Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay (born October 25, 1800 at Rothley-Temple in Leicestershire, died December 28, 1859 in London) was a British writer, historian and politician, member of the Whig party, minister in the rule of Lord Melbourne and Lord John Russell. In 1826 he started practicing as a lawyer, but abandoned his legal career for politics.