Editing William Wilberforce (section)

==Personal life==
In his youth, William Wilberforce showed little interest in women, but when he was in his late thirties his friend [[Thomas Babington]] recommended 25-year-old [[Barbara Spooner Wilberforce|Barbara Ann Spooner]] (1771–1847) as a potential bride.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Stott|first=Anne|page=104|title=Wilberforce: Family and Friends|year=2012|place=New York|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-969939-1}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Hochschild|2005|p=251}}</ref> Wilberforce met her two days later on 15 April 1797, and was immediately smitten;<ref name="Wolffe2009" /> following an eight-day whirlwind romance, he proposed.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pollock|1977|p=157}}</ref> Despite the urgings of friends to slow down, the couple married at the [[Church of St Swithin, Bath|Church of St Swithin]] in Bath, Somerset, on 30 May 1797.<ref name="Wolffe2009" /> They were devoted to each other, and Barbara was very attentive and supportive to Wilberforce in his increasing ill health, though she showed little interest in his political activities.<ref name="Wolffe2009" /> They had six children in fewer than ten years: [[William Wilberforce (1798–1879)|William]] (born 1798), Barbara (born 1799), Elizabeth (born 1801), [[Robert Isaac Wilberforce|Robert]] (born 1802), [[Samuel Wilberforce|Samuel]] (born 1805) and [[Henry William Wilberforce|Henry]] (born 1807).<ref name="Wolffe2009" /> Wilberforce was an indulgent and adoring father who revelled in his time at home and at play with his children.<ref>{{Harvnb|Hague|2007|pp=294–295}}</ref>