Great Britain
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Charles Bradlaugh
Hoxton (London), Great Britain
Archival Overview
Courageous British radical reformer and champion of free thought who waged a historic six-year constitutional battle to take his seat in Parliament without taking a religious oath, and championed Indian self-determination as 'Member for India'.
Biographical Record
Charles Bradlaugh (1833–1891) founded the National Secular Society in 1866, publishing the radical newspaper 'National Reformer' to champion working-class enfranchisement, birth control, trade unions, and republicanism. Elected to Parliament for Northampton in 1880, he was denied his seat for refusing to swear on the Christian Bible.
Re-elected four times by his loyal constituents despite being physically assaulted and imprisoned in the Clock Tower of Westminster, Bradlaugh triumphed in 1886, securing the Oaths Act 1888 that affirmed the right of all citizens to sit in Parliament via secular affirmation. He was acclaimed in Bombay as the 'Member for India' for his advocacy of Indian self-rule.
Key Life Milestones
Victory in the Parliamentary Oath Battle
Administered the secular oath in the House of Commons after four consecutive re-elections.
Attending the Indian National Congress in Bombay
Welcomed by 2,000 delegates in India as their champion in the British Parliament.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialBrookwood (Surrey), United Kingdom