William Burnley
British slave owner and colonial politician
About William Burnley
Lived 1780 – 1850 (aged 69–70). William Burnley was a British plantation owner, politician and planter class.
William Hardin Burnley (21 April 1780 – 29 December 1850) was an American-born British-Trinidadian planter who was the largest slave-owner in Trinidad in the nineteenth century.
Born in New York City, he was the son of Hardin Burnley (1741–1823) and his wife, Catherine, née Maitland (1752/3–1827). The family moved to London in 1786, and Burnley attended Harrow School in 1793. He visited Trinidad in 1793, and eventually settled on the island.
Selected publications Observations on the present condition of the island of Trinidad, and the actual state of the experiment of negro emancipation, 1842.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in William Burnley's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped William Burnley's
Frequently asked questions
Who was William Burnley?
British slave owner and colonial politician
When was William Burnley born?
William Burnley was born in 1780 in New York City.
When did William Burnley die?
William Burnley died in 1850 in Port of Spain.
What was William Burnley's occupation?
William Burnley was a plantation owner, politician and planter class.
What nationality was William Burnley?
William Burnley was British.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: William Hardin Burnley
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William Burnley. https://biography.guide/william-burnley/
MLA: "William Burnley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-burnley/.
Chicago: "William Burnley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-burnley/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 04:59 UTC