Now woke warriors cancel CIDER: Group trying to ‘decolonise Bristol’ boycott Thatchers Cider

Now woke warriors cancel CIDER: Group trying to ‘decolonise Bristol’ boycott Thatchers Cider because its CEO is a member of an historic charity linked to Edward Colston

‘Countering Colston’ group – which campaigns to cleanse Bristol of his legacy – branded ‘heartless bastards’Angry about fourth generation cider maker Martin Thatcher’s membership of Society of Merchant VenturersOrganisation now a charity dedicated to education and elderly care but has historical links to the slave trade 

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‘Woke’ campaigners have attracted ridicule by calling for the public to boycott a popular cider producer over its tenuous links to slave trader Edward Colston.

The ‘Countering Colston’ group – which campaigns to cleanse Bristol of his legacy – were branded ‘heartless bastards’ for urging drinkers to abandon Thatchers Cider.

Activists are angry about fourth generation cider maker Martin Thatcher’s membership of the Society of Merchant Venturers, which is now a charitable organisation dedicated to education and the care of the elderly but in its previous incarnation had Colston as a member and was heavily involved in Transatlantic slavery.

The Society has its origins in a 13th-century guild that funded the voyage of John Cabot to Canada. Today the organisation is open about its slaving history, citing on its website a recent study which found that a quarter of its members were at one point involved in the ‘abhorrent’ trade. 

But ‘Countering Colston’ – which was set up in 2015 and campaigned for the removal of Colston’s statue before it was torn down by Black Lives Matter protesters in June 2020 – claims it remains a ‘cult of Colston’.

The group has now launched an attack on family-owned cider firm Thatchers – who have made booze on Myrtle Farm in Somerset for over a century, with its ‘Don’t Buy Thatchers’ campaign. 

The ‘Countering Colston’ group are angry about four-generation cider maker Martin Thatcher’s membership of the Society of Merchant Venturers 

The group has now launched an attack on family-owned cider firm Thatchers – which has made booze on Myrtle Farm in Somerset for over a century, with its ‘Don’t Buy Thatchers’ campaign

Society of Merchant Venturers: Ancient charity that’s become Woke warriors’ favourite punchbag   

The Society of Merchant Venturers was a commercial powerhouse in the past but now operates as a cross between a charity and a private members’ club.

It can trace its roots back to a 13th-century guild that funded the voyage of explorer John Cabot to Newfoundland. In 1552, it was handed a monopoly on the trade ‘beyond the seas’ from Bristol, which its members dominated for centuries. 

The Society openly acknowledges its slaving history, citing a recent study which found that a quarter of its members were at one point involved in the trade. Edward Colston was once a member and it went on to oppose William Wilberforce’s bill to abolish the slave trade.

The Society is woven into the fabric of Bristol, playing a role in the building of Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Great Western Railway. It also had a notable influence on the development of educational institutions including the University of Bristol.

Clifton Suspension Bridge, which the charity helped build 

The organisation has been involved in charitable activities since the sixteenth century, when it ran an almshouse and a free school for mariners’ children, and today is mainly concerned with education and the care of the elderly.

In January 2022, Labour MP Thangam Debbonaire told the Bristol Post that she believed it was time for the Society to disband, calling it an ‘unaccountable, undemocratic network with no place in a modern, multicultural Bristol’. 

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In a recent tweet, they wrote: ‘Martin Thatcher, director of the company, is a member of the Society of the Merchant Venturers.

‘The SMV has deep roots in the historical slave trade in Bristol, and its members were responsible for the suffering and death of tens of thousands of human beings.

‘They are a powerful unelected elite who have significant influence on political and civic life in Bristol.’

Martin Thatcher has been a member of the philanthropic organisation, in which Colston himself was part of, since 2012.

Mr Thatcher said he, as a ‘relative newcomer’ and said he wanted to bring a ‘fresh perspective’ to the organisation, particularly in how it engages with its history.

He told Bristol24/7: ‘During the time I have been a member, I have been able to contribute to the valuable, philanthropic work that members of the Merchant Venturers do with organisations across Bristol, from care homes to education establishments.

‘As a relative newcomer to the society, I hope I’ve been able to bring a fresh perspective to thinking, in particular as to how the SMV needs to acknowledge what has happened in the past, yet continue to do its fantastic work for people across all Bristol communities in a way fitting and relevant for our lives today.’

People took to Twitter today to slam the ‘mindless’ campaign.

Janette Massey said: ‘In that case then surely they shouldn’t use sugar (slaves worked there), cotton (especially any from China as that has modern slaves), coffee… the list goes on.

