John Morgan (etiquette expert)
Encyclopedia
John Morgan (28 May 1959–9 July 2000) was a British
expert on etiquette
. His Saturday column in The Times
, "Modern Manners", ran for three years and became an institution. Cultured, erudite, and at times humorous,http://www.theyummyco.com/topten/dining/etiquette/john_morgan.htm it answered readers' questions on everything from the correct fork to use at the dinner table to how best to tell friends that the partner you would like to bring to their wedding will be of the same sex as you (a subject that may have been relevant to Morgan, who was widely believed to be homosexual http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1348460/Mysterious-death-of-the-man-who-made-manners-his-life.html)
The aim of the column was to make knowledge on proper behaviour accessible to anyone, and in doing so remove the snobbery and elitism from the equation. Morgan defined good manners as the path of least offence http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/759250.stm.
Morgan was also the author of Debrett's Etiquette and Modern Manners, published by etiquette specialists Debrett's
in 1996 and republished in 1999.
The man behind the advice was something of an enigmatic figure. Certainly an exponent of practising what he preached, his lifestyle of Savile Row
suits and monogrammed shirts was a world away from his middle-class beginnings. Born in Sunderland, son of a Shell
employee, he studied at Cheltenham Art School, and supplemented his grant by playing piano in a local restaurant. By the time he left Cheltenham
he had an idea of what he wanted to do, and soon after his arrival in London
began working as assistant to the Australian fashion consultant Percy Savage
. He steadily progressed his career and when the British Gentlemen's Quarterly (GQ) was founded in 1988 he was signed up as a style writer. He rose to become style editor, responsible for a section of the magazine, and was a well-regarded figure amongst staff.
His work at GQ, in addition to his Times column, numerous appearances on television and radio to dispense advice or commentary, and position as a style consultant to captains of industry, afforded him a lifestyle he relished. His tiny flat in the Albany
, just off Piccadilly
, contained sixty made-to-measure suits, 300 monogrammed shirts, and ninety pairs of shoes. He loved attending social events, was passionate about opera, and cashed his cheques at Claridge's
. Morgan dedicated himself to living the life of a Mayfair
boulevardier, an always elegant and immaculately presented bachelor-about-town.
On the evening of 9 July 2000, Morgan was found dead near his home by a neighbour. The coroner's verdict was open, but with a suspicion of suicide.
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...
expert on etiquette
Etiquette
Etiquette is a code of behavior that delineates expectations for social behavior according to contemporary conventional norms within a society, social class, or group...
. His Saturday column in 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...
, "Modern Manners", ran for three years and became an institution. Cultured, erudite, and at times humorous,http://www.theyummyco.com/topten/dining/etiquette/john_morgan.htm it answered readers' questions on everything from the correct fork to use at the dinner table to how best to tell friends that the partner you would like to bring to their wedding will be of the same sex as you (a subject that may have been relevant to Morgan, who was widely believed to be homosexual http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1348460/Mysterious-death-of-the-man-who-made-manners-his-life.html)
The aim of the column was to make knowledge on proper behaviour accessible to anyone, and in doing so remove the snobbery and elitism from the equation. Morgan defined good manners as the path of least offence http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/759250.stm.
Morgan was also the author of Debrett's Etiquette and Modern Manners, published by etiquette specialists Debrett's
Debrett's
Debrett’s is a specialist publisher, founded in 1769 with the publication of the first edition of The New Peerage. The name "Debrett's" honours John Debrett...
in 1996 and republished in 1999.
The man behind the advice was something of an enigmatic figure. Certainly an exponent of practising what he preached, his lifestyle of Savile Row
Savile Row
Savile Row is a shopping street in Mayfair, central London, famous for its traditional men's bespoke tailoring. The term "bespoke" is understood to have originated in Savile Row when cloth for a suit was said to "be spoken for" by individual customers...
suits and monogrammed shirts was a world away from his middle-class beginnings. Born in Sunderland, son of a Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
employee, he studied at Cheltenham Art School, and supplemented his grant by playing piano in a local restaurant. By the time he left Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
he had an idea of what he wanted to do, and soon after his arrival 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...
began working as assistant to the Australian fashion consultant Percy Savage
Percy Savage
Percy Savage was an Australian fashion publicist, designer, artist, raconteur and bon viveur. He left Australia as a 20 year old, and spent the rest of his life living and working in Europe...
. He steadily progressed his career and when the British Gentlemen's Quarterly (GQ) was founded in 1988 he was signed up as a style writer. He rose to become style editor, responsible for a section of the magazine, and was a well-regarded figure amongst staff.
His work at GQ, in addition to his Times column, numerous appearances on television and radio to dispense advice or commentary, and position as a style consultant to captains of industry, afforded him a lifestyle he relished. His tiny flat in the Albany
The Albany
The Albany or Albany is an apartment complex in Piccadilly, London.-Building:...
, just off Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Piccadilly is a major street in central London, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is completely within the city of Westminster. The street is part of the A4 road, London's second most important western artery. St...
, contained sixty made-to-measure suits, 300 monogrammed shirts, and ninety pairs of shoes. He loved attending social events, was passionate about opera, and cashed his cheques at Claridge's
Claridge's
Claridge's is a luxury hotel in Mayfair, central London. It is located at the corner of Brook Street and Davies Street.-History:Claridge's is a traditional grand hotel. Its extensive and old connections with royalty have led to it being referred to as an "extension to Buckingham Palace"...
. Morgan dedicated himself to living the life of a Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
boulevardier, an always elegant and immaculately presented bachelor-about-town.
On the evening of 9 July 2000, Morgan was found dead near his home by a neighbour. The coroner's verdict was open, but with a suspicion of suicide.
Publications
- Debrett's New Guide to Etiquette and Modern Manners (1999)
- The "Times" Book of Modern Manners: A Guide Through the Minefield of Contemporary Etiquette (2000)