The ''Monthly Repository'' was a British monthly Unitarian periodical which ran between 1806 and 1838. In terms of editorial policy on theology, the ''Repository'' was largely concerned with

rational dissent English Dissenters or English Separatists were Protestant Christians who separated from the Church of England in the 17th and 18th centuries. A dissenter (from the Latin ''dissentire'', "to disagree") is one who disagrees in opinion, belief and ...

. Considered as a political journal, it was radical, supporting a platform of: abolition of monopolies (including the Corn Laws); abolition of slavery; repeal of "

taxes on knowledge Taxes on knowledge was a slogan defining an extended British campaign against duties and taxes on newspapers, their advertising content, and the paper they were printed on. The paper tax was early identified as an issue: "A tax upon Paper, is a ta ...

"; extension of

suffrage Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in representative democracy, public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally i ...

;

national education Moral and national education (MNE), initially known as Moral and civic education (MCE), was a school curriculum proposed by the Education Bureau of Hong Kong in 2012. The subject was controversial for its stance on the Chinese Communist Part ...

; reform of the Church of England; and changes to the

Poor Laws In English and British history, poor relief refers to government and ecclesiastical action to relieve poverty. Over the centuries, various authorities have needed to decide whose poverty deserves relief and also who should bear the cost of hel ...

History

The ''Monthly Repository'' was established when

Robert Aspland Robert Aspland (13 January 1782 – 30 December 1845) was an English Unitarian minister, editor and activist. To be distinguished from his son Robert Brook Aspland (1805-1869). Life Aspland was the son of Robert Aspland and his second wife, Ha ...

bought

William Vidler William Vidler (4 May 1758 – 23 August 1816) was an English nonconformist minister and editor, ultimately of universalist views. Life The tenth child of John and Elizabeth Vidler, he was born at Battle, Sussex, on 4 May 1758. As a boy he was k ...

's ''Universal Theological Magazine'' and changed the name to the ''Monthly Repository of Theology and General Literature''. Aspland edited the magazine until the end of 1826, when the paper was bought by the recently formed

British and Foreign Unitarian Association The British and Foreign Unitarian Association was the major Unitarian body in Britain from 1825. The BFUA was founded as an amalgamation of three older societies: the Unitarian Book Society for literature (1791), The Unitarian Fund for mission wo ...

. The "Cookites", the Methodist Unitarian movement founded by

Joseph Cooke Rev. Joseph Cooke (1775–1811), a Free Christian, was expelled by the Wesleyan Methodists on doctrinal grounds and became the inspiration behind the Methodist Unitarian movement formed under the leadership of another former Wesleyan, Joseph A ...

, was launched by an article in the ''Monthly Repository'' for May 1815. A second series of the magazine, now the ''Monthly Repository and Review of General Literature'', was begun in January 1827: the Unitarian Association's Book Department, under Thomas Rees, took direct editorial control until

William Johnson Fox William Johnson Fox (1 March 1786 – 3 June 1864) was an English Unitarian minister, politician, and political orator. Early life Fox was born at Uggeshall Farm, Wrentham, near Southwold, Suffolk on 1 March 1786. His parents were strict Calvi ...

was appointed editor in 1828. In 1831 Fox cut the magazine's explicit ties with Unitarianism by buying the paper, which had been making a loss, from the Association. He continued as editor-proprietor until 1836, when the magazine was briefly owned and edited by first

Richard Henry Horne Richard Hengist Horne (born Richard Henry Horne) (31 December 1802 – 13 March 1884) was an English poet and critic most famous for his poem ''Orion''. Early life Horne was born at Edmonton, London, son of James Horne, a quarter-master in t ...

(1836–7) and then

Leigh Hunt James Henry Leigh Hunt (19 October 178428 August 1859), best known as Leigh Hunt, was an English critic, essayist and poet. Hunt co-founded '' The Examiner'', a leading intellectual journal expounding radical principles. He was the centr ...

(1837–8). Its price seems to have varied between 1s and 1s 6d.

Contributors

Contributors included

John Bowring Sir John Bowring , or Phraya Siamanukulkij Siammitrmahayot, , , group=note (17 October 1792 – 23 November 1872) was a British political economist, traveller, writer, literary translator, polyglot and the fourth Governor of Hong Kong. He was a ...

Lant Carpenter Lant Carpenter, Dr. (2 September 1780 – 5 or 6 April 1840) was an English educator and Christian Unitarianism, Unitarian Minister (Christianity), minister. Early life Lant Carpenter was born in Kidderminster, the third son of George Carpenter ...

, George Dyer,

Benjamin Flower Benjamin Flower (1755 – 17 February 1829) was an English radical journalist and political writer, and a vocal opponent of his country's involvement in the early stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Early life He was born in London, the son of a pro ...

, William Frend,

Jeremiah Joyce Jeremiah Joyce (1763–1816) was an English Unitarian minister and writer. He achieved notoriety as one of the group of political activists arrested in May 1794. Early life He was born 24 February 1763, the son of Jeremiah Joyce (1718–1788), ...

, John Kentish,

Harriet Martineau Harriet Martineau (; 12 June 1802 – 27 June 1876) was an English social theorist often seen as the first female sociologist, focusing on racism, race relations within much of her published material.Michael R. Hill (2002''Harriet Martineau: Th ...

J.S. Mill John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 7 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, Member of Parliament (MP) and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical liberalism, he contributed widely to ...

Joseph Nightingale Joseph Nightingale (26 October 1775 – 9 August 1824) was a prolific English writer and preacher. He was particularly noted for his topographic writing and his interest in shorthand. Life He was born at Chowbent in Atherton, Lancashire and beca ...

John Towill Rutt John Towill Rutt (4 April 1760 – 3 March 1841) was an English political activist, social reformer and nonconformist man of letters. Life Born in London on 4 April 1760, was only son of George Rutt, at first a druggist in Friday Street, Cheapsid ...

Emily Taylor Emily Taylor (1795 – 11 March 1872) was an English schoolmistress, poet, children's author, and hymnist. She wrote numerous tales for children, chiefly historical, along with books of instruction and some descriptive natural history. Early l ...

Eliza Flower Eliza Flower (1803 – 12 December 1846) was a British musician and composer. In addition to her own work, Flower became known for her friendships including those with William Johnson Fox, Robert Browning, John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor. B ...

and

Sarah Fuller Flower Adams Sarah Fuller Flower Adams (or Sally Adams) (22 February 1805 – 14 August 1848) was an English poet and hymnwriter. A selection of hymns she wrote, published by William Johnson Fox, included her best-known one, "Nearer, My God, to Thee", report ...

References

Citations

Sources

* Mineka, Francis E., ''The Dissidence of Dissent: The'' Monthly Repository, ''1806–1838'', Chapel Hill, 1944.

External links

Snapshot:''Monthly Repository''
a

Near-complete run of copies at archive.org
Magazines established in 1806 Defunct magazines published in the United Kingdom Christian magazines Magazines disestablished in 1838 1806 establishments in the United Kingdom Religious magazines published in the United Kingdom 1838 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom {{UK-mag-stub