Tomkins book, the clapham sect, should be obligatory reading for anyone interested in this movement. William wilberforce was complicit in slavery stephen. Thomas fowell buxton 17861845, leader of the movement for the abolition of slavery. Clapham sect the encyclopedia of christian civilization. How wilberforces circle transformed britain new edition by stephen tomkins isbn.
William wilberforce and his circle of friends cs lewis institute. The clapham sect was a group of evangelical christians, prominent in england from about 1790 to 1830, who campaigned for the abolition of slavery and promoted missionary work at home and abroad. Clapham circle their campaigns were driven by two irreducibly separate religious motives. W illiam wilberforce, the most celebrated campaigner against the slave trade, was also implicated in slavery and the trade, according to a forthcoming book. How wilberforces circle transformed britain, by stephen tomkins. William dealtry 17751847, rector of holy trinity church, clapham, mathematician. The story of a group of people whose activities changed the world.
The clapham sect and the abolition of the slave trade 4. This more recent book by stephen tomkins brilliantly describes these characters warts. Milton m klein the book is a complete biography of john thornton 17201790, an english merchant and businessman who was reputed to be the wealthiest man in britain in the eighteenth century and, next to one. Wealthy clapham businessmen and religious philanthropists, they fought to change the moral climate of their times, and campaigned against the injustices of slavery and the slave trade. William wilberforce and the clapham sect religion in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries wilberforce was born in 1759, was educated in the usual way and entered politics in 1780. The clapham sect active 1780s through 1830s was comprised of a group of british evangelical social and political activists and philanthropists whose founding generation included william wilberforce, charles grant, granville sharp, zachary macaulay, james stephen, and hannah more. I highly recommend it on the basis of the threeandahalfpage cast of characters alone. How wilberforces circle transformed britain is published on 20 august lion. Forster, the clapham sect, and the secular public sphere. He quotes several sanskrit works across his commentary. I am tackling the issue of slavery and the antislavery movement in the late 18th and early 19th century. The clapham sect ebook by stephen tomkins rakuten kobo. An influential evangelical network whose activity in the early 19th cent.
William wilberforce, member of parliament for the county of york, raised a hitherto unpopular and misjudged party in the public esteem when, in 1797, he. The group centred on the church of john venn, rector of clapham in south london. The greatest labours of the clapham sect centred on antislavery campaigns. The clapham sect, as sydney smith nicknamed them, maintained a long struggle against the slave trade, and supported missionary societies and charitable enterprises with princely generosity. He was more than an eloquent and engaging parliamentary speaker with a melodious voice. Jan 16, 2015 wade issue includes an interview with karen swallow prior, author of an excellent new book about hannah more, william wilberforces partner in pushing for the abolition of slavery and other evangelical goals. Wade issue includes an interview with karen swallow prior, author of an excellent new book about hannah more, william wilberforces partner in pushing for the abolition of slavery and other evangelical goals. Later 19th century famous as the meeting place of the clapham sect led by william wilberforce. The clapham group they challenged the whole moral climate of their times and changed their world. For such a phenomenally influential group it is astounding that it wasnt until 1952 that the first significant book on the clapham sect a term that was first coined in 1844 to describe this remarkable network of friends and families was published.
The members of the clapham sect were profoundly influenced by the dominant intellectual trends of the british enlightenment. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. I have already written about how wilberforces reading of adam smith and the other thinkers of the scottish enlightenment formed the basis of many of his arguments for abolition. Manuscripts are in the colonial office papers at kew, specifically the collection co 26724. This book gives a picture of an important religious reform group in action during the period of the french revolution, napoleon, and the industrial revolution.
The book ends by assessing the long term influence of the clapham sect on victorian britain and the empire. Thoughts on the clapham sect, arising from anne stotts book. The clapham sect and the abolition of the slave trade 5 within the clapham sects united endeavours william wilberforces contribution was outstanding. The clapham sect and the growth of freedom open university set book paperback 1971. The clapham sect and the abolition of the slave trade 5.
The parish was added to the registrar general london metropolis area in 1844 and consequently it came within the area of responsibility of the metropolitan board of works in 1855. Clapham sect definition of clapham sect by the free dictionary. The book links their activities to wider politics as well as describing their houses, their possessions and their relationship with their peers and families. Originally common land for the parishes of battersea and clapham, it was converted to parkland under the terms of the metropolitan commons act 1878. The clapham sect was largely comprised of wealthy, evangelical anglican laymen, of whom the most famous was william wilberforce. The book naturally revolves around wilberforce and the abolition of slavery, but its purpose is to examine the many other members of the clapham sect, and the many other causes they involved themselves in. The clapham sect margaret bryant april 2004 64 pages. It was a remarkable fraternityremarkable above all else, perhaps, in its closeness, its af. A group of wellheeled and wellplaced englishmen and women had the chance to answer that question at the end of the eighteenth century. The clapham sect have been credited with playing a significant part in the development of victorian morality, through their writings, their societies, their influence in parliament, and their example in philanthropy and moral campaigns, especially against slavery. It was the brainchild of the clapham sect and it failed miserablya complicated fiasco which ended in exslaves becoming reenslaved as indentured labourers. According to the 2001 census clapham and stockwell town centre had a joint population of. At one point, introducing another prominent member of the clapham sect, forster asked, who on earth was zachary macaulay. The clapham sect and the abolition of the slave trade 4 from the 1790s onwards, the clapham sect networked both inside and outside parliament to bring about the end of britains involvement in the slave trade.
