Archbishop of York John Sentamu led a service at York Minster this morning in honour of evangelical Christian and abolitionist campaigner William Wilberforce. 

Dr John Sentamu paid tribute to the former Hull MP to mark the 200th anniversary of the aboliton of the slave trade in the then British Empire.

The service included a performance by the choir of Pocklington school in East Yorks, which Wilberforce attended.

Some of Wilberforce's descendants were be among the hundreds at the service.

Today’s York Minster service is the first in a series of events and remembrances to be held in Britain this year to commemorate Wilberforce’s achievement.

In March it will be 200 years since the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed.

Wilberforce statue, CambridgeThe Very Rev Keith Jones, Dean of York, recalled the night the Bill passed second reading in the House of Commons.

"On the night of February 23/24 1807, the Bill received its second reading in the House of Commons.

"It was a tremendous scene when at 4am, after a long debate, Wilberforce was cheered to the echo and tears streamed down his face."

In 1807, the slave trade was abolished, but not the institution of slavery itself.  It was not until 1833 that slavery was outlawed throughout the British Empire.  The news that his life’s work had been accomplished was delivered to Wilberforce on his deathbed, only hours before he passed away.

Wilberforce’s legacy lives on, and this anniversary is bringing renewed dedication to abolition of slavery around the world.  As the home page of Wilberforce 2007 reminds us, there are more slaves today than were seized from Africa in four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

The photo at right shows the statue of William Wilberforce at St John’s College, Cambridge.

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