Poet, pamphleteer and socialite, traveler, horticulturist and man of god and letters, the
Reverend Doctor Thomas Sedgwick Whalley was one of the best-connected figures
of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries, with friends and
correspondents ranging from William Wilberforce to Marie Antoinette. But few of his circle were
more influential than Hannah More, arguably the most popular female writer of
her day, not to mention a famed educator, philanthropist and a major
figure in efforts to abolish the slave trade.
Now a film on More’s remarkable life is in the works, and
Professor Christopher Stephens, author of
The
Reverend Doctor Thomas Sedgwick Whalley, the first biography of this
singular gentleman, will be playing her long-time friend and neighbour. Professor
Stephens spent ten years researching the eccentric, extravagant and generous
life of Thomas Whalley, uncovering the voluminous range of his correspondence,
the layout of his self-built mansion in the Mendip hills, and the course of his
many travels throughout Europe. Having been a staunch and vocal champion of
More’s often controversial work, the Reverend Doctor is bound to play an
important role in the film, and in Professor Stephens the production will have
an actor who knows his part
inside
out.
Hannah More is
being produced by Redcliffe Films, and
The
Reverend Doctor Thomas Sedgwick Whalley is available
here.
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