Houses of Parliament - Buxton (1818)




Buxton decided that the sphere in which he could best serve his Master was Parliament, so he stood for Weymouth (where his mother lived with her second husband) in the 1818 election and he won the seat.

This is where Thomas Fowell Buxton did his life's work, the abolition of slavery. He also helped pass other important reforming bills. In 1837, due to corruption, Fowell was not elected and although he was offered several other seats, he decided to carry on his work outside Parliament. He was knighted for his dedication and success in the slavery issue.