We present contemporary accounts of Owen and Owenites from the following:–

William Owen, Robert’s second son, accompanied his father to America to buy New Harmony and kept a Diary of their adventures in 1824-5. We have notes from the original publication (1906). Also a facsimile of the Notice which William printed, advertising for settlers for New Harmony.

Richard Lewis, a Newtown stationer, wrote an account of Owen’s last days in November 1858 in his Notebook, which is on display in the Museum.

The children at New Lanark under David Dale’s ownership were well looked after, as this Anonymous Manuscript testifies.

The Owenites built impressive meeting houses in many major towns around 1840. They met in these Halls of Science on Sundays to hold secular services, in which they sang their Social Hymns, no doubt to well-known tunes. The Museum has an original book of Social Hymns, three of which are included here.