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1940

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 October 2009

Extract

Sunday 7 January This threatens to become a weekly log-book, instead of a daily diary. […] Last Sunday Gordon of the Sunday Express was to have published an article by Kindersley, which he returned to us with the plea that if Kindersley said people were not to spend money on luxuries, the advertisers would be angry. He suggested K should amend the article accordingly. After some trouble we managed a compromise, and the amended version was published to-day. Gordon's letter contained this heart wail: ‘I don't want to do anything that is going to hamper my advertising. After all, that is our life line and thank God it has been better than we anticipated.’ In other words, let the nation lose the war, let inflation with all its miseries come upon us, but for the love of God don't let us offend some fat Jew who wants to sell quite unnecessary goods through our advertising columns. We deserve defeat. […] I gave a sherry to D[avid]W[oodford] on Wednesday evening. He had lunched with Eric Olyer, who had been acting as a kind of extra ADC to the King in France. The King is still imbued with a kind of family Liberalism, but is palpably turning towards the Right. When Chamberlain was in France he and Gort and the High-Ups had some frank talks. He told bluntly some home truths about Hore-Belisha.… with the result that yesterday there was announced the ‘resignation’ of the Minister of War. The popular Press, of course, has made a song and dance about the democratic Minister being sacrificed to the Brass Hats, but there is no doubt, from what one knows that the Jew is better out than in, and so I think most people think. […] Reviews of R's book continue appreciative. P.F. still feels that with R and Q both of our type of political thought we ought to strive towards a new Daily, which the Argus Press, through the good offices of Burton-Baldry and Ned Foster, would produce for us at a cut rate. I am not so certain that this is either desirable or practicable as long as we are at war, but it certainly seems the right line of development when peace comes. Although – before peace comes there will be many changes, that may affect us all dramatically.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1998

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References

1 John Rutherford Gordon (1890–1974): Ed. Sunday Express 19281934Google Scholar; Dir. of Beaverbrook Paper 1931–69; Trustee of Beaverbrook Foundation.

2 William Beveridge (1879–1963): 2nd S. & P.S. Min. of Food 1919; Dir. LSE 1919–37; author of Beveridge Report (1942) on social insurance.

3 Gerald Hurleagh: Hon. Secretary, Lobby group; PA for Lobby group 1941.

4 Robert Dixon Kingham (1883–1966): secretary Nat. Savings Ctte. 1937–46; kt. 1945.

5 Theodore Chambers (1871–1957): Sec. & Controller National Saving Ctte. 1916–19, Vice-Chm. 1919–43; Vice-Pres. 1943.

6 Field Marshal Edmund Ironside (1880–1959): career soldier; Chief of the Imperial Gen. Staff 1939–40; C-in-C Home Forces 1940; cr. 1st Baron 1941.

7 Cyril Newall (1886–1963): Marshal of the RAF, Chief of Air Staff 1937–40; cr. 1st Baron Newall 1946.

8 Sir Dudley Pound (1877–1943): Adm. of the Fleet; C-in-C Mediterranean 1936–9; Chief of Naval Staff 1939–43.

9 Peter Mant MacIntyre Kemp (b. 1915): journalist and soldier; Cambridge University graduate; 1936 Sunday Dispatch war correspondent, Spanish Civil War; joined Nationalists Spanish Foreign Legion; 1939–46 Commando with Special Operations Executive, including missions to Norway, Albania, Poland, Far East; as foreign correspondent expelled from Hungary 1956 during uprising; author several autobiographical book including Mine Were of Trouble (Cassell, 1957) which was dedicated to C.B.

10 King Lear by William Shakespeare. Performed at Old Vic Theatre from 15 April 1940 to 25 May 1940. It ran for 38 performances. Reviewed The Times 16 04 1940.Google Scholar

11 Robert Louis Anstruther Harris (1900–95): actor.

12 Stephen Haggard (1911–43): actor.

13 Henry Drummond-Wolff (1899–1982): promoter of the Commonwealth; Vice-Chm. of Empire Economic League 1949, Pres. 1952.

14 Bryant, Arthur, English Saga 1840–1940 (Collins, 1940).Google Scholar

15 Lt.-Col. Charles Jarrott: Gen. Sec. The Royal Society of St George.

16 The Times, ‘The Time of Waiting’, Queenborough to editor, 8 August 1940, p. 5. The subject concerned the risks of waiting for the German invasion, including the risk of national disunity. Called for the MOI to reinforce the message that every job, no matter how mundane, was vital.

