Blatchford, Robert, 1851-1943

Robert Blatchford was an English author known primarily as an outspoken Socialist. Born in Maidstone, Kent, to two touring actors, he was apprenticed with a brushmaker, but ran away after six years, enlisting in the army soon thereafter. After leaving the army, he worked as a clerk before becoming a journalist, but lost his job after converting to Socialism. He co-founded The Clarion, which became a popular Socialist newspaper, and his collection of articles, Merrie England, sold very well. He wrote several other books and numerous articles, and his conversion to Spiritualism in the 1920s led to More Things in Heaven and Earth, describing his experiences with Spiritualism.

From the description of Robert Blatchford letter to Miss Ferguson, 1929 Nov. 7. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 85869609