It remains to describe here its measure of
success in the formation of local societies.
The summer of 1905 was about the low-water mark of provincial Fabianism.
Nine societies are named in the report, but four of these appeared to
have no more than a nominal existence. The Oxford University Society had
but 6 members; Glasgow had 30 in its University Society and 50 in its
town Society; Liverpool was reduced to 63, Leeds and County to 15, and
that was all. A year later the Cambridge University Society had been
formed, Oxford had more than doubled its membership to 13, but only five
other societies were in existence. By the following year a revival had
set in. W. Stephen Sanders, at that time an Alderman of the London
County Council, who had been a member of the Society since 1890 and of
the executive Committee since 1904, was appointed Organising Secretary
with the special object of building up the provincial organisation. By
1910 there were forty-six local societies, and in 1912 the maximum of
fifty was reached. Since then the number has declined. These societies
were scattered over the country, some of them in the great cities,
Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield, and so on: others within hail of
London, at Croydon, Letchworth, Ilford: others again in small towns,
Canterbury, Chelmsford, Carnarvon: another was at Bedales School,
Petersfield, run by my son and his schoolfellows.
Pages:
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236