Roger Fulford
Encyclopedia
Sir Roger Thomas Baldwin Fulford CVO
(24 November 1902 – 18 May 1983) was an English journalist, historian, writer and politician.
In the 1930s, he completed the editing of the standard edition of the diaries of Charles Greville. From the 1930s to the 1960s, he wrote several important biographies and other works. Between 1964 and 1981 he edited five volumes of letters between Queen Victoria and the Princess Royal
. He was President of the Liberal Party
, 1964-65.
, Gloucestershire
and his wife, Emily Constance née Ellis. Fulford was educated at Lancing College
and Worcester College, Oxford
. He qualified as a barrister in 1931, but never practised law.
Fulford became a journalist with The Times
, where he remained for many years. He was additionally a part-time Lecturer in English at King's College London
from 1937 to 1948.
During the World War II
, Fulford worked in the War Office
(1940–42) and was assistant private secretary to Sir Archibald Sinclair
, the Secretary of State for Air
from (1942–45). He stood unsuccessfully as a Liberal Party
candidate in 1929, 1945 and 1950. In 1964–65 he was President of the party. For Penguin Books
he wrote The Liberal Case for the general election of 1959, published alongside the contributions of Lord Hailsham and Roy Jenkins
for the other two national parties. The Times called Fulford's piece "a highly civilised credo". He was appointed C.V.O. in 1970 and knighted in 1980.
In 1937 Fulford married Sibell Eleanor Maud née Adeane, widow of the Hon. Edward James Kay-Shuttleworth (d. 1917) and of the Rev. Hon. Charles Frederick Lyttelton (d. 1931). There were no children of the marriage. Fulford was a member of The Literary Society
and a committee member of the London Library
.
Fulford died at his home, Barbon Manor near Carnforth
, aged 80.
, who died in 1932 leaving the work unfinished. The memoirs were eventually published in ten volumes, beginning in 1938.
Fulford's subsequent works concentrated on the same late Hanoverian
period, beginning with a study of the lives of the six younger sons of George III (Royal Dukes, 1933) and their elder brother (George the Fourth, 1935), the Prince Consort
(1949) and Queen Victoria (1951), followed by a study of a longer period in Hanover to Windsor (1960). In 1962 he published a biography of Samuel Whitbread, and in 1967 The Trial of Queen Caroline. Finally, he edited five volumes of the correspondence between Queen Victoria and her eldest daughter, the Empress Frederick of Germany: Dearest Child (1964), Dearest Mama (1968), Your Dear Letter (1971), Darling Child (1976), and Beloved Mama (1981).
Beyond his customary historical period, he published a satire of a political careerist, The Right Honourable Gentleman (1945), a history of Glyn's Bank (1953) and Votes for Women (1957), a study of the suffragettes which won a prize of £5000 from The Evening Standard.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(24 November 1902 – 18 May 1983) was an English journalist, historian, writer and politician.
In the 1930s, he completed the editing of the standard edition of the diaries of Charles Greville. From the 1930s to the 1960s, he wrote several important biographies and other works. Between 1964 and 1981 he edited five volumes of letters between Queen Victoria and the Princess Royal
Victoria, Princess Royal
The Princess Victoria, Princess Royal was the eldest child of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert. She was created Princess Royal of the United Kingdom in 1841. She became German Empress and Queen of Prussia by marriage to German Emperor Frederick III...
. He was President of the Liberal Party
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...
, 1964-65.
Life and career
Fulford was the younger son of Canon Frederick John Fulford, Vicar of FlaxleyFlaxley
Flaxley is a small settlement in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, located in between the larger villages of Westbury-on-Severn and Mitcheldean at the foot of the Vale of Castiard.-History:...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
and his wife, Emily Constance née Ellis. Fulford was educated at Lancing College
Lancing College
Lancing College is a co-educational English independent school in the British public school tradition, founded in 1848 by Nathaniel Woodard. Woodard's aim was to provide education "based on sound principle and sound knowledge, firmly grounded in the Christian faith." Lancing was the first of a...
and Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College, Oxford
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in the eighteenth century, but its predecessor on the same site had been an institution of learning since the late thirteenth century...
