Austin Harrison
Encyclopedia
Austin Frederic Harrison (1873–1928) was a British
journalist
and editor
, best known for his editorship of The English Review
from 1909 until 1923.
, Harrison was the son of the author and jurist
Frederic Harrison
and his wife Ethel Bertha Harrison. Initially tutored by George Gissing
, Harrison attended St Paul's School and Harrow School
. After leaving school, he went to Switzerland and Germany to studied foreign languages in preparation for the Foreign Office
exam, which he subsequently failed. With a career in the civil service now unlikely, Harrison's father used his connections to find his son a position with The Times
. Harrison was sent to their Berlin bureau, but he soon ran afoul of their bureau chief and was dismissed. He later found positions with the Manchester Guardian and Reuters
, where he enjoyed greater success.
Chafing at the restrictions imposed by the German foreign ministry
, Harrison resigned from Reuters in 1904 and expressed his concerns about the Kaiser in his first book, The Pan-Germanic Doctrine. Returning to London, he worked briefly as a freelance journalist until he was offered the editorship of The Observer
by Lord Northcliffe
, the weekly newspaper's new owner. Harrison proved an able editor, using his position to warn his readers of the growing threat posed by the German empire to British security. Yet the paper continued to lose money, prompting Northcliffe to replace Harrison with J. L. Garvin
at the end of 1907. Despite his dismissal, Harrison remained with The Observer as literary editor, simultaneously working at the Northcliffe-owned Daily Mail
as drama critic.
to assume him the editorship of the newly-acquired literary magazine The English Review
. Recently started by the author Ford Madox Huffner (later Ford)
, it had proved critically successful but a business failure. Though his practices irritated some, Harrison soon boosted circulation, which had been at only 1,000 when he assumed the editorship, to 18,000 by 1911. Such was his success that he bought out Mond in 1915, assuming ownership while continuing to serve as editor. During this time he broadened the range of contributors, publishing works by authors as diverse as Anton Chekhov
, Herman Hesse, Katherine Mansfield
, George Bernard Shaw
, and William Butler Yeats
.
Politics was also a topic addressed in the pages of The English Review, and Harrison continued to warn readers about the threat posed by Germany in the years leading up to The First World War
. The death of one of his brothers at the battle of Battle of Festubert
turned the Liberal
editor into a passionate critic of the government during the subsequent munitions scandal
. Harrison also supported a lenient peace with Germany; the harsh terms offered by Prime Minister
David Lloyd George
in 1918 drove Harrison to run against Lloyd George in the prime minister's own borough in the "coupon" election
that December.
in 1921. Two years later, he sold The English Review to focus on writing books, though he published occasional journalism as well. Harrison died in 1928 at his home in Sussex from bronchopneumonia
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and editor
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
, best known for his editorship of The English Review
The English Review
The English Review was an English-language literary magazine published in London from 1908 to 1937. At its peak, the journal published some of the leading writers of its day.-History:...
from 1909 until 1923.
Early life and career
Born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Harrison was the son of the author and jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
Frederic Harrison
Frederic Harrison
Frederic Harrison was a British jurist and historian.Born at 17 Euston Square, London, he was the son of Frederick Harrison, a stockbroker and his wife Jane, daughter of Alexander Brice, a Belfast granite merchant. He was baptised at St...
and his wife Ethel Bertha Harrison. Initially tutored by George Gissing
George Gissing
George Robert Gissing was an English novelist who published twenty-three novels between 1880 and 1903. From his early naturalistic works, he developed into one of the most accomplished realists of the late-Victorian era.-Early life:...
, Harrison attended St Paul's School and Harrow School
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
. After leaving school, he went to Switzerland and Germany to studied foreign languages in preparation for the Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
exam, which he subsequently failed. With a career in the civil service now unlikely, Harrison's father used his connections to find his son a position with The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. Harrison was sent to their Berlin bureau, but he soon ran afoul of their bureau chief and was dismissed. He later found positions with the Manchester Guardian and Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
, where he enjoyed greater success.
