Image of George William Foote

Timeline

Lifetime: 1850 - 1915 Passed: ≈ 108 years ago

Title

Secularist , Writer

Country/Nationality

United States
Wikipedia

George William Foote

George William Foote was an English secularist, freethinker, republican, writer and journal editor.

In his Reminiscences of Charles Bradlaugh he recalls coming to London in January 1868 with "plenty of health and very little religion". He was taken to Cleveland Hall by a friend, and "heard Mrs. [Harriet] Law knock the Bible about delightfully. She was not what would be called a woman of culture, but she had what some devotees of 'culchaw' do not posses a great deal of natural ability." A few weeks later Foote heard Charles Bradlaugh speaking at the hall. He became involved with the secularism, freethought and republicanism, joining the Young Men's Secular Association, the National Secular Society, and contributing to Bradlaugh's National Reformer.

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 Neo-Malthusianism. The BSU was relatively short-lived, and Foote himself was reconciled to Bradlaugh within a few years, becoming an NSS vice-president from 1882.

The Secularist: A Liberal Weekly Review (1876-1877), Foote's first attempt to launch his own publication, in collaboration with George Jacob Holyoake, did not last long. In May, 1881, Foote started a serial publication called The Freethinker, which is still published. As a result of contents of this journal, Foote was charged with blasphemy, and eventually imprisoned for one year with hard labour. On receiving his sentence from Mr Justice North (a devout Catholic), Foote said "with great deliberation" to the Judge "My Lord, I thank you; it is worthy of your creed". His description of this experience was published in 1886 as Prisoner for Blasphemy.

Once released, Foote continued to be 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.

Books by George William Foote

Prisoner for Blasphemy Cover image

Prisoner for Blasphemy

Memoir
Prison Agnosticism

George William Foote, a British secularist, was convicted and imprisoned on the charge of blasphemy after founding "The Freethinker", a magazine that, despite the best efforts of the 19th Century British judicial system, is still going strong. "Priso...

Arrows of Freethought Cover image

Arrows of Freethought

Essays
History Victorian Religion Politics Atheism Bible God Independent free thoughts

It is a collection of essays. The book was first published in 1882 and contains essays on a variety of topics related to freethought, including the history of Christianity, the Bible, and the nature of God. Foote was a passionate advocate for freetho...