Douglas Francis Jerrold
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Douglas Francis Jerrold (
Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, sub ...
3 August 1893 – 21 July 1964) was a British journalist and publisher. As editor of ''
The English Review ''The English Review'' was an English-language literary magazine published in London from 1908 to 1937. At its peak, the journal published some of the leading writers of its day. History The magazine was started by 1908 by Ford Madox Hueffer (l ...
'' from 1931 to 1935, he was a vocal supporter of fascism in Italy and of
Francoist Spain Francoist Spain (), also known as the Francoist dictatorship (), or Nationalist Spain () was the period of Spanish history between 1936 and 1975, when Francisco Franco ruled Spain after the Spanish Civil War with the title . After his death i ...
. He was personally involved in the events of July 1936 when two British intelligence agents piloted an aircraft from the
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...
to
Spanish Morocco The Spanish protectorate in Morocco was established on 27 November 1912 by a treaty between France and Spain that converted the Spanish sphere of influence in Morocco into a formal protectorate. The Spanish protectorate consisted of a norther ...
, taking General
Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (born Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general and dictator who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces i ...
with them and thereby helped to spark the military coup that ignited the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
.Alpert, Michael, ''A New international history of the Spanish Civil War''
Retrieved 6 March 2010


Early life

Jerrold was born in
Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, sub ...
in 1893, the son of Sidney Douglas Jerrold and Maud Francis Goodrich. He was a descendant of the Victorian dramatist and writer
Douglas William Jerrold Douglas William Jerrold (3 January 18038 June 1857) was an English dramatist and writer. Early life Jerrold's father, Samuel Jerrold, was an actor and lessee of the little theatre of Wilsby near Cranbrook, Kent. In 1807 the family moved to Sh ...
, one of the founders of '' Punch''. He served as an officer in the Hawke Battalion of the
Royal Naval Division The 63rd (Royal Naval) Division was a United Kingdom infantry division of the First World War. It was originally formed as the Royal Naval Division at the outbreak of the war, from Royal Navy and Royal Marine reservists and volunteers, who w ...
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 ...
, seeing action at
Gallipoli The Gallipoli Peninsula (; ; ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east. Gallipoli is the Italian form of the Greek name (), meaning ' ...
and on the Western Front. One of his fellow officers in the Hawke Battalion was the writer and humourist
A P Herbert Sir Alan Patrick Herbert CH (known as A. P. Herbert; 24 September 1890 – 11 November 1971), was an English humorist, novelist, playwright, law reformist, and, from 1935 to 1950, an independent Member of Parliament for Oxford University. Bo ...
. In the early postwar period, Jerrold wrote histories of both the Battalion and the Division. Jerrold was admitted to the
Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court entitled to Call to the bar, call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple (with whi ...
on 20 November 1918, but was not called to the Bar.


Career


Publishing

Jerrold became a director of
Eyre & Spottiswoode Eyre & Spottiswoode was the London-based printing firm established in 1739 that was the King's Printer, and subsequently, a publisher prior to being incorporated; it once went by the name of Spottiswoode, Ballantyne & co. ltd. In April 1929, it ...
in 1929, chairman in 1945 and retired in 1958. Between 1944 and 1948,
Graham Greene Henry Graham Greene (2 October 1904 – 3 April 1991) was an English writer and journalist regarded by many as one of the leading novelists of the 20th century. Combining literary acclaim with widespread popularity, Greene acquired a re ...
was his director, in charge of the fiction list.


Politics

Jerrold was at his core a
Tory A Tory () is an individual who supports a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalist conservatism which upholds the established social order as it has evolved through the history of Great Britain. The To ...
and was hopeful of a career in politics, but he was critical of the alliance between the Conservative Party and big business; he felt that the party had become too nakedly capitalist. His views were not popular with the party leadership, and in 1931, Jerrold's hopes of a parliamentary seat were dashed by Central Office.Pugh, Martin, p.205
Retrieved July 2012.
Pugh, Martin. ''Hurrah for the Blackshirts!: Fascists and Fascism in Britain Between the Wars'' (Pimlico, 2006) .
In 1930 Jerrold published a pamphlet, ''The Lie about the War''. This publication attacked the depiction of the First World War in contemporary literature. Jerrold argued in the pamphlet that the First World War had been both a necessary war and a just war, despite the terrible suffering that it had entailed. Bergonzi, Bernard. ''Heroes' Twilight: A Study of the Literature of the Great War''. New York, Coward-McCann, 1966, (pgs. 195-197) Jerrold's pamphlet singled out the work of
Ernest Hemingway Ernest Miller Hemingway ( ; July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Known for an economical, understated style that influenced later 20th-century writers, he has been romanticized fo ...
,
Richard Aldington Richard Aldington (born Edward Godfree Aldington; 8 July 1892 – 27 July 1962) was an English writer and poet. He was an early associate of the Imagist movement. His 50-year writing career covered poetry, novels, criticism and biography. He ed ...
,
Robert Graves Captain Robert von Ranke Graves (24 July 1895 – 7 December 1985) was an English poet, soldier, historical novelist and critic. His father was Alfred Perceval Graves, a celebrated Irish poet and figure in the Gaelic revival; they were b ...
and
Henri Barbusse Henri Barbusse (; 17 May 1873 – 30 August 1935) was a French novelist, short story writer, journalist, poet and political activist. He began his literary career in the 1890s as a Symbolist poet and continued as a neo-Naturalist novelist; i ...
for censure, claiming such works gave a misleading picture of military life.Frayn, Alexander. ''Writing Disenchantment: British First World War prose, 1914–30''. Manchester University Press, 2015 (pgs 240-2) By contrast, Jerrold praised '' Undertones of War'' by
Edmund Blunden Edmund Charles Blunden (1 November 1896 – 20 January 1974) was an English poet, author, and critic. Like his friend Siegfried Sassoon, he wrote of his experiences in World War I in both verse and prose. For most of his career, Blunden was als ...
as a realistic and admirable account of the conflict.


