Slavery in Britain His conversion to Evangelical Christianity in 1784 played a key role in interesting him in this social reform. William Wilberforce's Slave Trade Act 1807 abolished the slave trade in the British Empire. It was not until the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 that the institution finally was abolished, but on a gradual basis. Since land owners in the British West Indies were losing their unpaid labourers, they received compensation totaling £20 million. The Royal Navy established the West Africa Squadron (or Preventative Squadron) at substantial expense in 1808 after Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act of 1807. The squadron's task was
1932 Westminster Abbey by-election 1932 Westminster Abbey by-election The Westminster Abbey by-election, 1932 was a parliamentary by-election held on 12 July 1932 for the British House of Commons constituency of Westminster Abbey in London. The seat had become vacant when the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Otho Nicholson resigned from the Commons by becoming the Steward of the Manor of Northstead on 4 July 1932. He had held the seat since a 1924 by-election. The Conservative candidate, Sidney Herbert, previously MP for Scarborough and Whitby, was returned unopposed and remained the seat's MP until his death in 1939 when a further by-election was held.