William Wilberforce was a British social reformer who championed various causes, including the abolition of slavery. He was born in Hull in 1759 and converted to Evangelical Christianity in 1785, which led him to philanthropy and social reform. He served as a member of parliament from 1780 to 1825 and introduced bills on labor rights, animal cruelty, missionary societies, prisoner treatment, and education. He married Barbara Spooner and had six children. He was part of an abolitionist alliance that passed the Slave Trade Act of 1807, paving the way for the Abolition Act of 1833. A film called Amazing Grace was released in 2007 to commemorate the abolition of the slave trade.
William Wilberforce was a prominent British social reformer who is probably best remembered for his contributions to the anti-slavery movement. Wilberforce is revered today as a leading force for abolition in the 19th century and people visiting Hull, Wilberforce’s birthplace, can even visit the house where he was born. During his lifetime, Wilberforce championed a wide variety of social causes, published several treatises on social issues, and managed to raise a large family.
This iconic figure in British history was born in 1759 in Hull, England to a wealthy family. Her early years were marked by a certain licentiousness and lack of focus until 1785, when she converted to Evangelical Christianity. This conversion was obviously a turning point in the life of William Wilberforce, who turned his fortunes to philanthropy and became a leading member of the social reform movement in England.
In addition to being a prominent advocate of social reform, William Wilberforce was also a popular member of parliament, serving from 1780 to 1825. During his time in parliament, Wilberforce introduced a number of bills relating to social issues and advocated causes such as labor rights, the prevention of animal cruelty, the promotion of missionary societies, the humane treatment of prisoners, and education for English children.
In 1797, Wilberforce met and married Barbara Spooner, with whom he had six children. Spooner shared her commitment to social causes and deep religious faith, and by all accounts they had a very loving relationship until her death. Unfortunately, the two are buried in different places; William Wilberforce enjoys pride of place in Westminster Abby, along with other prominent Britons, while his wife is buried in Kent, England.
Wilberforce became involved in the abolitionist movement in the 1780s as he met several prominent members of the abolitionist community. 20 years later, he was part of an abolitionist alliance that sponsored and passed the Slave Trade Act of 1807, which outlawed the slave trade throughout the British Empire, though it did not outlaw slavery itself. This act paved the way for the Abolition Act of 1833, which was passed shortly after his death.
In 2007, a film called Amazing Grace was released to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire. In addition to William Wilberforce, the film also featured a number of famous leaders of the abolitionist movement that brought an end to this cruel trade in human lives.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
