Leicester Secular Society
Encyclopedia
Leicester Secular Society is the world's oldest Secular
Society. It meets at its headquarters, the Leicester Secular Hall
in the centre of Leicester
, England
, at 75 Humberstone Gate.
formed throughout England
in the mid-19th century, largely through the efforts of George Jacob Holyoake
and his supporters. (The National Secular Society
was founded in 1866).
, Luddites, Dissenters, Chartists and the Cooperative movement, but also to the building of the Leicester Secular Hall
in 1881. This was financed by subscription from the members although the Leicester engineer and councillor Josiah Gimson was the main benefactor. It was Gimson who chose the young and innovative architect, W Larner Sugden, and who engaged the sculptor Ambrose Louis Vago for the five busts on the front of the building which depict Robert Owen
, Thomas Paine
, Voltaire
, Socrates
and, most controversially, Jesus
.
After Gimson's death in 1883, one of his sons, Sidney Gimson, became the mainstay of the society until shortly before his death in 1938. He was ably assisted by F. J. Gould as secretary from 1899 to 1908. Another son, Ernest Gimson
, became famous as a designer in the Arts and Crafts movement
of William Morris
, whose speech on "Art and Socialism" at the Secular Hall in 1884 marked the beginning of the Socialist movement in Leicester..
In the period after the Second World War the society went into a decline. Average weekly attendances dropped from a high of 50 to a low of 20: its members having perhaps thought its battles largely won. However, the recent resurgence of religion
as a political issue has reinvigorated the membership.
Secularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
Society. It meets at its headquarters, the Leicester Secular Hall
Leicester Secular Hall
Leicester Secular Hall is a Grade II Listed Building built in 1881 for Leicester Secular Society by The Leicester Secular Hall Co. Ltd, all the shareholders of which were Secularists, led by Josiah Gimson a Leicester engineer and councillor who held the largest number of shares. Ownership of the...
in the centre of Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, at 75 Humberstone Gate.
Founding of the Society
Founded in 1851, the society is the oldest surviving of numerous Secular SocietiesSecularism
Secularism is the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries...
formed throughout England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the mid-19th century, largely through the efforts of George Jacob Holyoake
George Holyoake
George Jacob Holyoake , English secularist and co-operator, was born in Birmingham, England. He coined the term "secularism" in 1851 and the term "jingoism" in 1878.-Owenism:...
and his supporters. (The National Secular Society
National Secular Society
The National Secular Society is a British campaigning organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of church and state. It holds that no-one should gain advantage or disadvantage because of their religion or lack of religion. It was founded by Charles Bradlaugh in 1866...
was founded in 1866).
Principles
The Society is rooted in the principles of secularism. The membership page of its website includes the following assertions:
Practical Humanity: Our efforts should be devoted to the elimination of human misery, injustice, poverty and ignorance in the world as it is here and now.
We oppose religious teachings that divert people away from realities, into inactive fatalism, supernatural worship, or superstitious ritual.
Free Speech: People should be able to express and publish their views, however controversial, without fear of persecution, prosecution or physical harm, so long as they allow others the same freedom.
We oppose bigotry and coercion based on factors such as beliefs, racial and ethnic origins, disability, sex, age, sexuality or lifestyle.
Rational Argument: Anyone should be prepared to submit their views to vigorous argument, questioning their assumptions and testing their conclusions.
We refuse to believe or act on any dogma advocated without evidence just because some authority says so.
Working Together: Moral values like kindness, loyalty and honesty arise from the need for people to live together in a peaceful and constructive manner.
We advocate separation of church and state, withdrawal of special privileges of religious organisations, and secularisation of church schools.
History
The society owes its survival partly to a long tradition of radical thought in Leicester, going back to the LollardsLollardy
Lollardy was a political and religious movement that existed from the mid-14th century to the English Reformation. The term "Lollard" refers to the followers of John Wycliffe, a prominent theologian who was dismissed from the University of Oxford in 1381 for criticism of the Church, especially his...
, Luddites, Dissenters, Chartists and the Cooperative movement, but also to the building of the Leicester Secular Hall
Leicester Secular Hall
Leicester Secular Hall is a Grade II Listed Building built in 1881 for Leicester Secular Society by The Leicester Secular Hall Co. Ltd, all the shareholders of which were Secularists, led by Josiah Gimson a Leicester engineer and councillor who held the largest number of shares. Ownership of the...
in 1881. This was financed by subscription from the members although the Leicester engineer and councillor Josiah Gimson was the main benefactor. It was Gimson who chose the young and innovative architect, W Larner Sugden, and who engaged the sculptor Ambrose Louis Vago for the five busts on the front of the building which depict Robert Owen
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
, Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine
Thomas "Tom" Paine was an English author, pamphleteer, radical, inventor, intellectual, revolutionary, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States...
, Voltaire
Voltaire
François-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
, Socrates
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
and, most controversially, Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
.
After Gimson's death in 1883, one of his sons, Sidney Gimson, became the mainstay of the society until shortly before his death in 1938. He was ably assisted by F. J. Gould as secretary from 1899 to 1908. Another son, Ernest Gimson
Ernest Gimson
Ernest William Gimson was an English furniture designer and architect. Gimson was described by the art critic Nikolaus Pevsner as "the greatest of the English architect-designers"...
, became famous as a designer in the Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
of William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
, whose speech on "Art and Socialism" at the Secular Hall in 1884 marked the beginning of the Socialist movement in Leicester..
In the period after the Second World War the society went into a decline. Average weekly attendances dropped from a high of 50 to a low of 20: its members having perhaps thought its battles largely won. However, the recent resurgence of religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
as a political issue has reinvigorated the membership.