William Knibb Art Exhibition
Heritage Open Days 19th and 20th September, 2pm-4pm, William Knibb Art Exhibition by the artist Daniel Kelly. Plus an additional painting from Bishop Stopford School At Toller Meeting Rooms, Meeting Lane NN16 OBL 2pm-opening of exhibition free entry.
The Knibb project began following the change of Kettering’s coat of arms in 2021 when Kettering became part of the unitary council.
Previous coats of arms made reference to the Kettering-born Baptist missionary, William Knibb, who went to Jamaica and on seeing the plight of slaves campaigned vigorously for emancipation. The new coat of arms did not reference Knibb. Kettering people who knew Knibbs story were incensed, however, some did not understand the significance of the symbol on the coat of arms of the slave with broken chains.
Wanting to keep history alive, young artist Daniel Kelly, a member of Kettering and District Art Society, felt strongly that Knibbs memory and his part in bringing about understanding and abolition be preserved. Daniel approached Kettering Civic Society to help raise awareness and they were successful in obtaining a grant from Kettering Town Council towards an art exhibition.
Daniel’s one-man show will follow the trails and tribulations of Knibbs life. The exhibition is fittingly being held at Toller Meeting Rooms where Knibb attended Sunday school as a child.
There is reference to Knibb around the town, The William Knibb Centre in Montagu Street, a Civic Society blue plaque marks Knibbs birth place, there are mosaics in the Newland Shopping Centre and the famous Kettering Mosaic; a new smaller version which is in the Alfred East Art Gallery.
William Knibb is revered in Jamaica; in 1988 on the 180th anniversary of slavery in the British Colonies, Knibb was awarded one of Jamaica’s highest civil honours, The Order of Merit. Famously Usain Bolt was a student at the William Knibb Memorial School in Falmouth Jamaica.
Kettering Civic Society will be offering a historical walking tour following in the footsteps of Kettering’s Non-Conformists and William Knibb on Saturday 20th September at 2.30pm meeting at SS Peter & Paul Parish Church.
The tour will include a visit to Fuller Heritage Museum followed by a cream tea at Toller Meeting Rooms and free entry to the William Knibb Art Exhibition.