WILLIAM COBBETT
9 March 1763
– 18 June 1835
Painting possibly by George Cooke.
Oil on canvas, circa 1831
©National Portrait Gallery
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-
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. For members of the William Cobbett Society only.
This Year’s Rural Ride (Click for information on 2014 Rural Ride)
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.
An Annual General Meeting with speaker,
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)
A Cobbett Statue for Farnham
The promotion of an equestrian sculpture of William Cobbett in Farnham is a continuing project of the Farnham public Art Trust. See:
http://www.farnhampublicarttrust.co.uk/current%20projects.html
WILLIAM COBBETT c1830
By courtesy of the
Museum of Farnham
Three important videos from the William Cobbett Anniversary year -