University of Bristol students want Goldney House renamed

The University of Bristol says it will not rename buildings named after the institution's founders

A student society is calling for the University of Bristol to consider renaming a building with links to the slave trade.

History Society members say they and fellow students want Goldney House to be renamed.

The building was not part of a recent consultation on building names carried out by the university.

A university spokesperson acknowledged the Goldney family's ties to slavery, but said the name will not be changed.

"Goldney Hall has ties to the slave trade as the Goldney family funded several ships that took part in the triangular slave trade," the spokesperson said.

"But the Goldney family did not donate money to the University."

The institution explained that the university bought Goldney Hall and its gardens in the 1950s.

"So, it is solely through this purchase that the University is associated with the Goldney family," they added.

The Wills Memorial Building is one of the most recognisable parts of Bristol's skyline

The University unveiled its new logo on Monday, which included the removal of the dolphin emblem of slave trader Edward Colston.

The institution is also investing £10m in its "Reparative Futures" programme to help address racial injustice.

But the buildings named after the institution's founders - including the Wills and Fry families' - will be retained, and their historic links to the slave trade will be "presented in a proper context".

Katie Poyner, pictured left, has launched a petition calling for the name change

However, Katie Poyner, president of the History Society at the University of Bristol says the Goldney family should be addressed as they did not contribute any money to the university.

"It's a symbolic connection - Colston was symbolically connected to the university because he was seen as a philanthropic founding father for the city," said Ms Poyner.

"If Colston was removed because of the symbolic connection - surely Goldney should be removed as well."

Ms Poyner added that she believes renaming a building - much like the Bristol Beacon - is an effective way of taking a stance against Bristol's links to the transatlantic slave trade.

"We want to move past figures who have very tainted legacies and champion people who we all proud of and that everyone in the city can be proud of."