17 Richard (Roy) Maconachie (1885–1962): Controller (Home Div.) BBC 1941–5; British Min. to Afghanistan 1930–5.

18 Robert Stevenson Horne (1871–1940): Con. MP Glasgow Billhead 1918–37; Min. of Lab. 1919–20; Pres. BofT. 1920–1; Chanc, of Exchequer 1921–2; kt. 1918, cr. Viscount Horne of Slamannan 1937.

19 John Boynton Priestley (1894–1984): novelist, playwright & essayist.

20 Marjorie H. Wace (d. 1944): BBC; Ass. Adult Education Dept. early 1930s; Empire Talks Organiser 1936–8; Talks Organiser 1938-.

21 Count Edward Raczynski (1891–1993): Polish Arab, to London 1934–45; Polish Pres, in exile 1979–86.

22 Gen. W. Sikorski (1881–1943): Polish PM 1922–3; Min. of Military Affairs 1923–5; C-in-C Polish Army 1939–43; PM of the Govt. in exile 1940–3; killed in air crash off Gibraltar, along with Victor Cazalet MP

23 Macmillan Committee on Finance and Industry 1929–30.

24 Robert Arthur James Gascoyne-Cecil (1893–1972): Con. MP Dorset S. 1929–41; US FO 1935–8; Paymaster-Gen. 1940; Dominions See. 1940–2, 1943–5; Ld. Privy Seal 1942–3, 1951–2; Commonwealth See. 1952; Ld. Pres. 1952–7; Con. Leader in HofL. 1942–57; styled Viscount Cranborne 1903–47; summoned to HofL. as Baron Cecil of Essendon 1941; suc. 5th Marquess of Salisbury 1947.

25 (Henry) Wickham Steed (1871–1956): Ed. of The Times, 19191922Google Scholar, thereafter Ed., lecturer & broadcaster. Rothermere's private secretary in late 1920s.

26 Kenneth William Murray Pickthorn (1892–1975): Con. MP Cambridge Univ. 1935–50, carlton 1950–66; PS Educ. 1951–4; Fellow of Corpus Christi, Cambridge 1914–75; kt. 1959.

27 Robert Byron (1905–41): travel writer, art cride & historian.

28 Ellen Cicely Wilkinson (1891–1947): Lab. MP Middlesborough E. 1924–31, Jarrow 1935–47.

29 Tom Clare: author, The Nine Club (London: Hutchinson, 1929).Google Scholar

30 (George) Joseph Ball (1885–1961): worked for MI5 1919–27; Dir. of Publicity, CCO 1927–30; Dir. of CRD 1930–39; Dep. Chm. of Nat. Publicity Bureau 1934–9; Dep. Chm., Security Executive 1940–42; Acting Chm. of CRD 1943–5; kt. 1936. Brooks considered him to be ‘one of the too-many Grey Cardinals of official Conservatism’.

31 George Lawson Johnstone (1873–1943): Ohm. of Directors of Truth. Chm. Business Ctte. of Nat. Publicity Bureau which bought Truth 1936; cr. 1st Baron Luke of Pavenham.

32 John Reith (1889–1971): Dir.-Gen. BBC; Chm. of BOAC 1938–40; MOI 1940; Min. of Transport 1940; Min. of Works 1940–2; kt. 1927, cr. 1st Baron Reith 1940.

33 Henry Dupré ‘Labby’ Labouchere (1831–1912): Lib. MP Windsor 1866, Middlesex 1867, Northampton 1880–1906; diplomatic service 1854–64; editor Truth.

34 Bib was the pet-name for Vivian Brooks.

35 King Haakon VII (1872–1957): King of Norway 1905–57; exiled during German occupation.

36 Prince Olav (1903–91): King of Norway from 1957; exiled from Norway 1940–5; Olympic yachtsman.