Frank
Podmore
was born at Elstree, Hertfordshire, on 5th February 1856. The son
of Rev. Thompson Podmore, the Headmaster of Eastbourne College, Frank
was educated at Haileybury and Pembroke College, Oxford,
where he graduated with a first in natural science in 1877.
As an undergraduate Podmore developed an interest in spiritualism
and carried out research into psychic phenomena. He joined the Society
for Physical Research and although he eventually rejected spiritualism,
he did support the idea of extra-sensory perception.
In October, 1883 Podmore and his friend, Edward
Pease joined a socialist debating group established by Edith
Nesbit and Hubert Bland. It was Podmore
who suggested that the group should be named after the Roman General,
Quintus Fabius Maximus, who advocated the weakening the opposition
by harassing operations rather than becoming involved in pitched battles.
In January 1884 the group became known as the Fabian
Society. Podmore's home, 14 Dean's Yard, Westminster, became the
official headquarters of the
organisation.
In 1886 Podmore and Sidney Webb carried
out an investigation into unemployment. In the Fabian
Society pamphlet, The
Government Organisation of Unemployed Labour they
advocated the funding of rural land armies but declined to endorse
large-scale public employment as they feared it would encourage inefficiency.
Podmore's major work was a detailed study of the life and ideas of
Robert Owen. The two volume Robert
Owen was published in 1906. In the book Podmore
argued that Owen was the founding father of both socialism
and spiritualism.
Podmore held a senior position in the Post
Office but in 1907 he resigned and went to live with his brother in
Broughton. It is believed that he was involved in some homosexual
scandal. Frank Podmore died by drowning at Malvern on 14th August,
1910. The circumstances suggest that he committed suicide.
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