Project to edit the manuscript diaries of the abolitionist MP, William Wilberforce. Led by Prof John Coffey @uniofleicester. Supported by the Marc Fitch Fund.
Leicester, England
Joined April 2020
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One of the 6000+ people mentioned in the diaries is Henry Atley, buried in the Dissenting graveyard at Bunhill Fields (and given this obituary in Bunhill Memorials):
Earlham Hall, Norwich on the campus of @uniofeastanglia. Home of the Quaker Gurney family: Joseph Gurney & 12 siblings inc. Elizabeth Fry & Fowell Buxton’s wife Hannah. Wilberforce visited: ‘I never was in a family to which I felt so closely bound’.
Joseph Priestley writes to the London press rebutting Burke's attack on him for being elected honorary citizen of the French republic. His defence is that he knew no more about it than Wilberforce, who was nominated alongside him.
Wilberforce invites Jeremy Bentham to dinner Oct 1796. Letter @ExploreWellcome. The diary for 4 Oct records: ‘Gave dinner to Ld St Helens, Bentham, Abbott, Melville & Son, H[enry] Thornton, [James] Stephen - Rational discourse’. @TranscriBentham
Gustavus Vassa (Olaudah Equiano) in June 1794 on ‘my friends’ ‘in Power’ in London who made enquiries at the Privy Council, confirming that he was not a target of the authorities. @ExploreWellcome
In 1802, Wilberforce returned to the earlier route of his pre-election tours, travelling in and out of Leeds several times before heading to York
ALT A map of Yorkshire, marked with towns WW visited in 1802, including Hull, York, Leeds and Sheffield
Wilberforce's 1796 tour was the shortest election trip. Rather than travel across the county, he supported Samuel Thornton in Hull before heading to York
ALT A map of Yorkshire, marked with towns WW visited in 1796, including Hull, and York
In 1790, Wilberforce's canvassing tour extended a little further north than it had previously
ALT A map of Yorkshire, marked with towns WW visited in 1790, including Hull, York, Leeds and Sheffield
In 1784, Wilberforce was first re-elected as MP for Hull, before heading off to gather support across Yorkshire
ALT A map of Yorkshire, marked with towns WW visited in 1784, including Hull, York, Leeds and Sheffield
Wilberforce’s financial account books for 1829-33 with his cousins’ bank Smith, Payne & Smiths @rubensteinlib and also digitised online.
A particularly well-preserved example of Wilberforce’s letter seal @rubensteinlib
At Duke University, North Carolina, where @rubensteinlib holds one of the largest collections of Wilberforce papers. Most, but not all, are digitised and online, a terrific resource: repository.duke.edu/dc/wilbe…
Wilberforce Diaries Advent Day 25
Happy Christmas from the Wilberforce Diaries Project!
ALT A photo of WW's diary which reads "Xtmas day"
WW viewed the Parthenon Sculptures in August 1816, after their purchase from Lord Elgin by the British government in June 1816. He then visited the Mint at the Tower of London - 'well worth seeing'.
ALT Image of Wilberforce's handwriting which reads "To Elgin Marbles Burlington House"
Nice to see Earlham Hall, Norwich, on the campus of @uniofeastanglia. It was the home of the Gurneys, Quaker bankers & philanthropists. Wilberforce visited in 1816 & 1828 and met John Joseph Gurney (‘truly excellent’), Thomas Fowell Buxton, & Amelia Opie, keen abolitionists.
Heath House, Hampstead, home of the Quaker banker & abolitionist, Samuel Hoare. Wilberforce visited twice in 1794. In July, he met the American statesman, John Jay, & his son Peter Augustus; in December, he stayed overnight, meeting Jay again, & the Quaker writer, Mary Knowles.
Enjoyable workshop yesterday at @QueensCam discussing the Wilberforce diaries and listening to @AtkinsGarethW, Trevor Burnard of @WilberforceHull, @karina_wendling, @BrendanJTam, & @DanielGilmanHQ. Thanks to all involved!
