Is it really necessary for the Rowntree Society to investigate the history of the Rowntree company (Rowntree chocolate firm ‘may have profited from slavery’, April 15)?

Are they trying to compete with the woke National Trust?

Why do we, the British, have to continually beat ourselves up over our historic past, including Rowntree’s, when nobody from the period concerned is living?

Slavery was a vile, insidious, cruel and appalling treatment of fellow human beings but, er, haven’t we and other leading countries who were involved, learned from past mistakes?

Britain helped end this practice, remember, thanks partly to William Wilberforce, from Hull.

Rowntree’s started from small beginnings in 1862 when the world was a much different place and buying raw products was out of their hands in an international market place.

It may not have been perfect (which company is?) but York has so much to thank the Rowntree company for - for providing stability and employment over 150 years and all its charities which endure today.

For the Rowntree charities to deliberately go raking up alleged negative issues of the past, seems to me an indulgent political act of self harm and stupidity.

Keith Massey, Bishopthorpe, York