author
Frederick Lucas
A fiery Victorian journalist and politician, he founded The Tablet and turned it into a lively voice in Catholic public life. His career mixed sharp writing, religious conviction, and a strong appetite for political debate.
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About the author
Born in Westminster in 1812 into a Quaker family, Frederick Lucas was educated at a Quaker school in Darlington and later at University College London. He trained in law and was called to the bar, but journalism and public argument became the work he is most remembered for.
After converting to Catholicism in 1839, he founded The Tablet in 1840. The paper became an important forum for Catholic opinion in Britain, and Lucas built a reputation as an energetic, outspoken writer who was willing to challenge authority as well as defend causes he believed in.
Lucas later entered politics and served as an MP for County Meath. He remained a controversial and passionate figure until his death in 1855, and he is still chiefly remembered as the founder of The Tablet and as a determined voice in 19th-century religious and political life.