‘Claudius became an exemplary student, winning college prizes in mathematics and Latin. His accent became English and he joined the ‘Sims’, a group led by Charles Simeon, which met on Sunday evenings. In 1799, Mr Simeon founded the Church Missionary Society, with Mr Thornton, Mr Wilberforce and, in Calcutta, Mr David Brown.’ This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024).

More about William Wilberforce and abolition

 In the late 1780s, Wilberforce experienced a religious conversion that deepened his commitment to Christian principles and spurred him to devote himself to the abolitionist cause. He became the leading voice for abolition in the British parliament. 

Wilberforce introduced the first motion for the abolition of the slave trade in 1789. It was defeated. He subsequently introduced multiple bills calling for the abolition of the slave trade. Despite facing fierce opposition from vested interests, he continued to press for legislative change. In 1807, parliament passed the Slave Trade Act, which abolished the British transatlantic slave trade. Wilberforce described it as ‘the greatest victory ever obtained by moral and religious influence.’

Wilberforce was a friend of John Newton whose protégé was Claudius Buchananan.