The clapham sect was a group of evangelical christians, prominent in england from about 1790 to 1830, who campaigned for the abolition of slavery. He became a leading member of the clapham sect, an austere, evangelical branch of the church of england, and was a close. It is 220 acres 89 hectares of green space, with three ponds and a victorian bandstand. At the beginning of the third book, he quotes on the sutras of the tolkappiyam and the iraiyanar agapporul. Family and friends oxford university press, was published on 15 march, 2012.
In couplet 641, he cites verse 252 of the purananuru. Clapham sect, group of evangelical christians, prominent in england from about. The clapham sect or clapham saints were a group of church of england social reformers. William wilberforce and his circle of friends 3 the historian, sir reginald coupland, wrote on the communal strength of the clapham sect. Clapham sect the third book in the creek indian family saga begun with swimming with serpents has taken me on a new research adventure. Their efforts ranged across a wide spectrum of issues including slavery, missions, prison reform, public immorality, the needs of the poor. The sect was a major force behind the abolition of slavery. Members of the clapham sect, and those associated with them, included. About wilberforce thoughts on the clapham sect, arising. The clapham sect was a major force in calling for moral reform and in promoting evangelical family values within society. How wilberforces circle transformed britain by stephen tomkins isbn. How wilberforces circle transformed britain new edition by tomkins, stephen isbn. For instance, he cites the tolkappiyam in couplets 1126 through 1129 in the third book of the kural text.
It not only lived for the most part in one little village. The book ends by assessing the long term influence of the clapham sect. He attempts to analysis the religious and political lives of william wilberforce and his closeknit friends by selectively and uncharitably picking small quotations from. Thornton was the son of a noted merchant and philanthropist. In the words of tomkins, the ethos of clapham became the spirit of the age. Clapham common is shared with the london borough of wandsworth, although lambeth has responsibility for running the common as a whole. The clapham group 17011800 church history timeline. She was friends with samuel johnson and david garrick, and. How wilberforces circle transformed britain is written by stephen tomkins, a modern writer with postmodernist, deconstructionist, and feminist leanings. The first movement was for the abolition of the slave trade, that is, the capturing of negroes in africa, and shipping them for sale to the west indies. So there were saints in clapham long before the clapham sect.
The two of them were leaders in the clapham sect, named for the clapham neighborhood in london, where many christian leaders lived. The clapham sect and the growth of freedom open university set book ernest marshall howse published by allen and unwin 1976 isbn 10. Clapham sect synonyms, clapham sect pronunciation, clapham sect translation, english dictionary definition of clapham sect. Lampooned in their own day as the saints, this group of prominent and wealthy individuals were known as the clapham sect. The clapham sect was a group of aristocratic evangelical anglicans, prominent in england from about 1790 to 1830, who. This is the first time their full story has been told in one book.
For poor law purposes the parish became part of the wandsworth and clapham union in 1836. The first movement was for the abolition of the slave trade, that is, the capturing of negroes in. Clapham was an ancient parish in the county of surrey. By upholding these evangelical values, these women served as role models of the ideal evangelical family. Henry thornton, english economist, banker, and philanthropist who made significant contributions to monetary theory. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Clapham sect, group of evangelical christians, prominent in england from about 1790 to 1830, who campaigned for the abolition of slavery and promoted missionary work at home and abroad. Wealthy clapham businessmen and religious philanthropists, they fought to change the moral climate of their times, and campaigned. Tomkins clearly admires the antislavery cause, but he is generally negative about the various efforts to enforce social morality and.
Although this book was forgotten for more than 100 years. The clapham sect had a phenomenal impact on their world, from the abolition of the slave trade to the values of victorian britain. Wilberforce thoughts on the clapham sect, arising from. Good reading about william wilberforce and hannah mores. Clapham common is a large triangular urban park in clapham, south london. He was influenced by an oxford theologian called isaac milner and changed from being a funloving man to being oppressed by a sense of sin and guilt. The clapham sect was a group of evangelical christians, prominent i. Clapham covers the postcodes of sw4 and parts of sw9 and sw12. His main role at the clapham sect was to act as treasurer of their various societies, and help bankroll many of their projects.
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