Merchant Venturers
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Society of Merchant Venturers is a charitable organisation in the English city of
Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...
. The society can be traced back to a 13th-century guild which went on to fund the 15th-century voyage of
John Cabot John Cabot ( ; 1450 – 1499) was an Italians, Italian navigator and exploration, explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England, Henry VII, King of England is the earliest known Europe ...
to
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. In 1552, it gained a monopoly on sea trading from Bristol from its first
royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...
. For centuries it had almost been synonymous with the government of Bristol, especially
Bristol Harbour Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England. The harbour covers an area of . It is the former natural tidal river River Avon, Bristol, Avon through the city but was made into its current form in 1809 when the tide was preven ...
. In recent times, the society's activities have centred on charitable agendas. The society played a part in the development of Bristol, including the building of
Clifton Suspension Bridge The Clifton Suspension Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Avon Gorge and the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, linking Clifton, Bristol, Clifton in Bristol to Leigh Woods, Somerset, Leigh Woods in North Somerset. Since opening in 1864, ...
and the
Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a History of rail transport in Great Britain, British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, ...
. It also influenced the development of educational institutions in
Greater Bristol Greater Bristol is a term used for the conurbation which contains and surrounds the city of Bristol in the South West England, South West of England. There is no official "Greater Bristol" authority, but the term is sometimes used by local, regi ...
, including
University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...
,
University of the West of England The University of the West of England (also known as UWE Bristol) is a Public university, public research university, located in and around Bristol, England, UK. With more than 39,912 students and 4,300 staff, it is the largest provider of hi ...
,
University of Bath The University of Bath is a public research university in Bath, England. Bath received its royal charter in 1966 as Bath University of Technology, along with a number of other institutions following the Robbins Report. Like the University ...
,
City of Bristol College City of Bristol College is a further education and higher education college in Bristol, England. It provides courses for young people and adults aged 16 and above in areas such as: A Levels, Animal Care, Floristry, Horticulture, Applied Forensic ...
, Merchants' Academy, Montpelier High School and
Wells Cathedral School Wells Cathedral School is an independent co-educational boarding and day school for 2–18 year olds located in Wells, Somerset, Wells, Somerset, England, which provides an all-round education alongside specialist music and chorister training. T ...
.


