Gilbert Wakefield (22 November 1756, Nottingham - 9 September 1801, Hackney) was an English scholar and controversialist.
Gilbert Wakefield was the third son of the Rev. George Wakefield, rector of St Nicholas' Church, Nottingham. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. as second wrangler in 1776. Wakefield took orders, but left the ministry and the Church of England to become a Unitarian. He earned his living as a cl...
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Gilbert Wakefield (22 November 1756, Nottingham - 9 September 1801, Hackney) was an English scholar and controversialist.
Gilbert Wakefield was the third son of the Rev. George Wakefield, rector of St Nicholas' Church, Nottingham. He was educated at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. as second wrangler in 1776. Wakefield took orders, but left the ministry and the Church of England to become a Unitarian. He earned his living as a classical tutor in various Dissenting academies, including the famous one at Warrington.
Wakefield was a controversial writer, and both he and his publisher, Joseph Johnson, went to prison for his writing. Wakefield was a strong defender of the French Revolution and partook in the Revolution Controversy; he wrote a seditious pamphlet, and was imprisoned in Dorchester gaol for two years for it.
Wakefield wrote A Reply to Some Parts of the Bishop Llandaff's Address to the People of Great Britain, a Unitarian work attacking the privileged position...
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