12 Facts About Gerrard Winstanley

Gerrard Winstanley was an English Protestant religious reformer, political philosopher, and activist during the period of the Commonwealth of England.

Gerrard Winstanley's mother's identity remains unknown and he could have been born anywhere in the parish of Wigan.

In 1630, Gerrard Winstanley migrated to the City of London, where he became an apprentice to a Merchant Tailor.

Gerrard Winstanley's father-in-law helped him to move to Cobham, Surrey, where he initially worked as a cowherd.

Gerrard Winstanley became active as a Leveller, then led a faction known as the True Levellers, who were branded "Diggers" because of their actions.

Whereas Lilburne had sought to "level the laws", while maintaining the right to the ownership of real property, Gerrard Winstanley sought to level the ownership of real property itself, which is why he and his followers called themselves "True Levellers".

Gerrard Winstanley published a pamphlet called The New Law of Righteousness.

Gerrard Winstanley took as his basic texts the Biblical sacred history, with its affirmation that all men were descended from a common stock, and with its scepticism about the rulership of kings, voiced in the Books of Samuel; and the New Testament's affirmations that God was no respecter of persons, that there were no masters or slaves under the New Covenant.

Gerrard Winstanley's theme was rooted in ancient English radical thought.

Gerrard Winstanley protested to the government, but to no avail, and eventually the colony was abandoned.

Gerrard Winstanley returned to London to trade, whilst retaining some connections in Surrey.

Gerrard Winstanley died in 1676, aged 66, vexed by legal disputes concerning a small legacy owed to him in a will.