The Freethinker
The Freethinker is a British secular humanist and atheist publication founded in 1881.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Freethinker is a British secular humanist publication established in May 1881 by George William Foote. It is among the oldest surviving freethought periodicals and has maintained an explicitly atheist, anti-religious editorial identity throughout its history. Its founding mission combined criticism of Christian doctrine and religious authority with the use of science, scholarship, philosophy, ethics, satire, and ridicule. The publication’s outlook developed within the wider British freethought and secularist movements of the late nineteenth century, while remaining institutionally distinct from the National Secular Society (NSS). Although the journal has often been closely associated with the NSS, including through overlapping editors and officeholders, it has not been published by the NSS. Its publishing company has been G. W. Foote & Co. Ltd. since the journal’s inception. The publication became an early test case for the legal and cultural limits placed on criticism of religion in Victorian Britain. After its Christmas 1882 issue included anti-religious cartoons, Foote was prosecuted for blasphemy and sentenced to twelve months’ imprisonment with hard labour. Edward Aveling edited the paper during part of Foote’s imprisonment. Foote later described the episode in Prisoner for Blasphemy, published in 1886. The prosecution helped establish the journal’s reputation for confrontational secularist commentary and connected its identity with campaigns for freedom of expression, opposition to blasphemy laws, and public criticism of religious privilege. Across the twentieth century, The Freethinker passed through a long succession of editors, including Chapman Cohen, Frank Ridley, Colin McCall, David Tribe, Jim Herrick, William McIlroy, Peter Brearey, and Barry Duke. Its editorial themes continued to include atheism, secularism, humanism, rationalism, skepticism, religious criticism, free expression, and the relationship between religion and public life. The magazine’s front-page description was changed in 2006 from “Secular humanist monthly” to “The Voice of Atheism since 1881,” emphasizing its continuity and its more explicitly atheist public positioning. The April 2014 issue announced the end of regular print publication, with subsequent publication continuing online. The journal later used external online publishing arrangements, including a section of the Patheos website beginning in July 2021. In 2022, ownership and editorial decisions led to a change in its planned digital destination and the end of Barry Duke’s editorship. Emma Park became editor in January 2022, and Daniel James Sharp succeeded her from April 2024. The publication remains associated with G. W. Foote & Co. Ltd. and continues as an online freethought title. Its current editorial identity combines historical continuity with commentary on atheism, secularism, humanism, religion, skepticism, science, politics, and freedom of expression.
History
The Freethinker was founded in Britain in May 1881 by George William Foote as an openly anti-Christian and freethought periodical. Its founding program treated religion as a subject for direct intellectual and political criticism, drawing on science, scholarship, philosophy, ethics, satire, and common-sense argument. The publication’s tone was deliberately combative rather than neutral: it sought to challenge claims of divine revelation, religious superstition, and the social authority of established Christianity. The journal quickly became associated with the nineteenth-century struggle over blasphemy, censorship, and freedom of expression. In its Christmas 1882 issue, it published anti-religious cartoons. Foote was prosecuted for blasphemy and received a sentence of twelve months’ imprisonment with hard labour. During part of his imprisonment, Edward Aveling edited the paper. Foote later recorded the episode in Prisoner for Blasphemy, published in 1886. The prosecution became a defining episode in the publication’s history, illustrating the risks faced by freethought publishers and reinforcing the journal’s reputation for challenging religious privilege. Although The Freethinker has had a close relationship with the British secularist movement and has often shared personnel with the National Secular Society, it has remained formally autonomous. It has never been published by the NSS. G. W. Foote & Co. Ltd. has published the journal from its beginning, giving the title a corporate continuity that is separate from its changing editorial leadership. The twentieth century brought a lengthy succession of editors and editorial committees. Chapman Cohen edited the journal from 1915 to 1951, followed by Frank Ridley and then a committee during the mid-1950s. Colin McCall later became sole editor. Other editors included David Tribe, Kit Mouat, David Collis, Karl Hyde, David Reynolds, William McIlroy, Nigel Sinnott, Christopher Morey, Jim Herrick, Peter Brearey, and Barry Duke. William McIlroy served during more than one period, including a long tenure from 1981 to 1992. Through these changes, the journal retained its core focus on atheism, secularism, humanism, skepticism, rational inquiry, religion, and freedom of thought. In 2006, its front-page masthead changed from “Secular humanist monthly” to “The Voice of Atheism since 1881.” The new wording made its atheist identity more prominent while also presenting the title as a continuing historical institution. The publication remained a print magazine until 2014. Its April 2014 issue announced that the May edition would be the last print issue, after which new material would be published online. The Freethinker subsequently experimented with digital publishing arrangements. New content began appearing in a section of Patheos in July 2021. In early 2022, Barry Duke moved to the newly established OnlySky, and the journal initially appeared set to follow that digital transition. The board of G. W. Foote & Co. Ltd. instead decided to retain a dedicated website and terminate Duke’s editorship. Emma Park was announced as his successor in January 2022. She served until March 2024, when Daniel James Sharp became editor from April. The title therefore entered its latest phase as an online publication while preserving its historic name, independent ownership structure, and outspoken secularist identity.
