Imperialism, with its emphasis on 'heroes', conquest and colonialism has been subject to intense criticism in recent years. This paper utilises Laura Basu's 'memory dispositif' construction to explore how the expression of the memory of an 'imperial hero' can change over time and space so that it has become 'acceptable', at least on a local level.
Charles Gordon (Gordon of Khartoum) has a 'national memory' in the United Kingdom which largely casts him as an 'Imperial hero'. There are statues of him in London, Edinburgh and Gravesend and museum exhibits in London, Gillingham and Gravesend. These chart how he fought in the Crimean War, the Taiping Rebellion in China and in the Mahdist Wars where he was killed during the siege of Khartoum. This memory has been subjected to a great deal of criticism in recent years focussed, in particular, on how Gordon was the agent of imperial oppression. On a national level Gordon is largely forgotten aside from the exhibits in museums and the statues which seem to be ignored.
Gordon also has a 'local memory' in Gravesend in Kent. During his time in Gravesend he engaged in social work amongst the poor of the town. This included teaching in the Ragged School, providing financial and practical support for the elderly poor and arranging placements for poor boys on ships. The town has 'Gordon memorial gardens', a General Gordon Lake' and the 'Gordon Trust' which maintains his memory in the town. This memory is also celebrated each year in a memorial service around his statue on the nearest Friday to January 25th - the anniversary of his death. This 'local memory' of Gordon has not been subject to the same criticism as the national one and seems to be 'flourishing' since the centenary of his death in 1985.
Gordon's memory dispositif began to develop during his time in China when newspapers reported his military activities during the Taiping rebellion. When he arrived in Gravesend he was a 'national celebrity'. After leaving Gravesend local people came to see him almost as a 'saint' and when he was killed during the siege of Khartoum similar religious language was used about him, he was cast as a 'saint', a 'Christian soldier' and a 'martyr'. Since his death the memory dispositif has, at times, grown and at other times it has shrunk back and then grown again at a later date. This paper suggests that the reason for this is that when it has grown there has been a 'torch bearer' for the memory, that is, a person or organisation that has promoted the memory. When it has shrunk back it has been because there has not been a 'torch bearer'.
