William Pitt Scargill

Born in London in 1787, William Pitt Scargill was educated for the Unitarian ministry after coming under the influence of Hugh Worthington of Salters' Hall. After a short period assisting at High Pavement Chapel in Nottingham in 1811, he became minister of Churchgate Street Chapel in Bury St Edmunds in 1812, a post he held for about twenty years.

His ministry was not especially successful, and he increasingly turned to writing to add to his income. Scargill published tales, sketches, and novels, including Truth, Penelope; or, Love's Labour Lost, Rank and Talent, Atherton, The Usurer's Daughter, and The Autobiography of a Dissenting Minister. His books are remembered for their strong sense of character and interest in the manners of his time.

Scargill died on January 24, 1836. No clearly verifiable portrait image was found from the sources checked, so no author photo is included here.