Edmund Dawson Rogers | |
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| Born | 7 August 1823 Holt, Norfolk, England |
| Died | 28 September 1910 (aged 87) |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, spiritualist |
Edmund Dawson Rogers (7 August 1823 – 28 September 1910), was an English journalist and spiritualist. He was the first editor of the Eastern Daily Press and the founder of the National Press Agency.
The son of John and Sarah Rogers, and given the middle name Dawson which was his mother's family name, he was brought up a strict Methodist and received a classical education at Gresham's School, Holt, [1] then was apprenticed to a pharmacist.
In 1845, he went as a surgeon's dispenser to Wolverhampton, where he joined the Staffordshire Mercury as a journalist.
In 1848 he was appointed as editor of the struggling Norwich newspaper the Norfolk News, and put it on its feet. The proprietors at the time were two future Liberal members of parliament, Jacob Henry Tillett and J. J. Colman. On 10 October 1870, Rogers became the first editor of the Eastern Counties Daily Press, working for the same proprietors, remaining until 1872. [1] In 1871, the paper was renamed the Eastern Daily Press.
In 1873, Rogers moved to London and at the request of leading members of the Liberal Party established the National Press Agency in Shoe Lane, remaining as manager until he retired in 1894. [1]
The National Press Agency had an enormous scoop as part of the Hawarden Kite affair in December 1885, when William Ewart Gladstone's son Herbert Gladstone gave Rogers what he said were his father's opinions on Irish home rule.
In London Rogers also published and edited The Tenant Farmer (1894–1898) and The Free Speaker (1873–1874).
About 1843 Rogers was introduced by Sir Isaac Pitman to the work of Swedenborg. He went on to study mesmerism and mesmeric healing. He began to attend séances in 1869 with various mediums, especially Mrs Thomas Everitt and William Eglinton, and became a spiritualist. In 1873 he helped to form the British National Association of Spiritualists, and in 1881 founded the spiritualist journal Light, which he edited from 1894 until his death in 1910. In 1881–1882 he founded the Society for Psychical Research, with Sir William Barrett. [1] Its early members included William Stainton Moses, F. W. H. Myers, Henry Sidgwick, and Edmund Gurney, and Rogers was a member of its Council from 1882 to 1885. In 1884, he was a founding member of the London Spiritualist Alliance, afterwards the College of Psychic Studies, and was its president from 1892 until 1910. [2]
On 11 July 1843, Rogers married Sophia Jane Hawkes. They had two sons and four daughters. His wife died in 1892.
In Who's Who , Rogers gave his recreation as "Occasional rambles in Switzerland". At the time of his death, his address was Rose Villa, Hendon Lane, Finchley, London N. [1]
The Society for Psychical Research (SPR) is a nonprofit organisation in the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is to understand events and abilities commonly described as psychic or paranormal. It describes itself as the "first society to conduct organised scholarly research into human experiences that challenge contemporary scientific models." It does not, however, since its inception in 1882, hold any corporate opinions: SPR members assert a variety of beliefs with regard to the nature of the phenomena studied.
Algernon Borthwick, 1st Baron Glenesk JP, known as Sir Algernon Borthwick, Bt, between 1887 and 1895, was a British journalist and Conservative politician. He was the owner of the Morning Post.
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William John Monson, 1st Viscount Oxenbridge PC, known as The Lord Monson between 1862 and 1886, was a British Liberal politician. He served as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard between 1880 and 1885 and in 1886 under William Ewart Gladstone.
The College of Psychic Studies is a non-profit organisation based in South Kensington, London. It is dedicated to the study of psychic and spiritualist phenomena.
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George William Erskine Russell PC was a British biographer, memoirist and Liberal politician.
Edward Hugessen Knatchbull-Hugessen, 1st Baron Brabourne, known as E. H. Knatchbull-Hugessen, was a British Liberal and later Conservative politician. He served as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department under Lord Russell in 1866 and under William Ewart Gladstone from 1868 to 1871 and was also Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies under Gladstone from 1871 to 1874. In 1880 he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Brabourne.
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Events from the year 1874 in the United Kingdom.
William Stainton Moses was an English cleric and spiritualist medium. He promoted spirit photography and automatic writing, and co-founded what became the College of Psychic Studies. He resisted scientific examination of his claims, which have generally been demolished.
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Catherine Amy Dawson Scott was an English writer, playwright and poet. She is best known as a co-founder of International PEN, a worldwide association of writers. In her later years she became a keen spiritualist.
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Sir John Richard Robinson was an English journalist, manager and editor of the Daily News.
Thomas Everitt (1823–1905) and Mrs Thomas Everitt (1825–1915) were prominent British spiritualists.
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