''The English Review'' and the ''New English Review''

Sidelined in mainstream politics, Jerrold became editor of ''
The English Review ''The English Review'' was an English-language literary magazine published in London from 1908 to 1937. At its peak, the journal published some of the leading writers of its day. History The magazine was started by 1908 by Ford Madox Hueffer (l ...
'', which he ran from 1931 to 1935. He advocated "real Toryism as opposed to the plutocratic Conservatism represented by the official party", under the relatively liberal leadership of
Stanley Baldwin Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley (3 August 186714 December 1947), was a British statesman and Conservative politician who was prominent in the political leadership of the United Kingdom between the world wars. He was prime ministe ...
. He was a romantic anticapitalist and a devout
Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
who was strongly attracted to the fascism of
Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his overthrow in 194 ...
's Italy, the Catholic nationalism of Franco, and the rule of Antonio Salazar in Portugal as well as to that of
Engelbert Dollfuss Engelbert Dollfuss (alternatively Dollfuß; 4 October 1892 – 25 July 1934) was an Austrian politician and dictator who served as chancellor of Federal State of Austria, Austria between 1932 and 1934. Having served as Minister for Forests and ...
in Austria. In addition, Jerrold, unlike his ''English Review'' colleague, the historian Sir Charles Petrie, was an imperialist who was opposed to Britain's policy in India, which had recognised the inevitability of self-rule. Moreover, Jerrold favoured a greatly-strengthened executive government at home, if not an outright dictatorship. If not a fascist, Jerrold was undeniably sympathetic to fascism. On 21 November 1933, Jerrold's ''English Review'' hosted a dinner, presided over by Lord Carson, which was intended to be the climax of Jerrold's campaign for a new corporatist approach to government. However, the dinner was not as successful as Jerrold hoped. The 350 guests were united in their opposition to the National Government but otherwise held divergent views. Soon afterwards, Jerrold gave his views on
parliamentary democracy A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy, is a form of government where the head of government (chief executive) derives their democratic legitimacy from their ability to command the support ("confidence") of a majority of the legisl ...
: :There is no folly more fashionable than the saying that the English will never tolerate a dictatorship. Under constitutional forms of a very flimsy character the English have invariably insisted on being governed either by a close oligarchy or a virtual dictatorship.... It is because the party machines have notably failed to govern that they are losing the public confidence, and unless Parliament under universal franchise can fulfil the indispensable task of leadership, a dictatorship is not only inevitable but necessary. – Douglas Jerrold, Current comments, English Review, December 1933 In 1945, he launched and ran a successor, the ''New English Review'', later known as the ''English Review Magazine'', with Charles Petrie and support from the Conservative Party. In 1950, it merged with the ''
National Review ''National Review'' is an American conservative editorial magazine, focusing on news and commentary pieces on political, social, and cultural affairs. The magazine was founded by William F. Buckley Jr. in 1955. Its editor-in-chief is Rich L ...
''.


