Profession: Radical Journalist and Politician
Biography: Wilkes was a British journalist and politician, whose record as a radical democrat includes the public reporting of parliamentary debates and first ever bill for parliamentary reform.
Wilkes was also a supporter of the American rebels during their War of Independence against the British.
After Wilkes was arrested in 1767 for writing an article criticising King George III, his supporters protested in what became known as the St George's Fields Massacre. The crowd was read the Riot Act which ordered them to disperse, when they did not soldiers fired on the crowd.
This event has entered the English language as 'reading the Riot Act' to someone came to mean harshly criticising or rebuking.
Born: October 17, 1725
Birthplace: London, England, Great Britain
Star Sign: Libra
Died: December 26, 1797 (aged 72)
Cause of Death: Marasmus, a wasting disease caused by severe malnutrition
Historical Events
- 1763-04-30 Member of Parliament and journalist John Wilkes confined in the Tower of London, charged with seditious libel
- 1763-11-16 English journalist John Wilkes injured in a duel
- 1764-02-21 English House of Commons tries John Wilkes in absentia and finds him guilty of publishing a seditious libel for his "Essay on Women," an obscene parody of Alexander Pope’s "Essay on Man"
- 1768-05-10 English radical John Wilkes imprisoned for writing an article for "The North Briton" severely criticizing King George III. This action provokes rioting in London.
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