Edward Vansittart Neale
Encyclopedia
Edward Vansittart Neale B.A. M.A. (2 April 1810 – 16 September 1892), was an English barrister
, co-operator
and Christian socialist.
Neale was born in Bath, the son of Rev. Edward Vansittart of Taplow
in Buckinghamshire. In 1828, after receiving early education at home, he entered Oriel College Oxford where he was tutored by J. H. Newman. In 1837 he was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
. He was a relative of William Wilberforce
.
He became a Christian Socialist
in 1850, and joined the council of the Society for Promoting Working Men's Associations.
With a group of like-minded men, such as F.D. Maurice, Thomas Hughes
, John Malcolm Forbes Ludlow, Charles Kingsley
, and John Llewelyn Davies
, he was an early promoter of the Working Men's College
, and taught at its predecessor, the Hall of Association, Castle Street, London.
He founded the first co-operative store in London, and advanced capital for two builders' associations, both of which failed. In 1851, though strongly opposed by other members of the promoting Council, he started his own initiative, the Central Co-operative Agency, similar to the later Co-operative Wholesale Society
. The failure of this scheme, and the Amalgamated Society of Engineers
cause in the engineering lock-out of 1852, in which he invested, is said to have cost him £40,000. He was closely associated with the movement which resulted in the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1876, and the passing of the Consolidation Act of 1862.
Besides publishing pamphlets on co-operation, he served on an executive committee which developed into the Co-operative Central Board
, and took an active part in the 1863 formation of the North of England Co-operative Wholesale Society
. He was one of the founders of the Cobden Mills in 1866, and the Agricultural and Horticultural Association in 1867. A promoter of the annual Co-operative Congress
, in 1872 he was President of its second day. He became general secretary of the Co-operative Union in 1873.
For many years he was a director of the Co-operative Insurance Company, and a member of the Co-operative Newspaper Society
. He visited America in 1875, with a deputation whose object was to open-up direct trade between farmers of the western states and English co-operative stores. After resigning as secretary to the Co-operative Congress Board in 1891, he became a member of the Oxford University branch of the Christian Social Union
.
Neale married Frances Sarah Farrer; they had three children: Edith, Constance and Henry. In later life he inherited his family estate of Bisham Abbey
in Berkshire.
A memorial to Neale was erected in St Paul's Cathedral
, and a scholarship at Oriel College was endowed in his memory.
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, co-operator
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
and Christian socialist.
Neale was born in Bath, the son of Rev. Edward Vansittart of Taplow
Taplow
Taplow is a village and civil parish within South Bucks district in Buckinghamshire, England. It sits on the east bank of the River Thames facing Maidenhead on the opposite bank. Taplow railway station is situated near the A4 south of the village....
in Buckinghamshire. In 1828, after receiving early education at home, he entered Oriel College Oxford where he was tutored by J. H. Newman. In 1837 he was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
. He was a relative of William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce
William Wilberforce was a British politician, a philanthropist and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming the independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire...
.
He became a Christian Socialist
Christian socialism
Christian socialism generally refers to those on the Christian left whose politics are both Christian and socialist and who see these two philosophies as being interrelated. This category can include Liberation theology and the doctrine of the social gospel...
in 1850, and joined the council of the Society for Promoting Working Men's Associations.
With a group of like-minded men, such as F.D. Maurice, Thomas Hughes
Thomas Hughes
Thomas Hughes was an English lawyer and author. He is most famous for his novel Tom Brown's Schooldays , a semi-autobiographical work set at Rugby School, which Hughes had attended. It had a lesser-known sequel, Tom Brown at Oxford .- Biography :Hughes was the second son of John Hughes, editor of...
, John Malcolm Forbes Ludlow, Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley
Charles Kingsley was an English priest of the Church of England, university professor, historian and novelist, particularly associated with the West Country and northeast Hampshire.-Life and character:...
, and John Llewelyn Davies
Arthur Llewelyn Davies
Arthur Llewelyn Davies was a respected barrister, but is best known as the father of the boys who served as the inspiration for Peter Pan and the other children of J. M. Barrie's stories of Neverland...
, he was an early promoter of the Working Men's College
Working Men's College
The Working Men's College- WMC, being among the earliest adult education institutions established in the United Kingdom, is Europe's oldest extant centre for adult education and perhaps one of its smallest...
, and taught at its predecessor, the Hall of Association, Castle Street, London.
He founded the first co-operative store in London, and advanced capital for two builders' associations, both of which failed. In 1851, though strongly opposed by other members of the promoting Council, he started his own initiative, the Central Co-operative Agency, similar to the later Co-operative Wholesale Society
Co-operative wholesale society
A Co-operative Wholesale Society, or CWS, is a form of Co-operative Federation , in this case, the members are usually Consumers' Co-operatives...
. The failure of this scheme, and the Amalgamated Society of Engineers
Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union
The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union was a British trade union. It merged with the MSF to form Amicus in 2001.The history of the union can be traced back to the formation of the "Old Mechanics" of 1826, which grew into the Amalgamated Society of Engineers in 1851...
cause in the engineering lock-out of 1852, in which he invested, is said to have cost him £40,000. He was closely associated with the movement which resulted in the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1876, and the passing of the Consolidation Act of 1862.
Besides publishing pamphlets on co-operation, he served on an executive committee which developed into the Co-operative Central Board
Co-operative Congress
The Co-operative Congress is the national conference of the UK Co-operative Movement. The first of the modern congresses took place in 1869 following a series of meetings called the "Owenite Congress" in the 1830s...
, and took an active part in the 1863 formation of the North of England Co-operative Wholesale Society
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
. He was one of the founders of the Cobden Mills in 1866, and the Agricultural and Horticultural Association in 1867. A promoter of the annual Co-operative Congress
Co-operative Congress
The Co-operative Congress is the national conference of the UK Co-operative Movement. The first of the modern congresses took place in 1869 following a series of meetings called the "Owenite Congress" in the 1830s...
, in 1872 he was President of its second day. He became general secretary of the Co-operative Union in 1873.
For many years he was a director of the Co-operative Insurance Company, and a member of the Co-operative Newspaper Society
Co-operative Press
The Co-operative Press is a British small co-operative society whose principal activity is the publication of The Co-operative News. The mission of the Society is "To be the best news service and forum in the co-operative, mutual and social...
. He visited America in 1875, with a deputation whose object was to open-up direct trade between farmers of the western states and English co-operative stores. After resigning as secretary to the Co-operative Congress Board in 1891, he became a member of the Oxford University branch of the Christian Social Union
Christian Social Union (Church of England)
The Christian Social Union was an organisation within the Church of England devoted to the study of social conditions and the remedying of social injustice, which flourished in the latter part of the nineteenth century and continued into the early twentieth. Its origins lay in the writings of F.D....
.
Neale married Frances Sarah Farrer; they had three children: Edith, Constance and Henry. In later life he inherited his family estate of Bisham Abbey
Bisham Abbey
Bisham Abbey is a Grade I listed manor house at Bisham in the English county of Berkshire. The name is taken from the now lost monastery which once stood alongside. Bisham Abbey was previously named Bisham Priory, and was the traditional resting place of many Earls of Salisbury...
in Berkshire.
A memorial to Neale was erected in St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, and a scholarship at Oriel College was endowed in his memory.