Jonathan Wild thief taker-from Wolverhampton.

[TWG1947]

The notorious Jonathan Wild 'thief taker', who's been written about and portrayed in TV dramas came from Wolverhampton.

Though his exact birth date is unknown, Wild was born in Wolverhampton in either 1682 or 1683 as the first of five children in a poor family. He was baptised at St. Peter's Collegiate Church, Wolverhampton. His father, John Wild, was a carpenter, and his mother sold herbs and fruits in the local market.
Wild attended the Free School in St John's Lane, and was apprenticed to a local buckle-maker.He married and had a son, but came to London in 1704 as a servant. After being dismissed by his master, he returned to Wolverhampton, before coming back to London in 1708.

Here's a link to his Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Wild



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