John Wilks (1776 – 25 August 1854) was an English Whig Party politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

from 1830 to 1837.

Life

Wilks was the son of Matthew Wilks, minister of the

Whitefield's Tabernacle, Moorfields Whitefield's Tabernacle, Moorfields (also known as Moorfields Tabernacle) is a former church at the corner of Tabernacle Street and Leonard Street, Moorfields, London, England. The first church on the site was a wooden building erected by foll ...

. He was for many years the vestry clerk and chief manager of the parochial affairs of St Luke's Old Street. He became secretary of the Protestant Society for the protection of religious liberty when it was formed in 1811. In 1830, Wilks was elected member of parliament (MP) for

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

with the plagiaristic (it originated with

John Wilkes John Wilkes (17 October 1725 – 26 December 1797) was an English Radicalism (historical), radical journalist and politician, as well as a magistrate, essayist and soldier. He was first elected a Member of Parliament in 1757. In the Middlese ...

(17 October 1725 – 26 December 1797)) battle-cry of his supporters of "Wilks and Liberty". He held the seat until 1837. In 1834 he was in two religious disputes. In one "His conduct at the Tabernacle, in Moorfields, completely destroyed the small remains of confidence which they were disposed to repose in him", and in the other "Mr. Wilks has given no proof, as a manager, of zeal for the glory of God in the place, or of interest in the prosperity of its institutions:—Resolved,—That, in the judgment of this Meeting, John Wilks, Esq. M.P., for the above and other reasons, is not a fit and proper person to act as an office-bearer in the Church of God". Wilks died at the age of 77.

Family

Wilks was survived by a son

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

, and three daughters. His son Rowland, vestry clerk, predeceased him in 1838. One of the daughters, Mary Mullis, married James Parsons.

References

External links

* 1776 births 1854 deaths UK MPs 1832–1835 UK MPs 1830–1831 UK MPs 1835–1837 UK MPs 1837–1841 Whig (British political party) MPs for English constituencies {{England-Liberal-UK-MP-stub