Lovett, William

Paper, 'To the Wealth Producing Classes of England', signed 'One of the People.' Written in support of the Co-operative movement. At the end is the following note, 'This was printed in a Maidstone periodical, The Co-operative Miscellany , in 1830. W. L.'

After a relatively poor upbringing Lovett became interested in the social conditions of the working classes. Around 1830 he was appointed secretary to the British Association for promoting Co-operative Knowledge and during that time was also connected with agitation against stamp duty on newspapers. In 1831 he went on to join the National Union of the Working Classes. In 1836 he assisted to draft the Benefit Societies Act and to draft other People's Bills and Charters. With his collegue Collins he wrote Chartism: A New Organisation of the People in 1841. Later in his life he also became interested in educational issues, writing some educational text books. He was also involved in promoting the establishment of free libraries to parliamentarians.

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Catalogue of the manuscripts and autograph letters in the University Library compiled by Reginald Arthur Rye.

Birmingham City Archives hold correspondence and papers, [1836-1850] (Ref: MS 753); the British Library, London, contains correspondence and papers created as Secretary of the Chartist National Convention, 1839 (Ref: Add MSS 34245), minutes of the Working Mens' Association, 1836-1847 (Ref: Add MSS 37773-4), and correspondence with Francis Place, 1834-1841 (Add MSS 35149-51 passim).

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