“Behind the song you love is a story you will never forget.”

On Friday 23rd March 2007 a new film depeciting the life of William Wilberforce, the tireless abolitionist, had a UK cinema release.

Click here to read a review of this film on ChristianAnswers.com.

Click here to read Andrew and Sarah Miller's Review of the film

William Wilberforce was a Christian and an English member of parliament. He was also a social reformer who was very influential in the abolition of the slave trade and eventually slavery itself in the British empire.

William Wilberforce was born on 24 August 1759 in Hull, the son of a wealthy merchant. He studied at Cambridge University where he began a lasting friendship with the future prime minister, William Pitt the Younger. In 1780, Wilberforce became member of parliament for Hull, later representing Yorkshire. His dissolute lifestyle changed completely when he became an evangelical Christian, and in 1784 joined a leading group known as the Clapham Sect.

His old friend, John Newton, persuaded him that his political life could be used for the service of God. He began to be concerned to reform the morals of the socially elite. He wrote a book calling on the upper classes to regain true Christian values in their lives. The book sold widely for over forty years.

John Newton, of course is famous for being a slave trader, then later for being saved and writing the great Hymn, Amazing Grace. He was saved when one of his ships carrying both him and a full cargo of slaves, was in a violent storm in 1848, which threatened to sink them. He learnt of a God who hears all prayers even for the worst of men. He repented and became a preacher and later a writer.

Wilberforce's Christian faith prompted him to become interested in social reform, particularly the improvement of factory conditions in Britain.

The abolitionist Thomas Clarkson had an enormous influence on Wilberforce. He and others were campaigning for an end to the trade in which British ships were carrying black slaves from Africa, in terrible conditions, to the West Indies as goods to be bought and sold. Wilberforce was persuaded to lobby for the abolition of the slave trade and for 18 years he regularly introduced anti-slavery motions in parliament. The campaign was supported by many members of the Clapham Sect and other abolitionists who raised public awareness of their cause with pamphlets, books, rallies and petitions. In 1807, the slave trade was finally abolished, but this did not free those who were already slaves. It was not until 1833 that an act was passed giving freedom to all slaves in the British empire.

Wilberforce's other efforts to 'renew society' included the organisation of the Society for the Suppression of Vice in 1802. He worked with the reformer, Hannah More, in the Association for the Better Observance of Sunday. Its goal was to provide all children with regular education in reading, personal hygiene and religion. He was closely involved with the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He was also instrumental in encouraging Christian missionaries to go to India.

Wilberforce retired from politics in 1825 and died on 29 July 1833, shortly after the act to free slaves in the British empire passed through the House of Commons. He was buried near his friend Pitt in Westminster Abbey.