Richard Jefferies: A Man Out of Time?
12 August 2025
19.00 to 20.00
Despite only living for 38 years, the naturalist, novelist, and mystic, Richard Jefferies, has left us a remarkable body of work, including nature essays, descriptions of nineteenth century rural life; novels similar in tone to Thomas Hardy, as well as his extraordinary novel about a dystopian future, After London, where Britain has been devastated by an environmental catastrophe.
Since his death his books have enjoyed intermittent spells of popularity, but today he is unknown to the greater part of the reading public.
Jefferies, however, has been an inspiration to a number of more prominent writers and W.H. Hudson, Edward Thomas, Henry Williamson and John Fowles are among those who have acknowledged their debt to him.
Jefferies was born in Wiltshire, but moved to Sussex in 1883, living variously at, Crowborough, Hove, and Goring, where he died in 1887.
Chris Hare of History People UK will be delivering a talk on the life of Richard Jefferies.
Chris has a BA (hons) in British Studies and an MA in Life History (Oral History and Mass Observation).
