Zachary Macaulay facts for kids

Zachary Macaulay

Zachary Macaulay (born May 2, 1768 – died May 13, 1838) was an important Scottish thinker and a strong supporter of ending slavery. He helped start London University and the Society for the Suppression of Vice. He also served as a leader in British Sierra Leone.

Early Life and Learning

Zachary Macaulay was born in Inveraray, Scotland. His parents were Margaret Campbell and John Macaulay. His father was a minister in the Church of Scotland. Zachary had two brothers, Aulay and Colin Macaulay. Aulay was interested in old things, and Colin was a general who also worked to end slavery. Zachary did not go to a regular school for his higher education. Instead, he taught himself important subjects like Greek, Latin, and English literature.

Working to End Slavery

Zachary Macaulay started his career working in a business office in Glasgow. He later met Thomas Babington, who was an abolitionist. An abolitionist is someone who wants to end slavery. Thomas Babington was married to Zachary's sister, Jean. Through Thomas, Zachary met other important abolitionists like William Wilberforce and Henry Thornton.

In 1790, Zachary visited Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. This colony was created by the Sierra Leone Company as a home for people who had been freed from slavery. He returned to Sierra Leone in 1792 to help govern it. By 1794, he became the Governor and stayed in that role until 1799.

Fighting for Freedom

Zachary Macaulay became a key member of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade. He worked closely with William Wilberforce to end slavery in the British Empire. He also became the secretary of the African Institution, another group fighting against slavery.

Zachary and Wilberforce were part of a group called the Clapham Sect. This group included other people like Henry Thornton. Zachary edited a magazine for them called the Christian Observer from 1802 to 1816.

Other Important Work

Zachary Macaulay helped set up London University. He also helped create the Society for the Suppression of Vice. This group worked to improve society. He was a member of the Royal Society, which is a famous group for scientists. He also supported the British and Foreign Bible Society and the Church Missionary Society.

In 1823, Zachary helped start the Society for the Mitigation and Gradual Abolition of Slavery. He was the editor of its newspaper, the Anti-Slavery Reporter. In this paper, he wrote about the problems with how some people in the British government viewed labor. Zachary believed that formerly enslaved people should be free to work for themselves.

A stone plaque in London that remembers Zachary Macaulay and his son.

Zachary Macaulay passed away on May 13, 1838, in London. He was buried in St George's Gardens, and there is a special memorial for him in Westminster Abbey.

Family Life

Zachary Macaulay married Selina Mills in 1799. Selina was the daughter of a printer named Thomas Mills. They settled in Clapham, Surrey, and had several children. Their most famous child was Thomas Babington Macaulay. He became a well-known historian and politician. Their daughter, Hannah More Macaulay, married Sir Charles Trevelyan, 1st Baronet.