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{{Short description|British politician (1758–1837)}}
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'''Thomas Babington''' (18 December 1758 – 21 November 1837) was an [[England|English]] [[philanthropist]] and [[politician]]. He was a member of the [[Clapham Sect]], alongside more famous abolitionists such as [[William Wilberforce]] and [[Hannah More]]. An active anti-slavery campaigner, he had reservations about the participation of women associations in the movement.<ref>Clare Midgley, ''Women against slavery'' (Routledge, 1992, p. 56)</ref>
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
[[File:Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple (1758-1837).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple (1758–1837), by Sir Thomas Lawrence]]
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'''Thomas Babington''' of Rothley Temple ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|b|æ|b|ɪ|ŋ|t|ən}}; 18 December 1758 – 21 November 1837) was an [[England|English]] [[philanthropist]] and [[politician]]. He was a member of the [[Clapham Sect]], alongside more famous abolitionists such as [[William Wilberforce]] and [[Hannah More]]. An active anti-slavery campaigner, he had reservations about the participation of women associations in the movement.<ref>Clare Midgley, ''Women against slavery'' (Routledge, 1992, p. 56)</ref>


==Early life and education==
He was the eldest son of Thomas Babington of [[Rothley Temple]], Leicestershire from whom he inherited Rothley and other land in Leicestershire in 1776. He was educated at [[Rugby School]] and [[St John's College, Cambridge]] <ref>{{acad|id=BBNN775T|name=Babington, Thomas}}</ref> where he met William Wilberforce and other prominent anti-slavery agitators. In 1787 he married Jean Macaulay, sister of [[Zachary Macaulay]], a leader of the anti-slavery movement in the early 19th century. Babington was an evangelical Christian of independent means who devoted himself to a number of good causes. He offered to pay half the cost of smallpox inoculation for people in Rothley in 1784-5. He set up a local Friendly Society to purchase corn for sale to the poor at a lower price to improve the lives and diet of his estate workers. Trusts he set up to provide housing in local villages still exist today. He supported moves to extend voting rights to more people.
He was the eldest son of Thomas Babington of [[Rothley Temple]], Leicestershire, from whom he inherited Rothley and other land in Leicestershire in 1776. A member of the [[Babington family]], he was educated at [[Rugby School]] and [[St John's College, Cambridge]]<ref>{{acad|id=BBNN775T|name=Babington, Thomas}}</ref> where he met William Wilberforce and other prominent anti-slavery agitators.


==Anti-slavery and philanthropy==
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He was [[High Sheriff of Leicestershire]] in 1780 and MP for [[Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester]] from 1800 to 1818. He died at [[Rothley Court|Rothley Temple]] in 1837 at the age of 78, and is buried in the chapel there.
Babington was an evangelical Christian of independent means who devoted himself to a number of good causes. His home at [[Rothley Temple]] was regularly used by Wilberforce and associates for abolitionist meetings, and it was where the bill to abolish slavery was drafted. There is a stone memorial to commemorate to this on the front lawn of Rothley which still stands today.

Babington's base in London was 17 Downing Street. He shared use of this residence with his brother-in-law, General [[Colin Macaulay]] who was similarly active in the abolitionist cause.<ref>Colin Ferguson Smith, "A Life of General Colin Macaulay" (Privately Published 2019 - {{ISBN|978-1-78972-649-7}}), p 44</ref>

In addition to his anti-slavery work, he also offered to pay half the cost of smallpox inoculation for people in Rothley in 1784–5. He set up a local Friendly Society to purchase corn for sale to the poor at a lower price to improve the lives and diet of his estate workers. Trusts he set up to provide housing in local villages still exist today.
⚫
Babington was active politically, and supported moves to extend voting rights to more people. He was [[High Sheriff of Leicestershire]] in 1780 and MP for [[Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester]] from 1800 to 1818.

==Family==
[[File:Sir thomas lawrence pra portrait of jean babington half-length seated120120).jpg|thumb|right|200px|Jean Babington (Macaulay), by Sir Thomas Lawrence]]
On 8 October 1787 Babington married Jean Macaulay, daughter of the Rev. John Macaulay (1720-1789) of Cardross, Dumbartonshire. Jean came from a family who like Babington, were prominently involved in the anti-slavery movement. This included two brothers [[Zachary Macaulay]], and General [[Colin Macaulay]]: [[Thomas Babington Macaulay]] was Jean's nephew. Thomas and Jean had six sons and four daughters:

*Thomas Gisborne Babington (1788–1871)
*Rev. John Babington (1791–?)
*Matthew Babington, JP (1792–?)
*[[George Gisborne Babington]], FRCS (1794–1856)
*William Henry Babington, E.I.C.C.S (1803–1867)
*Lieutenant Charles Roos Babington (1806–1826)
*Lydia Rose Babington
*Jean Babington (–1839)
*Mary Babington (1799–1858), wife of Sir [[James Parker (judge)|James Parker]], Vice-Chancellor
*Margaret Anne Babington (–1819)

Babington died at [[Rothley Temple]] in 1837 at the age of 78, and is buried in the chapel there. His wife Jean died on 21 September 1845.


