Thomas Babington Macaulay
1800–1859
Thomas Babington Macaulay was a British historian, essayist, poet and Whig politician. Born at Rothley Temple in Leicestershire, he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, and trained as a barrister before entering Parliament. He represented Calne, Leeds and Edinburgh and held ministerial office as Secretary at War and Paymaster General. In British India he served on the Governor-General's Council and led work on a criminal code. His vivid prose and confidence in constitutional progress shaped his historical reputation. He retired from the Commons in 1856 and spent his final years at Holly Lodge in Kensington.
Timeline of Thomas Babington Macaulay’s life