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Historical information on Hawkesbury

by Mark Steeds

Impact – Aftermath of Abolition

Robert Banks Jenkinson 1770–1827, 2 Baron Hawkesbury, 2 Earl of Liverpool, became Prime Minister of Great Britain and Ireland in 1812 and held office for fifteen tumultuous years.
One of the highlights of his career was at the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815) where he petitioned his fellow European Heads of State – who were primarily discussing the make up of Europe post Napoleon – to adopt a world wide ban on slavery.

He was the son of Charles Jenkinson 1727 - 1807, first Baron of Hawkesbury and later first Earl of Liverpool. They were descendants of Anthony Jenkinson of Bristol, who was a companion of Sebastian Cabot, and the family was from a long line of great travellers and sea faring men.

His father rose to become a well connected man and confidante of King George III, in fact, because of this, he was held with a mixture of suspicion and deference due to his influence at court. He held many high positions in the land, and towards the end of his career he became the first President of the Board of Trade and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (both 1786 – 1804).

His job as President of the Board of Trade succeeded the one he had as head of the Committee on Trade and Foreign Plantations, he was also a West Indian proprietor and strong opponent of William Wilberforce. When his son took his seat in parliament he supported this view with one of his opening speeches.

Because of his mother, Robert Banks Jenkinson is considered Anglo-Indian, and his career was spectacular. Never out of office for very long, he had already turned down a request to be Prime Minister when, as fifth choice, he was asked to form a government after Spencer Perceval’s assassination.

It was a difficult time in world politics, with many problems at home and abroad including a resumption of hostilities with America, Napoleon’s escape from Elba, the Corn Laws and Catholic Emancipation.

His greatest legacy was managing to petition other European heads of state to abolish slavery, but whether this was his own view or because abolition had weakened Britain’s position in the world, is open to conjecture.

He is buried in St Mary’s Church, Hawkesbury, next to his mother and father. Liverpool Street in London is named in his honour.




Robert Banks Jenkinson as Prime Minister



The Congress of Vienna picture where RBJ's Foreign Secretary put forward (to the post Napoleon European Heads of State) the total ban on slavery throughout the world.







Robert Banks Jenkinson tomb in St Mary's