Sir Basil Clarke
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Basil Clarke, KBE
(12 August 1879 – 12 December 1947) was an early pioneer of public relations
and British government wartime propaganda expert
. He also acted as a war correspondent in the First World War, later writing a book of his experiences entitled My Round of the War. In 2011 the Guardian newspaper reported there were plans for a biography of him.
, the son of a chemist
, Clarke went to Manchester Grammar School
and then onto Oxford University, where he studied classics and music. As a young man, he was a member of the Lancashire
rugby union
fifteen, despite the handicap of having only one eye, the result of an accident in infancy.
Originally, he intended to make a music career. Instead, his widowed mother persuaded him to take up banking, which he reputedly hated. For a year or so, he travelled throughout Europe, earning a living playing piano in cinemas and elsewhere. He won an appointment teaching English at Heidelberg University.
and Clarke was invited to join this paper and after working there for several years, later joined the Daily Mail
.
At the outbreak of the First World War, he was sent as a clandestine war correspondent
to France. Journalists were not allowed in the war zone at this time, but Clarke managed to evade the authorities longer than any other reporter to roam the front lines. Years later, war correspondents had become greatly respectable and he travelled to almost every theatre of war reporting for the Daily Mail
.
. After this, he spent a short time as editor of the Sheffield Independent before moving on to director of public information at the Ministry of Health
. He soon moved to Ireland to head the British government's propaganda unit, the Public Information Department, set up in Dublin Castle
in August 1920.
He left government service in the early 1920s and set up one of the first PR agencies, Editorial Services, in 1924. By the end of the 1920s he was running a significant operation with 60 staffers. The same year he was associated with "the setting up of ‘National Propaganda’, later to become ‘The Economic League’.
In the mid-1920s, Clarke published a small brochure to promote wallpaper, The World's Greatest Adventure – The Quest of Columbus in Mural Decoration (publisher Arthur Sanderson, London). Between 1929 and 1931, he worked as a public relations expert for the Conservative Party.
During the reign of King George V
, Clarke was asked to write several speeches for the monarch. George V apparently once remarked "Clarke, I like the speeches you write for me, you don't make me sound too bloody pompous."
He is credited with making pasteurised milk acceptable in England and campaigned for legislation to have imported skimmed milk
marked "unfit for babies." On behalf of the Heinz
organisation, he successfully fought for legislation to stop the use of harmful colouring matter and adulterants in preserved foods. Henry J. Heinz
, the founder of the business, was personally brought over from America to give evidence at a select committee of the House of Commons on the subject.
The Danish
government, for his services in "promoting Anglo-Danish friendship and trade," awarded him the Order of the Dannebrog
. He was also made a Knight of the Realm during the brief premiership of Andrew Bonar Law.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(12 August 1879 – 12 December 1947) was an early pioneer of public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
and British government wartime propaganda expert
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
. He also acted as a war correspondent in the First World War, later writing a book of his experiences entitled My Round of the War. In 2011 the Guardian newspaper reported there were plans for a biography of him.
Early life
Born in AltrinchamAltrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
, the son of a chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
, Clarke went to Manchester Grammar School
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
and then onto Oxford University, where he studied classics and music. As a young man, he was a member of the Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
fifteen, despite the handicap of having only one eye, the result of an accident in infancy.
Originally, he intended to make a music career. Instead, his widowed mother persuaded him to take up banking, which he reputedly hated. For a year or so, he travelled throughout Europe, earning a living playing piano in cinemas and elsewhere. He won an appointment teaching English at Heidelberg University.
Journalist
His entry into journalism apparently came after a chance encounter in a pub, where he joined in with some strangers as the fourth voice in a Gilbert & Sullivan quartet and was invited to write an article on musical appreciation for the Manchester Guardian. This article was greatly admired by a leading member of the Sunday TimesThe Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
and Clarke was invited to join this paper and after working there for several years, later joined the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
.
At the outbreak of the First World War, he was sent as a clandestine war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
to France. Journalists were not allowed in the war zone at this time, but Clarke managed to evade the authorities longer than any other reporter to roam the front lines. Years later, war correspondents had become greatly respectable and he travelled to almost every theatre of war reporting for the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
.
Propaganda
In 1918, he became director of special intelligence at the Ministry of ReconstructionMinistry of Reconstruction
The Ministry of Reconstruction was a department of the United Kingdom government which existed after both World War I and World War II in order to provide for the needs of the population in the post war years.- World War I :...
. After this, he spent a short time as editor of the Sheffield Independent before moving on to director of public information at the Ministry of Health
Department of Health (United Kingdom)
The Department of Health is a department of the United Kingdom government with responsibility for government policy for health and social care matters and for the National Health Service in England along with a few elements of the same matters which are not otherwise devolved to the Scottish,...
. He soon moved to Ireland to head the British government's propaganda unit, the Public Information Department, set up in Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle administration in Ireland
The Dublin Castle administration in Ireland was the government of Ireland under English and later British rule, from the twelfth century until 1922, based at Dublin Castle.-Head:...
in August 1920.
He left government service in the early 1920s and set up one of the first PR agencies, Editorial Services, in 1924. By the end of the 1920s he was running a significant operation with 60 staffers. The same year he was associated with "the setting up of ‘National Propaganda’, later to become ‘The Economic League’.
Public relations
His Little White Book introduced the first British code of ethics for public relations: "All anonymity or disguise on the part of the PR operator must go. No payment must be accepted from newspapers. No canvassing for accounts. No fraudulent stunts likely to deceive the public – or editors. No promises or threats, about the placing or withholding of advertisements to secure the publication of editorial copy. Payment only by professional fee and not by piece rates or press results."In the mid-1920s, Clarke published a small brochure to promote wallpaper, The World's Greatest Adventure – The Quest of Columbus in Mural Decoration (publisher Arthur Sanderson, London). Between 1929 and 1931, he worked as a public relations expert for the Conservative Party.
During the reign of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, Clarke was asked to write several speeches for the monarch. George V apparently once remarked "Clarke, I like the speeches you write for me, you don't make me sound too bloody pompous."
He is credited with making pasteurised milk acceptable in England and campaigned for legislation to have imported skimmed milk
Skimmed milk
Skimmed milk , or skim milk is made when all the cream is removed from whole milk .Sometimes only half the cream is removed, this is called semi-skimmed milk....
marked "unfit for babies." On behalf of the Heinz
H. J. Heinz Company
The H. J. Heinz Company , commonly known as Heinz and famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan and its ketchup, is an American food company with world headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.Perhaps best known for its ketchup, the H.J...
organisation, he successfully fought for legislation to stop the use of harmful colouring matter and adulterants in preserved foods. Henry J. Heinz
Henry J. Heinz
Henry John Heinz was an American businessman who founded the H. J. Heinz Company.-Early life:Heinz was one of eight children born to John Henry Heinz and Anna Margaretha Heinz...
, the founder of the business, was personally brought over from America to give evidence at a select committee of the House of Commons on the subject.
The Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
government, for his services in "promoting Anglo-Danish friendship and trade," awarded him the Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
. He was also made a Knight of the Realm during the brief premiership of Andrew Bonar Law.
Sources
- Murphy, Brian P., The Origins and Organisation of British Propaganda In Ireland – 1920, Aubane Historical Society and SpinWatch (2006)