- 2024
Daniel James Sharp becomes editor
[1]Sharp succeeds Emma Park as editor from April.
- 2022
Editorial and website arrangements change
[1]Emma Park succeeds Barry Duke, while the publisher decides to preserve a dedicated website rather than complete a planned move to OnlySky.
- 2021
Digital content appears on Patheos
[1]The first new article appears in The Freethinker section of Patheos in July.
- 2014
Print edition ends
[1]The publication announces that its May issue will be the final print edition and that future publishing will continue online.
- 2006
Masthead adopts an explicitly atheist slogan
[1]The front-page description changes from “Secular humanist monthly” to “The Voice of Atheism since 1881.”
- 1886
Prisoner for Blasphemy is published
[1]Foote publishes an account of his blasphemy prosecution and imprisonment.
- 1883
Foote is imprisoned
[1]Foote receives a twelve-month sentence with hard labour; Edward Aveling edits the paper during his imprisonment.
- 1882
Anti-religious cartoons lead to prosecution
[1]Cartoons published in the Christmas issue contribute to Foote’s prosecution for blasphemy.
- 1881
The journal is founded
[1]George William Foote establishes The Freethinker in Britain as an explicitly atheist and anti-religious publication.
Products and positioning
An independent British freethought publication positioned as an outspoken atheist, anti-religious, secular humanist, and free-expression journal.
Print journal and online publication · 1881
The Freethinker
The core publication is a British freethought journal founded in 1881. Historically issued in print, it covered atheism, secularism, humanism, religious criticism, rationalism, skepticism, free expression, and related cultural and political questions. Print publication ended in 2014, after which the title continued online. Its contemporary form is a digital publication retaining the historic name and confrontational secularist orientation.
Books and collected writings · 1886
Historical Freethinker books and anthologies
G. W. Foote & Co. Ltd. has been associated with books connected to the journal and the wider freethought tradition. Notable historical examples include George William Foote’s Prisoner for Blasphemy and later collections such as Freethoughts, which selects writings concerning atheism, secularism, and humanism from The Freethinker.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Transition to digital publishing
United Kingdom · International online readership
The publication shifted from a print-magazine model to online publishing after announcing that its May 2014 issue would be the final printed edition.
Outcome. The title continued as an online publication rather than ceasing publication.
- 1882Challenge to blasphemy restrictions
United Kingdom
Through anti-religious cartoons and its broader editorial program, The Freethinker challenged Victorian restrictions on criticism of Christianity and religious authority.
Outcome. The campaign resulted in Foote’s prosecution and imprisonment, becoming a lasting symbol of the journal’s commitment to freethought and free expression.
Brand decisions
2022
Retain a dedicated websiteStrategyBackground
The publication had been using a Patheos section and was expected to move to OnlySky following Barry Duke’s transition.
Action taken
The board of G. W. Foote & Co. Ltd. decided to keep a dedicated website and ended Duke’s editorship.
Aftermath
Emma Park became editor and the publication continued under its own online identity.
2014
End regular print publicationStrategyBackground
The April 2014 issue announced that the May issue would be the last printed edition.
Action taken
The Freethinker moved its ongoing publication activity online.
Aftermath
The title remained active as a digital publication.
Recent events
- 2024
Daniel James Sharp becomes editor[1]
Leadership change
A bulletin dated 1 April 2024 announced Daniel James Sharp as the successor to Emma Park.
- 2022
Emma Park succeeds Barry Duke as editor[1]
Leadership change
The publication announced Emma Park as Barry Duke’s successor in January 2022 amid changes to its planned digital publishing arrangements.
- 2022
The Freethinker retains a dedicated website[1]
Leadership change
The board of G. W. Foote & Co. Ltd. decided to retain a dedicated website rather than proceed with the planned move from Patheos to OnlySky, and ended Barry Duke’s editorship.
- 2021
The Freethinker begins publishing new material through Patheos[1]
Other
After maintaining its own online presence, the publication moved new content to a section of the Patheos website, with the first article appearing there in July 2021.
- 2014
The Freethinker announces the end of print publication[1]
Other
The April 2014 issue announced that the May issue would be the last printed edition, with the publication continuing online.
Sources2 sources
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