WILBERFORCE: SLAVERY, RELIGION AND POLITICS

Series Two: Papers of William Wilberforce 91759-1833) and related slavery and anti-slavery materials

from Wilberforce House, Hull

Brief Chronology

1441

10 Africans from Guinea Coast shipped to Portugal.

1517

First African slaves shipped to Spanish colonies in the New World.

1562

Sir John Hawkins completes first English slaving expedition.

17th century

Dutch compete with Portuguese and Spanish traders and establish forts on West African coast.  England begins to acquire colonies in the Caribbean.

1672

Royal Africa Company formed to carry slaves and control trading.

18th century

English became leaders in slaving, based on West Coast ports of Bristol and Liverpool.

1759 (Aug)

William Wilberforce (henceforth WW) born in Hull.  Hew was the only son of Robert and Elizabeth Wilberforce and the grandson of William Wilberforce, twice Mayor of Hull and a wealthy merchant operating in the Baltic Trade.

1766

WW attends Hull Grammar School.

1768

Death of William Wilberforce, WW’s father, and WW is sent to live with his uncle William in Wimbledon, but returns when his mother hears that he is being taught Methodism.

1775-1983

American War of Independence.

1776-1779

WW is at St John’s College, Cambridge – meets William Pitt.

WW is heir to a considerable fortune.

1780

WW is elected MP for Hull.

1781

Case of the slave ship Zong – over 100 slaves thrown overboard.

1783

WW travels to France with Pitt and Edward Eliot.  They are presented to the French to the French King at Fontainbleau.

1784 (Apr)

WW elected MP for Yorkshire.

1784 (Oct)

WW visits France with his mother, sister and Isaac Milner (formerly at Hull Grammar school) – WW has a spiritual crisis and conversation to a strictly religious life.

1785

WW returns to London.  John Newton becomes a close friend.

Thomas Clarkson writes his prize essay on slavery.

1787

Committee for Abolition of Slave Trade formed – invite WW to press for Abolition in Parliament.  First freed slaves shipped to Sierra Leone.  WW meets Hannah More in Bath.

1789 (May)

WW moves 12 resolutions condemning the Slave Trade, but the matter is postponed until the next session of Parliament to give the planters time to collate evidence.

1789 (July)

French Revolution – storming of the Bastille.

1791 (April)

WW tries to introduce Bill to abolish Slave Trade but the motion is defeated 163 to 88.

1791 (Sep)

Major Slave Revolt in San Domingo – WW accused of starting revolution and riot at home and abroad.

1792

New resolution to “gradually” abolish the Trade is carried in the Commons by 238 to 85, but this is defeated in the House of Lords by 61 to 53 in 1793.  WW made a citizen of France.

1794-1797

Three further attempts to introduce an Abolition Bill are defeated in the Commons by narrow margins.

1797-1804

Demoralised Abolition Committee does not meet.

1797

WW writes A Practical View of the Prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians in the Higher and Middle Classes of this Country contrasted with Real Christianity – a best selling religious work throughout the world (with 25 American editions by 1824)

1798 (Apr)

WW’s attempt to introduce an Abolition Bill is defeated in the Commons 87 to 83.

1798 (May)

WW marries Barbara Spooner and moves to Broomfield in Clapham.  He gives Hannah More a £400 annual allowance to pursue her education and religious work.

1798  (Nov)

WW helps to found of the British Missionary Society.

1799 (Mar)

WW’s attempt to introduce an Abolition Bill is defeated in the Commons 84 to 54.

1802

WW elected unopposed for Yorkshire.  Birth of Robert Isaac Wilberforce.

1803

WW helps to found the Bible Society.

1804 (Jun)

WW introduce a Bill to Abolish the Slave Trade and it is carried by 69 – 33 on its 3rd reading, but is rejected by the Lords.

1805

A further attempt by WW to introduce an Abolition Bill fails.

Birth of Samuel Wilberforce.

1806 (Jan)

Death of William Pitt – WW tries to clear Pitt’s debts.

1806 (Jun)

WW’s attempts to introduce an Abolition Bill is passed in the Commons 115 – 14.

1807 (Jan)

The Bill to abolish the Slave Trade is passed through the Lords by 100 to 36 and received the Royal assent on 25 March.

1807

WW re-elected for Yorkshire against stiff opposition form Lord Milton and Henry Lascelles.  WW moves to Kensington Gore.

Birth of Henry William Wilberforce, WW’s youngest son.

1812

WW retired from his Yorkshire seat, for a safe seat in Bramber.

1825

WW retires as MP – leadership of Parliamentary campaign passed to Thomas Fowell Buxton

1833 (July)

Death of WW.  Slavery abolished in British possessions.

Apprenticeship system introduced – slaves made wage-earners.

1838

Apprenticeship system abolished as unworkable.

1852

Uncle Tom’s Cabin published.  American anti-slavery sentiment grows.

1861-1865

American Civil War – Slavery abolished in America in 1865.

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