Thomas Picton

Sir

Thomas Picton
Portrait of Thomas Picton by William Beechey, c.1815
Born24 August 1758 (1758-08-24)[1]
Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Died18 June 1815(1815-06-18) (aged 56)
Waterloo, United Kingdom of the Netherlands
Buried
St George's, Hanover Square, London (later reburied at St Paul's Cathedral)
Allegiance
Service / branchBritish Army
Years of service1771–1815
RankLieutenant General
Battles / wars
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath

Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Picton GCB (24 August 1758[1] – 18 June 1815) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who fought in the Napoleonic Wars. According to the historian Alessandro Barbero, Picton was "respected for his courage and feared for his irascible temperament". The Duke of Wellington called him "a rough foul-mouthed devil as ever lived", but found him capable.

Picton came to public attention initially for his cruelty during his governorship of Trinidad, as a result of which he was put on trial in England for approving the illegal picketing of a 14-year-old girl, Luisa Calderón.[2] Though initially convicted, Picton later had the conviction overturned arguing that Trinidad was subject to Spanish law, which permitted the use of torture.[3] Controversy over the torture and Picton's role in the Atlantic slave trade revived in recent years. In 2020, Cardiff Council voted to remove Picton's statue in the "Heroes of Wales" gallery in Cardiff City Hall.[4] In the same year it was reported that a plaque was removed from Picton's birthplace.[5] In 2022, the National Museum Cardiff relocated Picton's portrait from its "Faces of Wales" gallery to a side room, accompanied by descriptions of his brutal treatment of the people of Trinidad.[6] The town of Picton in New Zealand, named for Picton, has considered reverting to its Māori name in response to his actions as governor of Trinidad.[7][8]

Picton was for many years chiefly remembered for his exploits under Wellington in the Iberian Peninsular War of 1807–1814, during which he displayed great bravery and persistence. He was killed in 1815 fighting at the Battle of Waterloo whilst commanding the 5th Infantry Division. During a crucial stage in the battle he was ordered by Wellington to intervene in the Allied centre. Picton's aggressive advance stopped d'Erlon's corps' attack against the allied centre left. He was the most senior officer to die at Waterloo. He was a sitting Member of Parliament at the time of his death.

  1. ^ a b Authoritative sources such as Havard 2004 give his date of birth as 24 August 1758. Older sources sometimes give it as 20 August, and this is the date that appears on the plaque on his birthplace.
  2. ^ "What to do about Thomas Picton?". museum.wales. Wales Museum. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  3. ^ Prior, Neil (18 June 2015). "Waterloo's hero and villain". BBC News. Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbc23_7_20 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Property owner removes plaque to Sir Thomas Picton over safety fears". Wales Online. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  6. ^ "Portrait of tyrant Thomas Picton moved to side room in Welsh museum". The Guardian. 1 August 2022. Archived from the original on 1 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  7. ^ Angeloni, Alice (12 June 2020). "Calls to rethink name 'Picton' as history emerges of 'cruel' slave-owner". Stuff. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  8. ^ Brew, Andy (18 September 2022). "Picton, Waitohi or both? Mixed views on renaming port town". Stuff. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.