Henry Fawcett: Difference between revisions
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In 1859 Fawcett attended the 1860 Oxford evolution debate |
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He was born in [[Salisbury]], and educated at the [[University of Cambridge]], where he became Fellow of Trinity Hall. A statue of him stands in Salisbury Market Square. |
He was born in [[Salisbury]], and educated at the [[University of Cambridge]], where he became Fellow of Trinity Hall. A statue of him stands in Salisbury Market Square. |
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In [[1858]], when he was 25, he was blinded by a shooting accident, in spite of which he continued with his studies, especially in economics, |
In [[1858]], when he was 25, he was blinded by a shooting accident, in spite of which he continued with his studies, especially in economics. Soon afterwards, he reportedly attended the [[1860 Oxford evolution debate]], during which he was asked whether he thought the bishop had actually read the ''Origin of Species''. "Oh no, I would swear he has never read a word of it", Fawcett reportedly replied loudly. Wilberforce swung round to him scowling, ready to recriminate, but stepped back and bit his toungue on noting that the protagonist was the blind economist. (See p. 126 of Janet Browne (2003) ''Charles Darwin: The Power of Place''.) |
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In [[1863]] Fawcett published his ''[[Manual of Political Economy]]'', becoming in the same year [[Professor of Political Economy, Cambridge University|Professor of Political Economy]] in Cambridge. |
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After repeated defeats he was elected [[member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Brighton (UK Parliament constituency)|Brighton]] in [[1865]]. He campaigned for [[women's suffrage]], and through this he met [[Elizabeth Garrett Anderson|Elizabeth Garrett]], to whom he proposed in 1865. She rejected the proposal to concentrate on becoming a doctor at a time when women doctors were extremely rare. Fawcett later married her younger sister [[Millicent Fawcett|Millicent Garrett]] in [[1867]].<ref>[http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WfawcettM.htm Millicent Garrett Fawcett] - Spartacus Educational</ref><ref>The Passing Parade with John Doremus, Evening with Ian Holland, Radio [[2CH]] 20:40 [[AEST]] 3 August 2007.</ref> |
After repeated defeats he was elected [[member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Brighton (UK Parliament constituency)|Brighton]] in [[1865]]. He campaigned for [[women's suffrage]], and through this he met [[Elizabeth Garrett Anderson|Elizabeth Garrett]], to whom he proposed in 1865. She rejected the proposal to concentrate on becoming a doctor at a time when women doctors were extremely rare. Fawcett later married her younger sister [[Millicent Fawcett|Millicent Garrett]] in [[1867]].<ref>[http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WfawcettM.htm Millicent Garrett Fawcett] - Spartacus Educational</ref><ref>The Passing Parade with John Doremus, Evening with Ian Holland, Radio [[2CH]] 20:40 [[AEST]] 3 August 2007.</ref> |
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Revision as of 19:46, 21 July 2008
Henry Fawcett (26 August 1833 – 6 November 1884) was a blind English statesman and economist.[1]
He was born in Salisbury, and educated at the University of Cambridge, where he became Fellow of Trinity Hall. A statue of him stands in Salisbury Market Square.
In 1858, when he was 25, he was blinded by a shooting accident, in spite of which he continued with his studies, especially in economics. Soon afterwards, he reportedly attended the 1860 Oxford evolution debate, during which he was asked whether he thought the bishop had actually read the Origin of Species. "Oh no, I would swear he has never read a word of it", Fawcett reportedly replied loudly. Wilberforce swung round to him scowling, ready to recriminate, but stepped back and bit his toungue on noting that the protagonist was the blind economist. (See p. 126 of Janet Browne (2003) Charles Darwin: The Power of Place.)
In 1863 Fawcett published his Manual of Political Economy, becoming in the same year Professor of Political Economy in Cambridge.
After repeated defeats he was elected member of Parliament (MP) for Brighton in 1865. He campaigned for women's suffrage, and through this he met Elizabeth Garrett, to whom he proposed in 1865. She rejected the proposal to concentrate on becoming a doctor at a time when women doctors were extremely rare. Fawcett later married her younger sister Millicent Garrett in 1867.[2][3]
In 1880 he was appointed Postmaster-General. He introduced many innovations, including parcel post, postal orders, and licensing changes to permit payphones and trunk lines.
His career was, however, cut short by his premature death from pleurisy, but not before he had made himself a recognised authority on economics, his works on which include The Economic Position of the British Labourer (1871), Labour and Wages, etc.
He was elected Rector of Glasgow University, 1883
Sir Leslie Stephen wrote a biography of him, Life of Henry Fawcett, in 1885.
References
- ^ "University of Glasgow,Biography of Henry Fawcett". Retrieved 2008-03-01.
- ^ Millicent Garrett Fawcett - Spartacus Educational
- ^ The Passing Parade with John Doremus, Evening with Ian Holland, Radio 2CH 20:40 AEST 3 August 2007.
External links
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Cousin, John William (1910). A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: J. M. Dent & Sons – via Wikisource.
- 1833 births
- 1884 deaths
- English economists
- Members of the United Kingdom Parliament for English constituencies
- United Kingdom Postmasters General
- People from Salisbury
- Blind people
- UK MPs 1865-1868
- UK MPs 1868-1874
- UK MPs 1874-1880
- UK MPs 1880-1885
- Hackney Members of Parliament
- Rectors of the University of Glasgow