William James Linton was an English wood-engraver, poet, and political reformer. He was born in London and began his career as a wood-engraver at the age of fourteen. He was self-taught and quickly gained recognition for his skill in the medium. Linton became involved in radical politics in the 1830s and was a member of the Chartist movement, advocating for political reform and suffrage for working-class people.In the 1840s, Linton founded a publishing company and began producing books and periodicals. He continued to work as a wood-engraver, producing illustrations for books and newspapers, and he also wrote and published his own poetry. Linton was a friend and collaborator of many writers and artists of his time, including William Morris and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Later in life, Linton emigrated to the United States and continued to work as an engraver and writer. He was also involved in the abolitionist movement and was a supporter of women's suffrage. Linton is remembered today as an important figure in the history of wood-engraving and as a champion of political reform and social justice.