George William Foote (11 January 1850 – 17 October 1915) was a secularist and journal editor. Events 1055 - Theodora is crowned Empress of the Byzantine Empire. For the game see 1850 (board game. 1850 ( MDCCCL) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year
He was born in Plymouth, England and brought up in the Anglican tradition. Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs He moved to London in 1868, where he became involved with the secularism, freethought and republicanism, joining the Young Men's Secular Association, the National Secular Society, and contributing to Charles Bradlaugh's National Reformer. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Secularism is generally the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from Religion or religious beliefs Freethought is a philosophical viewpoint that holds that Beliefs should be formed on the basis of Science and Logic and should not be influenced Republicanism, in the United Kingdom, is the movement which seeks to remove the British monarchy and replace it with a Republic that has a non- The National Secular Society is a British campaigning organisation which promotes Secularism, the separation of Church and State to make society fair for everyone Charles Bradlaugh ( 26 September 1833 – 30 January 1891) was a political activist and one of the most famous English atheists
In 1877 Foote joined the anti-Bradlaughites in the breakaway British Secular Union. The split was caused by several factors: Bradlaugh's alleged autocratic style; Bradlaugh's association with Annie Besant; and Bradlaugh and Besant's involvement in promoting birth control and Malthusianism. Annie Wood Besant (ˈbɛsənt Clapham London October 1 1847 &ndash September 20 1933 in Adyar, India) was a prominent Theosophist, Malthusianism refers to the political/economic thought of Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus whose ideas were first developed during the Industrial revolution. The BSU was relatively shortlived, and Foote himself was reconciled to Bradlaugh within a few years, becoming an NSS vice-president from 1882.
The Secularist, Foote's first (1876) attempt to launch his own publication, in collaboration with George Jacob Holyoake, did not last long. George Jacob Holyoake ( 13 April 1817 - 22 January 1906) English secularist and co-operator, was born in In May, 1881, Foote started a serial publication called The Freethinker which is still published. The Freethinker is a British secular humanist journal founded by G As a result of contents of this journal, Foote was charged with blasphemy, and eventually imprisoned for one year. Blasphemy is the disrespectful use of the name of one or more gods. His description of this experience was published in 1886 as Prisoner for Blasphemy.
Once released, Foote continued to be very active promoting his ideals, writing books and pamphlets, lecturing, and debating. Foote was well-versed in literature, and had extensive knowledge of ancient and contemporary writers, and ecclesiastical history. In 1890 Foote succeeded Bradlaugh as President of the National Secular Society and remained in that role for twenty-five years.
His death was related by Chapman Cohen in The Freethinker (October 31, 1915):
When I saw him on the Friday (two days) before his death he said, "I have had another setback, but I am a curious fellow and may get all right again. " But he looked the fact of death in the face with the same courage and determination that he faced Judge North many years ago. A few hours before he died he said calmly to those around him, "I am dying. " And when the end came his head dropped back on the pillow, and with a quiet sigh, as of one falling to sleep, he died .
Bibliography
- Herrick, Jim (1982). Vision and Realism: A Hundred Years of The Freethinker. London: GW Foote & Co. ISBN 0-9508243-0-5
- Marsh, Joss (1998). Word crimes: blasphemy, culture, and literature in nineteenth-century England. University of Chicago Press. The University of Chicago is a Private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. ISBN 0-226-50691-6
External links
- Works by George William Foote at Project Gutenberg
- More works by G. W. Foote at The Freethought Archives
- The Freethinker