History

A Guild of Merchants was founded in Bristol by the 13th century, and swiftly became active in civic life. It funded
John Cabot John Cabot ( ; 1450 – 1499) was an Italians, Italian navigator and exploration, explorer. His 1497 voyage to the coast of North America under the commission of Henry VII of England, Henry VII, King of England is the earliest known Europe ...
's voyage of discovery to
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
in 1497. In 1552 the society received a
Royal Charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, but ...
from
Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. The only surviving son of Henry VIII by his thi ...
granting a monopoly on Bristol's sea trade. The society remained in effective control of Bristol's harbour until 1809. Further charters were granted by Charles I, Charles II and
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
. The society's members were active in the English colonisation of North America, helping to establish the Bristol's Hope and
Cuper's Cove Cuper's Cove, on the southwest shore of Conception Bay on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula was an early English settlement in the New World, and the third one after Harbour Grace, Newfoundland (1583) and Jamestown, Virginia (1607) to endure for ...
settlements in
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
. From the accession of William III in 1689, the society promoted
trade protectionism Protectionism, sometimes referred to as trade protectionism, is the economic policy of restricting imports from other countries through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, import quotas, and a variety of other government regulations. ...
which resulted in Parliament enacting policies such as restricting exports from Ireland and banning imports into Ireland from anywhere except England 'with deplorable results'. In 1698 the society successfully lobbied Parliament to open up the slave trade to all subjects of the Crown. Over the next fifty years, the society joined with the city corporation and Bristol MPs in fighting numerous attempts to restore London's monopoly. Joseph Harford, a member of the society who became Master in 1796, was both a banker and a brass manufacturer, and thus a beneficiary of the trade. Harford was also the first chairman in 1788 of Bristol's provincial committee for the abolition of slavery. During the eighteenth century one quarter of the members of the society were directly involved in the slave trade, including Michael Becher,
Edward Colston Edward Colston (2 November 1636 – 11 October 1721) was an English merchant, Atlantic slave trade, slave trader, philanthropy, philanthropist and Tories (British political party), Tory Member of Parliament. Colston followed his father in th ...
, John Duckenfield, and Isaac Hobhouse. In 2022 the society commissioned an independent history report, led by historian Dr Richard Stone from the University of Bristol, to examine the role of the Society of Merchant Venturers, and individual members of the society, in the transatlantic trafficking and enslavement of Africans
The report
was published in 2024. The first light on the island of Flat Holm was a simple
brazier A brazier () is a container used to burn charcoal or other solid fuel for cooking, heating or rituals. It often takes the form of a metal box or bowl with feet, but in some places it is made of terracotta. Its elevation helps circulate air, feed ...
mounted on a wooden frame, which stood on the high eastern part of the island. In 1733 the Society of Merchant Venturers of Bristol found the brazier to be unreliable and petitioned the general lighthouse authority,
Trinity House The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond, also known as Trinity House (and formally as The Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Guild Fraternity or Brotherhood of the most glorious and undivided Trinity and of St Clement in the ...
, for an actual lighthouse, but the petition failed. In 1735 William Crispe of Bristol submitted a proposal to build a lighthouse at his own expense. This initial proposal also failed but negotiations resumed in 1736 when 60 soldiers drowned after their vessel crashed on the Wolves rocks near Flat Holm. Following the disaster, the Society of Merchant Venturers supported William Crispe's proposal.Crispe agreed to pay £800 (equivalent to £110,552 or $220,241 in 2008) for the construction of the tower, as well as for the associated fees and permits. The construction of the tower finished in 1737 and it began operating on 25 March 1738. The costs of the construction of Bristol's Floating Harbour, completed in 1809, were far beyond the limited resources of the society and necessitated the setting up of the Bristol Docks Company. Although the society was represented on the board, it ceded its role in the management of the port of Bristol, which had dominated its activities throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In the 19th century the society helped to fund the building of
Clifton Suspension Bridge The Clifton Suspension Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Avon Gorge and the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, linking Clifton, Bristol, Clifton in Bristol to Leigh Woods, Somerset, Leigh Woods in North Somerset. Since opening in 1864, ...
and members of the society helped to establish the
Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a History of rail transport in Great Britain, British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, ...
. In the 1860s the society acted with the Bristol Corporation to put Clifton Down and the adjoining
Durdham Down Durdham Down is an area of public open space in Bristol, England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and ...
