William Wilberforce letters fetch £3.9k at auction

Two letters written by the anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce have sold at auction for nearly £4,000.

The letters, written in 1814 and 1831 went for £2,200 and £1,700 respectively.

The Hull MP, who died in 1833, wrote the six-page letters to close friends towards the end of his career and life.

Auctioneer Caroline Hawley said the letters had been "almost impossible to price" and offered "fascinating insights into Wilberforce's personality and passions".

Wilberforce spent decades as a leader in the movement to abolish the Atlantic slave trade.

The first letter dates from 1814 and is addressed to Admiral Sir Sidney Smith, asking him to pass a message on to Napoleon Bonaparte's chief diplomat during the Congress of Vienna – a series of meetings held to draw up a peace agreement for Europe following more than 20 years of wars.

It shows Wilberforce seeking support from other countries in his fight against slavery.

The second letter, from 1831, is addressed to the Marquess of Wellesley, the elder brother of the Duke of Wellington.

Wilberforce died three days after finding out Parliament had passed the Slavery Abolition Bill, which granted freedom to all slaves within the British Empire.

Hawley said the letters had sparked interest from buyers around the world.

The auction took place at Hawleys in Brough on Saturday.

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