In 1964, the Thomas Paine Society UK foundation was founded with a goal of promoting a better understanding of the man and his work. The Thomas Paine Society UK became the premier Thomas Paine historical society in the UK. In 2025, the Thomas Paine National Historical Association merged with the Thomas Paine Society UK to form the internationally-focused Thomas Paine Historical Association. This is the 2001 Number 2 Volume 5 edition of the Thomas Paine Society UK Bulletin, published from 1965 to 2013.
When Paine resided at Lewes he was a member of a bowls club which used to meet at a green in the castle grounds, it was following one such game that having retired for punch and a discussion on politics, Paine conceived the idea for his Rights of Man.
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Although he would have denied the charge and hated the idea, Wilkes was in some ways a precursor to Thomas Paine. His career, foreshortened in history textbooks to the slogan ‘Wilkes and Liberty’ is a fascinating one.
Thomas Paine Society undoubtedly has members who cherish his Age of Reason, their undoubted right, but can they deny that it has damaged Rights of Man for many others? A sad out- come for such an outstanding social reformer, and his work.
Not all of Thomas Paine’s ideas were new or original. It was the man himself who was one of life’s originals. It’s hard to imagine an environment antagonistic to free thought when we are so accustomed to such freedom of thought now.
