National Museums Liverpool

Uncovering the colonial histories of the Sandbach family

This co-curated project was delivered by young people recruited from Liverpool’s Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) communities. It confronted the Liverpool Sandbach family’s links to slavery, colonialism and empire. The project re-evaluated the family’s portraits by neoclassical sculptor John Gibson (1790-1866), which have been displayed at the Walker Art Gallery without question or context for almost 50 years.

Previously described as philanthropists and patrons of the arts, the Sandbachs were shipowners, merchants, bankers, politicians and plantation owners. This project delivered a new permanent display of the family’s portraits.

The research group completed new research on the family and their art collection, exploring the sculptures’ provenance and how they were financed. The group selected works for inclusion and produced the interpretation, working with curators and local historians to develop new ways to share these histories.

The Sandbachs’ links to slavery are now made visible through a display of related materials, including a pair of ankle shackles from the International Slavery Museum, which are placed beside the sculptures to symbolise their true cost.

Decorative art objects are displayed, including sugar utensils, a tobacco tin and snuff box. A facsimile of an appraisement ledger from a Sandbach plantation in Grenada, from the Merseyside Maritime Museum, also features.

To highlight the continued relevance of these histories, a contemporary Amber Leaf tobacco tin and a Demerara sugar box also appear. The interpretation challenges the historic display of the Sandbach portraits and encourages communities to engage with these histories.

A QR code in the exhibition links to a webpage giving access to further information and a podcast produced by the group, which captures their conversations throughout the sessions. A talk by Malik Al Nasir, a Liverpool poet and a descendent of the Sandbach family, also features alongside, in which he traces his roots back to Guyana.

Project participants also critiqued existing decolonisation projects across the sector to inform their approach. The project now serves as a pilot for the Walker’s ongoing work to decolonise its collection more broadly.

The project was described by the group as “a revolutionary project that deserves the world’s attention. We’ve paved a path for so many future generations of People of Global Majority”.

The project was shortlisted for the Reimagining the Museum Award at the Museums Change Lives Awards 2022.