Wilberforce, William

1759 – He was born on the 24th day of August this year in Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire.

1780 - Wilberforce decided to seek election to Parliament and stood in the General Election of this year. At the age of twenty-one, he was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Hull.

1781 – He was awarded B.A. in this year and M.A. in 1788.

1784 – He returned as MP for Yorkshire at the age of twenty-four, and he served in the office until 1812.

1787 - Sir Charles Middleton and Lady Middleton introduced Wilberforce at their house in Teston, Kent to the growing group campaigning against slave trade.

1791 – He introduced the first Parliamentary Bill to abolish the slave trade, which was easily defeated by 163 votes to 88.

1799 – He drew up the Combination Act, which suppressed trade union activity throughout the United Kingdom.

1807 - The Slave Trade Act received the royal assent on 25th day of March this year.

1812 – He became Member of the Parliament of Bramber and served until 1825.

1817 – He described the state lottery as 'a national sin'. Because of the campaigning of various members of the Clapham Sect, including William Wilberforce the lottery was brought to an end by the government in 1826.

1833 – His health had begun to decline. He suffered a severe attack of influenza and never fully recovered He passed away on the 29th day of July this year at age 73 in London.