Godfrey Herbert Winn (15 October 1906 – 19 June 1971) was an English

journalist A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism. Roles Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...

known as a columnist, and also a

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...

and

actor An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...

. Born in Kings Norton,

Worcestershire Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the West Midlands (region), West Midlands of England. It is bordered by Shropshire, Staffordshire, and the West Midlands (county), West ...

, he attended King Edward's School,

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

.Robert Darlaston
King Edward's School His career as a theatre actor began as a boy at the

Haymarket Theatre The Theatre Royal Haymarket (also known as Haymarket Theatre or the Little Theatre) is a West End theatre in Haymarket, London, Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in ...

and he appeared in many plays and films. He went on to write a number of novels and biographical works, and became a star columnist for the ''

Daily Mirror The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily Tabloid journalism, tabloid newspaper. Founded in 1903, it is part of Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the tit ...

'' and the '' Sunday Express'' newspapers, where he wrote "Dear Abby" articles for lovelorn women. Journalists nicknamed him 'Winifred God' because of his popularity with women readers. Winn was gay and never married. In 1939, Winn was the first British war correspondent to cross the

Maginot Line The Maginot Line (; ), named after the Minister of War (France), French Minister of War André Maginot, is a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles and weapon installations built by French Third Republic, France in the 1930s to deter invas ...

. He served as a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

able seaman, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, training at HMS Ganges and becoming a CW (Commission Candidate Wartime) before injury led to his medical discharge. His book 'Home From Sea' published in 1943 recounts his life in the Royal Navy. Another book, PQ17, was an account of his experiences, as a journalist, on Convoy PQ 17 during the Second World War. After the war, he wrote numerous books and magazine articles, and appeared on radio and television as well as in films. He frequently compered the BBC Radio show '' Housewives' Choice'', with David Jacobs, from the early 1950s to the mid 1960s. He was a friend of W. Somerset Maugham and it is said that the character George Potter in Maugham's 1941 book ''Strictly Personal'' was based on him. He was the subject of '' This Is Your Life'' in 1961 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews Winn died from a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

at the age of 64, while playing tennis at home in

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

Bibliography

* ''Dreams Fade'' (1928) * ''Squirrel's Cage'' (1929) * ''The Unequal Conflict'' * ''Fly Away, Youth'' * ''Communion on Earth'' * ''I May Be Wrong'' * ''Personality Parade'' * ''A Month of Sundays'' * ''For My Friends'' * ''On Going to the Wars'' * ''The Hour Before the Dawn'' * ''The Kind of People We Are'' * ''Scrapbook of the War'' * ''Home from the Sea'' (1944) * ''Scrapbook of Victory'' * ''P.Q.17'' * ''This Fair Country'' * ''Going My Way'' * ''The Bend of the River'' * ''The Younger Sister'' (

Biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curri ...

) * ''The Younger Queen'' (

) * ''The Queen's Countrywoman'' (

) * ''One Man's Dog'' (

) * ''The Quest For Healing'' (

) * ''Personal Pages'' (

) * ''Infirm Glory'' (Volume 1 of his

Autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

). * ''The Positive Hour'' (Volume 2 of his

) * ''Here Is My Space'' (Volume 3 of his

) Additional Biographic and Autobiographic titles taken from a copy of ''The Positive Hour'' which was first published by Michael Joseph (UK) in 1970 before 3rd volume of autobiography was published.

Filmography

Footnotes

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Winn, Godfrey 1906 births 1971 deaths English male journalists Journalists from Birmingham, West Midlands People educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham English male child actors English male stage actors English male film actors 20th-century English male actors 20th-century English novelists English male novelists English gay writers 20th-century English male writers Royal Navy personnel of World War II Royal Navy sailors English LGBTQ journalists English LGBTQ writers 20th-century English LGBTQ people