Charles Frederic Moberly Bell
Encyclopedia
Charles Frederic Moberly Bell (2 April 1847 in Alexandria
– 5 April 1911 in London
) was a prominent British
journalist and newspaper editor during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Although schooled in England
, Moberly Bell returned to his native city of Alexandria, Egypt
as a young man (in 1865, at the age of 18). After working briefly in business, he found free-lance work with The Times newspaper of London
. In 1875, he became its official Egypt correspondent, becoming famous for his coverage of the Urabi Revolt
of 1882. He also began the Egyptian Gazette newspaper in 1880.
In 1890, Bell was invited by owner A. F. Walter to help run the financially shaky The Times, then a highly respected newspaper but considered stolid and boring. As managing director, Bell revitalized the newspaper, greatly increasing its staff of foreign correspondents. In 1908, Bell helped to engineer its sale to Alfred Harmsworth, later Lord Northcliffe. In 1902, Bell created Literature, a forerunner of The Times Literary Supplement
, as well as The Times Educational Supplement in 1910. Bell remained with the paper until his death in 1911.
Bell's single most notable accomplishment was his deal with American Horace Everett Hooper
to reprint and sell the Encyclopædia Britannica
under the sponsorship of The Times. Beginning in 1898, Hooper and his advertising executive Henry Haxton introduced aggressive marketing methods (full-page advertisements in The Times and direct marketing
) to sell a reprint of the Britannica's 9th edition, which was justly famous for its scholarship but by then out of date. Building on the solid reputation of The Times, Hooper managed to sell an extraordinary number (over 20,000 sets) of the 9th edition and, in 1902-1903, over 70,000 sets of its supplement, the 10th edition. The profit on the 10th edition was in excess of £600,000 pounds, and the royalties paid to The Times made that paper profitable for the first time in years.
The relations between Bell and Hooper were generally positive, partly owing to the profitability of Hooper's methods and also to Hooper's sincere respect for scholarship. Bell assessed Hooper as "a ranker who loved to be accepted as a gentleman. Treat him as a gentleman and one had no trouble with him; treat him as an essentially dishonest ranker and one got all the trouble there was to get." Supported by Bell, Hooper introduced the Times Book club in 1905, and led the drive to make the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
the best possible Britannica, no matter the expense. This expense caused a rift between Hooper and his business partner, Walter Montgomery Jackson
; their protracted legal fight (1908–1909) and public corporate wrangling caused The Times to cancel its contract to sponsor the 11th edition in 1908. The 11th was then issued in 1910-1911 under the sponsorship of Cambridge University, after Oxford University refused.
Bell wrote three books: Khedives and Pashas (1884), Egyptian Finance (1887), and From Pharaoh to Fellah (1889). His daughter Enid Moberly Bell wrote The Life and Letters of C. F. Moberly Bell (1927) and several other books, including biographies of Octavia Hill
and Josephine Butler
.
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
– 5 April 1911 in London
London
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...
) was a prominent British
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 and newspaper editor during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Although schooled in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Moberly Bell returned to his native city of Alexandria, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
as a young man (in 1865, at the age of 18). After working briefly in business, he found free-lance work with The Times newspaper of London
London
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...
. In 1875, he became its official Egypt correspondent, becoming famous for his coverage of the Urabi Revolt
Urabi Revolt
The Urabi Revolt or Orabi Revolt , also known as the Orabi Revolution, was an uprising in Egypt in 1879-82 against the Khedive and European influence in the country...
of 1882. He also began the Egyptian Gazette newspaper in 1880.
In 1890, Bell was invited by owner A. F. Walter to help run the financially shaky The Times, then a highly respected newspaper but considered stolid and boring. As managing director, Bell revitalized the newspaper, greatly increasing its staff of foreign correspondents. In 1908, Bell helped to engineer its sale to Alfred Harmsworth, later Lord Northcliffe. In 1902, Bell created Literature, a forerunner of The Times Literary Supplement
The Times Literary Supplement
The Times Literary Supplement is a weekly literary review published in London by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation.-History:...
, as well as The Times Educational Supplement in 1910. Bell remained with the paper until his death in 1911.
Bell's single most notable accomplishment was his deal with American Horace Everett Hooper
Horace Everett Hooper
Horace Everett Hooper was the publisher of Encyclopædia Britannica from 1897 until his death.-Early life:...
to reprint and sell the Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
under the sponsorship of The Times. Beginning in 1898, Hooper and his advertising executive Henry Haxton introduced aggressive marketing methods (full-page advertisements in The Times and direct marketing
Direct marketing
Direct marketing is a channel-agnostic form of advertising that allows businesses and nonprofits to communicate straight to the customer, with advertising techniques such as mobile messaging, email, interactive consumer websites, online display ads, fliers, catalog distribution, promotional...
) to sell a reprint of the Britannica's 9th edition, which was justly famous for its scholarship but by then out of date. Building on the solid reputation of The Times, Hooper managed to sell an extraordinary number (over 20,000 sets) of the 9th edition and, in 1902-1903, over 70,000 sets of its supplement, the 10th edition. The profit on the 10th edition was in excess of £600,000 pounds, and the royalties paid to The Times made that paper profitable for the first time in years.
The relations between Bell and Hooper were generally positive, partly owing to the profitability of Hooper's methods and also to Hooper's sincere respect for scholarship. Bell assessed Hooper as "a ranker who loved to be accepted as a gentleman. Treat him as a gentleman and one had no trouble with him; treat him as an essentially dishonest ranker and one got all the trouble there was to get." Supported by Bell, Hooper introduced the Times Book club in 1905, and led the drive to make the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition
The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition is a 29-volume reference work, an edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. It was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time...
the best possible Britannica, no matter the expense. This expense caused a rift between Hooper and his business partner, Walter Montgomery Jackson
Walter Montgomery Jackson
Walter Montgomery Jackson was the founder of encyclopedia publisher Grolier, Inc., and he was the partner of Horace Everett Hooper in publishing the 10th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica and in developing its 11th edition...
; their protracted legal fight (1908–1909) and public corporate wrangling caused The Times to cancel its contract to sponsor the 11th edition in 1908. The 11th was then issued in 1910-1911 under the sponsorship of Cambridge University, after Oxford University refused.
Bell wrote three books: Khedives and Pashas (1884), Egyptian Finance (1887), and From Pharaoh to Fellah (1889). His daughter Enid Moberly Bell wrote The Life and Letters of C. F. Moberly Bell (1927) and several other books, including biographies of Octavia Hill
Octavia Hill
Octavia Hill was an English social reformer, whose main concern was the welfare of the inhabitants of cities, especially London, in the second half of the nineteenth century. Born into a family with a strong commitment to alleviating poverty, she herself grew up in straitened circumstances owing...
and Josephine Butler
Josephine Butler
Josephine Elizabeth Butler was a Victorian era British feminist who was especially concerned with the welfare of prostitutes...
.