Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple (; 18 December 1758 – 21 November 1837) was an English

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

and

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

. He was a member of the

Clapham Sect The Clapham Sect, or Clapham Saints, were a group of social reformers associated with Holy Trinity Clapham in the period from the 1780s to the 1840s. Despite the label "sect", most members remained in the Established Church, established (and do ...

, alongside more famous abolitionists such as

William Wilberforce William Wilberforce (24 August 1759 – 29 July 1833) was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the Atlantic slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780 ...

and

Hannah More Hannah More (2 February 1745 – 7 September 1833) was an English religious writer, philanthropist, poet, and playwright in the circle of Johnson, Reynolds and Garrick, who wrote on moral and religious subjects. Born in Bristol, she taught at ...

. An active anti-slavery campaigner, he had reservations about the participation of women associations in the movement.

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. A member of the

Babington family Babington is the name of an Anglo-Irish people, Anglo-IrishBurke's Landed Gentry of Ireland, 1958, 4th Edition by L. G. Pine, Burke's Peerage: 'Babington of Creevagh', pg 42' and English gentry family. The Anglo-Irish branch of the family is still ...

, he was educated at

Rugby School Rugby School is a Public school (United Kingdom), private boarding school for pupils aged 13–18, located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire in England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independ ...

and

St John's College, Cambridge St John's College, formally the College of St John the Evangelist in the University of Cambridge, is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge, founded by the House of Tudor, Tudor matriarch L ...

where he met William Wilberforce and other prominent anti-slavery agitators.

Anti-slavery and philanthropy

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 Colin Macaulay (13 April 1760 – 20 February 1836), was a Scottish general, biblical scholar and Abolitionism in the United Kingdom, key activist in the campaign to abolish slavery. Early life Macaulay was a son of the Rev. John Macaulay (1720 ...

who was similarly active in the abolitionist cause.Colin Ferguson Smith, "A Life of General Colin Macaulay" (Privately Published 2019 - ), p 44 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 This is a list of Sheriffs and High Sheriffs of Leicestershire, United Kingdom. The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most ...

in 1780 and MP for

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...

from 1800 to 1818.

Family

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 Zachary Macaulay (; 2 May 1768 – 13 May 1838) was a Scottish statistician and abolitionist who was a founder of London University and of the Society for the Suppression of Vice, and a Governor of British Sierra Leone. Early life Macaulay wa ...

, and General

Thomas Babington Macaulay Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay, (; 25 October 1800 – 28 December 1859) was an English historian, poet, and Whig politician, who served as the Secretary at War between 1839 and 1841, and as the Paymaster General between 184 ...

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Babington, Thomas 1758 births 1837 deaths 18th-century Anglicans 18th-century evangelicals 19th-century Anglicans 19th-century English politicians 19th-century evangelicals Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

British MPs 1796–1800 Clapham Sect English abolitionists English evangelicals English philanthropists Evangelical Anglicans High sheriffs of Leicestershire Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies People educated at Rugby School People from Rothley UK MPs 1801–1802 UK MPs 1802–1806 UK MPs 1806–1807 UK MPs 1807–1812 UK MPs 1812–1818