'In later life, appalled by what he saw as a degraded society and economy, he lived self-sufficiently in a cave in Pennsylvania.' Photo: Benjamin Lay painted by William Williams in 1750
William Penn room renamed after Benjamin Lay
‘Some might say we’re rewriting history. Rather, we’re completing history by telling the whole story, acknowledging our own part. We owe it to those who live with the legacy of slavery to take steps to redress this.’
by Rebecca Hardy
6th May 2022
The William Penn room at Friends House is to be renamed after abolitionist Benjamin Lay. The new name was suggested by staff of the Quiet Company, which manages Friends House, after it was decided last year that it was not appropriate to commemorate William Penn any longer.
