Richard S. Lambert
Encyclopedia
Richard Stanton Lambert was a biographer, popular historian and broadcaster. He was also the founding editor of The Listener (magazine) and an employee of the BBC
and the CBC
. His books mainly concern history and biography but he also wrote about crime, travel, art, radio, film and propaganda. In the book Ariel and All His Quality he wrote about his time with the BBC in its formative years. His book Propaganda, published in 1939, was a timely investigation of a subject already made familiar during World War I.
R.S. Lambert was educated at Repton School
and Wadham College, Oxford
where he studied Classics. Some of his poems were published in the Oxford University literary magazine Oxford Poetry
, then in its formative years.
After leaving Oxford, he worked as a sub-editor with The Economist
from 1914–1915, joining the staff in 1916.
During World War I, he served with the Friends' Ambulance Unit
(FAU), from 1916-1918. In a 1971 retrospective, he records that he was a C.O. (conscientious objector
), to which fact he ascribed a difficulty in finding a job in the post-war years. However, he found part-time work at Sheffield University teaching economics and history to extramural groups of Yorkshire miners and railwaymen. This work left him free during the summer to pursue his literary work.
In 1918, Lambert married Kate Elinor Klein, a talented artist and wood engraver who signed herself Elinor Lambert. They established The Stanton Press
together in 1921, producing fine, hand-printed volumes of poetry and translation. The press closed in 1924 when Lambert took up a full-time post as a tutor for the University of London.
In 1927, he joined the BBC as Head of the Adult Education Section and, in 1928, he became the first editor of The Listener magazine. At this time the magazine was intended primarily to disseminate talks delivered by the BBC. Under Lambert's editorship notable contributors to The Listener included members of the Bloomsbury Group Paul Nash
, Roger Fry
and Clive Bell
.
In April 1939, R.S. Lambert resigned from the BBC and immigrated to Canada with his family. There he joined CBC Radio
, being named educational advisor in 1940. His collections of wartime broadcasts for CBC were published in several volumes.
In 1944, he divorced Kate Elinor Lambert and married Joyce Morgan.
From 1943-1959 he served the CBC as Supervisor of School Broadcasts, retiring in 1963 to live in a neo-Gothic rectory called Claverleigh at Creemore (now called Clearview, Ontario
). Always a prolific author, he continued to write books in his retirement about the history of Canada and Canadian folklore and legend. Today, Claverleigh is a National Historic Site of Canada.
The first book was about the phenomenon of Gef the talking mongoose
. The mongoose was said to be haunting an isolated farmhouse on the Isle of Man. Lambert accompanied his friend, paranormal investigator Harry Price
and together they wrote the book. Lambert's apparent credulity about the talking mongoose led Sir Cecil Levita
to criticise him, suggesting that he was unfit to serve on the board of the British Film Institute
, of which Lambert was a one of the founders and a prominent governor in the 1930s. Levita said that Lambert was "off his head" because he had believed in the talking mongoose and the evil eye
. Lambert sued Levita for slander. Lambert was pressured to abandon his action by Sir Stephen Tallents
but persisted with it and won, receiving £7,600 in damages, then an exceptional figure for a slander case, awarded because Lambert's counsel managed to introduce a BBC memo which showed Lambert's career had been threatened if he persisted with the case. The case became known as "The Mongoose Case".
The case achieved wide media coverage in the popular press of the day. It had important repercussions for Lambert's employer, the BBC, as well as for the British Film Institute.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and the CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
. His books mainly concern history and biography but he also wrote about crime, travel, art, radio, film and propaganda. In the book Ariel and All His Quality he wrote about his time with the BBC in its formative years. His book Propaganda, published in 1939, was a timely investigation of a subject already made familiar during World War I.
Life
Lambert was born in Kingston-upon-Thames, England.R.S. Lambert was educated at Repton School
Repton School
Repton School, founded in 1557, is a co-educational English independent school for both day and boarding pupils, in the British public school tradition, located in the village of Repton, in Derbyshire, in the Midlands area of England...
and Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
where he studied Classics. Some of his poems were published in the Oxford University literary magazine Oxford Poetry
Oxford Poetry
Oxford Poetry is a literary magazine based in Oxford, England. It is currently edited by Hamid Khanbhai and Thomas A Richards.Founded in 1910 by Basil Blackwell, its editors have included Dorothy L...
, then in its formative years.
After leaving Oxford, he worked as a sub-editor with The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
from 1914–1915, joining the staff in 1916.
During World War I, he served with the Friends' Ambulance Unit
Friends' Ambulance Unit
The Friends' Ambulance Unit was a volunteer ambulance service, founded by individual members of the British Religious Society of Friends , in line with their Peace Testimony. The FAU operated from 1914–1919, 1939–1946 and 1946-1959 in 25 different countries around the world...
(FAU), from 1916-1918. In a 1971 retrospective, he records that he was a C.O. (conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
), to which fact he ascribed a difficulty in finding a job in the post-war years. However, he found part-time work at Sheffield University teaching economics and history to extramural groups of Yorkshire miners and railwaymen. This work left him free during the summer to pursue his literary work.
