886:
259:"Socialism is the common holding of the means of production and exchange, and the holding of them for the benefit of all. . . . It is just when the storm winds blow and the clouds lour and the horizon is at its blackest that the ideal of the Socialist shines with divinest radiance, bidding him trust the inspiration of the poet rather than heed the mutterings of the perplexed politician.
33:
313:"The Blands' socialist principles and sympathy for the oppressed never prevented them from enjoying a thoroughly bourgeois affluence, reflected in their increasingly grand houses growing numbers of servants." Their affluence began in the late 1880s when both of them were selling more of their writings.
336:. He wrote in December 1899 that defeat in Africa would mean "starvation in every city of Great Britain", while war would "overcome national flabbiness and restore the manhood of the British people." Bland's support of Britain's imperial interests began to make him unpopular with his fellow socialists.
279:
a man of fierce Norman exterior and huge physical strength... never seen without an irreproachable frock coat, tall hat, and a single eyeglass which infuriated everybody. He was pugnacious, powerful, a skilled pugilist, and had a shrill, thin voice reportedly like the scream of an eagle. Nobody dared
386:
Bland is one of the minor enigmas of literary history in that everything reported of him makes him sound repellent, yet he was admired, even adored, by many intelligent men and women... He did not aspire to be consistent. He allowed his wife to support him with her pen for some years, but was always
288:
Bland was an atypical Fabian, since he combined socialism with strongly conservative opinions that reflected his social background and his military sympathies... He was also strongly opposed to women's suffrage. At the same time he advocated collectivist socialism, wrote Fabian tracts, and lectured
351:
Before his journalism career, Bland had shown that he was "ill-equipped for business." It was Nesbit who kept the household going financially by having her poems and stories published. With Nesbit's support, Bland became a journalist in 1889, at first as a freelancer. In 1892, he became a regular
358:. His column contained "amusing, sharp-eyed, and pithy" comments. Critics praise Bland as having been "the most forceful and influential columnist of his day" who reached "almost the high-water mark of English journalism." Yet, Bland's "writings are now forgotten, except by a few historians."
205:
Bland, "a poseur by nature, was something more than a philanderer by habit." He had "a voracious sexual appetite." When Nesbit met Bland, he "already had a mistress with child." After Alice
Hoatson joined the Bland household, "he proceeded to father children on both her and Edith regularly."
374:
After years of suffering from heart trouble, in
November 1910 Bland had "a massive heart attack." The following year, his sight failed him. He had to give up lecturing and resign as treasurer of the Fabian Society. However, he continued writing his weekly column, with Alice Hoatson as his
140:
and become an army officer, but there was not enough money after his father's death, so he went to work as a bank clerk. Later, he went into a brush-making business that failed. After that, he worked as secretary to the
General Hydraulic Power Company, parent company of the
297:
Woman's metier in the world—I mean, of course, civilized woman, the woman in the world as it is—is to inspire romantic passion... Romantic passion is inspired by women who wear corsets. In other words, by the women who pretend to be what they not quite
191:"Romance, in-loveness, cannot survive six weeks of the appalling intimacy of marriage... The thing that should follow is friendship... friendship touched by intimacy... Fools may make satisfactory lovers, only the wise can make lasting friends."
210:
described Bland as maintaining "simultaneously three wives, all of whom bore him children," and two of the "wives" lived in the same house. To top it off, Bland "was not averse to seeking to seduce" the girlfriends of his daughter
Rosamund.
226:
in
January 1884. On 4 January 1884, Bland chaired the first meeting and was subsequently elected to be the Society's honorary treasurer, a position he held until his sight failed in 1911. With Edward Pease. Bland served as co-editor of the
375:
stenographer. He was dictating to her at Well Hall 14 April 1914, when he suddenly felt giddy, lowered himself to the floor, and died of a heart attack in her arms. He was buried with
Catholic rites on 18 April in the family plot at
170:
With Nesbit, Bland produced three children: Paul (1880–1940), Iris (1881-1965) and Fabian (1885–1900), who died aged 15 from a tonsil operation performed at home. Fabian had been given food before the anaesthetic for the operation.
387:
opposed to feminism... In mid-life, he joined the
Catholic Church, a further cosmetic touch to his old-world image, but without modifying his behaviour or even bothering to attend more than the statutory minimum of masses.
