Robert Milligan (merchant)


Robert Milligan was a prominent Scottish merchant and shipowner.
Having grown up on his wealthy family's sugar plantations in Jamaica, Milligan left Jamaica in 1779 to establish himself in London, living in Hampstead for a period. In 1809, the year of his death, Milligan owned 526 slaves who worked at the sugar plantation Kellet's and Mammee Gully.

History

Milligan grew up on the family plantation from 1768 to 1779, upon moving back to England he married Jean Dunbar, daughter of William Dunbar and had four children.

West India Docks

Outraged at losses due to theft and delays at London's riverside wharves, Milligan headed a group of powerful businessmen who planned and built West India Docks, which was to have a monopoly on the import into London of West Indian produce such as sugar, rum and coffee for a period of 21 years. The Docks' foundation stone was laid in July 1800, when Milligan was Deputy Chairman of the West India Dock Company – his strong connections with the political establishment of the day were evident from those attending the ceremony, the stone being laid by Lord Chancellor Lord Loughborough and Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger as well as Company chairman George Hibbert and himself.
The Docks officially opened just over two years later in August 1802. Milligan later also served as Chairman of the Company.

Memorial

A statue of Milligan, crafted by Richard Westmacott in May 1809, stood in front of the Museum of London Docklands. The statue was removed on 9 June 2020 by the local authority to "recognise the wishes of the community", following the removal of Edward Colston's statue in Bristol by anti-racism protesters in response to the killing of George Floyd.
Milligan has also had a local street named after him: Milligan Street is located near Westferry DLR station, just off Narrow Street, Limehouse.