to parliament for Boston in Lincolnshire in the radical interest, retaining his seat until 1837. He formed collections of books, works of art, and autographs, which were sold after his death by Messrs. Sotheby & Wilkinson. For more than twenty years he was honorary secretary of ‘The Protestant Society for the Protection of Religious Freedom.’ He was a member of the Statistical and Zoological societies. He died in London, at his residence in Finsbury Square, on 25 Aug. 1854, and was buried in Kensal Green cemetery. Besides his son John he left three daughters. He was the author of ‘An Apology for the Missionary Society,’ London, 1799, 8vo (Gent. Mag. 1854, ii. 629).
The son John followed his father's profession as an attorney. In 1825 he earned the name of ‘Bubble Wilks’ by floating a number of joint-stock companies, all of which were financial failures. On 13 June 1826 he was returned to parliament for the borough of Sudbury in Suffolk in the whig interest. In April 1828 he resigned his seat, and shortly afterwards he was charged before the lord mayor with forgery, but was acquitted on the non-appearance of the prosecutor. On his release he obtained the post of Paris correspondent to the ‘Standard,’ and signed his contributions to the London papers ‘O. P. Q.,’ Desirous of retrieving his fortunes, he spread false reports on the Paris bourse, and in consequence was ordered by the head of the police to leave France within four days. His friends, however, obtained the revocation by their intercession, and he next formed a joint-stock company to establish a newspaper entitled ‘The London and Paris Courier.’ After the journal had appeared for a few months Wilks fled, leaving the debts of the enterprise to be paid by an English partner. Shortly after he exploited a second company, to finance a monthly magazine called ‘La Revue Protestante,’ a project which proved more profitable to its author than to the cause of religion. After forming an unsuccessful Paris Parcels Delivery Company, he returned to London, and, settling in Surrey Street, Strand, attempted to found an Authors' Institute. His last project was the establishment of a fraudulent clerical registry office. Before his latest dishonesty was detected he died suddenly at Chelsea, on 17 Jan. 1846, leaving no property to compensate his victims.
Wilks was the author of:
- ‘A Christian Biographical Dictionary,’ London, 1821, 12mo.
- ‘Memoirs of Queen Caroline,’ London, 1822, 2 vols. 8vo.
- ‘Bianca: a Fragment,’ London, 1823, 8vo.
After his return to England he was a constant contributor to ‘Fraser's Magazine,’ supplying reminiscences of Louis-Philippe and other notable Frenchmen.
[Gent. Mag. 1846, i. 649; Notes and Queries, 5th ser. vii. 180.]
WILKS, MARK (1760?–1831), lieutenant-colonel in the Madras army, born about 1760, was a native of the Isle of Man, and entered the East India Company's service. Being at one time intended for the ministry, he received a classical education, and in consequence went to India at a later age than was usual. He obtained a cadetship in 1781, and on 25 Sept. 1782 received a commission in the Madras army. In 1786 he became deputy-secretary to the military board, and in the following year secretary to a diplomatic mission under Sir Barry Close [q. v.] to the sultan of Mysore. In 1788 he was appointed fort-adjutant at Fort St. George, and on 6 March 1789 he was promoted lieutenant, and served as aide-de-camp to the governor. From 1790 to 1792 he acted as brigade-major and aide-de-camp to Colonel (afterwards General) James Stuart [see under Stuart, James, (d. 1793)] during the war against Tipú Saib. In 1793 he was assistant adjutant-general, and in 1794 was appointed Stuart's military secretary. From 1795 to 1799 Wilks was on furlough from bad health, and during his absence, on 12 Oct. 1798, he received his captaincy. On his return he served successively as military secretary and private secretary to the governor, Lord Clive [see Clive, Edward, Earl of Powis]. He was next appointed town-major of Fort St. George, and in 1803 became military secretary to the commander-in-chief, Lieutenant-general James Stuart. From 1803 to 1808 he served as political resident at the court of Mysore, attaining the rank of major on 21 Sept. 1804, and of lieutenant-colonel on 4 April 1808. In that year ill-health obliged him to quit India, and on 20 Nov. 1812 he was appointed governor of St. Helena, arriving in the island on 22 June 1813.
His administration as governor was wise and enlightened, and personally he was very popular. He improved the condition of agriculture in the colony by introducing better methods of cultivation, and by inducing the East India Company to alter the system of land tenure. Wilks was governor on the arrival of Napoleon on 15 Oct. 1815, but in the next year was relieved by Sir Hudson Lowe [q. v.] He won the esteem of the emperor by the ability of his administration. He returned to England and retired from the company's service on 15 Oct. 1818,
