John and Christopher Wright facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christopher and John Wright
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A contemporary engraving of Christopher (left) and John Wright, from a larger image by Crispijn van de Passe
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| Born | January 1568 (JW), 1570 (CW) |
| Died | 8 November 1605 (both) (JW; aged 37) (CW; aged 34–35) Holbeche House, Staffordshire
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| Cause of death | Gunshot wound |
| Spouse(s) | Dorothy (JW), Margaret Ward (CW) |
| Children | Daughter (JW) |
| Parent(s) | Robert Wright, Ursula Rudston |
| Motive | Gunpowder plot, a conspiracy to assassinate King James VI & I and members of the Houses of Parliament |
| Role | Non-specific |
| Enlisted | Early 1604 (JW), Spring 1605 (CW) |
John (Jack) Wright (born January 1568) and Christopher (Kit) Wright (born around 1570) were brothers who were part of the famous Gunpowder Plot of 1605. This was a secret plan by a group of English Catholics to kill King James I and blow up the House of Lords in London.
The Wright brothers were from Yorkshire. Their sister, Martha, was married to another plotter, Thomas Percy. John and Christopher went to the same school as Guy Fawkes, who was in charge of the explosives for the plot. Because the brothers were known as "recusants" (meaning they refused to attend Church of England services), they were sometimes arrested by the government. Both brothers also took part in a rebellion led by the Earl of Essex in 1601.
John was one of the first people to join the secret plan, which was led by Robert Catesby. Christopher joined later, in March 1605. On November 4, 1605, Guy Fawkes was found and arrested. After this, John, Christopher, and the other plotters rode across England, trying to get people to join their uprising. They eventually decided to wait for the authorities at Holbeche House in Staffordshire. On November 8, the local law enforcement leader, the Sheriff of Worcester, arrived with many armed men. Both brothers were killed in the gun battle that followed.
Early Life and Family
John and Christopher Wright were born to Robert Wright and his second wife, Ursula Rudston. John was born in January 1568, and Christopher was born around 1570.
Their sister, Ursula, married Marmaduke Ward. Ursula's first child, Mary Ward, later became a famous nun who started the Sisters of Loreto. Another sister, Martha, married Thomas Percy in 1591. He also became involved in the Gunpowder Plot.
The Wright brothers went to St Peter's School in York. Guy Fawkes, who is very well-known for the Gunpowder Plot, also went to this school. Even though the school seemed to follow the rules, its headmaster came from a family of "recusants." This meant they refused to attend Church of England services. John and Christopher were both married. John was married to Dorothy and Christopher to Margaret. John had a daughter in the late 1590s.
In 1596, the brothers were arrested when Queen Elizabeth I was ill. This was a safety measure by the government. In 1601, they were put in White Lyon prison because they were involved in the Earl of Essex's rebellion. Both brothers were very good with swords. John was known for being brave. A priest named Oswald Tesimond said John was tall and had a good build. He was quiet but very loyal to his friends. Christopher looked a bit different from John. He was heavier, had lighter hair, and was taller.
John's home, Twigmoor Hall in Lincolnshire, was a place where Catholic priests often visited. The government, however, called it "a Popish college for traitors." After John became a Catholic, he was said to live a very good life. Two years later, when the queen's health was getting worse, the government put John and Christopher in prison again. This was because they were seen as people who wanted to cause trouble. Christopher might have traveled to Spain in 1603. He may have used the name Anthony Dutton to try and get Spain to support English Catholics.
The Gunpowder Plot
In early 1604, Robert Catesby, a Catholic who was unhappy with King James I's treatment of Catholics, invited his cousin Thomas Wintour to a meeting. John Wright was also there. Catesby suggested blowing up "the Parliament House with gunpowder." He wanted to kill the king and his government because he felt they had caused Catholics much harm.
Catesby still hoped for help from other countries. He sent Wintour to Europe to meet with a Spanish official. Wintour also met a Welsh spy named Hugh Owen, who introduced him to Guy Fawkes. Catesby already knew Fawkes's name. A fifth plotter, Thomas Percy, joined them a few weeks later. Percy was related to the Wright family because he had married John's sister, Martha.
The group met on May 20, 1604, at the Duck and Drake inn in London. After their meeting, they promised to keep their plan a secret. They then took a special oath on a prayer book. A priest named Father John Gerard was there, but he did not know about their secret plan.
John Wright showed no doubts about the plan after these early meetings. He stayed very involved in the secret plot. He moved his family to Lapworth in Warwickshire and kept horses there. By March 1605, Christopher had also joined the plan.
In October 1605, as the plan was almost ready, someone sent an anonymous letter to William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle. The letter warned him to stay away from Parliament. Monteagle was not sure what the letter meant, so he gave it to the king's chief secretary, Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury. Monteagle's servant was related to Christopher's wife, Margaret. Because of this, the plotters soon found out about the letter.
Catesby, who was with the Wright brothers at White Webbs, decided the letter was not a serious threat. He chose to go ahead with the plan. On November 4, Percy visited his supporter, Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland. He wanted to find out what rumors were going around about the letter. He returned to London and told John, Thomas Wintour, and Robert Keyes that they had nothing to worry about. That same evening, John likely left for the Midlands with Catesby and his servant, Thomas Bates. The others got into position, ready for the explosion the next day.
Around midnight, the authorities searched the House of Lords. In the basement, they found and arrested Fawkes. He was guarding the gunpowder the plotters had hidden there.
As news of Fawkes's capture spread, Christopher figured out what had happened. He went to Thomas Wintour at the Duck and Drake inn and said, "the matter is discovered!" Wintour told him to check the news. When Christopher confirmed that the government was looking for Thomas Percy, he was told to warn Percy. Christopher and Percy then left London together, heading for Dunstable.
Most of the group reunited and spent the next two days moving through Warwickshire and Worcestershire. They tried to get people to join their rebellion, but it became clear that very few would. On November 6, the brothers were named as suspects by the chief judge, Sir John Popham. This led the authorities to announce publicly on November 7 that the Wright brothers and other plotters were wanted.
The group tried to get more people to join them at Hewell Grange, but they failed. On November 7, tired and desperate, they decided to make their final stand at Holbeche House, near the border of Staffordshire. The next morning, the local law enforcement leader from Worcester arrived with his men. A gun battle started, and Catesby, Percy, and both Wright brothers were shot. They might have lived if they had received medical help. However, some of the sheriff's men quickly took their clothes and left them to die.
Their younger sister, Alice Wright, was suspected of being involved in the plot. She was a friend of Thomas Percy.
