the foundation of the society was prompted by a group centred on thomas hodgkin, with experience from around the world: saxe bannister (australasia), richard king (north america), john philip (south africa). the founders were, on king's account, william allen, thomas fowell buxton, henry christy, thomas clarkson, hodgkin, and joseph sturge. buxton, after the 1832 british abolition of the slave trade, had taken an interest in particular in the cape colony.