The home of William Wilberforce (1759-1833), the British Member of Parliament whose life’s work culminated exactly 200 years ago in the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, banning trading in human beings throughout the British Empire, reopens on March 25.

The Wilberforce House, in the East Yorkshire city of Hull, reopens following £1.6 million of renovations. As well as historic room settings, it has been transformed to become an interactive museum that looks not only at Wilberforce but also other abolitionists, the transatlantic slave trade, life on the plantations and modern day slavery.

A new film, Amazing Grace, charts his struggle and

stars Ioan Grufford as Wilberforce, Albert Finney and Michael Gambon, and premieres in the UK on March 23. A number of events will mark the anniversary in Hull throughout the year, including the Wilberforce Cup Race for sailing clippers (July 28), a warm-up for the Round the World Yacht Race.

The east coast port of Hull, 213 miles north of London, was also home to poet Philip Larkin, who was the university’s librarian. The city’s attractions include eight free museums, ancient alleyways of the Old Town and The Deep, a

state-of-the-art centre where visitors can explore the world’s oceans.

Website: www.hullcc.gov.uk