{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} '''George Standring''' (1855–1924) was a British radical politician. thumb|Reproduction of photograph of George Standring (published in the Freethinker, 1893) Born in 1855, Standring was brought up as a Wesleyan Methodist, but became an atheist when he was seventeen, and joined the National Secular Society (NSS), becoming its secretary in 1875. That year, he also launched the ''Republican Chronicle'' newspaper, and served as its editor as it became the ''Republican'' and the ''Radical'', finally leaving the paper in 1889.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Michalos |first1=Alex C. |last2=Poff |first2=Deborah C. |title=Bernard Shaw and the Webbs |date=2002 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |location=Toronto |isbn=080204123X |page=[https://archive.org/details/bernardshawwebbs0000shaw/page/51 51] |url=https://archive.org/details/bernardshawwebbs0000shaw/page/51 }}</ref><ref name="annual">{{cite book |title=The Labour Annual |date=1898 |publisher=Joseph Edwards |location=Liverpool |pages=206&ndash;207}}</ref> He used the paper's printing press to publish work for numerous other radical groups, including the Fabian Society from its formation.<ref name="bio">{{cite news |title=Biographies of new candidates |work=Fabian News |date=April 1909}}</ref>

Standring was personally opposed to socialism for many years, but in 1894 changed his mind, leaving the NSS, and joining the Fabian Society. He was almost immediately elected to its executive, serving until 1908, and again from 1909 to 1910.<ref name="annual" /><ref name="bio" /> He founded and served as secretary of the Freethought Federation, as a rival to the NSS.<ref name="annual" />

In 1903, Standring was elected to Finsbury Borough Council. He was also secretary of the Socialist Supper Club.<ref name="bio" />

==References== <references />

{{start box}} {{s-npo}} {{succession box | title = Secretary of the National Secular Society | years = 1876&ndash;1877 | before = Charles Watts | after = Robert Forder }} {{end box}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Standring, George}} Category:1855 births Category:1924 deaths Category:Members of Finsbury Metropolitan Borough Council Category:Members of the Fabian Society Category:English socialists

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