under the control of a single Downs Committee. The society's members wanted to protect the land from future development and ensure that it remained available to the people of the city. The creation of the Downs Act in 1861 brought together Clifton Down with Durdham Down, setting out a long-term partnership to protect this open green space. Representatives from Bristol City Council and members of the society form the Downs Committee which meets regularly to ensure that the Downs is maintained and improved for the long term.
Alderman Proctor's Drinking Fountain The Alderman Proctor's Drinking Fountain () is a historic building on Clifton Down, Bristol, England. The city of Bristol began supplying municipal drinking water in 1858. To inform the public about the new water supply, Robert Lang made a prop ...
on Clifton Down was built in 1872 by G. and H. Godwin in a
Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...
style to commemorate the society's presentation in 1861 of "certain rights over Clifton Down made to the citizens" of Bristol. The society contributed a total sum of £26 towards the construction of the statue of Edward Colston, which was completed in 1895 – 170 years after Colston's death. With growing awareness in the late 20th century of his involvement in the Bristol slave trade, there were protests and petitions for changes to institutions named after Colston, alterations to the statue's plaque, or for the statue to be removed, culminating in June 2020, when the statue was toppled and dumped in
Bristol Harbour Bristol Harbour is the harbour in the city of Bristol, England. The harbour covers an area of . It is the former natural tidal river River Avon, Bristol, Avon through the city but was made into its current form in 1809 when the tide was preven ...
by
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a Decentralization, decentralized political and social movement that aims to highlight racism, discrimination and Racial inequality in the United States, racial inequality experienced by black people, and to pro ...
protesters. After the statue was toppled, the Merchant Venturers issued a statement saying that the organisation was "deeply sorry for its historic part in the suffering of every man, woman and child resulting from this abhorrent trade in human lives." The statement also described Bristol’s role in the transatlantic trafficking and enslavement of African people as "a shameful part of the city’s history". In the sixteenth century the society had maintained a free school for mariners' children under the Merchants' Hall in King Street. A century later sailors were being instructed in the 'Arte of Navigacion'. This was to evolve into the Merchant Venturers' Technical College in Unity Street towards the end of the nineteenth century when over 2,500 students were enrolled. When
University College, Bristol University College, Bristol was an educational institution which existed from 1876 to 1909. It was the predecessor institution to the University of Bristol, which gained a royal charter in 1909. During its time the college mainly served the mid ...
achieved its charter as the
University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...
in 1909, the Merchant Venturers' Technical College provided the faculty of engineering, whilst the remaining departments of the college eventually became the
University of the West of England The University of the West of England (also known as UWE Bristol) is a Public university, public research university, located in and around Bristol, England, UK. With more than 39,912 students and 4,300 staff, it is the largest provider of hi ...
. At the beginning of the eighteenth century the society took on
Edward Colston Edward Colston (2 November 1636 – 11 October 1721) was an English merchant, Atlantic slave trade, slave trader, philanthropy, philanthropist and Tories (British political party), Tory Member of Parliament. Colston followed his father in th ...
's 'Colston's Hospital', a school for 100 boys (now Colston's School). This moved to Stapleton in 1861, becoming co-educational in 1991. In 1891 Colston's Girls' School (now Montpelier High School) was opened on Cheltenham Road using funds from Edward Colston's endowment. It became an academy in 2008, when Withywood School reopened as Merchants' Academy. In 2016 the Bristol Autism Free School, now called Venturers' Academy, opened nearby. In 2017 the society and the University of Bristol jointly sponsored five primary schools, a secondary school, an all-through school and a special school in Bristol. The overarching Venturers' Trust oversaw the education of more than 3,200 students and in 2022, with the support of the Department for Education, Venturers Trust made the decision to merge with a larger multi-academy trust that would bring greater expertise, capacity, resources and funding to each of the schools. In 2023, E-ACT was chosen because of its excellent track record of school improvement and its strong moral purpose of addressing inequality through education. The merger was finalised in 2024. The Merchant Venturers cared for twelve poor mariners in the sixteenth century and the society continues to be involved with the care for older people. The society has managed Colstons Almshouses on St Michael's Hill since its foundation by Edward Colston in 1696. Since 1922 the society has been the endowment trustee for the independent charity, the St Monica Trust, enabling very substantial developments to accommodate older people in recent years. The Society has also been sole trustee of the Cote Charity, set up in 1968, which in 2009 opened Katherine House, a residential care home and in 2016, Griffiths House for those living with dementia.


