Permanent historical factsheet

Slavery

Great Britain · Government / Whig Party Government. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.

22Records
1772–1833Date range
7Named people
0Places

Chronological records

1772

Murray Mansfield, 1st22 June 1772

Government / Whig Party Government

Within 5 years 14,000 slaves in Britain gain their freedom. Ends the legal status of slavery in England

1787

William Pitt the Younger Chatham, 2nd12 May 1787

Government / Whig Party Government

Under what came to be known as the Wilberforce Oak at Holwood, Pitt challenged his friend: "Wilberforce, why dont you give notice of a motion on the subject of the Slave Trade?"

William Wilberforce12 May 1787

Government / Whig Party Government

Under what came to be known as the Wilberforce Oak at Holwood, Pitt challenged his friend: "Wilberforce, why dont you give notice of a motion on the subject of the Slave Trade?"

William WilberforceJune 1787

Government / Whig Party Government

Wilberforce, compelled by his strong Christian faith, is persuaded to become leader of the Parliamentary campaign of the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade

William Wilberforce1787

Government / Whig Party Government

This record states: And a collaboration was formed which was to last over fifty years.

William Wilberforce1787

Government / Whig Party Government

This record states: Becomes a convert to anti-slavery.

William Wilberforce1787

Government / Whig Party Government

This record states: For abolition in.

William Wilberforce1787

Government / Whig Party Government

This record states: The Quaker members of the Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade recognise their need for influence within Parliament and urge Clarkson to secure an immediate commitment from Wilberforce that he would bring forward the case.

William Wilberforce1787

Government / Whig Party Government

This record states: Thomas Clarkson, already convinced of his God-given mission, calls upon Wilberforce at Old Palace Yard with a copy of his Essay on Slavery, the first time the two men had met.

1788

William Dolben1788

Government / Whig Party Government

Support for slave trade abolition results in the passage of the 1788 Bill brought by Sir William Dolben to improve the conditions for slaves by limiting the capacity of slave-carrying ships which crossed the Atlantic

1789

Thomas Clarkson12 May 1789

Government / Whig Party Government

Wilberforce draws on Thomas Clarksons evidence in the Commons, he describes in detail the appalling conditions in which slaves travelled from Africa

William Wilberforce12 May 1789

Government / Whig Party Government

Wilberforce draws on Thomas Clarksons evidence in the Commons, he describes in detail the appalling conditions in which slaves travelled from Africa. When the Privy Council report was published on 25 April 1789, it was finally time for Wilberforce to make his delayed entry into the Parliamentary campaign, after months of planning Wilberforce makes his first major speech on the subject of abolition

William Wilberforce1789

Government / Whig Party Government

Wilberforce leads the establishment of the Society for Suppression of Vice and Encouragement of Religion to curb political aspiration and support for the French Revolution

1790

William WilberforceJanuary 1790

Government / Whig Party Government

Wilberforce succeedes in gaining approval for a Parliamentary select committee to consider the slave trade and to examine the vast quantity of evidence which he put forward

1791

William WilberforceApril 1791

Government / Whig Party Government

Wilberforce introduces the first Parliamentary Bill to abolish the slave trade with a closely-reasoned speech which he used to present the facts and evidence that had been gathered, and which lasted four hours. After two evenings of debate, the bill was easily defeated by 163 votes to 88

1792

Henry Dundas2 April 1792

Government / Whig Party Government

Henry Dundas, Home Secretary, proposes a compromise of so-gradual abolition over a number of years, passsed by 230 to 85 votes, but the compromise is la clever ploy to indefinitly delay final abolition

William Wilberforce2 April 1792

Government / Whig Party Government

Wilberforce again presents a bill calling for abolition, the memorable debate that followed brought contributions from the greatest orators in the house, William Pitt and Charles Fox, as well as Wilberforce himself. Henry Dundas, Home Secretary, proposes a compromise of so-gradual abolition over a number of years, passsed by 230 to 85 votes, but the compromise is la clever ploy to indefinitly delay final abolition

1793

William Wilberforce26 February 1793

Government / Whig Party Government

Another propose bill is narrowly lost

William Wilberforce1793

Government / Whig Party Government

Brings before Parliament a Foreign Slave Bill, with the intention of outlawing the use of British ships to the colonies and territories of other countries, Parliament refuses to pass the bill

1795

William Wilberforce1795

Government / Whig Party Government

War with France prevents abolition as the public mood is concentrated on the national crisis and the threat of invasion, although Wilberforce continues forwards defeated motions in February 1795, February 1796 and May 1797

1799

William Wilberforce1799

Government / Whig Party Government

The Slave Trade Regulation Act is passed to further reduce overcrowding on slave ships

1833

Charles Grey Grey, 2nd23 August 1833

Government / Whig Party Government

Abolished in the British colonies, 20 million pounds compensation is provided for slave owners

Names involved

Charles Grey Grey, 2ndHenry DundasMurray Mansfield, 1stThomas ClarksonWilliam DolbenWilliam Pitt the Younger Chatham, 2ndWilliam Wilberforce

Provenance

This factsheet is generated from stored World History Database records matching the country, broad category, detailed category and exact Event value shown above. Duplicate display records are collapsed; database wording is otherwise preserved. Source provenance varies by record, so formal academic citation should be checked against the relevant primary source, archive or specialist historical reference.