The William Cobbett Society was founded in 1976 to bring together those who have an interest in the life and writings of William Cobbett. A passionate defender of the freedom of the press Cobbett was prepared to defend it at the cost of imprisonment and exile.

'He is not only unquestionably the most powerful political writer of the present day, but one of the best writers in the language. He speaks and thinks plain, broad, downright English'.  The only time I ever saw him he seemed to me a very pleasant man: easy of access, affable, clear-headed, deliberate and unruffled in his speach... I certainly did not think less favourably of him for seeing him.

Hazlitt's Essay on Cobbett, published in his table talk,1821

The Society’s Activities:

Among the Society's activities are:

An Annual Rural Ride

A day expedition by coach, retracing with readings and commentaries, routes taken by Cobbett on his Rural Rides. (Click for information on 2011 Rural Ride)

This Year’s Rural Ride will be on  Sunday, 15th July. It will be through Cobbett country, and lunch will be at Stourhead House with it's wonderful gardens.

(Click for information on 2012 Rural Ride)

An Annual Memorial Lecture

The 2012 Annual Memorial Lecture will be held at Farnham Castle Friday, October 12th.

Guest lecturer - Penny Young, journalist and writer will explore: "William Cobbett and The Great Reform Act of 1832 - what went wrong and why".

An annual Cobbett walk

visiting the places in Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire where Cobbett lived from 1805 to 1820.

The annual publication of a journal, Cobbett's New Register

containing articles on various aspects of Cobbett's life and times, including the text of the Annual Memorial Lecture.

See 250th  Anniversary Events List for 2013 (Click)

Cobbett’s  Works

In association with the Society, the Museum of Farnham holds in its Reading Room an almost complete set of  bound volumes of Cobbett's Political Register and a large collection of Cobbett's works, and books about Cobbett. Various Cobbett artefacts are on display.

Sale of Books (See Books for sale)

The Society’s website

Mike Clements has produced this revised website and will continue to manage it. If members wish to add anything, such as change of address, forthcoming events, new books for sale, reports of rural rides, news items, or obituaries, please let him know at information@williamcobbett.org.uk

Farnham public Art Trust:   http://www.farnhampublicarttrust.co.uk

WILLIAM COBBETT

Possibly by George Cooke.

Oil on canvas, circa 1831

©National Portrait Gallery

‘View of Mr Cobbett’s House, Botley, Hants’.

Published in 1817

The print may have been made to assist with the finding of a buyer for the house, as by 1817 Cobbett was in financial difficulties and contemplating the disposal of his property. Cobbett had made substantial alterations to the house, including the addition of a portico and the erection of eight feet-high walls around the grounds. His daughter Eleanor refers to the print in a letter she wrote in 1897 saying that it did not show accurately the house she had known as a child. Nonetheless the print gives some idea of how the house would have appeared. Locally, it was nicknamed 'the lantern house on account of its many windows.

Hampshire Record Office, To p37/2/2

WILLIAM COBBETT

In Newgate Gaol 1810-12

By courtesy of the

National Portrait Gallery

WILLIAM COBBETT  c1830

By courtesy of the

Museum of Farnham

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