Sir Charles Frederick Higham (17 January 1876 – 24 December 1938) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

publicist, advertising consultant prominent in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and a Conservative Party politician elected as the Member of Parliament for Islington South in the

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for one term, from 1918 to 1922.

Background, upbringing and emigration

Born in

Walthamstow Walthamstow ( or ) is a town within the London Borough of Waltham Forest in east London. The town borders Chingford to the north, Snaresbrook and South Woodford to the east, Leyton and Leytonstone to the south, and Tottenham to the west. At ...

, he was the eldest son of Charles and Emily Higham. His father, a solicitor's clerk, died when he was nine years old. Along with his mother and two brothers he emigrated to the United States shortly after his father's death. Leaving home aged 13, he had a series of varied jobs including chemist's assistant, newspaper reporter and assistant hotel manager.

Advertising in Britain

In 1906 he returned to England, eventually establishing his own

advertising agency An advertising agency, often referred to as a creative agency or an ad agency, is a business dedicated to creating, planning, and handling advertising and sometimes other forms of promotion and marketing for its clients. An ad agency is generall ...

, Charles F. Higham Limited. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

the importance in waging a successful war against Germany and Austria-Hungary of advertising for army recruitment was realised by the government and Higham was appointed a member of the Committee on Recruiting Propaganda. He was later appointed Director of Publicity for the National War Savings Committee. He was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

in 1921 for his wartime creativity and services.

Term in the House of Commons for Islington South

At the 1918 general election that followed the war, Higham was elected

Coalition Conservative The Coalition Coupon was a letter sent to parliamentary candidates at the 1918 United Kingdom general election, endorsing them as official representatives of the Coalition Government. The 1918 election took place soon after British victory in the ...

MP for Islington South. He chose to only serve a single term, standing down at the 1922 general election. In 1924–25 he visited America to popularise tea-drinking, also publicising the

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. He was also made a

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, and in 1930 was presented with the Publicity Cup by the

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Publications and personal life

He was the author of a number of books on advertising including ''Scientific Distribution'' (1918), ''Looking Forward: Mass Education Through Publicity'' (1920), ''Advertising and the Man-in-the-street'' (1929) and ''Advertising: Its Use and Abuse'' (1931). Higham married five times. He died at his home in South Godstone,

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, on

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus. Christmas Day is observance of Christmas by country, observed around the world, and Christma ...

, 1938, of pneumonia and cancer of the mouth. A son, also Charles Higham, from his fourth marriage (to Josephine Janet Keuchenius Webb), became a biographer and writerCharles Higham ''In and Out of Hollywood: A Biographer's Memoir'' and his daughter, Anna Higham went on to become a teacher.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Higham, Charles Frederick 1876 births 1938 deaths People from Walthamstow UK MPs 1918–1922 Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies British advertising executives British emigrants to the United States