Randall Swingler
Encyclopedia
Randall Swingler MM
(28 May 1909 – 1967) was an English poet, writing extensively in the 1930s in the communist interest.
His was a prosperous middle class Anglican family near Nottingham
, with an industrial background in the Midlands
. He was educated at Winchester College
, and New College, Oxford
. He was an accomplished flautist
, and later was much involved in musical collaboration, as a librettist.
He joined the Communist Party of Great Britain
in 1934. His numerous ventures as a literary entrepreneur included: the setting up of Fore Publications (1938); the magazines Left Review (to 1938), Arena, Seven (taken over in wartime, mainly for the paper stock), Our Time; and the publishing of the Key Books, and later Key Poets series. These proved more influential than his Blake
-flavoured verse, which has consistently been criticised (and scarcely defended, except by Andy Croft
).
He operated in North London, as a close associate of Nancy Cunard
, sometimes lending his name. He was one of the organisers of the covert Writer's Group of the late 1930s, attempting to co-ordinate a 'literary policy' of the Left. He was involved also in work for the Unity Theatre
.
He served with the British Army
in Italy
in World War II
, joining as a private soldier, and being awarded the Military Medal
. After the war he experienced hard times. He left the CPGB in 1956. He was a founder of E. P. Thompson
's The New Reasoner (from 1957).
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(28 May 1909 – 1967) was an English poet, writing extensively in the 1930s in the communist interest.
His was a prosperous middle class Anglican family near Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
, with an industrial background in the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
. He was educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
, and New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
. He was an accomplished flautist
Flautist
A flautist or flutist is a musician who plays an instrument in the flute family. See List of flautists.The choice of "flautist" versus "flutist" is the source of dispute among players of the instrument...
, and later was much involved in musical collaboration, as a librettist.
He joined the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
in 1934. His numerous ventures as a literary entrepreneur included: the setting up of Fore Publications (1938); the magazines Left Review (to 1938), Arena, Seven (taken over in wartime, mainly for the paper stock), Our Time; and the publishing of the Key Books, and later Key Poets series. These proved more influential than his Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
-flavoured verse, which has consistently been criticised (and scarcely defended, except by Andy Croft
Andy Croft (writer)
Andrew Croft is a writer, editor, and poet based in the north-east of England. His work includes Red Letter Days , Red Skies at Night , and Comrade Heart about Randall Swingler....
).
He operated in North London, as a close associate of Nancy Cunard
Nancy Cunard
Nancy Clara Cunard was a writer, heiress and political activist. She was born into the British upper class but strongly rejected her family's values, devoting much of her life to fighting racism and fascism...
, sometimes lending his name. He was one of the organisers of the covert Writer's Group of the late 1930s, attempting to co-ordinate a 'literary policy' of the Left. He was involved also in work for the Unity Theatre
Unity Theatre, London
The Unity Theatre was a theatre club formed in 1936, and initially based in St Judes Hall, Britannia Street, Kings Cross, in 1937 they moved to a former chapel in Goldington Street, near St Pancras, in the London Borough of Camden. Although the theatre was destroyed by fire in 1975 productions...
.
He served with the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, joining as a private soldier, and being awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
. After the war he experienced hard times. He left the CPGB in 1956. He was a founder of E. P. Thompson
E. P. Thompson
Edward Palmer Thompson was a British historian, writer, socialist and peace campaigner. He is probably best known today for his historical work on the British radical movements in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, in particular The Making of the English Working Class...
's The New Reasoner (from 1957).
Works
- Crucifixus (1932) play
- Difficult Morning (1933) poems
- The Left Song Book, (1938) compiled with Alan BushAlan BushAlan Dudley Bush was a British composer and pianist. He was a committed socialist, and politics sometimes provided central themes in his music.-Personal life:...
- The Years of Anger - poems
- The God in the Cave (1950) poems
- Selected Poems of Randall Swingler (2000) edited by Andy Croft