==References==
==References==
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{{s-ttl
{{s-ttl
| title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester]]
| title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester]]
| years = 1800–[[United Kingdom general election, 1801|1801]]
| years = 1800–[[1801 United Kingdom general election|1801]]
| with = [[Samuel Smith (1754–1834)|Samuel Smith]]
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| title = [[Member of Parliament]] for [[Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester]]
| title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Leicester (UK Parliament constituency)|Leicester]]
| years = [[United Kingdom general election, 1801|1801]]–[[United Kingdom general election, 1818|1818]]
| years = [[1801 United Kingdom general election|1801]]–[[1818 United Kingdom general election|1818]]
| with = [[Samuel Smith (1754–1834)|Samuel Smith]]
| with = [[Samuel Smith (1754–1834)|Samuel Smith]]
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{{s-end}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME = Babington, Thomas
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British politician
| DATE OF BIRTH = 18 December 1758
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 21 November 1837
| PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Babington, Thomas}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Babington, Thomas}}
[[Category:1758 births]]
[[Category:1758 births]]
[[Category:1837 deaths]]
[[Category:1837 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Leicestershire]]
[[Category:18th-century Anglicans]]
[[Category:People educated at Rugby School]]
[[Category:18th-century evangelicals]]
[[Category:19th-century Anglicans]]
[[Category:19th-century English politicians]]
[[Category:19th-century evangelicals]]
[[Category:Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Babington family|Thomas]]
[[Category:British MPs 1796–1800]]
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[[Category:Clapham Sect]]
[[Category:English abolitionists]]
[[Category:English abolitionists]]
[[Category:English evangelicals]]
[[Category:English philanthropists]]
[[Category:Evangelical Anglicans]]
[[Category:Evangelical Anglicans]]
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[[Category:High sheriffs of Leicestershire]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for English constituencies]]
[[Category:Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1801–02]]
[[Category:People educated at Rugby School]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1802–06]]
[[Category:People from Rothley]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1806–07]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1801–1802]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1807–12]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1802–1806]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1812–18]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1806–1807]]
[[Category:British MPs 1796–1800]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1807–1812]]
[[Category:English philanthropists]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1812–1818]]
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[[Category:Clapham Sect]]
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[[Category:High Sheriffs of Leicestershire]]

{{England-GreatBritain-MP-stub}}
{{England-UK-MP-stub}}
{{UK-activist-stub}}

Latest revision as of 08:16, 29 August 2024

Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple (1758–1837), by Sir Thomas Lawrence

Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple (/ˈbæbɪŋtən/; 18 December 1758 – 21 November 1837) was an English philanthropist and politician. He was a member of the Clapham Sect, alongside more famous abolitionists such as William Wilberforce and Hannah More. An active anti-slavery campaigner, he had reservations about the participation of women associations in the movement.[1]

Early life and education

[edit]

He was the eldest son of Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple, Leicestershire, from whom he inherited Rothley and other land in Leicestershire in 1776. A member of the Babington family, he was educated at Rugby School and St John's College, Cambridge[2] where he met William Wilberforce and other prominent anti-slavery agitators.

Anti-slavery and philanthropy

[edit]

Babington was an evangelical Christian of independent means who devoted himself to a number of good causes. His home at Rothley Temple was regularly used by Wilberforce and associates for abolitionist meetings, and it was where the bill to abolish slavery was drafted. There is a stone memorial to commemorate to this on the front lawn of Rothley which still stands today.

Babington's base in London was 17 Downing Street. He shared use of this residence with his brother-in-law, General Colin Macaulay who was similarly active in the abolitionist cause.[3]

In addition to his anti-slavery work, he also offered to pay half the cost of smallpox inoculation for people in Rothley in 1784–5. He set up a local Friendly Society to purchase corn for sale to the poor at a lower price to improve the lives and diet of his estate workers. Trusts he set up to provide housing in local villages still exist today.

Babington was active politically, and supported moves to extend voting rights to more people. He was High Sheriff of Leicestershire in 1780 and MP for Leicester from 1800 to 1818.

Family

[edit]
Jean Babington (Macaulay), by Sir Thomas Lawrence

On 8 October 1787 Babington married Jean Macaulay, daughter of the Rev. John Macaulay (1720-1789) of Cardross, Dumbartonshire. Jean came from a family who like Babington, were prominently involved in the anti-slavery movement. This included two brothers Zachary Macaulay, and General Colin Macaulay: Thomas Babington Macaulay was Jean's nephew. Thomas and Jean had six sons and four daughters:

  • Thomas Gisborne Babington (1788–1871)
  • Rev. John Babington (1791–?)
  • Matthew Babington, JP (1792–?)
  • George Gisborne Babington, FRCS (1794–1856)
  • William Henry Babington, E.I.C.C.S (1803–1867)
  • Lieutenant Charles Roos Babington (1806–1826)
  • Lydia Rose Babington
  • Jean Babington (–1839)
  • Mary Babington (1799–1858), wife of Sir James Parker, Vice-Chancellor
  • Margaret Anne Babington (–1819)

Babington died at Rothley Temple in 1837 at the age of 78, and is buried in the chapel there. His wife Jean died on 21 September 1845.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Clare Midgley, Women against slavery (Routledge, 1992, p. 56)
  2. ^ "Babington, Thomas (BBNN775T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  3. ^ Colin Ferguson Smith, "A Life of General Colin Macaulay" (Privately Published 2019 - ISBN 978-1-78972-649-7), p 44
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Leicester
1800–1801
With: Samuel Smith 		Succeeded by
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Parliament of Great Britain
 Member of Parliament for Leicester
1801–1818
With: Samuel Smith 		Succeeded by
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