Background
He was the eldest son of Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple, Leicestershire from whom he inherited Rothley and other land in Leicestershire in 1776.
He was the eldest son of Thomas Babington of Rothley Temple, Leicestershire from whom he inherited Rothley and other land in Leicestershire in 1776.
Rugby School; Street John"s College.
An active anti-slavery campaigner, he had reservations about the participation of women associations in the movement. He was educated at Rugby School and Street John"s College, Cambridge where he met William Wilberforce and other prominent anti-slavery agitators. Babington was an evangelical Christian of independent means who devoted himself to a number of good causes.
He offered to pay half the cost of smallpox inoculation for people in Rothley in 1784-1785.
He set up a local Friendly Society to purchase corn for sale to the poor at a lower price to improve the lives and diet of his estate workers. Trusts he set up to provide housing in local villages still exist today.
He supported moves to extend voting rights to more people. He was High Sheriff of Leicestershire in 1780 and Member of Parliament for Leicester from 1800 to 1818.
1st United Kingdom Parliament. 2nd United Kingdom Parliament. 3rd United Kingdom Parliament.
4th United Kingdom Parliament.
5th United Kingdom Parliament. 18th Parliament of Great Britain]
He was a member of the Clapham Section(s), alongside more famous abolitionists such as William Wilberforce and Hannah More.
