Edmund Rack facts for kids

Edmund Rack (born around 1735 – died 1787) was an English writer who lived in Bath, Somerset. He was especially known for writing about farming and for starting important groups, like a society to help farmers.

A Life of Learning and Helping Others

Edmund Rack was born in a town called Attleborough in Norfolk, England, around 1735. His father was a weaver, and both his parents were Quakers, a religious group known for their simple lifestyle and peaceful beliefs. His mother was even a Quaker preacher.

Edmund grew up as a Quaker and learned to work in a general shop in Wymondham. After finishing his training, he moved to Great Bardfield in Essex. There, he worked for a woman named Miss Agnes Smith, whom he later married.

Around 1775, Edmund Rack moved to Bath, Somerset. He loved to read and write, and important people like Lady Miller and Mrs Macaulay supported his work.

Helping Farmers and Thinkers

Before moving to Bath, Edmund had paid close attention to farming methods in Norfolk. He wanted to improve farming in the western parts of England. So, in 1777, he created a plan for a new group. This group would encourage better farming in four counties: Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset, and Gloucester.

Edmund Rack became the first secretary of this new farming society. The group even had a special room in his house in Bath. This society is still around today and is known as the Royal Bath and West of England Society.

In 1779, Edmund also helped start the Bath Philosophical Society, a group for people who loved to discuss ideas and science. He became its first secretary too. Sadly, he lost his savings around 1780. Edmund Rack passed away in Bath on February 22, 1787.

His Writings and Contributions

Edmund Rack was a busy writer. He wrote many books and articles on different topics.

Books by Edmund Rack

Here are some of the books he wrote:

• Reflections on the Spirit and Essence of Christianity (1771): This book was about Christian ideas.
• England's true Interest in the choice of a new Parliament briefly considered (1774): This book discussed what was best for England when choosing new leaders.
• Poems on Several Subjects (1775): A collection of his poems.
• Mentor's Letters addressed to Youth (1777): This book was written for young people. It was very popular, selling thousands of copies.
• Essays, Letters, and Poems (1781): This collection included some of his earlier poems and essays from magazines.
• A Respectful Tribute to Thomas Curtis (1784): A short piece written for a member of the Bath Philosophical Society.

Other Works and Projects

Edmund Rack also helped publish three volumes of papers for the Agricultural Society. He wrote some of the articles in these volumes himself. His papers about the history of farming and about the cockchafer insect were printed in other collections.

In 1777, he edited the second edition of Caspipina's Letters by Rev. Jacob Duché. He also added a short story about William Penn to it.

From 1782 to 1786, Edmund Rack worked on a detailed survey of Somerset county. He almost finished it before he died. The work was later published in 1791 by the Rev. John Collinson as The history and antiquities of the county of Somerset.

Rack also wrote for various magazines, including the Monthly Ledger, the Monthly Miscellany, the Farmer's Magazine, and the Bath Chronicle. He also wrote poems that appeared in collections by other writers.