John Wilkes, George III and the Gordon Riots
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation is to trace the career of John Wilkes from his return to parliament in 1774 to the suppression of the Gordon Riots in June 1780. Attention is given to his speeches in the parliament in order to show his opposition to the policies of George III and his support of the principle of religious toleration. His career in London politics is treated with the purpose of showing the popularity and power which he enjoyed.The main part of the dissertation is devoted to an examination of the importance of riots in the critical year of 1780 and the part that Wilkes and the King played in their suppression. Wilkes activities are traced from the diary he kept during the riots (which I copied from the original in the British Museum and I have included in the Appendix) and the letters to his daughter. The conclusion is an evaluation of the effects of Wilkes activities upon his reputation.
Subject Area
European history|Public policy|Religion|Political science|Religious history
Recommended Citation
Jackson, Mark H, "John Wilkes, George III and the Gordon Riots" (1956). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI28623308.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI28623308
