Red Kite Law solicitor appeals for painting removal
Red Kite Law solicitor calls for controversial painting to be removed from Carmarthen court - http://ning.it/vZOmDr
A Red Kite Law solicitor has called for a painting of Sir Thomas Picton to be removed from Carmarthen Crown Court after it emerged the historic figure was convicted for torturing a 14-year-old slave girl.
The West Wales-born Lieutenant General had the ruling overturned years later in 1808 after bringing in his own witnesses.
But after learning of his murky legal record, a solicitor in Carmarthenshire said it was inappropriate to have his portrait in a modern day court of law.
Kate Williams, solicitor for Red Kite Law, said: "I appreciate the painting for historical purposes, that he was a figure of note.
"But I find it very offensive that someone who was not only a known slaver but also allegedly tortured a slave should have his picture in a place where the values of justice are served.
"He was a man of his time, and many other people were slavers. So put the picture in a museum, fine, but it should not be in a court of law."
The portrait of General Picton at the Battle of Badajoz hangs above the judge's bench at the court in Guildhall Square.
It is far from the only tribute to the Poyston, Pembrokeshire-born figure, with many streets across Wales taking his name. Carmarthen has Picton Terrace, Picton Place and the iconic monument erected after his death on Monument Hill. Picton is also associated with Iscoed Mansion in Ferryside.
A brutal leader, he was the highest-ranked officer to die at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
But it was in Trinidad, where he was governor, where he became embroiled in legal allegations brought by his superior, the Whig Liberal MP William Fullarton.
Picton was convicted by the King's Bench in 1801 for making a 14-year-old mulatto girl, Luisa Calderon, stand on a spike while bound and suspended.
She was thought to have assisted the theft of £500.
General Picton got the jury to reverse its decision in 1808 after bringing in his own witnesses.
A spokeswoman for Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) said all works of art in the court belonged to Carmarthenshire Museum, and that HMCTS Wales accommodated them on the museum's behalf.
Carmarthenshire Council county museums manager Ann Dorsett said: "Picton was a rough diamond and indeed he was a very tough and brutal governor of Trinidad. His attitude towards slavery was that of his class in general and indeed most British people of his time.
"It was his success as one of Wellington's generals in the Peninsular War, and later, that made him a hero to the people of his time.
"Heroes often have feet of clay. Acknowledging this does not excuse or condone their bad deeds or necessarily detract from their achievements.
"We can't rewrite history."
A Red Kite Law solicitor has called for a painting of Sir Thomas Picton to be removed from Carmarthen Crown Court after it emerged the historic figure was convicted for torturing a 14-year-old slave girl.
The West Wales-born Lieutenant General had the ruling overturned years later in 1808 after bringing in his own witnesses.
But after learning of his murky legal record, a solicitor in Carmarthenshire said it was inappropriate to have his portrait in a modern day court of law.
Kate Williams, solicitor for Red Kite Law, said: "I appreciate the painting for historical purposes, that he was a figure of note.
"But I find it very offensive that someone who was not only a known slaver but also allegedly tortured a slave should have his picture in a place where the values of justice are served.
"He was a man of his time, and many other people were slavers. So put the picture in a museum, fine, but it should not be in a court of law."
The portrait of General Picton at the Battle of Badajoz hangs above the judge's bench at the court in Guildhall Square.
It is far from the only tribute to the Poyston, Pembrokeshire-born figure, with many streets across Wales taking his name. Carmarthen has Picton Terrace, Picton Place and the iconic monument erected after his death on Monument Hill. Picton is also associated with Iscoed Mansion in Ferryside.
A brutal leader, he was the highest-ranked officer to die at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
But it was in Trinidad, where he was governor, where he became embroiled in legal allegations brought by his superior, the Whig Liberal MP William Fullarton.
Picton was convicted by the King's Bench in 1801 for making a 14-year-old mulatto girl, Luisa Calderon, stand on a spike while bound and suspended.
She was thought to have assisted the theft of £500.
General Picton got the jury to reverse its decision in 1808 after bringing in his own witnesses.
A spokeswoman for Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) said all works of art in the court belonged to Carmarthenshire Museum, and that HMCTS Wales accommodated them on the museum's behalf.
Carmarthenshire Council county museums manager Ann Dorsett said: "Picton was a rough diamond and indeed he was a very tough and brutal governor of Trinidad. His attitude towards slavery was that of his class in general and indeed most British people of his time.
"It was his success as one of Wellington's generals in the Peninsular War, and later, that made him a hero to the people of his time.
"Heroes often have feet of clay. Acknowledging this does not excuse or condone their bad deeds or necessarily detract from their achievements.
"We can't rewrite history."
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