Archbishop of Canterbury Confronts Slave-Owning Ancestry
Justin Welby acknowledges his family's historical ties to slavery and reaffirms the Church of England's commitment to reparative justice.
- Justin Welby discovered his biological father, Sir Anthony Montague Browne, was a descendant of Sir James Fergusson, a slave owner in Jamaica.
- The Rozelle Plantation, owned by Fergusson, housed nearly 200 enslaved people at its peak, and the family received compensation upon abolition.
- Welby expressed deep remorse for these historical connections and highlighted the Church of England's £100m fund to address slavery's legacy.
- Calls for increased reparations have been made, with suggestions to grow the fund to £1bn to better address historical injustices.
- Welby's discovery and apology come amid broader discussions on reparations and the Church's role in transatlantic slavery.
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