CARPENTER, William, English editor and author: b. Saint James, Westminster, 1797; d. Colebrooke Row, Islington, 21 April 1874. Being the son of a poor tradesman he was put to work early in life and obtained no education, but entering the service of a bookseller he soon learned to speak fluently several ancient and modern languages, and took great interest in the study of biblical subjects. With William Greenfield he edited the Scripture Magazine, which was later known as 'Critics (4 vols. 1824-27) ; in rapid succession he be came editor of Shipping Gazette (1836) ; Era (1838) ; Railway Observer (1843) ; ' Lloyd's Weekly News (1844) ; Court Journal (1848); Sunday Times and Bedfordshire Independent (1854). He issued a publication 'Political Let ters' (1830-31), which he claimed was not liable to the stamp duty on newspapers, but at his trial in 1831 was convicted and imprisoned for some time. Carpenter wrote many treatises on
the subject of political reformation and from 1851-53 was honorary secretary to the Chancery Reform Association. Among these works are 'The Elector's Manual> (1832) ; 'The Political Text-book' (1833) ; 'Peerage for the People' (1841) ; 'The Corporation of London as it is and as it should be' (1847). Of his other pub lications the most noteworthy are 'Sancta Bib Ilea' (1825) ; 'Anecdotes of 'the French Revo lution of 1830' (1830); 'Life and Times of John Milton' (1836); 'The Biblical Com panion> (1836); 'Relief for the Unemployed: Emigration and Colonization Considered' (1841) ; 'A Comprehensive Dictionary of Eng lish Synonyms' (6th ed. 1865); 'An Introduc tion to the Reading and Study of the English Bible' (3 vols., 1867-68), etc.