Papers of Sir Thomas Foxwell Buxton

Acquisition of papers of Sir Thomas Foxwell Buxton (1786-1845), one of the most prominent British philanthropists of the early 19th century and William Wilberforce's chosen successor as leader of the anti-slavery party in the House of Commons. This bulk of his papers was already held in the Rhodes House Library, the subsiduary of the Bodleian specialising in American and Commonwealth studies. These missing papers were offered to the Library in 1985. They include: Volume of Extracts Relating to the Abolition of Slavery, 1831-4, consisting of copies of letters to and from Buxton and members of his family and some press cuttings (the first of a series of volumes in the main collection). The volume covers the period of the introduction of the Government's Bill for the Abolition of Slavery in May 1833. Also some loose letters, an annotated copy of Charles Buxton's 'Memoirs' of Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton (1855 edition) and a commonplace book containing sketches.