. He qualified as a barrister in 1931, but never practised law.
Fulford became a journalist 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...
, where he remained for many years. He was additionally a part-time Lecturer in English at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
from 1937 to 1948.
During the 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...
, Fulford worked in the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
(1940–42) and was assistant private secretary to Sir Archibald Sinclair
Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
Archibald Henry Macdonald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso KT, CMG, PC , known as Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt between 1912 and 1952, and often as Archie Sinclair, was a British politician and leader of the Liberal Party....
, the Secretary of State for Air
Secretary of State for Air
The Secretary of State for Air was a cabinet level British position. The person holding this position was in charge of the Air Ministry. It was created on 10 January 1919 to manage the Royal Air Force...
from (1942–45). He stood unsuccessfully as a Liberal Party
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...
candidate in 1929, 1945 and 1950. In 1964–65 he was President of the party. For Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
he wrote The Liberal Case for the general election of 1959, published alongside the contributions of Lord Hailsham and Roy Jenkins
Roy Jenkins
Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead OM, PC was a British politician.The son of a Welsh coal miner who later became a union official and Labour MP, Roy Jenkins served with distinction in World War II. Elected to Parliament as a Labour member in 1948, he served in several major posts in...
for the other two national parties. The Times called Fulford's piece "a highly civilised credo". He was appointed C.V.O. in 1970 and knighted in 1980.
In 1937 Fulford married Sibell Eleanor Maud née Adeane, widow of the Hon. Edward James Kay-Shuttleworth (d. 1917) and of the Rev. Hon. Charles Frederick Lyttelton (d. 1931). There were no children of the marriage. Fulford was a member of The Literary Society
The Literary Society
The Literary Society is a London dining club, founded by William Wordsworth and others in 1807. Its members are generally either prominent figures in English literature or eminent people in other fields with a strong interest in literature. No papers are delivered at its meetings. It meets monthly...
and a committee member of the London Library
London Library
The London Library is the world's largest independent lending library, and the UK's leading literary institution. It is located in the City of Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom....
.
Fulford died at his home, Barbon Manor near Carnforth
Carnforth
- References :...
, aged 80.
Writings
Away from journalism, Fulford's first major literary work was as editor of the diaries of Charles Greville, in succession to Lytton StracheyLytton Strachey
Giles Lytton Strachey was a British writer and critic. He is best known for establishing a new form of biography in which psychological insight and sympathy are combined with irreverence and wit...
, who died in 1932 leaving the work unfinished. The memoirs were eventually published in ten volumes, beginning in 1938.
Fulford's subsequent works concentrated on the same late Hanoverian
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
period, beginning with a study of the lives of the six younger sons of George III (Royal Dukes, 1933) and their elder brother (George the Fourth, 1935), the Prince Consort
Prince consort
A prince consort is the husband of a queen regnant who is not himself a king in his own right.Current examples include the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , and Prince Henrik of Denmark .In recognition of his status, a prince consort may be given a formal...
(1949) and Queen Victoria (1951), followed by a study of a longer period in Hanover to Windsor (1960). In 1962 he published a biography of Samuel Whitbread, and in 1967 The Trial of Queen Caroline. Finally, he edited five volumes of the correspondence between Queen Victoria and her eldest daughter, the Empress Frederick of Germany: Dearest Child (1964), Dearest Mama (1968), Your Dear Letter (1971), Darling Child (1976), and Beloved Mama (1981).
Beyond his customary historical period, he published a satire of a political careerist, The Right Honourable Gentleman (1945), a history of Glyn's Bank (1953) and Votes for Women (1957), a study of the suffragettes which won a prize of £5000 from The Evening Standard.