Career
After education at Haileybury College (1844-1846), he matriculated at London University in 1844. In 1847 he joined the East India Company"s service at Calcutta. He became under-secretary to the government of Bengal, and inspector of public instruction there.
While in India Pratt in 1851 helped to found the Vernacular Literature Society which published Bengali translations of English literature, and acted as secretary till 1856.
He also started a school of industrial art In 1857 Pratt was at home on leave and at contributed to The Economist on Indian matters.
He finally left India in 1861. Settling in England, Pratt became involved in the co-operative movement, in association with Vansittart Neale, Tom Hughes, and George Jacob Holyoake.
Foreign it he travelled up and down the country, and was its president from 1885 to 1902.
With Solly he also started trade classes for workmen in Saint Martin"s Lane in 1874. That year he also chaired a conference on the ideas of Emma Paterson, in July. On the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 he pleaded for the peaceful settlement of the dispute.
Two years later he joined in an appeal for the release of Élisée Reclus who had taken part in the Paris Commune.
In 1880 he joined William Phillips and others in founding the International Arbitration and Peace Association, becoming first chairman of the executive committee. Four years later (1 July 1884) he founded, and initially edited, the association"s Journal (later Concord).
On behalf of the association he travelled in Europe, and he took part in international peace congresses at Paris and elsewhere from 1889 onwards. He suffered from poor eyesight, and spent the last years of his life at Le Pecq.
Seine et Oise, France, where he died on 26 February 1907.
He was buried in Highgate Cemetery. The Annual Hodgson Pratt Memorial Lecture and travelling scholarship for working men, as well as prizes, were established in 1911. Pratt married:
in 1849 Sarah Caroline Wetherall, daughter of an Irish squire.
And
in 1892 Monica, daughter of the Review
James Mangan. She survived him with one daughter. Hodgon"s name is listed on the south side of the Reformers Memorial in Kensal Green Cemetery in London.