William Johnson Fox

William Johnson Fox ( * March 1, 1786 in Uggeshall Farm, Wrentham, about 30 km south-east of Norwich, † June 3, 1864 in London ) was an English Unitarian minister, journalist and politician.

He studied 1806-1809 at the Independent College in Homerton (London ) by John Pye Smith theology, but was also formed independently on. In 1809 he took a pastorate in Fareham ( Hampshire), 1812 in Chichester. In 1817 he took over the Unitarian church in London, 1824 at South Place built a new church in Finsbury. This congregation he headed until 1852. Among the tasks involved included the publication of the Monthly Repository, the journal of the Unitarian church he in the years 1831 to 1836 with his own contributions and those of his friends ( including John Stuart Mill, Harriet Martineau etc.) made ​​into a platform for his social reform ideas that worked out far beyond Unitarian circles.

Ever outweighed his journalistic and political interests of the theological. He worked among others for the abolition of the mercantilist grain - laws that prevented the importation of cheaper agricultural products to England. 1847-1863, he was a deputy from Oldham to the House of Commons.

His extensive body of publications was collected after his death in a " Memorial Edition " whose 12th volume also contains a biographical sketch.

Complete Edition

Memorial edition of collected works of William Johnson Fox, ed by WB Hodgson and HJ Slack. 12 vols, London, C. Fox and Trübner & co., 1865-1868