Thomas Wilson

Thomas Wilson, born 1767, was a merchant and politician. His work as a merchant made him more sympathetic towards plantation-owners whose businesses and capital would be affected by abolition. During his time in the government, he criticised the reports of terrible living and working conditions of slaves in Grenada, stating that he had ‘seen none of those scenes of wretchedness’ abolitionists describe. He also opposed any slave-freeing measure at the expense of their masters, as well as called for adequate compensation in the case of abolition. He for example defended the West India merchants’ petitions for compensation post-abolition in 1826, reflecting those views.