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A painting of Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter is on display as part of a scheme to feature “overlooked” black figures at English Heritage sites.
The charity also announced that it will bring information about its connections to the slave trade “to the fore” next year on all of its properties.
The portrait of Sarah Forbes Bonetta, who was orphaned and sold as a slave at the age of five, will be on display at Osborne House during Black History Month.
Sarah Forbes Bonetta was orphaned and sold as a slave at age five
Mrs. Bonetta was brought to England after being presented as a “diplomatic gift” to Captain Frederick Forbes in 1850; he named her in part after his ship, the HMS Bonetta.
Captain Forbes later visited the King of Dahomey, as representative of Queen Victoria, in an attempt to negotiate the abolition of slavery.
Queen Victoria and Mrs Bonetta met several times, including at the Monarch’s House Osborne in the Isle of Wight.
Described as “sharp and intelligent” by Queen Victoria, Bonetta became her goddaughter when she was seven years old.
Queen Victoria paid for her education and Ms Bonetta later became an accomplished musician and linguist, and named her own son as the queen.
English Heritage said it will commission portraits of other historical black figures connected to its sites “and whose stories, like Bonetta’s, have been overlooked before.”
English Heritage plan to feature “overlooked” black figure portraits linked to their properties
The painting was created by Hannah Uzor, who said: “(Bonetta) challenges our assumptions about the status of black women in Victorian Britain.”
The charity said: “Black history is part of the history of England and while we know we have more to do, English Heritage is committed to telling the history of England in its entirety.
“There are several black figures from the past who have played an important role in some of the historical sites under our care, but their stories are not widely known.
“Starting with Sarah, our portrait project is a way to bring these stories to life and share them with our visitors.”
More portraits will be shown next year, including the African-born Emperor of Rome, Septimius Severus, who reinforced Hadrian’s Wall, and James Chappell, a 17th-century servant in Kirby Hall. Northamptonshire, which saved the life of the owner of the country house.
This comes after the National Trust revealed that 93 of the properties it cares for have ties to historical slavery and colonialism, including By Winston Churchill Kent Chartwell house.
Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg criticized the Trust for not realizing “how wonderful” Churchill was.
