William Cobbett was born in Farnham, in the building that is now the William Cobbett pub, and is buried there, in St Andrews churchyard.  The story of his life is remarkable. Despite having very little education he became the journalistic giant of his age. Today he is mostly known for writing Rural Rides, which is still in print, but which was only a small part of his output in the later years of his life. However few people know that Cobbett was the original founder of Hansard, the record of Parliamentary debates, which was originally known as Cobbett's Political Debates.  He was an early fighter for Parliamentary Reform and an outspoken opponent of corruption in high places – whether in Parliament, banking, the Church or the press. He highlighted in particular the plight of the rural poor. He was bankrupted and imprisoned for ‘seditious libel’. He spent time in the USA, where he is still well known, and France.

Cobbett was largely self-educated, yet produced his newspaper, the Political Register, weekly for 30 years; he also wrote an English and a French Grammar and books on gardening (still in print), self-sufficiency, economics and the Church.  After the 1832 Reform Act Cobbett became the MP for Oldham, a new constituency created by the Reform Act, which he represented until his death in 1835. A crowd of 8000 attended his funeral in Farnham, including Daniel O’Connell the Irish Nationalist leader and MP.

 

The Life of William Cobbett: a Summary

1763

Born: Farnham 9 March, 1763. At Jolly Farmer/William Cobbett Pub.

Early Life: Worked as a farm labourer, and briefly at Farnham Castle.

1783

(May) Took a stagecoach to London; worked as a Clerk. (Autumn) Joined 54th Regiment of Foot.

1785 - 1791

Posted to Canada; educated himself; read widely and studied grammar; became Regimental Sergeant Major.

1791

1791 Returned to England; requested and received honourable discharge.

1792

(Feb) Married Anne 'Nancy' Reid (they met in Canada). Seven surviving children. * Attempted to charge senior officers with corruption. * Case turned against him * (March) fled to France. (Sept) Left France: revolutionary wars escalating. * Continued on to Philadelphia; became a political (and pro-British) writer. * Established reputation as pamphleteer with speudonym of 'Peter Porcupine'.

1797

Attacked local lawyer; sued for libel; moved to New York.

 

Journalistic/Political Life in England

1800

Returned to England, initially treated as a hero and offered Government 'jobs'. -Settled in Botley, Hants where he farmed and wrote.

1802

Published his Weekly Political Register until his death in 1835. Initially a Tory journalist; gradually more radical and anti-establishment. Wrote with 'characteristic directness and vigour'.

1809

Criticised use of German troops to suppress a 'mutiny' in Ely. Tried and convicted of 'seditious libel'.

1810 - 1812

Spent two years in Newgate Prison. Continued to write and publish.

1817 - 1819

Returned to America fearing a second trial; farmed on Long Island; Published A Grammar of the English Language (1818). Back to UK just after Peterloo 'Massacre'.

1820

Leading advocate of political and agricultural Reform. Supported radicals, but against violence. Continued to demand freedom of speech and Parliamentary reform. Against enclosures and the impoverishment of the rural poor.

1821

Began horseback tours of southern England, later published as 'Rural Rides'. Strong supporter of Queen Caroline (against King George IV). Stood for Parliament but defeated. Tried again in 1826 and in March 1832.

1831

Tried again for sedition (for supporting agricultural rioters). Not convicted.

1832

1832 Reform Act passed. Elected MP for Oldham at subsequent election. Attacked continuing corruption in Government. Ineffective in Parliament as one of only a small handfull of radical MPs.

1834

Visited Scotland and Ireland where he received a hero's welcome. As MP he opposed Poor Law reforms and introduction of workhouses.

1835

18 June: Died on his farm at Normandy, Surrey. Buried in Farnham, St Andrews Churchyard - 500yds from Birthplace. 8,000 people attended the funeral (more than the population of Farnham.) He wrote 25m+ words in over 50 works; started Hansard; influenced, among others, Dickens, the Chartists, Karl Marx.

 

Bibliography:

The Life and Adventures of William Cobbett, Richard Ingrams, Harper Collins, 2005.

Introduction to Rural Rides ed Ian Dyck, Penguin, 2001.

Cobbett's England: a Selection of his Writings, edited by J Derry, Parkgate, 1977 (originally Folio 1968).

William Cobbett: The Poor Man's Friend, George Spater, Cambridge, 1982. 

 

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