City university finds letters by anti-slavery campaigner

Notes from 1790s found in archives

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LETTERS penned by renowned anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce have been discovered in the University of Chester archive collection.

While working on the new university alumni archive recently, staff found four letters dating from the early 19th century, including two written by Wilberforce.

The letters were sent by Wilberforce to the Rev Henry Raikes, son of his close friend Thomas Raikes, who was governor of the Bank of England between 1797 and 1799.

Henry Raikes was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese of Chester by his friend Bishop John Bird Sumner and was one of six founders of the Chester Diocesan Training College, which later became the University of Chester.

In his letters, dated 1830, Wilberforce discussed his efforts to build a chapel near his Highwood Hill home in Middlesex.

The other two letters date from 1808 and 1809; one is to Henry Raikes from his uncle and the other is to Thomas Raikes from his brother.

They were uncovered as part of a project to organise and develop the university archive led by alumni assistant Amy Hultum with support from Dr Lisa Peters.