William Dickinson (1771–1837) facts for kids

William Dickinson (born in 1771, died in 1837) was an English politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1796 to 1831.

Early Life and Education

William Dickinson came from a wealthy family in Bristol. His family was involved in the West India trade, which included owning plantations in Jamaica where enslaved people were forced to work. He was the oldest son of William Dickinson, who was also a Member of Parliament. His mother was Philippa Fuller, whose father, Stephen Fuller, was a London merchant and agent for Jamaica.

William Dickinson went to Westminster School and then to Christ Church, Oxford university. He started at Oxford in 1789 and earned his first degree in 1793. He received his master's degree in 1795. When his father passed away, William inherited the family estate at Kingweston.

Political Career

Dickinson began his political journey in 1796 when he became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Ilchester. At that time, he supported the politician William Pitt the Younger. In 1802, he was elected as an MP for Lostwithiel.

From 1804 to 1806, Dickinson served as a Lord of the Admiralty. This meant he was part of the group that managed the British Royal Navy. In 1806, he was elected to represent Somerset, a position he held until 1831. During this time, he generally supported the Whig opposition, which was a political group that disagreed with the government in power. He also opposed Catholic emancipation, which was a movement to give more rights to Roman Catholics in Britain.

Slavery Compensation Payments

After the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 was passed, which ended slavery in most British colonies, the British government created a plan to pay money to former slave owners. This was done through the Slave Compensation Act 1837.

According to the Legacies of British Slave-Ownership at the University College London, William Dickinson received payments as a former slave owner. The British government borrowed a large sum of money, £15 million (which would be about £1.43 billion today), from bankers Nathan Mayer Rothschild and Moses Montefiore to make these payments. British taxpayers continued to pay off this loan until 2015.

Dickinson was connected to five different claims for compensation. For three plantations he owned in Jamaica (Appleton Estate, Barton Isles Pen, and Pepper Pen & Bona Vista), he received £11,978 at the time.

Family Life

In 1803, William Dickinson married Sophia Smith. She was the daughter of Samuel Smith, who was also an MP. William and Sophia had three sons and two daughters.

Their children included:

• Francis Henry Dickinson (1813–1890), who also became an MP. In 1830, he married his cousin, Caroline Carey.
• Edmund Henry Dickinson (1821–1897). He married Emily Dulcibella Eden in 1861 and was the father of Robert Edmund Dickinson, who also became an MP.
• Sophia Gertrude (1814–1902). She married the Rev. John Stuart Hippisley Horner in 1840.
• Caroline (1817–1886). She married William Bence-Jones in 1843.