‘Perhaps these people would be better off getting an education and a sense of perspective.’

Philip Parsons said: ‘When are these people getting a life.’

Benjamin Allen added: ‘I’ll put up with most of these woke temper tantrums, but this is where I draw the line. Stay away from Thatchers you heartless bastards!’

Chris Tovey added: ‘Words fail me. Mindless woke community raising non issues.’

Another Twitter user, Wayne Worlock, said the campaign would only make him buy more cider, adding: ‘It’s crazy to think that the modern day business is still potentially supporting groups that were involved in the slave trade so many years ago.’

MailOnline has contacted Thatchers, the Society of Merchant Venturers, and Countering Colston for comment. 

In January, commentators slammed the decision to acquit four people who admitted playing a part in the destruction of the slave trader’s statue. 

Rhian Graham, 30, Milo Ponsford, 26, Sage Willoughby, 22, and Jake Skuse, 33, were cleared of all criminal damage charges at Bristol Crown Court after requesting that the trial be heard in front of a jury.

The bronze memorial to the 17th century merchant was pulled down in Bristol on June 7, 2020 and was later dumped in the harbour during an anti-racism demonstration, one of the many that swept the globe in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Speaking after the verdict was announced, Ms Graham admitted the group were ‘ecstatic’ at the jury’s decision and claimed that they had ‘illuminated history’ by toppling the statue.

The four defendants opted not to have their case dealt with by a district judge or in a magistrates’ court. Instead, they opted to be tried by a Crown Court jury in Bristol, which is well-known for its activism.

Mr Willoughby let fly an expletive-laden rant outside court, as he too justified the group’s actions. ‘We didn’t change history, they were whitewashing history by calling him a f***ing virtuous man, sorry to swear, we didn’t change history, we rectified history,’ he said. 

‘Countering Colston’ – which was set up in 2015 and campaigned for the removal of Colston’s statue before it was torn down by Black Lives Matter protesters in June 2020 – claims the Society remains a ‘cult of Colston’

In January, commentators slammed the decision to acquit four people who admitted playing a part in the destruction of Colston’s statue. Pictured, from left to right: Sage Willoughby, Jake Skuse, Milo Ponsford and Rhian Graham

Mr Skuse, wearing black baseball cap, said the verdict was ‘for once the right decision,’ and thanked graffiti artist Banksy for designing limited edition t-shirts which they wore outside court.

Mr Ponsford issued a ‘big thank you’ to jurors for ‘being on the right side of history’.

The prosecution’s argument that the case was about the rule of law and not politics was repeated vehemently by critics, who raised concerns the not-guilty verdict would set a precedent for further vandalism and dangerous identity politics.

Reacting to the defendants being cleared, campaign group Save Our Statues tweeted: ‘Colston statue accused defy justice. Verdict not only gives the green light to political vandalism, but also legitimises the divisive identity politics it helped succour.’

Conservative commentator Darren Grimes questioned: ‘I cannot believe this news about those who toppled the statue of Edward Colston being found not guilty of criminal damage.

‘Are we really now a country that says you can destroy public property as long as you’re doing it for a purportedly noble political cause?’ 

Edward Colston: Merchant and slave trader who trafficked 80,000 across the Atlantic and was once considered Bristol’s greatest son

Edward Colston was integral in the Royal African Company, which had complete control of Britain’s slave trade

Edward Colston was born to a wealthy merchant family in Bristol, 1636.

After working as an apprentice at a livery company he began to explore the shipping industry and started up his own business.

He later joined the Royal African Company and rose up the ranks to Deputy Governor.

The Company had complete control of Britain’s slave trade, as well as its gold and Ivory business, with Africa and the forts on the coast of west Africa.

During his tenure at the Company his ships transported around 80,000 slaves from Africa to the Caribbean and America.

Around 20,000 of them, including around 3,000 or more children, died during the journeys. 

Colston’s brother Thomas supplied the glass beads that were used to buy the slaves.

Colston became the Tory MP for Bristol in 1710 but stood only for one term, due to old age and ill health.

He used a lot of his wealth, accrued from his extensive slave trading, to build schools and almshouses in his home city.

A statue was erected in his honour as well as other buildings named after him, including Colston Hall.

However, after years of protests by campaigners and boycotts by artists the venue recently agreed to remove all reference of the trader. 

On a statue commemorating Colston in Bristol, a plaque read: ‘Erected by citizens of Bristol as a memorial of one of the most virtuous and wise sons of their city.’ 

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 sparked by the death of George Floyd in the US, the statue of Colston overlooking the harbour was torn down. 

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