Fawcett

Fawcett, Henry (1833-1884), an English minister and writer upon political economy and social subjects. His father was a magistrate of Salisbury. Mr. Fawcett was educated at King's College School, London, and at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, of which society he became a fellow after graduating as 7th wrangler in 1856. In 1858 an accident, while he was out partridge shooting, led to the total loss of sight. With characteristic determination and strength of mind, Mr. Fawcett forwent few if any of his accustomed recreations and occupations; he rowed, rode, and skated almost to the end of his life, and remained as useful a member of society as he had been before the accident. He wrote many articles in magazines upon politics and upon political economy, and his Manual of Political Economy led many to study the subject who had found earlier manuals too technical and abstruse. In 1863 he was appointed Professor of Economy at Cambridge. He wrote many works upon that and kindred subjects, receiving much valuable aid from his gifted wife. After three vain attempts to enter Parliament, he was returned for Brighton in 1865 and again in 1868, and for Hackney in 1874. In 1880 he was made Postmaster-General, and his period of office was marked by the establishment of the parcel-post, the reply-postcard, and by other improvements in different departments. While in Parliament he devoted much attention to Indian questions; and it was probably only his blindness that prevented his admission to the Cabinet. A life of him has been written by Mr. Leslie Stephen. His wife, Millicent Garrett Fawcett, is the daughter of Mr. Newson Garrett; she was married in 1867, and, as has been stated above, largely assisted her husband in his pursuits and occupations. She published a work on Political Economy for Beginners, in 1869, consisting of a compendium of the Manual of Professor Fawcett. She is a strong upholder of Women's Rights, and has lectured much in favour of the extension of the suffrage to women.