Well, I posted here before going to work this morning and have come back to find all this wonderful stuff. Thanks to you all.

In response to some of your points and queries, not necessarily in order
1. Yes we did make appropriate reference to slavery connections in our application although we did not want to make too much of it for fear of jumping on what has become a bit of a bandwagon
2. Yes, the Culture Company has been set up semi-independent of the Council but Councillors are responsible for giving direction to both and they control the purse strings.
3. Being charitable, I do believe that the problem is partly due to a persistent blind-spot affecting relevant officers, an extension of the general aversion to home-grown folk that Martin Carthy, Steve Knightley and Billy Bragg so eloquently condemn. It is, however, an ignorance that borders on the criminally negligent.
4. Hughie has sent a strong message of support, now added to the blog (here , in case you missed it) .
Unfortunately I won't be able to get to his club tonight but I will soon.
Jack