William Connor
Encyclopedia
Sir William Neil Connor (26 April 1909 – 6 April 1967), was a left-wing journalist for The Daily Mirror
who wrote under the pseudonym
of Cassandra.
He wrote a regular column for over 30 years between 27 July 1935 and 1 February 1967 with a short intermission for World War II
, his column restarting after the war with the words "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, it is a powerful hard thing to please all of the people all of the time." He took his pen-name from Cassandra
in Greek mythology, a tragic character that is given the gift of prophecy by Apollo
but is then cursed so that no one will ever believe her.
His writings, described as "polished-up barrack room style", were either bitter attacks on people and events or a personal diary of his every-day life and thoughts. He worked alongside cartoonist Philip Zec
at the Daily Mirror and the pair courted controversy in 1942 with an illustration, captioned by Connor, which Winston Churchill
and others perceived as an attack on government. His most famous columns include the claims that P. G. Wodehouse
was a Nazi collaborator, a charge from which George Orwell
defended Wodehouse and the outing
of Liberace
for which the paper was sued and lost. During the Second World War he enraged Winston Churchill
, who called him "malevolent". Shortly after this Connor joined the army for the remainder of the war.
In one of his most famous columns, Connor attacked the death sentence passed on Ruth Ellis
, writing: "The one thing that brings stature and dignity to mankind and raises us above the beasts will have been denied her - pity and the hope of ultimate redemption." His comments contributed to an increased antipathy to the death penalty which eventually resulted in its abolition in the UK.
In the years leading up to his death Connor wrote more humorous columns and was regarded with affection by Mirror readers. Subjects ranged from the time he received wrong number calls intended for the local railway parcels service, to the mysterious person who sent him a fresh goose egg once a year.
His final column ended with the words "Normal service in this column is temporarily interrupted while I learn to do what any babe can do with ease and what comes naturally to most men of good conscience - to sleep easily o' nights."
Since his death the column Cassandra in The Daily Mirror has continued to be sporadically published. A new columnist, writer Keith Waterhouse
, took over Connor's place in the newspaper, but not his byline.
The Daily Mirror
The Daily Mirror is a British national daily tabloid newspaper which was founded in 1903. Twice in its history, from 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was changed to read simply The Mirror, which is how the paper is often referred to in popular parlance. It had an...
who wrote under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of Cassandra.
He wrote a regular column for over 30 years between 27 July 1935 and 1 February 1967 with a short intermission for 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...
, his column restarting after the war with the words "As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, it is a powerful hard thing to please all of the people all of the time." He took his pen-name from Cassandra
Cassandra
In Greek mythology, Cassandra was the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. Her beauty caused Apollo to grant her the gift of prophecy...
in Greek mythology, a tragic character that is given the gift of prophecy by Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
but is then cursed so that no one will ever believe her.
His writings, described as "polished-up barrack room style", were either bitter attacks on people and events or a personal diary of his every-day life and thoughts. He worked alongside cartoonist Philip Zec
Philip Zec
Philip Zec was a British political cartoonist and editor. Moving from the advertising industry to drawing political cartoons due to his abhorrence of the rise of fascism, Zec complemented the Daily Mirror editorial line with a series of venomous cartoons...
at the Daily Mirror and the pair courted controversy in 1942 with an illustration, captioned by Connor, which Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and others perceived as an attack on government. His most famous columns include the claims that P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
was a Nazi collaborator, a charge from which George Orwell
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
defended Wodehouse and the outing
Outing
Outing is the act of disclosing a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person's true sexual orientation or gender identity without that person's consent. Outing gives rise to issues of privacy, choice, hypocrisy, and harm in addition to sparking debate on what constitutes common good in efforts...
of Liberace
Liberace
Wladziu Valentino Liberace , best known simply as Liberace, was a famous American pianist and vocalist.In a career that spanned four decades of concerts, recordings, motion pictures, television and endorsements, Liberace became world-renowned...
for which the paper was sued and lost. During the Second World War he enraged Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, who called him "malevolent". Shortly after this Connor joined the army for the remainder of the war.
In one of his most famous columns, Connor attacked the death sentence passed on Ruth Ellis
Ruth Ellis
Ruth Ellis , née Neilson, was the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom. She was convicted of the murder of her lover, David Blakely, and hanged at Holloway Prison, London, by Albert Pierrepoint.-Biography:...
, writing: "The one thing that brings stature and dignity to mankind and raises us above the beasts will have been denied her - pity and the hope of ultimate redemption." His comments contributed to an increased antipathy to the death penalty which eventually resulted in its abolition in the UK.
In the years leading up to his death Connor wrote more humorous columns and was regarded with affection by Mirror readers. Subjects ranged from the time he received wrong number calls intended for the local railway parcels service, to the mysterious person who sent him a fresh goose egg once a year.
His final column ended with the words "Normal service in this column is temporarily interrupted while I learn to do what any babe can do with ease and what comes naturally to most men of good conscience - to sleep easily o' nights."
Since his death the column Cassandra in The Daily Mirror has continued to be sporadically published. A new columnist, writer Keith Waterhouse
Keith Waterhouse
Keith Spencer Waterhouse CBE was a novelist, newspaper columnist, and the writer of many television series.-Biography:Keith Waterhouse was born in Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, took over Connor's place in the newspaper, but not his byline.