Permanent historical interpretation will today (13 November) be installed alongside the statue of Thomas Guy that is owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation (GSTF) and sits in the central courtyard outside Guy’s Hospital and on King’s campus.
In 2020, independent historical research shone a light on Thomas Guy’s connections to and financial benefit from the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. This sparked important conversations about how Thomas Guy is represented through artifacts such as this statue.
Following a consultation led by GSTF, with different stakeholders and local groups, including hospital patients, workers, King’s students and staff, and historical experts, panels will be installed displaying information on how Thomas Guy made his wealth, his connections to the trade of enslaved African people, the time in which he lived and his contribution to the hospital.
More information about the project, including the consultation process and the text on the panels, can be found on the GSFT’s website.