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The WT Stead Time-line
1849.......... July 5th William Thomas Stead is born at Embleton, Northumberland. Early education at home in manse at Howdon-on-Tyne.
1861/63..... Education at Silcoates School near Wakefield.
1871.......... Becomes editor of the Northern Echo.
1874.......... Popularises Imperial expansion. His campaign against the CD Acts.
1876.......... Inaugurates the Bulgarian 'horrors' agitation.
1878.......... Flays jingoism and the anti-Russian stance of the government.
1880.......... Becomes assistant editor of the Pall Mall Gazette and later the editorial director. Campaigns on behalf of Gladstone and the Liberals in the North Country during the Midlothian election.
1883.......... Stead takes over editorship of PMG after Morley leaves.
1884.......... Stead warns government against retreat from the Sudan. Wants to send General Gordon.
1885.......... Stead's campaign with Josephine Butler against child prostitution.
..........July: Publishes 'Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon'.
..........August 7th: Age of consent raising, approved by House of Commons.
..........August 13th: Age of consent raising, approved by Upper House.
..........October 23rd to November 13th: Court case against Stead/Butler. Stead sentenced to 3 months imprisonment.
1886.......... January: Release from Holloway prison.
1887.......... November 13th: 'Bloody Sunday' affair in London.
1888.......... May: Stead goes to Russia to interview Emperor Alexander III.
1890.......... April: Becomes editor/publisher of the Review of Reviews.
1893/4....... Goes to Chicago regarding the vice there. Writes 'If Christ Came to Chicago'.
1895/6....... Anglo/Venezuelan dispute. 'Always arbitrate before you fight.'
1899.........Stead initiates the first Hague Peace Conference.
1901.........Stead is nominated for the first Nobel Prize for Peace. He loses out to Henri Dunant, founder of the International Red Cross.
1903..........(Late): Tries to create the Daily Paper. It fails after six weeks.
1910/11..... Launches campaign to end Italian aggression in North Africa.
1912.......... April 15th: Perishes in the Titanic disaster on the way to a peace conference in America.
The above information is gleaned from many sources, all of which I acknowledge, along with their Copyright.
Particular thanks go to Prof. J.O.Baylen, Frederic Whyte and Estelle Stead from their respective books.
My thanks extend to those on the WWW who have contributed to my knowledge of this great man.
These include: Rob Stead, Richard Stead, John Stephenson, Shelagh Mason, Frank Ley, Dr. Grace Eckley, Victor Pierce Jones and others who have written on a quest.
If you should require further information on WT Stead, then please e-mail me.
Page One - Introduction
Page Two - Pictures of WT Stead