University of Dundee founded on family wealth linked to slavery, study shows

The University of Dundee was partially founded on wealth derived from a family with links to the transatlantic slave trade, a study has shown.

Members of the Baxter family, whose company Baxter Brothers & Co had immense wealth and exported linen in the 19th century, donated money to the institution to further access to education.

The newly published Founders Project Final report found that Mary Ann Baxter and her cousin, John Boyd Baxter, bequeathed the sum of £140,000, equivalent to about £14 million now, towards the founding of University College Dundee in 1881, the root of the city’s main university today.

Her brother, Sir David Baxter, donated £20,000 (equal to about £1.8 million) which laid the foundation for what would later become the Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design.

The report, authored by the University of Dundee’s Dr Cassandra Gooptar, found that Baxter Brothers & Co, through an extensive network of commission agents, sold their goods to transatlantic markets in the US, West Indies and Latin America.

This included materials in demand with owners who sought to reduce labour costs by buying the cheapest clothing for their slaves.

Their overall wealth came from shares in companies, such as the Dundee, Perth and London Shipping Company Co Ltd (DP&L) and Turnbull & Co, which were involved in the transatlantic slavery economy, the report found.

While the Baxters did not trade in or own slaves themselves, the research shows they were indirectly linked with slavery through the production and export of manufactured goods to transatlantic markets, and particularly clothing worn by enslaved people.

The report concluded: “It is hoped that this research project and report is not simply a tick-in-the-box endeavour but is representative of a wider commitment by the university to acknowledge its imperial legacy.”

It said further studies to pinpoint the plantations where Baxter Brothers & Co sold their goods, and to trace the enslaved Africans whose bodies literally laid the foundation for the firm’s wealth, is necessary in working towards reparative justice.

In response to the findings, consultations with the African Caribbean Society (ACS) at the university were held to discuss next steps for the institution.

Ibitomilayo Komolafe, vice president of the ACS, said: “In light of this finding, we expect/propose that the university starts to find ways to encourage and support black excellence. Especially local black excellence.”

Some of the proposals included providing grants to support local black/ethnic minority businesses, partnering with local black/ethnic minority businesses and decolonising the curriculum.

Commenting, principal and vice-chancellor, professor Iain Gillespie said: “This report offers an important opportunity to acknowledge an underexposed part of our history, and to recognise that we must all play a part in developing our collective memory.

“Although the university never owned enslaved people or traded in the goods they produced, it is now clear we received significant financial support from people whose wealth came indirectly from slavery.

“These histories have deep legacies and impact contemporary realities on campus and in wider society.

“It’s important that we each play a part in addressing these issues.

“Collective engagement will allow us to do what we do best – educate ourselves, share the truth in all its complexity, and move forward together.”

Nyasha Mutembwa, president of Dundee University Students’ Association, said: “Being someone that has been at this University since 2017 and now being in the position of the first black female president of the Students’ Association, it has been quite the journey to learn about this city’s history and people.

“As president of the African Caribbean Society in 2020, I had the pleasure of connecting with Cassandra and learning more about this project.

“I think this is a stepping stone for our university community to address historical issues and see how best to implement change in the world that we now live in.

“Being one of the many black students at this university, I can only hope this new chapter allows us to reflect, educate and change for the better.”