William Thomas Stead (5 July 184915 April 1912) was a British newspaper editor who, as a pioneer of investigative journalism, became a controversial figure of the Victorian era. Stead published a series of hugely influential campaigns whilst editor of "The Pall Mall Gazette", and he is best known for his 1885 series of articles, "The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon". These were written in support of a bill, later dubbed the "Stead Act", that raised the age of consent from 13 to 16.