I Will Think For Myself

The Journal of Matthew Tomlinson 1806-1812, 1832-1834 and 1836-1839
Matthew Tomlinson (1764-1842) was a West Yorkshire tenant farmer, diarist, and poet. His journal records 19th-century life, blending farm work with radical, progressive insight, including remarkably modern thoughts about homosexuality. This personal account captures a nation in turmoil through a uniquely independent and inquiring mind.

Matthew Tomlinson (1764-1842) of Doghouse Farm, Lupset near Wakefield was much more than a successful Yorkshire tenant farmer: he was a keen diarist, independent thinker, and poet. His journal reveals a rich and thought-provoking insight into early nineteenth-century life-ranging from everyday occurrences driven by the seasons and the plough to reflections that question accepted beliefs, even extending to the subject of homosexuality. His intensely personal voice offers surprising political, moral, and cultural observations of national significance, from an era marked by industrial, social, and political turmoil-yet one that remains strikingly recognisable today.

This remarkable volume, containing a detailed introduction by David Scriven, and a full transcription of the journal by Shirley Levon and Lesley Taylor, brings Tomlinson's writings to modern readers in an accessible edition, offering an unusually candid and engaging portrait of rural Yorkshire life at a time of profound change. Essential reading for those interested in social history, agriculture, and political thought.

Contributor: David Scriven (Introduction and notes by), Lesley Taylor (Contributions by), Shirley Levon (Contributions by)

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