In 1918, Lambert married Kate Elinor Klein, a talented artist and wood engraver who signed herself Elinor Lambert. They established The Stanton Press
The Stanton Press
The Stanton Press was set up in 1921 by Richard S. Lambert and his wife Elinor Lambert at 32 Chalfont Avenue, Wembley Hill, Middlesex where they lived...
together in 1921, producing fine, hand-printed volumes of poetry and translation. The press closed in 1924 when Lambert took up a full-time post as a tutor for the University of London.
In 1927, he joined the BBC as Head of the Adult Education Section and, in 1928, he became the first editor of The Listener magazine. At this time the magazine was intended primarily to disseminate talks delivered by the BBC. Under Lambert's editorship notable contributors to The Listener included members of the Bloomsbury Group Paul Nash
Paul Nash (artist)
Paul Nash was a British landscape painter, surrealist and war artist, as well as a book-illustrator, writer and designer of applied art. He was the older brother of the artist John Nash.-Early life:...
, Roger Fry
Roger Fry
Roger Eliot Fry was an English artist and art critic, and a member of the Bloomsbury Group. Establishing his reputation as a scholar of the Old Masters, he became an advocate of more recent developments in French painting, to which he gave the name Post-Impressionism...
and Clive Bell
Clive Bell
Arthur Clive Heward Bell was an English Art critic, associated with formalism and the Bloomsbury Group.- Origins :Clive Bell was born in East Shefford, Berkshire, in 1881...
.
In April 1939, R.S. Lambert resigned from the BBC and immigrated to Canada with his family. There he joined CBC Radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
, being named educational advisor in 1940. His collections of wartime broadcasts for CBC were published in several volumes.
In 1944, he divorced Kate Elinor Lambert and married Joyce Morgan.
From 1943-1959 he served the CBC as Supervisor of School Broadcasts, retiring in 1963 to live in a neo-Gothic rectory called Claverleigh at Creemore (now called Clearview, Ontario
Clearview, Ontario
Clearview is a township in central Ontario, Canada, west of Barrie and south of Collingwood and Wasaga Beach in Simcoe County.-History:Clearview Township was established on January 1, 1994 when the Town of Stayner, The Village of Creemore and the Townships of Nottawasaga and Sunnidale were...
). Always a prolific author, he continued to write books in his retirement about the history of Canada and Canadian folklore and legend. Today, Claverleigh is a National Historic Site of Canada.
Paranormal Interests
Lambert was interested in the supernatural as a hobby throughout his life and wrote two books on the subject. The first, published in 1935, was entitled The Haunting of Cashen's Gap The second book, entitled Exploring the Supernatural, was the first significant study of supernatural occurrences in Canada.The first book was about the phenomenon of Gef the talking mongoose
Gef the talking mongoose
Gef , referred to as the Talking Mongoose or the Dalby Spook, was a talking mongoose reported to inhabit a farmhouse known as Cashen's Gap near the hamlet of Dalby on the Isle of Man...
. The mongoose was said to be haunting an isolated farmhouse on the Isle of Man. Lambert accompanied his friend, paranormal investigator Harry Price
Harry Price
Harry Price was a British psychic researcher and author.-Early life:Although Price claimed his birth was in Shropshire, he was actually born in London in Red Lion Square on the site of the South Place Ethical Society's Conway Hall. He was educated in New Cross, first at Waller Road Infants School...
and together they wrote the book. Lambert's apparent credulity about the talking mongoose led Sir Cecil Levita
Cecil Levita
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Cecil Bingham Levita, KCVO, CBE was a British soldier and public service worker who eventually rose to be chairman of the London County Council in 1928.-British Army:...
to criticise him, suggesting that he was unfit to serve on the board of the British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
, of which Lambert was a one of the founders and a prominent governor in the 1930s. Levita said that Lambert was "off his head" because he had believed in the talking mongoose and the evil eye
Evil eye
The evil eye is a look that is believed by many cultures to be able to cause injury or bad luck for the person at whom it is directed for reasons of envy or dislike...
. Lambert sued Levita for slander. Lambert was pressured to abandon his action by Sir Stephen Tallents
Stephen Tallents
Sir Stephen George Tallents was a British civil servant and public relations expert.Educated at Harrow and Balliol, he served as an officer in the Irish Guards in World War I until severely wounded at Festubert. He then worked at the Ministry of Munitions, transferring in 1916 to the Ministry of...
but persisted with it and won, receiving £7,600 in damages, then an exceptional figure for a slander case, awarded because Lambert's counsel managed to introduce a BBC memo which showed Lambert's career had been threatened if he persisted with the case. The case became known as "The Mongoose Case".
The case achieved wide media coverage in the popular press of the day. It had important repercussions for Lambert's employer, the BBC, as well as for the British Film Institute.
Further reading
- Colombo, J. R. , Lambert’s Day: an appreciation of R.S. Lambert , 1999 (Colombo and Co., Toronto)