel. He was happy for me also. 'Obviously, him being here also, and to see his younger brother do the same, it was a very proud moment for him. And hopefully I can be here even more. 'It's been a journey for my parents. Obviously, they've seen the highs and lows, and they've been there every single step of the way. It's a good moment for them to share.' Nathaniel Chalobah, left, made his only appearance for England against Spain in 2018 (Nick Potts/PA) Chalobah is one of five Chelsea players in the squad and he knows boss Tuchel well as the German handed him his Stamford Bridge debut. It has been an impressive season for Chalobah as he starred on loan at Crystal Palace before returning to Chelsea to help the Blues to Conference League glory and Champions League qualification, with a trip to the United States for the Club World Cup still to come. He added: 'Individually for me, it's been a very good season. This has been one of my goals, and it's good to share with the Chelsea players. 'It just shows the quality that Chelsea produce and the players, it's good to be here with them also and share that moment. 'They've obviously eased me in here and helped me. As I said, it just shows the quality and the players Chelsea are producing this over the years, it's been amazing. 'I'm here, being called up to England, and it's going to keep carrying on hopefully.' While most of the England squad will be heading on holiday after the Senegal match, Chalobah and his Chelsea team-mates will be going to the US for the revamped Club World Cup. He said: 'This is the time after the internationals you probably want a holiday. But it's going to be physically tough, it's a different environment. 'But it's important, us as players want to be competing at the highest level and playing against very good teams. This is what footballers want to be doing, and hopefully getting a trophy.'
