George Square statue of Sir John Moore will be left without sword amid 'slavery links'

A George Square statue of an Army General who upheld slavery will be left without a sword.

Returning the weapon to the restored Sir John Moore monument would not “be a neutral act” according to the council.

The sword went missing in 1980 and has been absent since. Recent conservation work to refurbish the Glasgow statue included the recreation of the sword.

The decision not to add the weapon took account of a report from the University of Glasgow, which said the city statue celebrates all of Moore’s military activities including a campaign to re-instate the slavery of African people in St Lucia.

A council spokesman said: “The council has considered carefully whether to replace the sword and has taken detailed advice on the historical background to the Sir John Moore statue being displayed in the square.

“The sword disappeared almost 50 years ago and it has become the norm for the statue to be on display without the sword.

“On balance we believe it is appropriate for the statue to be retained in a way that the vast majority of Glaswegians will be familiar with.

“Restoring the sword would not have been a neutral act and it is also important we understand the symbolism the sword can convey.

“All of the statues will be accompanied by biographical information that places all of these individuals in their historical context.

“George Square, once fully reopened, will be included in Glasgow’s recently launched Legacy of Slavery and Colonialism Trail, which highlights Glasgow’s role in the British Empire and the city’s connections to the Atlantic slave trade.

“The sword will eventually be shown in one of Glasgow museums where its story will be clearly told.”

George Square is undergoing major redevelopment, including restoration work to its historic statues.

City councillor Graham Campbell previously expressed anger about the possibility of the sword being replaced at a council meeting.

The committee heard last November that the sword wouldn’t return. After further in-depth consideration of the issue, the council has now confirmed the statue will remain unarmed.

Sir John Moore was a Glasgow-born army general who led British efforts to remove French control over the Caribbean island of St Lucia, where enslaved people had been freed as part of the French abolition of slavery in 1794. In keeping with Britain’s position at the time, Moore sought to reimpose slavery on the island.

He was killed in Spain in 1809 during the Napoleonic wars. Glasgow’s Lord Provost at the time voiced support for a plan to erect a monument in Moore’s honour. Funding for the statue came from public subscription and the statue was erected in George Square in 1819.