Thomas Latimer (journalist)
Thomas Latimer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 August 1803 Bristol, England |
| Died | 5 January 1888 (aged 84) |
| Occupation | Journalist |
Thomas Latimer JP (9 August 1803 – 5 January 1888) was a British journalist and campaigner.[1]
Life and career
Born in Bristol but raised mostly in London, Latimer left London for Exeter in 1827.[2] The same year he took up his first job as a reporter for the Devonshire Chronicle and Exeter News.[3] Within a few years, he became editor of the Western Times, which he strengthened into a force against corruption and injustice.[2] Under his leadership, the paper gained a reputation for 'championing the yeoman and working man'.[4]
While serving as editor of the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette,[5] Latimer formed a lifelong friendship with Charles Dickens.[6]
Latimer became known nationally for his political struggle with the Bishop of Exeter, Henry Phillpotts.[1] When the Bishop charged Latimer with criminal libel, Alexander Cockburn QC defended him without a fee on the basis that what Latimer had said in his criticisms of the Bishop had been true; Latimer was acquitted.[1][3]
In addition to his career as a journalist, Latimer became an Exeter councillor, an overseer of the poor and an improvement commissioner. In 1851, he was appointed a Justice of the Peace.[3]
Latimer was a well-known walker, once walking the 170 miles from London to Exeter in three days.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 Lambert, Richard Stanton (1939). The Cobbett of the West: A Study of Thomas Latimer and the Struggle Between Pulpit and Press at Exeter. London: Nicholson and Watson.
- 1 2 "Thomas Latimer » 10 Nov 1939 » The Spectator Archive". The Spectator Archive. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Thomas Latimer". Exeter Civic Society. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- 1 2 "Exeter Memories - Thomas Latimer". www.exetermemories.co.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- ↑ "Charles Dickens and his relationship with Devon". Exmouth Journal. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2026.
- ↑ Greaves, Paul (4 September 2021). "Exeter cottage hides link to global superstar". Devon Live. Retrieved 10 June 2026.