Neale, Edward Vansittart, 1810-1892

Edward Vansittart Neale was born in Bath on 2nd April 1810. His relatives included William Wilberforce, politician and leading abolitionist of the Slave Trade and Nicholas Vansittart, Chancellor of the Exchequer during the administration of Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool. Oliver Cromwell was also amongst his distant ancestors. Neale was raised an Evangelical Christian, and was educated at home by his father, the Rev. Edward Neale who was the rector of Taplow, Buckinghamshire. Evangelical Christianity was thus a great influence on Neale’s early life. However, in 1828, Neale entered Oriel College Oxford, where he was tutored by J. H. Newman, who later became Cardinal. Under Newman’s tuition, he gradually abandoned his evangelical beliefs, and with them, a career in the church. Instead he took up his studies at Lincoln’s Inn and became a Chancery Barrister, being called to the Bar in May 1837. In June of that year Neale married Frances Sarah Farrer, with whom he had two daughters, Edith and Constance and a son, Henry, also an active co-operator.

Neale’s law career was only moderately successful, as his interests lay elsewhere. He sought an alternative to evangelical Christianity and became interested in the works of German philosophers and French socialists. In 1850 Neale joined the Christian Socialists, and later became appointed to the Council of Promoters of that organisation. Christian Socialists believe that Christianity and socialism are interconnected and attempt to apply the social principles of Christianity to everyday life. Neale invested heavily in several co-operative ventures during this time, all of which failed resulting in him losing in excess of £40,000. However, in 1851 he founded the Central Co-operative Agency, a wholesale depot that was a forerunner of the Co operative Wholesale Society. In 1852 he founded the Co-operative League, which was composed largely of followers of Robert Owen. It was intended as a forum for co-operative ideas, and held regular public meetings, at one of which Owen himself gave an address. A publication, Transactions of the Co-operative League was produced in three parts in 1852.

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