Sir Malcolm Fraser, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Captain Sir John Malcolm Fraser, 1st Baronet GBE
(24 December 1878 – 4 May 1949) was a British
journalist
and political adviser.
Fraser was born in Hampstead
, London
. He became a journalist and rose rapidly to become assistant editor
of The Standard
. He was then successively editor of the Evening Standard
and St James's Gazette, day editor of the Daily Express
, and editor-in-chief of the Birmingham Gazette
, Birmingham Dispatch and other papers in the same group. In 1910 Arthur Balfour
appointed him adviser on press matters to the Conservative Party
.
In November 1915, Fraser was commissioned Temporary Lieutenant
in the Royal Naval Air Service
(Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve), and specialised in airship
s. He was promoted Temporary Lieutenant-Commander in February 1917 and ended the First World War as Deputy Director of Aircraft Production at the Admiralty
with the rank of Captain
. On the formation of the Royal Air Force
in 1918 he stayed in the Royal Navy
instead of transferring to the RAF with most other RNAS officers.
After the war he returned to Conservative Party headquarters and was appointed Honorary Principal Agent in 1920. He headed the government's British Gazette
during the 1926 General Strike
.
Fraser was knighted
in 1919 for his services to the Admiralty, created a Baronet
in the 1921 Birthday Honours, and appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 1922.
Between December 1902 and August 1903, he also co-authored seven short stories with Bertram Fletcher Robinson
. In February 1904, six of these stories were compiled and republished in a book entitled The Trail of the Dead. During 1998, the seventh story, entitled "Fog Bound", was republished as "Fogbound" in a compendium of short stories that was edited by Jack Adrian and entitled Twelve Tales of Murder. In April 2009, republished in a book entitled Aside Arthur Conan Doyle: Twenty Original Tales by Bertram Fletcher Robinson.
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...
(24 December 1878 – 4 May 1949) was a British
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...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and political adviser.
Fraser was born in Hampstead
Hampstead
Hampstead is an area of London, England, north-west of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Camden in Inner London, it is known for its intellectual, liberal, artistic, musical and literary associations and for Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland...
, 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...
. He became a journalist and rose rapidly to become assistant editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
of The Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
. He was then successively editor of the Evening Standard
Evening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
and St James's Gazette, day editor of the Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
, and editor-in-chief of the Birmingham Gazette
Birmingham Gazette
The Birmingham Gazette, known for much of its existence as Aris's Birmingham Gazette, was a newspaper that was published and circulated in Birmingham, England from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries...
, Birmingham Dispatch and other papers in the same group. In 1910 Arthur Balfour
Arthur Balfour
Arthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman...
appointed him adviser on press matters to the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
In November 1915, Fraser was commissioned Temporary Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
(Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve), and specialised in airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
s. He was promoted Temporary Lieutenant-Commander in February 1917 and ended the First World War as Deputy Director of Aircraft Production at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
with the rank of Captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
. On the formation of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
in 1918 he stayed in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
instead of transferring to the RAF with most other RNAS officers.
After the war he returned to Conservative Party headquarters and was appointed Honorary Principal Agent in 1920. He headed the government's British Gazette
British Gazette
The British Gazette was a short-lived British newspaper published by the Government during the General Strike of 1926.One of the first groups of workers called out by the Trades Union Congress when the general strike began on 3 May were the printers, and consequently most newspapers appeared only...
during the 1926 General Strike
1926 United Kingdom general strike
The 1926 general strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted nine days, from 4 May 1926 to 13 May 1926. It was called by the general council of the Trades Union Congress in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reduction and worsening...
.
Fraser was knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1919 for his services to the Admiralty, created a Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in the 1921 Birthday Honours, and appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in 1922.
Between December 1902 and August 1903, he also co-authored seven short stories with Bertram Fletcher Robinson
Bertram Fletcher Robinson
Bertram Fletcher Robinson was an English sportsman, journalist, author and Liberal Unionist Party campaigner. Between 1893 and 1907, he wrote nearly 300 published items including a series of short stories that feature a detective called Addington Peace. However, Robinson is perhaps best remembered...
. In February 1904, six of these stories were compiled and republished in a book entitled The Trail of the Dead. During 1998, the seventh story, entitled "Fog Bound", was republished as "Fogbound" in a compendium of short stories that was edited by Jack Adrian and entitled Twelve Tales of Murder. In April 2009, republished in a book entitled Aside Arthur Conan Doyle: Twenty Original Tales by Bertram Fletcher Robinson.