Heroes in History-William Wilberforce

Known for the abolition of slave trade and slavery in the British Empire, William Wilberforce was born on the August 24, 1759 in Hull, as a sick frail child, suffering from chronic ulcerative colitis throughout his life. He grew up in a wealthy merchant family, of which his grandfather made most of the family fortune by Baltic trading and also by being elected mayor of Hull twice. He attended Hull Grammar School, and then St John’s College before studying at Cambridge University.

His father died when he was 9 years old and his mother, unable to care for him properly, left him in the care of his aunt and uncle, in which they took him to their evangelical Anglican parish. At church, a young Wilberforce had his favourite guest speaker, John Newton, who was an ex-slaver converted to Christianity. However, Wilberforce was becoming influenced by ideologies that his mother and grandfather didn’t approve of, and sent back for him.

Wilberforce completed his education at Cambridge University and spent 8000-9000 pounds to become a member of parliament in 1780 at the age of 21, representing Hull. In 1784, he became the MP of Yorkshire and was later on the MP of Bramber in 1812.

Upon joining parliament, he made a friendship with William Pitt, who became Britain’s youngest Prime Minister and also the one who encouraged and supported Wilberforce’s plight in abolishing slavery. Wilberforce was on the back bench in parliament, only supporting the issues that went along with his ideals and also noted for his eloquence. At this point in time, his faith became loose and he started to drink and gamble. However, after holidaying in Buxton, he was re-introduced to Christianity, joined the Clapham Sect (which was a leading Christian group) and became so morose that he quit drinking and gambling and wanted to give up politics as well. He was persuaded not to by John Newton, who he went to for council, as Newton said:

“It is hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of His church and for the good of the nation.”

From this time forward, Wilberforce would not participate in parliament activities or issues brought up there if it went against his religion, or would take on the stance that his religion states. He also attended both services on Sunday and urged other politicians to do the same.

Thomas Clarkson was the man who introduced Wilberforce of the issue of slavery, showing the bad conditions in which British ships transported black slaves in. Wilberforce later wrote in his diary:

“So enormous, so dreadful, so irremediable did the [slave] trade's wickedness appear that my own mind was completely made up for abolition. Let the consequences be what they would: I from this time determined that I would never rest until I had effected its abolition.”

Of course, his newly found faith would have influenced his decision to abolish slavery as the Bible states:

“Whoever steals a man and sells him, and anyone found in possession of him, shall be put to death.”

And also that fact that most members of the Clapham Sect were against slavery may have influenced him to take on his antislavery stance.

Another factor could be that his lifestyle, social and economical status was drastically different to those of the slave, which could motivate him to take on his anti-slavery stance. Another reason could be the fact that Captain Sir Charles Middleton was horrified when he boarded a French slave ship, which prompted him to write to Wilberforce to raise the issue up in parliament.

He and a group of other people, including Clarkson, tried to petition the general populace to take on an anti-slavery stance with brochures containing information and diagrams about how black slaves were transported to Britain in cruel, harsh, and inhumane conditions.

Wilberforce knew that abolishing slave trade and slavery wouldn’t be easy, as it was very common in Britain and also deeply entrenched in society and also the economy (as having slaves would be a symbol of the owner’s wealth as well as having free labour, meaning that the owner has more money to keep for themselves). In 1789, Wilberforce brought up the issue of abolishment of slavery and spoke for 3.5 hours. In 1791, he presented his first bill to abolish slave trade. He lost 163 votes to 88. He presented another bill in 1805 to disallow any British subject to transport slaves; it passed though the House of Commons, but was blocked by the House of Lords. He presented 12 bills and fought for 18 years before in 1807, where his bill was passed through the House of Commons (114 votes to 15) and though the House of Lords (41 votes to 20). The bill became law in March 25, 1807.

As well as working of the abolishment of slave trade and slavery, Wilberforce was also interested in the reformation of society.

