Family background and childhood Horatio Bottomley

charles bradlaugh, facial resemblance bottomley helped foster rumour latter s biological father

bottomley born on 23 march 1860, @ 16 saint peter s street, bethnal green in london, second child , son of william bottomley, tailor s cutter, , elizabeth, née holyoake. william bottomley s background obscure, elizabeth belonged family of well-known radical agitators—her brother george jacob holyoake founder of secularist movement , in later life leading figure in growth of co-operative societies. among holyoake s close associates charles bradlaugh, founded national republican league , became controversial member of parliament. longstanding friendship between bradlaugh , elizabeth holyoake led rumours he, not william bottomley, horatio s biological father—a suggestion bottomley, in later life, prone encourage. evidence circumstantial, based on marked facial resemblance between bradlaugh , bottomley.

william bottomley died in 1864 , elizabeth year later. horatio , elder sister, florence, looked after uncle william holyoake, artist living in london district of marylebone. after year boarded out foster-parents, @ uncle george jacob s expense. arrangement lasted until 1869, when florence formally adopted foster-family. @ point holyoake felt unable continue supporting horatio financially, , arranged him admitted josiah mason s orphanage in erdington, birmingham. horatio s home following 5 years. biographers have emphasised cruelty , humiliation of time there; while discipline harsh, horatio received useful basic education, , won prizes sporting activities. in later life showed no resentment towards institution, visited, telling children success have achieved in life started @ place.

in 1874, when horatio 14 , due leave orphanage, ran away without waiting formalities. aunt caroline praill—his mother s sister—who lived in nearby edgbaston, gave him home, while worked errand boy in birmingham building firm. arrangement lasted few months before horatio, impatient reunited sister whom had been separated 6 years, went london began apprenticeship wood engraver.