Involvement in the slave trade

Some of the society's members were active participants in the transatlantic
slave trade Slave trade may refer to: * History of slavery - overview of slavery It may also refer to slave trades in specific countries, areas: * Al-Andalus slave trade * Atlantic slave trade ** Brazilian slave trade ** Bristol slave trade ** Danish sl ...
from the seventeenth century until the eighteenth century.


Edward Colston's membership

The society says that
Edward Colston Edward Colston (2 November 1636 – 11 October 1721) was an English merchant, Atlantic slave trade, slave trader, philanthropy, philanthropist and Tories (British political party), Tory Member of Parliament. Colston followed his father in th ...
became a member of the slave trading Royal African Company in 1680 and joined the society in 1683, continuing to live in London and attending two meetings during his membership.


Archives

Records of the Society of Merchant Venturers including foundation and membership, administrative, financial, charities, education, estates management, trade, associated clubs and societies, the Seamen's Hospital Fund, and various name indexes are held at Bristol Archives (Ref. SMV)
online catalogue
as well as further papers and correspondence related to the Society of Merchant Venturers' interests (Ref. 12152)
online catalogue
. Other deeds and estate papers related to the society's interests in Somerset and Dorset are available at Somerset Heritage Centre.


Current status

The Society of Merchant Venturers has a long history of supporting young people and caring for older people in the Greater Bristol region, as well as protecting the long-term future of the Downs for the people of Bristol. Members volunteer their skills and expertise to progress the society's charitable work. The society also collaborates with many other organisations to help improve opportunities for the citizens of Bristol through mentoring programmes, social enterprise and charitable giving. Its objectives are to: * Help communities across Greater Bristol to thrive by working collaboratively with others to improve the quality of life for everyone, particularly the young, aged and disadvantaged. * Work collaboratively with others to provide young people with access to equal opportunities that will broaden horizons and lead to brighter futures. * Support social enterprise, commercial and community activities across the region to improve opportunities and remove barriers so that everyone is able to take part in creating a healthy, successful and inclusive society. * Make wise, responsible and transparent decisions relating to the charitable trusts, heritage, ancient buildings and open spaces for which the society is the steward or custodian.


Criticisms

According to an article in local magazine '' Venue'' in 2002, many members were not active in charity. However, the society says that the qualification for potential members is being "prominent in their own sphere of business and active in the charitable or public life of the area". There were no female full members of the society until 2003 (though
Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...
had earlier been made an honorary member), and no
ethnic minority The term "minority group" has different meanings, depending on the context. According to common usage, it can be defined simply as a group in society with the least number of individuals, or less than half of a population. Usually a minority g ...
members until 2017 when Mohammed Saddiq, executive director of Wessex Water, was appointed; followed by Martin Burgess in 2020, a partner at Bevan Brittan. In 2020, the society issued a statemen
saying
that: "Alongside accelerating other changes within SMV, we are committed to diversifying our membership and increasing the transparency of our activities." Since that time, the society's membership has become more diverse, evidenced by a
membership list
with individual member bios published on its website, along wit
governance
an
accountability
information. ''Venue'' said that the Merchant Venturers control 12 charities and 40 trust funds, and also a private
unlimited company An unlimited company or private unlimited company is a hybrid company (corporation) incorporated with or without a share capital (and similar to its limited company counterpart) but where the legal liability of the members or shareholders is not ...
, SMV Investments, that has major investments in defence contracting, tobacco, genetically modified agriculture and the petroleum industry. Merchant Venturers serve on the boards of many local charitable and cultural organisations, and are guaranteed seats on the
University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...
Court and the Downs Committee. It quotes Paul Burton of the university's School of Policy Studies as saying, "they exert quite a bit of influence and we, the people of Bristol, don't know much about them and can't hold them to account". In January 2022 Thangam Debbonaire, the MP for
Bristol West Bristol West was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom since 2015 by Thangam Debbonaire of the Labour Party. It mostly covered the central and western parts of Bristol. Following t ...
whose constituency includes the Merchants’ headquarters in Clifton, told the ''
Bristol Post The ''Bristol Post'' is a city/regional five-day-a-week (formerly appearing six days per week) newspaper covering news in the city of Bristol, including stories from the whole of Greater Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. It was ...
'' that she believed it was time for the society to disband, calling them an "unaccountable, undemocratic network with no place in a modern, multicultural Bristol".


