William Steel Dickson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Steel Dickson
Born	25 December 1744 County Antrim, Ireland
Died	27 December 1824 Belfast, County Antrim, Ireland
Resting place	Clifton Street Cemetery, Belfast
Occupation	Presbyterian church minister
Known for	Irish Revolutionary
Political party	United Irishmen
Spouse(s)	Isabella Gamble

William Steel Dickson (1744–1824) was an Irish Presbyterian minister. He was a member of the Society of the United Irishmen. This group wanted equal rights for Catholics, fair government, and Ireland to be an independent country. He was arrested in June 1798, just before the United Irish rising in his home area of County Down. He was held in prison until January 1802.

Early Life and Education

William Steel Dickson was born on December 25, 1744. He was the oldest son of John Dickson, a farmer in County Antrim. His mother was Jane Steel. After his uncle William Steel died, his family added "Steel" to their name.

As a boy, William was taught by Robert White, a Presbyterian minister. In November 1761, he started studying at the University of Glasgow. After finishing his studies, he worked as a teacher for a while. In 1771, he became a Presbyterian minister.

Speaking Out Against War

William's political journey began in 1776. At this time, the American war of independence was happening. He spoke and preached against this war. He called it "unnatural" and "mad." His sermons, which talked about the problems of civil war, caused a lot of discussion. People who supported the government called him a traitor.

In 1771, William married Isabella Gamble. She had some money. They had at least eight children, but William lived longer than all of them. One of his sons was in the navy and died in 1798.

Joining the Volunteers

In 1778, William eagerly joined the Volunteer movement. This was a group of armed citizens. He strongly believed that Catholics should be allowed to join the Volunteers. Many Protestants and Presbyterians in Ulster disagreed with this idea.

In a sermon in 1779, William asked for Catholics to be included. Even though he changed some of his words when the sermon was printed, he still upset many people. Some even accused him of secretly being Catholic.

William was not part of the Volunteer meetings in Dungannon in 1782 and 1783. However, he was very involved in politics. In 1783, he tried to help Robert Stewart get elected to Parliament for County Down. He did not succeed then. But in 1790, he helped Robert Stewart's son, also named Robert (later known as Lord Castlereagh), win the election. Castlereagh later said that William Dickson was "a very dangerous person" because of his popularity.

The United Irishmen Society

In December 1791, William Steel Dickson joined the first Society of United Irishmen. This group was started in Belfast after a meeting with Theobald Wolfe Tone. The United Irishmen wanted to unite Irish people of all religions. They aimed for a more democratic government and for Ireland to be independent.

William said he did not attend many meetings of the Society. Instead, he focused on sharing their ideas with other groups. He wanted to achieve "total and immediate emancipation" for Catholics. This meant giving Catholics full rights right away.

Working for Change

Many meetings were held across Ulster. These led to a big meeting in Dungannon in February 1793. William was a key person at many of these meetings. He helped write the goals for the Dungannon meeting. Their main goal was to make the government stronger and fairer through "complete and radical reform."

The Irish Parliament did not go as far as the United Irishmen wanted. They passed the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1793, which gave Catholics some rights but not all. Also, the Convention Act was passed. This law made it illegal for groups to meet and claim to represent the people.

Arrest and Imprisonment

In March and April 1798, William was in Scotland dealing with family matters. While he was away, plans were made for a rebellion in Ulster. When he returned, William agreed to take on a leadership role for the United Irish forces in County Down. He stepped in for Thomas Russell, who had been arrested.

However, just a few days before the uprising was supposed to begin, William was also arrested in Ballynahinch. He was taken to Belfast and held in different prisons. Later, on August 12, he was moved to a prison ship. He was held there with other United Irishmen like William Tennant and Robert Simms.

On March 25, 1799, William and some other prisoners were sent to Fort George, Highland prison in Scotland. He spent two years there. Unlike some other important prisoners, William was allowed to return to Belfast in January 1802.

Later Life and Death

When William was released, he faced many difficulties. His wife had been sick for a long time, and his oldest son had died. His future seemed uncertain. His church in Portaferry had chosen a new minister in 1800. The new minister offered to step down, but William did not accept.

He thought about moving away, but decided to stay in Ireland. In 1803, a group from a church in Keady, County Armagh, chose him as their minister.

William's political involvement mostly ended after 1811. He attended a Catholic meeting in Armagh. On his way back, he was badly beaten by members of the Orange Order.

By 1815, his health was poor, and he resigned from his church. He struggled financially, but friends helped him. A lawyer named Joseph Wright gave him a free cottage in Belfast. Some old friends gave him a weekly allowance. He preached for the last time in early 1824. William Steel Dickson died on December 27, 1824, just after his 80th birthday. He was buried in Clifton Street Cemetery, Belfast.

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  William Steel Dickson