Person    | Male  Born 24/8/1759  Died 29/7/1833

William Wilberforce (abolitionist)

Politician, philanthropist and slavery abolitionist. Born in High Street, Hull. Entered parliament in 1780 and became a close ally of William Pitt the Younger. He converted to evangelical Christianity and campaigned against indecency and immorality, founding the 'Society for the Suppression of Vice' in 1802. A cartoon of the time shows him using his top hat to cover the genitals of the naked statue of Achilles in Hyde Park.  His son, also William, was in the dairy business but was so unsuccessful that William senior had to sell even his own home to repay his son's business debts.  A leading figure in the Clapham Sect, his fame rests on his campaign to abolish slavery in the British West Indies, which was achieved in 1807. He went on to try to secure a total abolition, that resulted in the Slavery Abolition Act, which was passed one month after his death at 44 Cadogan Place, Chelsea. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
William Wilberforce (abolitionist)

Commemorated ati

Buxton Memorial Fountain

Due to strong shadows it was only on our fourth visit that we managed to take...

Read More

Gilt of Cain - Slave trade

This sculpture, 'Gilt of Cain', was unveiled by Bishop Tutu in commemoration ...

Read More

Holy Trinity Clapham - Clapham Sect

The damage on this plaque is the result of WW2 bombs.

Read More

Holy Trinity Clapham - Wilberforce

William Wilberforce and 'the Clapham Sect' worshipped in this church. Their ...

Read More

Show all 8

Other Subjects

William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount

William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount

Born New York City into an extremely wealthy family.  Lived in Rome in his mid-thirties where he developed a life-long taste for the arts.  On his father’s death in 1890 he built the luxury Waldorf...

Person, Journalism / Publishing, Philanthropy, Property, Italy, USA

1 memorial
Sir John Kirk

Sir John Kirk

J.P., Christian philanthropist, the children's friend.  Not to be confused with Sir John Kirk (1832-1922), the African explorer.  Sir John's great great grandson, Peter Mitchell, contacted us to sa...

Person, Children, Education, Philanthropy

1 memorial
Robert Bell

Robert Bell

Elizabethan seafarer. With Peter Hill he co-founded the St Mary Rotherhithe Free School, to educate the sons of local seafarers. In the nearby church of St Mary the Virgin there is a brass plate co...

Person, Education, Philanthropy, Transport

1 memorial
Charles John Peele

Charles John Peele

Founder of the Peele Almshouses, built in memory of his mother, Helen Peele. From A Rotherhithe Blog: "Charles Peele was a partner in Brandram's at the time.  According to the London Gazette of Ap...

Person, Commerce, Philanthropy

1 memorial
Alannah Weston

Alannah Weston

Alannah Elizabeth Weston was born in January 1972 in Dublin, Ireland the daughter of Galen and Hilary Weston. Her Wikipedia page gives details of her life.

Person, Commerce, Friend / family, Philanthropy, Canada

1 memorial