Thomas Raffles

Thomas Raffles (1788–1863) was an English Congregational minister, known as a dominant nonconformist figure at the Great George Street Congregational Church in Liverpool, and as an abolitionist and historian.

The only son of William Raffles (died 9 November 1825), a solicitor, he was born in Princes Street, Spitalfields, London, on 17 May 1788; he was first cousin to Stamford Raffles. His mother was a Wesleyan Methodist, and he became one at ten years of age. In 1800 he was sent to a boarding-school in Peckham, kept by a Baptist minister, and among his schoolfellows was his lifelong friend Richard Slate the biographer. While there he joined the congregation of William Bengo Collyer. For some months in 1803 he was employed as a clerk at Doctors' Commons, but returned to Peckham (October 1803) to prepare for the ministry.

Raffles studied at Homerton College (1805–9) under John Pye Smith, was thought to show early promise as a preacher, and after declining a call to Hanover Street Chapel, went to George Yard Chapel, Hammersmith; he was ordained at Kensington Chapel on 22 June 1809. On the sudden death (5 August 1811) of Thomas Spencer, minister of Newington Chapel, Liverpool, Raffles was invited to succeed him. He preached at Liverpool in November 1811, accepted the call on 11 January 1812, began his ministry on 19 April, and was "set apart" on 28 May, the congregation having moved the day before to a new chapel in Great George Street.

The prominent ministry of Raffles in Liverpool lasted till 24 February 1862—he avoided politics, though he had liberal principles. He received the degree of LL.D. from Marischal College, Aberdeen, on 22 December 1820, when his testimonials were signed by the Dukes of Sussex and Somerset; and in July 1830 the degree of D.D. from Union College, U.S.A.

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