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Edward Truelove
Edward Truelove.jpg
Edward Truelove
Born (1809-10-29)October 29, 1809
Died April 21, 1899(1899-04-21) (aged 89)
Resting place Highgate Cemetery
Nationality British
Occupation Publisher and Bookseller
Known for Radical publishing
Movement Chartisim and Owenisim
Board member of John Street Institution
Spouse(s) Harriett Potbory
Children Harriett ,Maurice H, and Edward Mazaninni
Parent(s) John and Sara Truelove
Relatives Louisa Truelove Baldwin (nee Mosley)- Grand Niece

Edward Truelove (born 1809, died 1899) was an English publisher and bookseller who believed in new, progressive ideas. He helped share many important books and pamphlets that encouraged people to think freely and question old ways.

Edward Truelove's Life and Work

Edward Truelove was a supporter of the Owenite movement. This movement believed in creating ideal communities where people shared resources and worked together. From 1844 to 1845, Truelove lived at the Queenwood community in Hampshire, which was an Owenite experiment.

Early Experiences and Community Involvement

After his time in Hampshire, Truelove traveled to New Harmony, Indiana, for a year. This was another community based on Owenite ideas. He returned to London in 1846. For the next nine years, he worked as the secretary of the John Street Institution. This place was a key meeting spot for the Chartists, a group of working-class people who fought for more rights in Britain.

In 1871, Truelove was the secretary for the last big Owenite gathering in London. He was dedicated to these movements for a long time.

Publishing and Activism

Edward Truelove was well-known for his publishing work. He edited a series called the Reformer's Library, which offered books at low prices. This made important ideas available to more people. He also published materials for the International Workingmen's Association. This was a group that worked to improve conditions for workers around the world.

In July 1877, Truelove helped start the Malthusian League. This group discussed ideas about population growth. He was also a member of the National Secular Society, which promoted non-religious views. He regularly attended meetings of the Malthusian League until it stopped meeting formally around 1899.

Bookselling Locations

In 1847, Truelove sold books from John Street in London. From 1852 to 1867, his shop was located at 240 Strand, London. Later, in 1874, he moved his business to 256 High Holborn. The High Holborn address was also used as an office for the First International, starting around 1870.

A book from 1895, The Book-Hunter in London, described Truelove as someone who questioned traditional beliefs. It also mentioned that he had retired from his High Holborn shop a few years before. After he passed away, his personal collection of books was sold.

Family grave of Edward Truelove in Highgate Cemetery
Family grave of Edward Truelove in Highgate Cemetery

Edward Truelove is buried with his wife and daughter in Highgate Cemetery in London.

Edward Truelove's Family Life

Edward Truelove married Harriett Potbory in 1840. She was from Sidmouth, Devon.

Family Members and Beliefs

Edward and Harriett had a daughter, also named Harriett, and a son, Maurice H. In 1849, they named another young son "Mazzini" after the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Mazzini. This naming happened at a special non-religious ceremony led by George Jacob Holyoake at the John Street Institution.

Both Edward's wife, Harriett, and his daughter, also Harriett, were later involved in the suffragist movement. This movement worked to gain voting rights for women. Later in life, Edward, his wife, and their daughter Harriett helped raise their grand-niece, Louisa.

Connections with Florence Nightingale

Harriett Truelove, Edward's wife, was friends with Florence Nightingale, a famous nurse. They wrote letters to each other. Florence Nightingale sometimes visited the Truelove bookshop in the late 1840s. The shop was conveniently located next to the John Street Institution.

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