Statue of Edward Colston

On 7 June 2020, during international
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a Decentralization, decentralized political and social movement that aims to highlight racism, discrimination and Racial inequality in the United States, racial inequality experienced by black people, and to pro ...
demonstrations provoked by the
murder of George Floyd On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black American man, was murdered in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old White police officer. Floyd had been arrested after a store clerk reported that he made a purchase using a c ...
, a group of protestors in Bristol pulled down the 1895
statue of Edward Colston A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size. A sculpture ...
that stood in Magpie Park in
The Centre, Bristol The Centre is a public open space in the Bristol city centre, central area of Bristol, England, created by covering over the River Frome, Bristol, River Frome. The northern end of The Centre, known as Magpie Park, is skirted on its western edge ...
, objecting to the veneration of
Edward Colston Edward Colston (2 November 1636 – 11 October 1721) was an English merchant, Atlantic slave trade, slave trader, philanthropy, philanthropist and Tories (British political party), Tory Member of Parliament. Colston followed his father in th ...
, a slave-trader, and pushed it into the harbour. During ensuing debate over the legitimacy of this act, the Society of Merchant Venturers was accused of having used its influence to block previous attempts to remove the statue legally. In response to the statue's removal, a spokesperson for the Merchant Venturers promised the society would "continue to educate itself about systemic racism". In 2022 the society commissioned an independent history report, led by historian Dr Richard Stone from the University of Bristol, to examine the role of the Society of Merchant Venturers, and individual members of the society, in the transatlantic trafficking and enslavement of Africans
The report
was published in 2024.


Heraldry

The company's arms are blazoned as follows: Arms: ''Barry wavy of eight argent and azure, on a bend or, a dragon passant with wings indorsed and tail extended vert, on achief gules, a lion passant guardant of the third, between two bezants.'' Crest: ''In a ducal coronet or, a main-mast of the last with pennon flying argent, charged with a cross gules, on the round top a man in armour proper, on his dexter arm a truncheon, his sinister hand supporting a carved shield of the second, from the round top six pike staves, three on each side issuing bendways of the first, the rigging from the round top to the coronet sable.'' Supporters: ''The dexter, a mermaid in the sea, all proper crined or, the middle fins at the joining of the bodies of the last, holding in her sinister hand a mirror of the first, and supporting with her dexter hand an anchor of the second, cabled proper: the sinister supporter, a winged satyr proper standing on a mount vert, winged and legged or, holding in his sinister hand a scythe the blade in base, all proper.'' Motto: ''Indocilis pauperiem pati.'' The motto ' (''Will not learn to endure poverty'') is from the ''Odes'' of
Horace Quintus Horatius Flaccus (; 8 December 65 BC – 27 November 8 BC), Suetonius, Life of Horace commonly known in the English-speaking world as Horace (), was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus (also known as Octavian). Th ...
. Odes (Horace)/Book I/1 In 2017, the society removed this motto from it's crest.


See also

* Merchant Venturers Almshouses * '' The Merchant Venturer'', passenger train from London to Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, running from 1951 to 1961 *Notable present and past members in the category Members of the Society of Merchant Venturers


References


Further reading

* * * * * * * * * * McGrath, Patrick. ed. (1952), '' Records Relating to the Society of Merchant Venturers of the City of Bristol in the Seventeenth Century.'' Bristol Record Society publications, Vol. XVII. * McGrath, Patrick, ed. (1957), ''The Marchants Avizo by I hnB[rowne,Marchant, 1589.''">owne,.html" ;"title="hnB[rowne,">hnB[rowne,Marchant, 1589.'' Harvard University Press. * McGrath, Patrick (1975). ''iarchive:mcgrathventurers">The Merchant Venturers of Bristol: A History of the Society of Merchant Venturers of the City of Bristol from its origin to the present day.'' Bristol: Society of Merchant Venturers. * *Discovery of a L16 Advance Sheds Light on John Cabots Adventure
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/19/science/john-cabot-italian-bankers-and-the-new-world.html


External links


Society of Merchant Venturers
official site {{Education in Bristol Organisations based in Bristol Economic history of England Chartered companies 13th-century establishments in England History of Bristol Guilds in England