Charles Watts (27 February 1836 – 16 February 1906) was an English writer, lecturer and publisher, who was prominent in the

secularist Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion. It is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may be broadened ...

and

freethought Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an unorthodox attitude or belief. A freethinker holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority, tradition, revelation, or dogma, and should instead be reached by other meth ...

movements in both

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

and

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Life and career

He was born on 27 February 1836, in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

, to a family of Methodists, and showed precocious talents, giving his first lecture at age 14. At 16, he moved to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, and worked with his elder brother John Watts (1834–1866) in a printing office. Through this work the two brothers came into contact with

freethinkers Freethought (sometimes spelled free thought) is an unorthodox attitude or belief. A freethinker holds that beliefs should not be formed on the basis of authority Authority is commonly understood as the legitimate power of a person or ...

including

Charles Southwell Charles Southwell (1814 – 7 August 1860) was a radical English journalist, freethinker and colonial advocate. Early life Charles Southwell was born in London, the youngest of 33 children in a poor family. His father, William, was a piano m ...

and

Charles Bradlaugh Charles Bradlaugh (; 26 September 1833 – 30 January 1891) was an English political activist and atheist. He founded the National Secular Society in 1866, 15 years after George Holyoake had coined the term "secularism" in 1851. In 1880, Br ...

. John Watts became an active proselytiser for secularism, and in 1863 was appointed editor of the ''National Reformer'', a radical periodical founded by Bradlaugh, with Charles as assistant editor. In 1864, the brothers formed a publishing business, Watts & Co.Edward Royle, ''Victorian Infidels: The Origins of the British Secularist Movement 1791-1866''
, Manchester University Press, 1974, Madalyn Murray O'Hair, ''Biography of Charles Watts'', American Atheists
/ref> He and his first wife, Mary Ann, had a son,

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''* ...

in 1858; in 1870 he married his second wife, the freethinker Kate Eunice Watts, with whom he had a daughter in 1875. John Watts died from

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

at age 32. Charles Watts took charge of the publishing business and toured the country, delivering hundreds of lectures on theological, social, and political issues. He declared himself an

atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

and, with Bradlaugh and others, helped found the

National Secular Society The National Secular Society (NSS) is a British campaigning organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of church and state. It holds that no one should gain advantage or disadvantage because of their religion or lack of it. The Soc ...

(NSS) in 1866. In 1876, he was appointed full-time editor and publisher of the ''National Reformer''. He also wrote and published a wide range of pamphlets on secularism and

republicanism Republicanism is a political ideology that encompasses a range of ideas from civic virtue, political participation, harms of corruption, positives of mixed constitution, rule of law, and others. Historically, it emphasizes the idea of self ...

, and wrote the first systematic history of freethought, eventually published in book form as ''Freethought: its Rise, Progress and Triumph''. His wife, Kate Watts, often travelled with him and also wrote pamphlets, including ''The Education and Position of Woman'' and ''Christianity: Defective and Unnecessary''. In 1877, Charles Watts broke with Bradlaugh over the pamphlet ''The Fruits of Philosophy'', which had been written by American physician and atheist

Charles Knowlton Charles Knowlton (May 10, 1800 – February 20, 1850) was an American physician and writer. Education Knowlton was born May 10, 1800, in Templeton, Massachusetts. His parents were Stephen and Comfort (White) Knowlton; his grandfather Ezekiel Kn ...

, and which promoted

birth control Birth control, also known as contraception, anticonception, and fertility control, is the use of methods or devices to prevent pregnancy. Birth control has been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods of birth control only be ...

and discussed

human sexuality Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied ...

. The pamphlet was published for the first time in Britain by James Watson's publishing company in 1845. In 1876, Charles Watts published the pamphlet and was prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act. In protest of Watts' prosecution, Bradlaugh and

Annie Besant Annie Besant (; Wood; 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was an English socialist, Theosophy (Blavatskian), theosophist, freemason, women's rights and Home Rule activist, educationist and campaigner for Indian nationalism. She was an arden ...

, published the pamphlet it 1877 and were also prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act, resulting in the infamous "Knowlton Trial" of Bradlaugh and Besant. Later Watts was released, resigned from the NSS, and, with

George Holyoake George Jacob Holyoake (13 April 1817 – 22 January 1906) was an English secularist, British co-operative movement, co-operator and newspaper editor. He coined the terms secularism in 1851 and "jingoism" in 1878. He edited a secularist paper, '' ...

and G. W. Foote, formed the British Secular Union, a short-lived rival group. Watts became editor of the ''

Secular Review ''Secular Review'' (1876–1907) was a freethought/secularist weekly publication in nineteenth and early twentieth-century Britain that appeared under a variety of names. It represented a "relatively moderate style of Secularism," more open to old ...

'' founded by Holyoake. G. H. Taylor, ''A Chronology of British Secularism'', National Secular Society, 1957
In 1882, he travelled for the first time to the United States to lecture, and also visited

, where he was invited to take up residence. He emigrated to

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

in 1883, leaving his son Charles Albert Watts in charge of his publishing interests in Britain. Charles Watts then became the leader of the secularist movement in Canada, founding and editing '' Secular Thought'' in Toronto, and also regularly went on lecture tours of the US. Upon Bradlaugh's death, he returned to England in 1891, where his son had by then established the periodical ''Watts's Literary Guide'' (the forerunner of the ''

New Humanist ''New Humanist'' is a quarterly magazine, published by Humanists UK and based in London, that focuses on culture, news, philosophy, and science from a sceptical perspective. History ''New Humanist'' has been in print for years, starting out ...

'' magazine) to promote secularist activities. Charles Watts rejoined the NSS and continued lecturing, as well as cooperating with Foote on the journal, '' The Freethinker''. He returned to the US and Canada, with Foote, to lecture in 1896, and again visited the US in 1899. He died in England, on 16 February 1906, aged 70, and is buried in a family grave on the eastern side of

Highgate Cemetery Highgate Cemetery is a place of burial in North London, England, designed by architect Stephen Geary. There are approximately 170,000 people buried in around 53,000 graves across the West and East sides. Highgate Cemetery is notable both for so ...

. His son Charles remained active in the secularist movement, helping to develop the

Rationalist Press Association The Rationalist Association was a charity in the United Kingdom which published '' New Humanist'' magazine between 1885 and 2025. Since 2025, the Rationalist Press has been the publishing imprint of Humanists UK. The original Rationalist Press ...

; he was later buried with Watts. Family grave of Charles Watts in Highgate Cemetery

Selected publications

*''Evolution and Special Creation'' (1860)
''Christianity & Secularism: Which is the Better Suited to Meet the Wants of Mankind?''
(1882)
''The Origin, Nature and Destiny of Man''
(1893)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watts, Charles 1836 births 1906 deaths Burials at Highgate Cemetery British critics of religions English agnostics English humanists English sceptics Freethought writers