Fascist sympathies

In a July 1933 article in the ''English Review'', Jerrold argued that because of the threat of
communism Communism () is a political sociology, sociopolitical, political philosophy, philosophical, and economic ideology, economic ideology within the history of socialism, socialist movement, whose goal is the creation of a communist society, a ...
to Britain, "the forcible overthrow of Herr
Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
's administration would be a disaster". Jerrold also joined the
January Club The January Club was a discussion group founded in 1934 by Oswald Mosley to attract Establishment support for the movement known as the British Union of Fascists. The Club was under the effective control of Robert Forgan, working on behalf of t ...
, founded by
Oswald Mosley Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980), was a British aristocrat and politician who rose to fame during the 1920s and 1930s when he, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, turned to fascism. ...
in January 1934, to generate sympathy and some element of respectability for fascism and particularly to court conservative opinion. The January Club was not explicitly fascist but was "in sympathy with the fascist movement". Meetings were held over dinners at London hotels, where its leaders advanced a
corporatist Corporatism is an ideology and political system of interest representation and policymaking whereby corporate groups, such as agricultural, labour, military, business, scientific, or guild associations, come together and negotiate contracts ...
agenda and insisted that "the present democratic system of government must be changed". However, Jerrold was no Nazi and supported the efforts of
Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...
to avenge the 1934 murder of
Engelbert Dollfuss Engelbert Dollfuss (alternatively Dollfuß; 4 October 1892 – 25 July 1934) was an Austrian politician and dictator who served as chancellor of Federal State of Austria, Austria between 1932 and 1934. Having served as Minister for Forests and ...
, which had been carried out in Austria by pro-
Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
forces.


Spanish Civil War

During the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
, Jerrold strongly supported the Nationalist cause of General
Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (born Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general and dictator who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces i ...
and was among those who argued that the destruction of
Guernica Guernica (, ), officially Gernika () in Basque, is a town in the province of Biscay, in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain. The town of Guernica is one part (along with neighbouring Lumo) of the municipality of Gernika-Lumo ...
had been caused not by Nationalist bombers but by retreating Republican forces. In his 1938 book ''The Future of Freedom: Notes on Christianity and Politics'', Jerrold outlined his support for the pro-Catholic dictatorships of Franco and Mussolini. He wrote, "Christians not only can but must wish and pray for General Franco's success".Jerrold, Douglas, p.115, ''The Future of Freedom: Notes on Christianity and Politics''
Retrieved 10 July 2012
Jerrold, in fact, took an active and personal role in Franco's successful coup. He had been involved in the events of July 1936, when Captain Cecil Bebb and Major Hugh Pollard piloted a
de Havilland Dragon Rapide The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide is a 1930s short-haul biplane airliner developed and produced by British aircraft company de Havilland. Capable of accommodating 6–8 passengers, it proved an economical and durable craft, despite its outd ...
aircraft from the Canary Islands to Spanish Morocco, taking Franco with them and thereby igniting the Spanish Civil War. The flight itself was planned over lunch at
Simpson's-in-the-Strand Simpson's-in-the-Strand is one of London's oldest traditional English restaurants. Situated in Strand, London, the Strand, it is part of the Savoy Buildings, which also contain one of the world's most famous hotels, the Savoy Hotel, Savoy. Th ...
, where Jerrold met with the journalist Luis Bolín, London correspondent of the ''
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
'' newspaper and later Franco's senior press advisor. Jerrold then recruited Pollard to join the enterprise, along with Pollard's daughter Diana and one of her friends as "cover".


Publications

* The Royal Naval Division, By Douglas Jerrold, With an Introduction by the Right Hon Winston S Churchill. Hutchinson and Co (1923). * The Hawke Battalion Some Personal Records of Four Years, 1914-18. Ernest Benn Limited, London (1925). * The War on Land, In the Main Theatres of War, 1914–1918, Comprising the Western Front, the Eastern Front, the Italian Front, the Balkans, and the Campaigns against Turkey . Ernest Benn Limited, London (1928) * England. (1935). London: Arrowsmith. 240 pages
Jerrold, Douglas, p.115, ''The Future of Freedom: Notes on Christianity and Politics''
Sheed and Ward, New York (1938) Retrieved 10 July 2012 * Britain and Europe from 1900 to 1940 . Collins, London (1941) * England: Past, Present and Future . Norton, New York (1950) * An Introduction to the History of England, from the Earliest Times to 1204 . Houghton Mifflin, New York (1952) * The Lie about the West: A Response to Professor Toynbee's Challenge. Sheed and Ward, New York (1954)


See also

* Charles Petrie (historian) *
Francis Yeats-Brown Major Francis Charles Claydon Yeats-Brown, DFC (15 August 1886 – 19 December 1944) was an officer in the British Indian army and the author of the memoir '' The Lives of a Bengal Lancer'', for which he was awarded the 1930 James Tait Black ...


References


External links


Douglas Jerrold at the Dictionary of National Biography
Retrieved 10 July 2012
Images of Jerrold at the National Portrait Gallery
Retrieved 10 July 2012
Drawing of Douglas Francis Jerrold by Robert Lutyens, 1962
Retrieved 10 July 2012 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jerrold, Douglas 1893 births 1964 deaths British male journalists British people of the Spanish Civil War People from Scarborough, North Yorkshire English fascists Military personnel from Scarborough, North Yorkshire Royal Navy officers of World War I 63rd (Royal Naval) Division soldiers