Toynbee

Toynbee, ARNOLD, the second son of Joseph Toynbee, a famous antral surgeon, was born in London, August 23, 1852. From his father he acquired a taste for poetry and pictures. His early acquirements were mostly in the direction of modern literature and philosophy. He spent two years at a military college, but left on finding that he had mistaken his profession. During the four years he spent at Oxford he became a prominent figure amongst an attached circle of students, studied political economy, and read in a miscellaneous fashion. 'Most men,' he said, 'seem to lose their religious beliefs in passing through the university; I made nine.' He came under Ruskin's influence, did some practical work in road repairing, read his Bible diligently, and the Imitation. On taking his degree he became tutor to a number of young men who had passed the Indian Civil Service examinations, and who were further preparing themselves for their work at Balliol College. Endowed with the gift of fluent speech, he began to address audiences of working-men; and believing that the poor could only be adequately helped by those who had lived amongst them and felt their needs, he took up residence in Commercial Road, Whitechapel, in 1875, and associated himself with the religious work carried on there by the Rev. S. A. Barnett. His health gave way under his unwearied labours, and the noise, dullness, and dreariness of his surroundings, but from the inspiration of his example and teaching during this period sprang the idea of Toynbee Hall. He died in 1883, owing to overstrain following on two lectures directed against Henry George's Progress and Poverty. A course of lectures delivered at Oxford between 1881–82 on the economic history of England, along with other popular addresses, was published in 1884 under the title of The Industrial Revolution, with Memoir by Jowett. Toynbee was frank and unreserved, of transparent sincerity, had a keen sympathy with the life of the labouring classes, and was a close student of history. The residence house known as Toynbee Hall was organised in Commercial Street, Whitechapel, as a memorial to Toynbee in January 1885, under the direction of the Rev. S. A. Barnett. It partakes somewhat of the nature of both a college and a club, the idea being to connect the memorial of Toynbee with the study of 'political economy in its social aspects, to which he devoted the scholar half of himself, and with his work among the artisan population of our great cities, to which he gave the other, the missionary half.' This is carried out by the members of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge who find residence there, who strive 'to provide education and the means of recreation and enjoyment for the people, to inquire into the condition of the poor, and to consider and advance plans calculated to promote their welfare.' During the first four years there were fifty-four residents.