Chafing at the restrictions imposed by the German foreign ministry
Foreign Office (Germany)
The Foreign Office is the foreign ministry of Germany, a federal agency responsible for both the country's foreign politics and its relationship with the European Union. From 1871 to 1919, it was led by a Foreign Secretary, and since 1919, it has been led by the Foreign Minister of Germany...
, Harrison resigned from Reuters in 1904 and expressed his concerns about the Kaiser in his first book, The Pan-Germanic Doctrine. Returning to London, he worked briefly as a freelance journalist until he was offered the editorship of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
by Lord Northcliffe
Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe
Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe rose from childhood poverty to become a powerful British newspaper and publishing magnate, famed for buying stolid, unprofitable newspapers and transforming them to make them lively and entertaining for the mass market.His company...
, the weekly newspaper's new owner. Harrison proved an able editor, using his position to warn his readers of the growing threat posed by the German empire to British security. Yet the paper continued to lose money, prompting Northcliffe to replace Harrison with J. L. Garvin
James Louis Garvin
For the basketball player, see James Garvin James Louis Garvin , was an influential British journalist, editor, and author...
at the end of 1907. Despite his dismissal, Harrison remained with The Observer as literary editor, simultaneously working at the Northcliffe-owned Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
as drama critic.
Editorship of The English Review
At the end of 1908, Harrison accepted an offer from Alfred MondAlfred Mond, 1st Baron Melchett
Alfred Moritz Mond, 1st Baron Melchett PC, FRS , known as Sir Alfred Mond, Bt, between 1910 and 1928, was a British industrialist, financier and politician...
to assume him the editorship of the newly-acquired literary magazine The English Review
The English Review
The English Review was an English-language literary magazine published in London from 1908 to 1937. At its peak, the journal published some of the leading writers of its day.-History:...
. Recently started by the author Ford Madox Huffner (later Ford)
Ford Madox Ford
Ford Madox Ford was an English novelist, poet, critic and editor whose journals, The English Review and The Transatlantic Review, were instrumental in the development of early 20th-century English literature...
, it had proved critically successful but a business failure. Though his practices irritated some, Harrison soon boosted circulation, which had been at only 1,000 when he assumed the editorship, to 18,000 by 1911. Such was his success that he bought out Mond in 1915, assuming ownership while continuing to serve as editor. During this time he broadened the range of contributors, publishing works by authors as diverse as Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
, Herman Hesse, Katherine Mansfield
Katherine Mansfield
Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp Murry was a prominent modernist writer of short fiction who was born and brought up in colonial New Zealand and wrote under the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. Mansfield left for Great Britain in 1908 where she encountered Modernist writers such as D.H. Lawrence and...
, George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
, and William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
.
Politics was also a topic addressed in the pages of The English Review, and Harrison continued to warn readers about the threat posed by Germany in the years leading up to The First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The death of one of his brothers at the battle of Battle of Festubert
Battle of Festubert
The Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25.-Context:...
turned the Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
editor into a passionate critic of the government during the subsequent munitions scandal
Shell Crisis of 1915
The Shell Crisis of 1915 was a shortage of artillery shells on the front lines of World War I, which largely contributed to weakening public appreciation of government of the United Kingdom because it was widely perceived that the production of artillery shells for use by the British Army was...
. Harrison also supported a lenient peace with Germany; the harsh terms offered by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
in 1918 drove Harrison to run against Lloyd George in the prime minister's own borough in the "coupon" election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
that December.
Final years
Harrison helped to found International PENInternational PEN
PEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
in 1921. Two years later, he sold The English Review to focus on writing books, though he published occasional journalism as well. Harrison died in 1928 at his home in Sussex from bronchopneumonia
Bronchopneumonia
Bronchopneumonia or bronchial pneumonia or "Bronchogenic pneumonia" is the acute inflammation of the walls of the bronchioles...
.
Works
- The Pan-Germanic Doctrine (1904)
- The Kaiser's War (1914)
- Lifting Mist (1924)
- Pandora's Hope (1925)
- Frederic Harrison: Thoughts and Memories (1926)
Further reading
- Vogeler, Martha S. ‘Harrison, Austin Frederic (1873–1928)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004