Researching William Wilkinson

He graduated from the University of Rochester in 1857 and the Rochester Theological Seminary in 1859. After his graduation, he visited Great Britain and on his return in November 1859, he became pastor of the Wooster Place Baptist church in New Haven, Connecticut. On account of ill health, he resigned his pastorate in 1861 and took a walking tour of England. On his return in 1863, he became professor ad interim of modern languages in the University of Rochester. Not long after he accepted the pastorate of the Mount Auburn Baptist church in Cincinnati, Ohio. Resigning this pastorate in 1866, he opened a private school at Tarrytown, New York. In 1872, he was elected professor of homiletics and pastoral theology at Rochester Theological Seminary, a position which he filled with marked ability until 1882 when he resigned. After that, he devoted himself entirely to literary work. In 1871, he was offered the chair of the German language and literature at the University of Michigan and that of English literature in 1873. In the same year, the University of Rochester conferred upon him the honorary degree of doctor of divinity.

His "Dedication Hymn" (published in his Poems) was used at the dedication of Rockefeller Hall at the Rochester Theological Seminary and of the Toronto Baptist College.

In 1892, he became a professor of poetry and criticism at the University of Chicago. In 1893, Wilkinson spoke on limited tolerance of inter-religious relations but the denial of truth outside of Christianity at the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago delivering the lecture, The Attitude of Christianity toward other Religions.

In 1905, his daughter Evelyn, aged 20, married a 55-year-old man who had divorced his wife; Wilkinson and his wife "denounced their daughter for marrying a man who cast off one wife to wed another".

He died on April 25, 1920 as a result of injuries from a fall.

He unsuccessfully contested Sunderland at the 1847 general election and at a by-election in December that year. He was elected at the 1852 general election as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Lambeth, but was heavily defeated at the 1857 general election by William Roupell.

He then contested Reigate at the 1859 general election, before standing again in Lambeth at a by-election in May 1862 following the resignation of Roupell, who defeated him in 1857 and had fled to Spain amidst allegations of forgery. However, he came a poor third, with less than 10% of the votes.

He stood for a final time at a by-election in Reigate in February 1863, but was again unsuccessful.

He was born at Enfield, the son of a judge. He attended the University of Sydney, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in 1877, and the University of London, receiving a Bachelor of Medicine in 1882 and a Doctorate of Medicine in 1884; he also studied at Strassbourg and Vienna. He was twice married, first to Jessie Cruickshank and then to Dulcie Fry. On returning to Sydney he worked as a specialist in throat, ear and skin ailments. In 1885 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Glebe, serving until 1889. A lecturer in medicine at Sydney University from 1901, he was a Sydney City Councillor from 1902 to 1904. In 1910 he moved to London and set up practice in Harley Street. He died in London in 1946.

Born in Haslingden, Wilkinson became a cotton weaver in 1864. He was a founder member of the Haslingden Weavers' Association, and was appointed as its general secretary in 1879. At the time, the Blackburn Weavers' Association were on strike, opposing wage reductions of 10%. Realising that, if the Blackburn Weavers lost, the cuts would be likely to be applied in Haslingden too, Wilkinson raised large sums - around £140 per week - to support the Blackburn Weavers. Thanks to this, the strike was won, and Wilkinson came to prominence in textile trade unionism.

The secretaryship was a part-time post, and Wilkinson continued to work as a weaver and, occasionally, as an overlooker, until 1880 when he became clerk of the North East Lancashire Amalgamated Weavers' Association. Its secretary, Thomas Birtwistle, founded the broader Northern Counties Amalgamated Association of Weavers, and in 1885, Wilkinson became secretary of this Second Amalgamation.

Wilkinson undertook various other roles, including membership of the executive of the Labour Representation Committee, and serving as secretary of the International Association of Textile Workers. He continued as secretary of the Haslingden Weavers until 1904. His health then worsened, and he stood down from the International Association at its conference in 1906, then took leave of absence from his remaining posts, dying soon after.