Westminster Abbey politicians, doctors and scientists such as Isaac Newton, buried on 4 April 1727, Charles Darwin, buried on 26 April 1882, and Stephen Hawking, buried on 15 June 2018. Another was William Wilberforce who led the movement to abolish slavery in the United Kingdom and the Plantations, buried on 3 August 1833. Wilberforce was buried in the north transept, close to his friend, the former Prime Minister, William Pitt. During the early 20th century it became increasingly common to bury cremated remains rather than coffins in the abbey. In 1905 the actor Sir Henry Irving was cremated and his ashes buried
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.