During the time where Wilberforce was presenting bill and fighting for the abolishment of the slave trade, he married Barbara Ann Spooner on May 30, 1797, and had four sons and two daughters with her. He also created the Society of the Suppression of Vice in 1802, which began with King George the Third Royal Proclamation in 1787 at Wilberforce’s suggestion, which was "for the encouragement of piety and virtue; and for the preventing of vice, profaneness, and immorality." He was also associated with the Association for the Better Observance of Sunday, which provided children with regular education in reading, personal hygiene and religion. He was also involved in the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (which was granted a Royal status in 1840 by Queen Victoria, thus becoming the RSCPA). With all that, he also helped found a lot of other church groups, such as the Society for Bettering the Cause of the Poor, Church Missionary Society, the British and Foreign Bible Society and the Antislavery Society, as well as encouraging missionaries to go to India. There were times he gave away more than his salary to help such groups.

There was a time where he was either a president/vice-president/member of 69 societies while being married with six children and living a devout Christian life. Despite that and his work on abolishment, he always paid attention to his family, playing with the children. Everyone also attended family prayer twice a day. He once said, “The spiritual interests of my children is my first priority.”

Even though he had abolished slave trade, slavery had not finished as there were slaves that were bought before the trade abolishment passed and Wilberforce spent the next 26 years on the abolishment of slavery. However, his health was declining and he quit being the MP of Yorkshire and instead, became the MP of Bramber in 1812 and in the same year, started on the Slave Registration Bill, as if slaves were registered, it could be proven if slaves were recently transport into Britain from Africa. Spencer Perceval, the current Prime Minister, supported the bill but was assassinated. Along with his death was Wilberforce’s support from government. In 1815, he declared that as the government would not support him, he felt that he didn’t need to be bound by their line. From then on, he openly moved to end slavery.

Wilberforce was 56 years old at this time, and his health was worsening (and even more worsen due to the side effects of a strong pain killer at that time, which was a mixture of alcohol and opium), and he could not fight as actively as he did with the slave trade. But this did not stop him from attacking slavery in public meetings and in parliament. However, after 45 years of serving in parliament, Wilberforce retired from politics in 1825 and retreated to Mill Hill. Thomas Fowell Buxton was given the baton to continue the fight against slavery in parliament.

Wilberforce’s last public appearance was in 1830 at the Antislavery Society, which, at Clarkson’s suggestion, he chaired. On July 26, 1833, the bill to abolish slavery passed through parliament. On July 29, 1833, three days later, at the age of 74, William Wilberforce died of influenza.

The house Wilberforce was born in is now the Wilberforce House museum, and a 6-form college is name after him in the east of Hull, as well as a building at the college. There is also the Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio, US, which is the first university to be owned by African-Americans. Wilberforce didn’t only leave behind universities named in honour of him; various churches of Anglican faith have a day of which they celebrate Wilberforce on their calendar.

More obviously, Wilberforce had abolished slavery, which freed a lot of slaves and also saved those who could have been enslaved. He instilled in the mindset of people today that slavery is inhumane and degrading and should not be allowed. The abolition of slavery in Britain and in France may have pushed for the same abolition in America, yet again saving more people from the chains of slavery.

Morals and ideals that he presented to society back then has bleed into society today. Animal cruelty is frowned upon, children should be able to have a good education, good manners should be shown at all times and also to treat others how you’d like to be treated to name a few. The film, Amazing Grace, which depicts Wilberforce and his plight against slavery, shows viewers the strength that Wilberforce had to keep on pursuing in what he believed in. These are the morals that Wilberforce had enforced and are now part of the hegemonic discourse of society today.



BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Christianity Today”, [1997], http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/special/131christians/wilberforce.html
“BBC”, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/wilberforce_william.shtml
“Salt Shakers”, [2007], http://www.saltshakers.org.au/html/P/374/B/376/
“Creation of the Web”, [2007], http://creationontheweb.com/content/view/4932/
“Victor Shepherd”, http://www.victorshepherd.on.ca/Heritage/wilberforce.htm
“Brycchan Carey”, [2007], http://www.brycchancarey.com/abolition/wilberforce.htm
“Answers.com”, http://www.answers.com/topic/William-Wilberforce