Montague Fordham
Encyclopedia
Montague Edward Fordham was an English
agriculturalist and advocate of rural reform. He belonged to the Religious Society of Friends
.
A historian and barrister and by profession Fordham first gained notability in Birmingham
where he was involved in a number of initiatives in support of traditional handicraft
. To this end he was the first director of the Birmingham Guild and School of Handicrafts
following its 1890 foundation. as well as serving as the director of the Arts and Craft Gallery from 1899 to 1908 and head of the Artificers Guild from 1903 to 1906.
Fordham's main passion was however rural reform and thus he formed the Land Club Union in 1908 which aimed to establish model farms, organise farmers banks and loans, provide machinery and revive traditional life and festivals in the country. The following year he published Mother Earth: A Proposal for the Permanent Reconstruction of our Country Life as an effective manifesto for the Union with a foreword by John A. Hobson
. The book attacked what it saw as the anti-farmer nature of the economic system as well as preceding the organic movement
by attacking modern methods. After the publication of this book he became involved with a number of rural reform groups such as the Agricultural Organisation Society and Land Clubs League, arguing in favour of his desire to see a return to small-holdings. He desired autarky
in food production for all countries, whilst also highlighting the dangers of soil erosion caused by the concentration of agriculture in certain countries.
His 1924 book The Rebuilding of Rural England contained an attack on the existing monetary systems and argued instead in favour making money available as credit, thus indicating a link with Social Credit
. His criticisms of the economic system of Britain became more marked after the 1931 slump.
He established the Rural Reconstruction Association
in 1926 and served as its Council Secretary for 20 years, with the group at the forefront of the agricultural reform movement.
His son Michael Fordham
became a noted psychiatrist
.
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...
agriculturalist and advocate of rural reform. He belonged to the Religious Society of Friends
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
.
A historian and barrister and by profession Fordham first gained notability in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
where he was involved in a number of initiatives in support of traditional handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
. To this end he was the first director of the Birmingham Guild and School of Handicrafts
Birmingham Guild and School of Handicrafts
Birmingham Guild of Handicraft was an arts & crafts organisation operating in Birmingham, England. Its motto was 'By Hammer and Hand'.It began as a loose part of the Birmingham Kyrle Society, then became a more fully formed group within the Kyrle Society in 1890, under the leadership of the...
following its 1890 foundation. as well as serving as the director of the Arts and Craft Gallery from 1899 to 1908 and head of the Artificers Guild from 1903 to 1906.
Fordham's main passion was however rural reform and thus he formed the Land Club Union in 1908 which aimed to establish model farms, organise farmers banks and loans, provide machinery and revive traditional life and festivals in the country. The following year he published Mother Earth: A Proposal for the Permanent Reconstruction of our Country Life as an effective manifesto for the Union with a foreword by John A. Hobson
John A. Hobson
John Atkinson Hobson , commonly known as John A. Hobson or J. A. Hobson, was an English economist and critic of imperialism, widely popular as a lecturer and writer.-Life:...
. The book attacked what it saw as the anti-farmer nature of the economic system as well as preceding the organic movement
Organic movement
The organic movement broadly refers to the organizations and individuals involved worldwide in the promotion of organic farming, which is a more sustainable mode of agriculture...
by attacking modern methods. After the publication of this book he became involved with a number of rural reform groups such as the Agricultural Organisation Society and Land Clubs League, arguing in favour of his desire to see a return to small-holdings. He desired autarky
Autarky
Autarky is the quality of being self-sufficient. Usually the term is applied to political states or their economic policies. Autarky exists whenever an entity can survive or continue its activities without external assistance. Autarky is not necessarily economic. For example, a military autarky...
in food production for all countries, whilst also highlighting the dangers of soil erosion caused by the concentration of agriculture in certain countries.
His 1924 book The Rebuilding of Rural England contained an attack on the existing monetary systems and argued instead in favour making money available as credit, thus indicating a link with Social Credit
Social Credit
Social Credit is an economic philosophy developed by C. H. Douglas , a British engineer, who wrote a book by that name in 1924. Social Credit is described by Douglas as "the policy of a philosophy"; he called his philosophy "practical Christianity"...
. His criticisms of the economic system of Britain became more marked after the 1931 slump.
He established the Rural Reconstruction Association
Rural Reconstruction Association
The Rural Reconstruction Association was a British agricultural reform movement established in 1926 with Montague Fordham as its Council Secretary, a post he held for 20 years....
in 1926 and served as its Council Secretary for 20 years, with the group at the forefront of the agricultural reform movement.
His son Michael Fordham
Michael Fordham
Michael Scott Montague Fordham was an English psychiatrist, a Jungian analyst. The Michael Fordham Prize is named in his honour.-Background and education:...
became a noted psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
.