157:(1858–1924). They married on 22 April 1880 with Nesbit already seven months pregnant. They did not immediately live together as Bland initially continued to live with his mother. According to biographer, Julia Briggs,
361:
By 1899, the couple were financially secure. Bland's job as a columnist gave him "a secure income for the rest of his life" and Nesbit had become a successful writer. The couple lived in Well Hall House,
174:
Bland met Alice
Hoatson, a friend of Nesbit, after getting her pregnant in 1886: she became their housekeeper and his mistress for the rest of his life. Bland had two children by Hoatson:
214:
Bland wrote that he "hated the
Pharisees, the Prigs, the Puritans." He smoked, and claimed to be "adventurous" with drugs, having taken "opium in all its forms" as well as other drugs.
123:, south-east London, the youngest of the four children of Henry Bland, a successful commercial clerk, and his wife Mary Ann. He was baptised on 14 March 1855 at
532:
366:
from 1899 until Bland's death and Nesbit until 1920. Well Hall was their finest home and it served "a salon for figures in the literary political world."
302:
By 1900, Bland was part of the inner circle who controlled the Fabian
Society. In December 1906, he and other members of the inner circle defeated
289:
extensively on socialism. Bland was unconvinced by democracy and described it as 'bumptious, unidealistic, disloyal… anti-national and vulgar'.
133:
As a young man, Bland, showed his "passion was for politics" by his "strong interest in the political ideas raised at social protest meetings."
916:
234:
Nevertheless, "he sometimes disagreed with others in the group, and over the years he had been repeatedly outmanoeuvred and overruled by
926:
921:
476:
163:
who also had a son by him, though Nesbit did not realize this until later that summer when Bland fell ill with smallpox.
823:
604:
239:
137:
178:(b. 1886), his favourite, and John (b. 1899). Despite initial reluctance, they were raised by Nesbit as her own.
448:
142:
434:
222:
In 1883, the Blands joined a socialist debating group which evolved to become the (middle-class, socialist)
322:
181:
Given Bland's affairs and out of wedlock children, his "marriage to Edith was inevitably stormy at times."
688:
Dr Andrzej Diniejko, D. Litt.; Contributing Editor, Poland "The Fabian Society in Late Victorian Britain"
911:
716:
397:
175:
161:
Bland continued to spend half of each week with his widowed mother and her paid companion, Maggie Doran,
340:
124:
426:
332:. However, he took what some socialists saw as a reactionary position by supporting the South African
329:
631:
32:
306:'s "attempt to take over and change the Fabian Society". Bland was the Fabian delegate at the
167:
When, in 1880, Nesbit learned of her husband's affair with Maggie, she made friends with her.
779:
Calendar for Eleventh Session 1905–6 of the London School of Economics and Political Science
906:
901:
99:(3 January 1855 – 14 April 1914) was an English author. He was known for being an infamous
563:
8:
272:
235:
207:
701:
819:
376:
307:
537:
474:
354:
689:
605:
https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2005/mar/26/theatre.booksforchildrenandteenagers
549:
480:
418:
333:
243:
293:
Bland was (unlike most socialists) also an opponent of women's rights. He wrote:
861:
851:
767:
541:
275:
described how Bland intimidated other Fabian Society members, describing him as
247:
223:
104:
895:
251:
103:, a journalist, an early English socialist, and one of the founders of the
409:(1895/1898) by Fabian Bland, a pseudonym of Edith Nesbit and Hubert Bland.
303:
154:
108:
100:
876:
880:
120:
284:
Biographer, Julia Briggs, describes Bland as "an atypical Fabian":
781:(London: London School of Economics and Political Science, 1905).
419:
Bread, Education: A Plan for the State Feeding of School Children
363:
70:
677:
The New Statesman: Portrait of a Political Weekly, 1913–1931
530:
Briggs, Julia (24 May 2012). "Bland, Hubert (1855–1914)".
339:
Bland served for a while on the Board of Governors of the
796:
382:
Regarding Bland's legacy, Claire Tomalin has written that
615:
613:
784:
749:
725:
469:
467:
737:
610:
581:
130:He received his formal education in local schools.
464:
325:, but he "found its programme too inflammatory."
893:
721:. Fabian Society. 1889. "The Outlook", 212, 220.
242:, and their supporters. Fellow members included
706:(New York: E.P. Dutton & Co., 1916), 10–11.
645:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Archive
114:
452:, chosen by Edith Nesbit Bland (Goschen, 1914)
661:Several Strangers: Writing from Three Decades
536:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
525:
523:
521:
519:
517:
515:
513:
511:
509:
507:
505:
503:
501:
499:
497:
495:
493:
491:
489:
321:In 1885, Bland was briefly a member of the
316:
328:In the 1890s, Bland supported the liberal
148:
31:
816:A Woman of Passion: The Life of E. Nesbit
761:
655:
653:
184:
772:
682:
671:
669:
632:Letters to a daughter / by Hubert Bland.
486:
450:Essays: "Hubert" of the Sunday Chronicle
533:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
196:Hubert Bland, "Modern Marriage" in
894:
813:
802:
790:
755:
743:
731:
650:
619:
593:
587:
529:
694:
666:
637:
625:
352:columnist for the radical newspaper,
917:Social Democratic Federation members
679:(Taylor & Francis, 1996), 35–36.
556:
473:"The History of Tudor Barn Eltham"
445:(Garden City Press, Printers, 1911)
369:
264:Hubert Bland, "The Outlook" in
13:
14:
938:
870:
564:"General Hydraulic Power Company"
217:
927:Treasurers of the Fabian Society
884:
703:A History of the Fabian Society.
647:(Oxford University Press, 1937),
138:Royal Military Academy, Woolwich
709:
90:Socialism, writings, infidelity
310:conferences in 1908 and 1910.
143:London Hydraulic Power Company
1:
922:Members of the Fabian Society
599:Lyn Gardner, "Golden Age" in
457:
346:
550:UK public library membership
323:Social Democratic Federation
153:In 1877, he met 19-year-old
115:Early life and early careers
7:
883:(public domain audiobooks)
768:John Simkin, "Hubert Bland"
603:, 25 March 2005. Online at
355:Manchester Sunday Chronicle
136:Bland wanted to attend the
125:St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich
10:
943:
718:Fabian Essays on Socialism
400:Fabian Essays on Socialism
341:London School of Economics
266:Fabian Essays on Socialism
858:
848:
840:
835:
634:. Retrieved: 1 June 2021.
86:
78:
58:
39:
30:
23:
836:Party political offices
438:(T. Werner Laurie, 1907)
415:(T. Werner Laurie, 1905)
391:
330:Independent Labour Party
317:Other political activity
107:. He was the husband of
818:. New Amsterdam Books.
443:Socialism and Orthodoxy
402:(Fabian Society, 1889))
343:and Political Science.
149:Marriage and mistresses
814:Briggs, Julia (2000).
643:"Bland, Edith" in the
542:10.1093/ref:odnb/47683
421:(Fabian Society, 1905)
413:With the Eyes of a Man
389:
300:
291:
282:
261:
193:
185:Bland's licentiousness
165:
877:Works by Hubert Bland
663:(Penguin, 2000), 144.
479:21 March 2018 at the
428:Letters to a Daughter
384:
295:
286:
277:
257:
231:, a monthly journal.
198:Letters to a Daughter
189:
159:
430:(M. Kennerley, 1907)
407:The Prophet's Mantle
805:, pp. xi, 164.
280:be uncivil to him.
273:George Bernard Shaw
208:George Bernard Shaw
912:British socialists
436:The Happy Moralist
119:Bland was born in
82:Journalist, author
868:
867:
859:Succeeded by
850:Treasurer of the
700:Edward R. Pease,
548:(Subscription or
398:"The Outlook" in
377:Woolwich cemetery
94:
93:
69:Well Hall House,
934:
888:
887:
856:1884–1911
841:Preceded by
833:
832:
829:
806:
800:
794:
788:
782:
776:
770:
765:
759:
753:
747:
741:
735:
729:
723:
722:
713:
707:
698:
692:
686:
680:
673:
664:
659:Claire Tomalin,
657:
648:
641:
635:
629:
623:
617:
608:
597:
591:
585:
579:
578:
576:
574:
560:
554:
553:
545:
527:
484:
471:
370:Death and legacy
268:
201:
73:, London England
65:
49:
47:
35:
21:
20:
942:
941:
937:
936:
935:
933:
932:
931:
892:
891:
885:
873:
864:
855:
846:
826:
810:
809:
801:
797:
789:
785:
777:
773:
766:
762:
754:
750:
742:
738:
730:
726:
715:
714:
710:
699:
695:
687:
683:
674:
667:
658:
651:
642:
638:
630:
626:
618:
611:
598:
594:
586:
582:
572:
570:
562:
561:
557:
547:
528:
487:
481:Wayback Machine
472:
465:
460:
394:
372:
349:
334:Second Boer War
319:
270:
263:
220:
203:
195:
187:
162:
151:
117:
74:
67:
63:
54:
53:London, England
51:
45:
43:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
940:
930:
929:
924:
919:
914:
909:
904:
890:
889:
872:
871:External links
869:
866:
865:
862:F. Lawson Dodd
860:
857:
852:Fabian Society
847:
842:
838:
837:
831:
830:
824:
808:
807:
795:
793:, p. xvi.
