The Welsh national museums has removed Sir Thomas Picton, a slave-owning lieutenant-general, as a photograph. He was the most senior British officer who died at Waterloo.

  • Portrait won’t be displayed again until after a £12,000 ‘reinterpretation’ project 
  • He was known as the ‘Tyrante of Trinidad’ and executed many slaves as the island’s governor.
  • National Museum Wales announces that commissions will be used to retell the story of life from other perspectives










The Welsh national museum has removed a picture of a slave-owner who was the most senior British officer to be killed at the Battle of Waterloo.

The ‘heroic’ portrait of lieutenant general Sir Thomas Picton will not be displayed again until a group of artists have completed a £12,000 commission to ‘reinterpret’ it.

The work has hung at the museum in Cardiff 100 years, but in recent years there has been growing scrutiny of Picton’s legacy following the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement.

The 'heroic' portrait of lieutenant general Sir Thomas Picton (pictured) will not be displayed again at the Welsh national museum until it is 'reinterpreted'

The ‘heroic portrait of Sir Thomas Picton, lieutenant general, (right) won’t be displayed at the Welsh National Museum again until it is reinterpreted. Pictured left is a statue of the slave-owner that was removed last year from Cardiff city hall 

The work has hung at the museum in Cardiff 100 years, but in recent years there has been growing scrutiny of Picton¿s legacy following the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement

The work has hung at the museum in Cardiff 100 years, but in recent years there has been growing scrutiny of Picton’s legacy following the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement

Despite being a war hero, the Welshman was also known as the ‘Tyrant of Trinidad’ and executed dozens of slaves while serving as the island’s governor.

The National Museum Wales has announced that new commissions will be made to retell Picton’s story from the perspective of the people he touched.

Sir Thomas Picton: The ‘Tyrant Of Trinidad’ whose last words were “Charge!” 

Thomas Picton was born August 24, 1758 in Haverfordwest (Pembrokeshire), Wales.

He became the highest-ranking British Army officer killed at the Battle of Waterloo, shot through the temple while leading a bayonet charge against the enemy. 

According to reports, his last words were “Charge!” Charge! Hurrah Hurrah!”    

The Duke of Wellington described him as a “rough foul-mouthed devil as has ever lived”, but he also called him capable.

His memorial was erected at St Paul’s Cathedral. Former prime minister David Lloyd George described him in 1916, as one of “Heroes of Wales”. 

The British public first became aware of him for his alleged cruelty during his governorship in Trinidad, where his motto was “let’s hate so long they fear”. 

Picton was accused in the execution of 12 slaves, but historians claim others were tortured or mutilated while Picton was in charge.

He was well-known to have used the slave market to build his fortune. In 1806, he was also found guilty for torturing Luisa Calderon (a 14-year-old mixed race girl) during his rule on the Caribbean island. 

After an investigation had revealed some of his cruelty allegations, he resigned.  

The Privy Council then tried him for cruelty. 

He was initially found guilty of unlawfully torture to obtain Luisa Calderon’s confession, but was later cleared by a retrial. Picton successfully argued that arguing that Trinidad was subject to Spanish law, which permitted the use of torture.  

Kath Davies, Museum director for collections, stated that Picton’s past is complex, complicated, and controversial. She said that she had always recognized this and wanted to help young people decide how to look at it and how to interpret it.

“The Trinidadian Day of Independence will see the work of the artists on display in August 2012.

‘We’ll be working on the interpretation of Picton with the young people over the next few weeks.’

The Sub Sahara Advisory Panel will decide the future of the painting, whose director Fadhili Makiya welcomed its removal.

He said, “It’s almost a new age in some ways, especially when you look at who he was and what he stood up for.

It does open up new perspectives on conversations about race and diversity, inclusion, and inclusion.

Picton was a Welshman who was born August 24, 1758, in Haverfordwest in west Wales. He is still buried at St Paul’s Cathedral, despite his death at Waterloo in the 1815.

His portrait will now be replaced by “Hedger and Ditcher, Portrait of William Lloyd”, which Albert Houthuesen painted. He was a Dutch artist who fell in love with the working life in Trelogan, Flintshire while on holiday with his spouse in the 1930s.

Councillors in Cardiff City Hall voted to remove Picton’s statue during a probe by the Welsh government into offensive statues. 

Councillors stated that the statue was an “affront” to black Cardiffans and “no longer acceptable”. 

But last December counsellors in Carmarthen voted against removing or renaming a monument to the local hero. 

Since 1888, the memorial has been located in Picton Terrace, a south-western town.

Reacting to demonstrations sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the US in May, Carmarthenshire Council set up a taskforce to review matters relating to racial inequality.

Its mandate was to interpret and explain the history of Sir Thomas Picton as well as the Carmarthen monument.

A majority of locals decided to keep the statue. They argued that history cannot be changed or erased and called the monument “recognition” of a Carmarthen hero who saved Britain from Napoleon.    

In July 2020 councillors voted to remove a statue of Picton in Cardiff City Hall amid a Welsh government probe into offensive statues.

But last December counsellors in Carmarthen voted against removing or renaming a monument to the local hero

In July 2020, councillors voted against removing a Picton statue at Cardiff City Hall (left), amid a Welsh government investigation into offensive statues. However, Carmarthen councillors voted last December against removing or changing the name of the monument to the local hero. 

Some of the more than 200 statues, roads and buildings iin Wales identified as bearing the names of famous Britons 'linked to the slave trade'

Some of the more then 200 statues and roads in Wales are identified as bearing the names ‘linked to slavery trade’.

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