William Wilberforce & family

Priest/Minister, Statesman and Abolitionist

William Wilberforce was buried in the north transept of Westminster Abbey on 3rd August 1833.

About William Wilberforce

He was born in Hull on 24th August 1759, the only son of Robert and Elizabeth (daughter of Thomas Bird). The family had long been settled in Yorkshire. William was educated in Hull and at St John's College, Cambridge and stood as Member of Parliament for his native city in 1780, becoming a close friend of William Pitt (later Prime Minister).

He enthusiastically took up the cause for the abolition of slavery, after being approached by Granville Sharp and Thomas Clarkson. After nearly twenty years and against much opposition the abolition bill received the Royal assent on 25th March 1807 and became law. Britain was the first country in the world to abolish slavery. He also helped found the Church Missionary Society and the Bible Society.

In 1825 he married Barbara Ann, daughter of Isaac Spooner. She was buried in the family vault at East Farleigh in Kent. Their sons were William, Robert, Samuel (who was briefly Dean of Westminster in 1845) and Henry, but his two daughters, Barbara and Elizabeth, pre-deceased him.

Burial and statue

William died on 29th July 1833 and Parliament resolved that he should be buried in Westminster Abbey. His grave is next to William Pitt in the north transept. His simple gravestone reads:

WILLIAM WILBERFORCE BORN 24th AUGUST 1759, DIED 29th JULY 1833.

In 1840 a seated statue, by Samuel Joseph, was set up nearby in the north choir aisle. The inscription reads:

TO THE MEMORY OF WILLIAM WILBERFORCE (BORN IN HULL AUGUST 24th 1759, DIED IN LONDON JULY 29th 1833;) FOR NEARLY HALF A CENTURY A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, AND, FOR SIX PARLIAMENTS DURING THAT PERIOD, ONE OF THE TWO REPRESENTATIVES FOR YORKSHIRE. IN AN AGE AND COUNTRY FERTILE IN GREAT AND GOOD MEN, HE WAS AMONG THE FOREMOST OF THOSE WHO FIXED THE CHARACTER OF THEIR TIMES; BECAUSE TO HIGH AND VARIOUS TALENTS, TO WARM BENEVOLENCE, AND TO UNIVERSAL CANDOUR, HE ADDED THE ABIDING ELOQUENCE OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE. EMINENT AS HE WAS IN EVERY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC LABOUR, AND A LEADER IN EVERY WORK OF CHARITY, WHETHER TO RELIEVE THE TEMPORAL OR THE SPIRITUAL WANTS OF HIS FELLOW-MEN, HIS NAME WILL EVER BE SPECIALLY IDENTIFIED WITH THOSE EXERTIONS WHICH, BY THE BLESSING OF GOD, REMOVED FROM ENGLAND THE GUILT OF THE AFRICAN SLAVE TRADE, AND PREPARED THE WAY FOR THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY IN EVERY COLONY OF THE EMPIRE: IN THE PROSECUTION OF THESE OBJECTS HE RELIED, NOT IN VAIN, ON GOD; BUT IN THE PROGRESS HE WAS CALLED TO ENDURE GREAT OBLOQUY AND GREAT OPPOSITION: HE OUTLIVED, HOWEVER, ALL ENMITY; AND IN THE EVENING OF HIS DAYS, WITHDREW FROM PUBLIC LIFE AND PUBLIC OBSERVATION TO THE BOSOM OF HIS FAMILY. YET HE DIED NOT UNNOTICED OR FORGOTTEN BY HIS COUNTRY: THE PEERS AND COMMONS OF ENGLAND, WITH THE LORD CHANCELLOR AND THE SPEAKER AT THEIR HEAD, IN SOLEMN PROCESSION FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE HOUSES, CARRIED HIM TO HIS FITTING PLACE AMONG THE MIGHTY DEAD AROUND, HERE TO REPOSE: TILL, THROUGH THE MERITS OF JESUS CHRIST, HIS ONLY REDEEMER AND SAVIOUR, (WHOM, IN HIS LIFE AND IN HIS WRITINGS HE HAD DESIRED TO GLORIFY,) HE SHALL RISE IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE JUST.

Wilberforce family

The Wilberforce family helped restore the Islip Chapel in the Abbey and an inscription, with the family arms of an eagle displayed, is on the wall in the lower Islip Chapel and reads:

In grateful memory of three generations of the family of WILBERFORCE. William the Emancipator - who is buried in the Abbey. Samuel, Dean of Westminster afterwards the great Bishop of Oxford & Winchester, Basil, Canon and Archdeacon of this Collegiate Church. Their kinsmen have helped to restore this Chapel to the worship of God - 1940. Grant them O Lord Eternal Peace

Samuel Wilberforce

Samuel was born in 1805 and educated at Oxford. He married Emily Sargent (1807-1841) whose father was rector at Lavington in Sussex. They had four sons and one daughter who survived infancy. Son Ernest (died 1907) became Bishop of Chichester. In 1839 Samuel was appointed Archdeacon of Surrey and was Sub Almoner to the Queen. Just after his appointment as Dean of Westminster he was offered the Bishopric of Oxford and later he was Bishop of Winchester. He was killed in a riding accident on 19th July 1873 and was buried with his wife in Lavington churchyard. Two paintings of him hang in the Deanery at Westminster.

The credence table in the lower Islip Chapel is a memorial to Emily (Connor) second wife of Ernest and the inscription on the back reads " In memory of Emily Wilberforce, wife of Ernest bishop of Chichester who died July 17 1942".

Basil Wilberforce

Basil was a son of Samuel and his wife Emily. He was Canon of Westminster from 1894-1916 and lies buried in the north cloister of the Abbey. The inscription on his gravestone reads:

Charlotte the beloved wife of the Venble. Basil Wilberforce D.D. Archdeacon of Westminster. Born July 29 1841. Died May 15 1909. Peace, peace, she is not dead she doth not sleep, she hath awakened from the dream of life. The Venble. Basil Wilberforce D.D. Archdeacon of Westminster Born Feb 14 1841. Died May 13 1916. He lives, he wakes 'tis Death is dead, not he.

The quotes are from Shelley's poem Adonis, slightly altered.