Construction begins on the Wilberforce Monument in Kingston upon Hull
- When
- 1834
- Where
- Monument Site
- Episodes
- 1
The construction of the Wilberforce Monument in Kingston upon Hull began in 1834. The cornerstone was laid on 1 August 1834, coinciding with the effective date of the Slavery Abolition Act. The monument, a Doric column topped by a statue, was completed in 1835.
Episodes
Background and detail
Background. The Wilberforce Monument is a monument honouring English politician and abolitionist William Wilberforce in Kingston upon Hull, England. The ashlar structure consists of a Doric column topped by a statue of Wilberforce. Historian Marcus Wood notes that the monument as a whole "mimics" Nelson's Column. Construction on the monument began in 1834.
Commencement of Construction. Construction on the monument began in 1834. On 1 August 1834, the cornerstone was laid by Richard Bethell MP. This date coincided with the effective date of the Slavery Abolition Act. The plinth inscriptions record the first stone being laid on this date.
Participants. Richard Bethell MP laid the cornerstone on 1 August 1834. The monument was erected by voluntary subscription. No other specific individuals involved in the construction process are named in the provided sources.
People involved
- Richard Bethell MP · Cornerstone Laying
Sources
- Wilberforce Monument Wikipedia, revision of 2025-12-15
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.