Bunting, Percy William, Sir, 1836-

Social reformer, editor of Contemporary Review. Born in England, 1836; died, 1911.

Sir Percy W. Bunting (1836-1911) was a social reformer and editor of the Contemporary Review. He was the only son of Thomas Percival Bunting, a solicitor in Manchester. Educated at home until 1851 when he became one of the original students of Owens College, graduating as an associate in 1859. He obtained a scholarship at Pembroke College, Cambridge, graduating as B.A. in 1859. He began to practice law in 1862 at Lincoln's Inn where he acquired a large practice, from which he finally retired in 1895.

From an early age he was devoted to social reform, political liberalism, and the welfare of modern Methodism. He was very active in promoting organization of non-conformity as a national religious force. The promotion of moral purity was the social reform which engaged much of his adult energy. He visited the Continent several times in this cause, becoming an apt French and a good German scholar as a result.

In politics Bunting was a zealous liberal and admirer of Gladstone. He served on the executive committee of The National Liberal Foundation from 1880 until his death, and in 1892 he was elected to Parliament from East Islington as a Gladstone liberal.

In 1882, Bunting became editor of the Contemporary Review, founded by Alexander Strahan in 1862. Bunting remained editor until his death, conducting the Review on liberal lines. He enlisted the services of foreign contributors with whom his travels had brought him in contact, and he encouraged all writers, well known or not, who could present phases of contemporary theology, science, art, literature, and politics. He maintained a moderately advanced religious tone, and gave topics of social reform a prominent place. A firm believer in international amity, Bunting was active in the formation of the Anglo-German Friendship Society in 1911.

After he was knighted in 1908 his physical powers began to fail slowly, and he died on July 22, 1911.