The Resume

(November 2, 1636-October 11, 1721)
Born in Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Merchant and slave trader
Tory member of British Parliament (1710-13)

Why he might be annoying:

He made his fortune from a monopoly in the Atlantic slave trade.
He transported 84,500 kidnapped African men, women and children during his tenure as the Royal African Company’s deputy governor.
Almost 20,000 of these enslaved individuals died on the grueling voyage across the Atlantic.
He later worked with the South Seas Company, where he oversaw the enslavement and transport of more than 15,000 people.
He is memorialized throughout England, leading to questions about honoring someone who owned and traded slaves.
A statue in his likeness was toppled and pushed into Bristol Harbour by demonstrators during George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom (June 2020).

Why he might not be annoying:

He is the namesake for the 'Colston bun' pastry.
Later in life, he donated money to charitable causes - mainly in his native city of Bristol.
He used his wealth to support and endow schools, hospitals and churches.
His statue was vandalized for years even before being forcibly toppled.

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• BoyWiththeGreenHair’s Profiles [Series 16]
• Look at Me, Hmmm, I'm Thinking
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• My Statue was Toppled/Removed [2020]
• Powdered Wig Wearers
• Profiles 47001-47250 (Ranked: 47040)
• Seamen
• Slave Owners

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 67 Votes: 55.22% Annoying