Henry Beaufoy facts for kids

Henry Beaufoy (born November 1750 – died 17 May 1795) was an important British politician. He served as a Member of Parliament, which is like being a representative in the government.

Early Life and Education

Henry Beaufoy was born in November 1750. His father was a wine merchant who belonged to a religious group called the Quakers. After Henry got married, he joined the Church of England.

He went to school at Hoxton Academy and Warrington Academy. Later, in the early 1770s, he studied at Edinburgh University. Henry Beaufoy also helped start a school called Hackney College. In February 1782, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a group for important scientists and thinkers.

Political Career

Henry Beaufoy became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1783. An MP is someone elected by people to represent them in the country's government, making laws and decisions. He first represented a place called Minehead from 1783 to 1784.

After that, he represented Great Yarmouth from 1784 until he passed away in 1795.

Fighting for Rights

Henry Beaufoy strongly supported changing some old laws called the Test and Corporation Acts. These laws limited the rights of people who were not part of the Church of England. He wanted everyone to have equal civil rights, no matter their religion.

Views on Slavery

The issue of ending the slave trade was very important during his time. On 18 April 1791, Henry Beaufoy voted to completely stop the slave trade.

However, a year later, on 25 April 1792, he changed his mind slightly. He began to support "gradual abolition." This meant ending the slave trade slowly over time, rather than all at once.

He worried that stopping the trade too quickly might make things worse for enslaved people already in the West Indies. He also feared it could harm the economy of the colonies. He thought that if Britain stopped the trade suddenly, other countries might not follow, and their colonies would still use enslaved labor.

Henry Beaufoy led committees in the House of Commons that suggested ending slavery gradually. These committees reported their findings on 1 May 1792.

Other Roles

From 1791 to 1793, Henry Beaufoy worked as the Secretary to the Board of Control. This board oversaw the British East India Company's affairs in India. In 1794, he was a witness in a famous court case called the 1794 Treason Trials.

Later Life and Family

Henry Beaufoy was buried in St Mary's church in Ealing. He married Elizabeth Jenks in 1778. She was the daughter of William Jenks from Shifnal. Henry and Elizabeth did not have any children.