Museum of England would 'ask uncomfortable questions' about nation's history says former British Museum director

A lot of people in England are nervous about having conversations about England's history, and therefore they wrap themselves in the blankets of Britain and Britishness (and what they perceive to be the glorious past). An English Museum would, hopefully, make them confront some of their historical misdemeanours.

His new show on Radio 4, The Museums That Make Us, will be visiting Penrhyn Castle and will focus on the connections between the family who own the estate and the source of their wealth, which was a slave plantation on Jamaica. __________ Let's not forget the chwarelwyr llechi, who also enabled the Douglas-Pennants to live in the style to which they were accustomed - whilst the labourers toiled for a pittance in all weathers, facing all sorts of dangers and hazards.. And will there be any mention of the Great Strike - the longest industrial dispute in 'British' history? We wait and see if MacGregor will 'confront' these issues, too. Nid oes bradwr yn y tŷ hwn.

The problem with a history of England Museum is that first it would have to feature the true origins of the English nation & people. How the English are made up of various Germanic tribes that came from Europe. Tribes such as the Saxons, Jutes, Angles. And they must also include not exclude the foundation people of England itself being us Cymry who inhabited lands to the East now lost aptly named Lloegr. And sure, I'll be man enough to admit, England has indeed done much good in the world, but they've also done terrible things, unspeakable acts & atrocities to native peoples around the world, starting first with us Cymry who they ironically called Welsh meaning foreigner, which is funny seeing we were the true native Britons and they the economic migrants on a land grab mission In fact. We were England's blueprint for their subsequent Empire that turned half the globe pink,. where Wales gained unfortunate title of being England's first trophy nation that was annexed like Russia's doing to Ukraine. So any Museum of England, if created, should feature both good and the bad, but must also be honest , truthful, whilst excluding any prehistory, meaning no history before the Germanic tribes arrived in Britain, where the English & England claim, as they often do, Roman, Bronze Age, Iron Age & Stone Age history when that history is ours not theirs. An example. Stone Henge comes under English Heritage. Which is odd as no English hand ever touched any Sarsen or Bluestone in its original construction, especially seeing the Germanic tribes entered Britain to settle in the year 450AD, that's 50 yrs after the Romans exited. And the English didn't exist as a people seeing England was only founded in 927AD. It's like European Americans claiming Native American history as their own. Crazy? The English & England didn't exist during the Roman invasion of Britain in 55AD. So the tribes who settled in the East of Britain , now England, came after therefore cannot claim any prehistory unless they embrace Welsh heritage and the acceptance that our language & culture is paramount to theirs. Which is highly unlikely as they spent the past 1,400 yrs trying to erase us Cymru from existence.

Every country has its own dark past, and England is no different. I don't see anything wrong with any country celebrating its culture and identity, and I take issue with those trying to make modern day countries feel guilty or accountable for crimes committed by their ancestors centuries ago whether its imperialism, genocide or slavery etc. No rationally minded person would seriously expect Germany of the 21st century to be held accountable for what the Nazis did 80 years ago. But what is important is that we learn from our mistakes so that these crimes do not happen again. What is currently happening in Ukraine by Russia is more evident of this. An English national museum would be a good thing for 2 reasons- 1) It would create a greater distinction between England and the United Kingdom, and 2) It would give the English people the opportunity to understand their own history, both to celebrate their achievements and learn from its past. This would also lead to a more mutual understanding amongst the Welsh and the Scots.