783:
771:
760:
758:, p. 144.
748:
736:
734:, p. 126.
724:
708:
693:
681:
675:Adrian Smith,
665:
649:
636:
624:
622:, p. 108.
609:
592:
580:
555:
485:
462:
461:
459:
456:
455:
454:
446:
440:
432:
424:
416:
410:
404:
393:
390:
371:
368:
348:
345:
318:
315:
256:
248:Havelock Ellis
224:Fabian Society
219:
218:Fabian Society
216:
188:
186:
183:
150:
147:
116:
113:
105:Fabian Society
92:
91:
88:
87:Known for
84:
83:
80:
76:
75:
68:
66:(aged 59)
60:
56:
55:
52:
50:3 January 1855
41:
37:
36:
28:
27:
24:
16:English author
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
939:
928:
925:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
899:
897:
882:
878:
875:
874:
863:
854:
853:
845:
839:
834:
827:
825:9781566633765
821:
817:
812:
811:
804:
799:
792:
787:
780:
775:
769:
764:
757:
752:
746:, p. 77.
745:
740:
733:
728:
720:
719:
712:
705:
704:
697:
690:
685:
678:
672:
670:
662:
656:
654:
646:
640:
633:
628:
621:
616:
614:
606:
602:
596:
590:, p. 49.
589:
584:
569:
568:Grace's Guide
565:
559:
551:
543:
539:
535:
534:
526:
524:
522:
520:
518:
516:
514:
512:
510:
508:
506:
504:
502:
500:
498:
496:
494:
492:
490:
482:
478:
475:
470:
468:
463:
453:
451:
447:
444:
441:
439:
437:
433:
431:
429:
425:
423:
422:
417:
414:
411:
408:
405:
403:
401:
396:
395:
388:
383:
380:
378:
367:
365:
359:
357:
356:
344:
342:
337:
335:
331:
326:
324:
314:
311:
309:
305:
299:
294:
290:
285:
281:
276:
274:
269:
267:
260:
255:
253:
252:Frank Podmore
249:
245:
241:
237:
232:
230:
225:
215:
212:
209:
202:
199:
192:
182:
179:
177:
172:
168:
164:
158:
156:
146:
144:
139:
134:
131:
128:
126:
122:
112:
110:
106:
102:
98:
89:
85:
81:
79:Occupation(s)
77:
72:
62:14 April 1914
61:
57:
42:
38:
34:
29:
22:
19:
849:
844:New position
843:
815:
798:
786:
778:
774:
763:
751:
739:
727:
717:
711:
702:
696:
684:
676:
660:
644:
639:
627:
601:The Guardian
600:
595:
583:
571:. Retrieved
567:
558:
531:
449:
442:
435:
427:
420:
412:
406:
399:
385:
381:
373:
360:
353:
350:
338:
327:
320:
312:
308:Labour Party
301:
296:
292:
287:
283:
278:
271:
265:
262:
258:
244:Edward Pease
233:
228:
221:
213:
204:
197:
194:
190:
180:
173:
169:
166:
160:
155:Edith Nesbit
152:
135:
132:
129:
118:
109:Edith Nesbit
97:Hubert Bland
96:
95:
64:(1914-04-14)
25:Hubert Bland
18:
907:1914 deaths
902:1855 births
803:Briggs 2000
791:Briggs 2000
756:Briggs 2000
744:Briggs 2000
732:Briggs 2000
620:Briggs 2000
588:Briggs 2000
304:H. G. Wells
240:Sidney Webb
229:Fabian News
896:Categories
552:required.)
458:References
347:Journalist
46:1855-01-03
573:1 January
101:libertine
881:LibriVox
477:Archived
176:Rosamund
121:Woolwich
822:
546:
364:Eltham
250:, and
200:, 1907
71:Eltham
392:Works
820:ISBN
575:2016
298:are.
236:Shaw
59:Died
40:Born
879:at
538:doi
898::
668:^
652:^
612:^
566:.
488:^
466:^
379:.
254:.
246:,
238:,
145:.
127:.
111:.
828:.
691:.
607:.
577:.
544:.
540::
483:.
48:)
44:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
