Benjamin Wilton

**Benjamin Wilton** (portrayed by Leo Bill) is an executive of the East India Company tasked with finding records on James Delaney.

## Official Description

"*An eager young executive with a reputation as a wit, working in the records office of The East India Company.*"

## Character Overview

**Benjamin Wilton** was a pretentious executive of East India Company who believed money can solve every problem. Contemptuous of those he considered inferior, he was submissive to the orders of his superior, Sir Stuart Strange.

Benjamin Wilton was a slender man in his thirties. He had short brown hair with thick long sideburns. Wearing elegant suits that reflected his high social class. He always had a walking stick.

## Story

Background

Benjamin Wilton was an unscrupulous man, willing to commit all sorts of reprehensible action to achieve his purposes or, better, his master's ones. At some point during his political career, Wilton became part of the narrow council of the East India Company, earning a place close to the highest ranks among them.

An Ambitious Executive

Commissioned by Sir Stuart Strange to research the past of James Delaney, Benjamin Wilton briefed the East India Company about Delaney's training as a cadet of the Company itself, and subsequent misdeeds and criminal actions. Days later, during a private meeting with James Delaney and other selected members of the Company, Wilton tried to buy him with money but was mocked by James Delaney to have only thought of such action.

Wilton attended a maritime auction in London, where he discovered that James Delaney bought a ship called *Felice Adventurero* on behalf of his navigation company. Reporting what he discovered to Sir Strange, Wilton was scolded by him for not being able to avoid the incident. Days later, Wilton took part in a meeting of selectmen at the East India Company House, staying in dutiful silence as Sir Stuart Strange made a plan to get rid of Delaney once and for all.

Wilton tried to quell the fury of Sir Stuart when the latter was aware of further successes achieved by Delaney at their expense.  The executive saved Lorna Bow from the clutches of Solomon Coop, who wanted to force the woman to sign favourable only to the crown documents. When Sir Strange showed displeasure, Wilton revealed the true plans of Coop.

Serving an Ungrateful Master

Wilton took part in the extraordinary meeting of the East India Company's desk. Later, when he approached Sir Strange asking him about the bunch of bananas delivered to him, Wilton was commissioned by the latter to carry out certain tasks on his behalf, namely burning certain documents and making sure to interfere with the plans of Solomon Coop and George Chichester, meaning to investigate the company's trades.

Wilton took part in the meeting between George Chichester and John Pettifer, chief of Africa's Desk, trying to belittle and discredit the investigations of Chichester, but without success. Later, Wilton led the expedition to trap James Delaney and his illicit gunpowder traffic, but again the man fell through, much to the disappointment of Sir Strange. Thanks to a tipster, East India Company was able to play such a trick on Delaney. Later at the docks, Wilton, comfortably seated in a carriage, informed Delaney that the war was on before walking away while Delaney's ship exploded in front of James before his play against the Americans.

Wilton was among those sitting at the East India Company Desk when Helga von Hinten and Pearl confessed James Delaney's crimes against the crown. Later, Wilton accompanied Sir Stuart Strange at the Palace along with John Pettifer and Robert Thoyt, to inform Solomon Coop of the progress made by the East India Company against Delaney, and as his testament and the Nootka Sound Treaty were vain now that James Delaney had been charged with treason against the Prince Regent.

Wilton was later commissioned by Sir Stuart Strange to operate as directed by James Delaney, who in the meantime had managed to blackmail Sir Strange even from prison. After Wilton had taken steps to carry out his tasks, providing a ship and necessities for the Delaney Nootka Trading Company at the Dolphin Inn, Wilton was fatally gunned down by French Bill in front of the warehouses.

## Memorable Quotes

*" Mr Delaney. Sir Stuart just wants you to know it's war. The gloves are off."*
— Benjamin Wilton

## Appearances

Series 1

* Episode 2
* Episode 3
* Episode 4
* S1, Ep. 6: Episode 6
* S1, Ep. 7: Episode 7
* S1, Ep. 8: Episode 8

## References

1. ↑ BBC One - Taboo Cast & Characters
2. ↑ Knight, Steven (writer) & Nyholm, Kristoffer (director); January 7, 2017 BBC; January 10, 2017, FX; "Episode 1". *Taboo*.
3. ↑ Knight, Steven (writer) & Nyholm, Kristoffer (director); January 14, 2017, BBC; January 17, 2017, FX; "Episode 2". *Taboo*.
4. ↑ Knight, Steven (writer) & Nyholm, Kristoffer (director); January 21, 2017 BBC; January 24, 2017, FX; "Episode 3". *Taboo*.
5. ↑ Knight, Steven & Ballou, Emily (writer) & Nyholm, Kristoffer (director); January 28, 2017 BBC; January 31, 2017, FX; "Episode 4". *Taboo*.
6. ↑ Knight, Steven & Hervey, Ben (writer) & Engström, Anders (director); February 4, 2017 BBC; February 7, 2017, FX; "Episode 5". *Taboo*.
7. ↑ Hardy, Chips & Knight, Steven (writer) & Engström, Anders (director); February 11, 2017 BBC; February 14, 2017, FX; "Episode 6". *Taboo*.
8. ↑ Knight, Steven (writer) & Engström, Anders (director); February 18, 2017 BBC; February 21, 2017, FX; "Episode 7". *Taboo*.
9. ↑ Knight, Steven (writer) & Engström, Anders (director); February 25, 2017 BBC; February 28, 2017, FX; "Episode 8". *Taboo*.