Calls for debate over Hull's Zachariah Pearson plaque

The monument dedicated to Zachariah Pearson was given Grade II listed status in 1994 by Historic England

Calls have been made for a debate on the future of a memorial honouring a former mayor who had links to slavery.

Adam Fowler, former chair of the Hull Civic Society, said the public should decide whether to keep or remove the plaque of Zachariah Pearson.

Mr Fowler campaigned for it to get Grade II listed status in 1994.

A review into statues and monuments of historic figures in Hull by the city council named it as one which could cause offence.

The monument to Zachariah Pearson is in a park, off Beverley Road, which is named after him after he donated 27 acres of land to establish it in 1860.

He was twice the mayor of Hull - in 1859 and 1861 - and a merchant who was bankrupted after a failed attempt to bring slave-grown cotton to the city during the American Civil War.

Pearson Park in Hull is undergoing a £3m renovation by the local authority

Mr Fowler told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "The key question has to be did he play a key role in slavery or was his involvement a consequence of other motives?

"All the facts have to be presented. He did a lot of good for Hull, he was clearly passionate about it and wanted to help the unfortunate.

"That doesn't excuse his actions, but like anything it's about putting him in the context of his time."

He said Pearson Park was "an extremely important part of Hull's history" as it was one of the first public parks in the city.

"The memorial is listed so we can't just get rid of it all together. The issue is whether to leave it or move it to a more discreet location.

"So the people of Hull will have to balance the slavery link with his contributions. There should be a full public debate on this."

Hull City Council said its review into statues was ongoing.

But in an email to councillors, deputy leader Daren Hale said the memorial was the "most concerning" of all those reviewed and suggested "a case for discussion".

A blue plaque dedicated to Zachariah Pearson is also on his former home

Who was Zachariah Pearson?

Born in east Hull in 1821, he became a wealthy and successful ship owner and philanthropist.

Mr Pearson helped with a dock improvement scheme to improve the efficiency of Hull as a port.

He gave money to the conversion of a building into a Sailors' Home and for the opening of the Hull Temporary Home for Fallen Women.

But he went bankrupt after acquiring a number of ships in a failed attempt to break a naval blockade of the Confederacy during the American Civil War and bring back bales of cotton for Hull's mills.