William Rathbone IV facts for kids
William Rathbone IV (born June 10, 1757 – died February 11, 1809) was an English businessman from Liverpool. He owned ships and was a merchant, helping to organize trade between America and Liverpool. William Rathbone IV was known for his strong beliefs. He was a "political radical," which meant he wanted big changes in society. He strongly supported ending the slave trade and believed everyone should have the right to vote. He was part of the well-known Rathbone family.
Fighting Slavery
William Rathbone IV was a strong opponent of slavery. He helped start the Liverpool Committee for the Abolition of the Slave Trade in 1788. This group worked to end the buying and selling of enslaved people. Even though he was a merchant in Liverpool, a city involved in the slave trade, he worked against it. He even benefited indirectly from the slave trade by selling timber for slave ships and importing goods like cotton, which were made by enslaved people. This shows how complicated the economy was at the time.
His Political Ideas
William Rathbone IV was called a "political radical" because of his bold ideas. He believed in:
- Ending slavery completely.
- Universal suffrage, meaning all adults should have the right to vote, not just wealthy men.
- Free trade, which means countries should trade with each other without many taxes or rules.
- He was also against the war with France that started in 1793.
Because of these strong views, some people even called him the "hoary traitor."
William Rathbone IV was originally a member of the Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers. However, he disagreed with some of their practices. In 1786, he wrote a book called Narrative of Events in Ireland among the Quakers. He wrote it to protest against religious intolerance, which means not accepting other people's religious beliefs. Because of his protests, he was no longer considered a Quaker in 1805. He never joined another religious group after that, but he sometimes attended services with Unitarian congregations.
His Life and Family
In 1788, William Rathbone IV rented a house and estate called Greenbank. It was located in Toxteth Park and served as a country home for his young family. He bought the property completely in 1809.
William Rathbone IV passed away on February 11, 1809. He was buried at the Liverpool Friends' Burial Ground.
His Children
William Rathbone IV married Hannah Mary (1761–1839). She was the daughter of Richard Reynolds and Hannah (née Darby). They were married at the Friends Meeting House in Shrewsbury. William and Hannah had eight children:
- William Rathbone V (1787–1868)
- Richard Rathbone (1788–1860)
- Hannah Mary (1791–1865)
- Joseph (1793–1794)
- Theophilus (1795–1798)
- Theodore Woolman (1798–1863)
- Benson (1800–1834)
- Basil (1802–1804)
