George Woodcock (; May 8, 1912 – January 28, 1995) was a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
writer
A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, ...
of political biography and history, an
anarchist
Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessar ...
thinker, a
philosopher
A philosopher is a person who practices or investigates philosophy. The term ''philosopher'' comes from the grc, φιλόσοφος, , translit=philosophos, meaning 'lover of wisdom'. The coining of the term has been attributed to the Greek th ...
, an
essayist and
literary critic
Literary criticism (or literary studies) is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often influenced by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of literature's goals and methods. ...
. He was also a
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or w ...
and published several volumes of
travel writing
Travel is the movement of people between distant geographical locations. Travel can be done by foot, bicycle, automobile, train, boat, bus, airplane, ship or other means, with or without luggage, and can be one way or round trip. Travel ...
.
In 1959 he was the founding editor of the journal ''
Canadian Literature'' which was the first academic journal specifically dedicated to Canadian writing.
He is most commonly known outside Canada for his book ''
Anarchism: A History of Libertarian Ideas and Movements'' (1962).
Life
Woodcock was born in
Winnipeg
Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749 ...
,
Manitoba
Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...
, but moved with his parents to
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
at an early age, attending
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School in Marlow and
Morley College. Though his family was quite poor, Woodcock's grandfather offered to pay his tuition if he went to
Cambridge University
, mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts.
Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
, established =
, other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...
which he turned down due to the condition that he undertake seminary training for the
Anglican clergy. Instead, he took a job as a
clerk at the
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...
and it was there that he first became interested in anarchism. He was to remain an anarchist for the rest of his life, writing several books on the subject, including ''Anarchism'', the anthology ''The Anarchist Reader'' (1977), and biographies of
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (, , ; 15 January 1809, Besançon – 19 January 1865, Paris) was a French socialist,Landauer, Carl; Landauer, Hilde Stein; Valkenier, Elizabeth Kridl (1979) 959 "The Three Anticapitalistic Movements". ''European Socia ...
,
William Godwin
William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836) was an English journalist, political philosophy, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism and the first modern proponent of anarchism. God ...
,
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...
and
Peter Kropotkin
Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin (; russian: link=no, Пётр Алексе́евич Кропо́ткин ; 9 December 1842 – 8 February 1921) was a Russian anarchist, socialist, revolutionary, historian, scientist, philosopher, and activist ...
. It was during these years that he met several prominent literary figures, including
T. S. Eliot and
Aldous Huxley, and forging a particularly close relationship with the
art theorist Herbert Read
Sir Herbert Edward Read, (; 4 December 1893 – 12 June 1968) was an English art historian, poet, literary critic and philosopher, best known for numerous books on art, which included influential volumes on the role of art in education. Read ...
. Woodcock's first published work was ''The White Island'', a collection of
poetry
Poetry (derived from the Greek '' poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meani ...
, which was issued by
Fortune Press in 1940.
Woodcock spent
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
working as a
conscientious objector
A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to objec ...
on a farm in
Essex
Essex () is a Ceremonial counties of England, county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the Riv ...
, and in 1949, moved to
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...
.
At
Camp Angel Camp Angel was Civilian Public Service (CPS) camp number 56, located from 1942 to 1945 near Waldport and the coast in the Siuslaw National Forest and Lincoln County, in western Oregon.
It was one of many CPS camps across the United States where ...
in
Oregon
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
, a camp for
conscientious objectors, he was a founder of the
Untide Press The Untide Press, founded in 1943, attempted to bring poetry to the public in an inexpensive but attractive format.
It was founded by writer William Everson, architect and printer Kemper Nomland, actor Kermit Sheets and editor / librarian William ...
, which sought to bring poetry to the public in an inexpensive but attractive format. Following the war, he returned to Canada, eventually settling in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...
,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, for ...
. In 1955, he took a post in the English department of the
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a public research university with campuses near Vancouver and in Kelowna, British Columbia. Established in 1908, it is British Columbia's oldest university. The university ranks among the top thr ...
, where he stayed until the 1970s. Around this time he started to write more prolifically, producing several travel books and collections of poetry, as well as the works on anarchism for which he is best known in collaboration with
Ivan Avakumović.
Towards the end of his life, Woodcock became increasingly interested in what he saw as the plight of
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
ans. He traveled to
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
, studied
Buddhism
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
, became friends with the
Dalai Lama
Dalai Lama (, ; ) is a title given by the Tibetan people to the foremost spiritual leader of the Gelug or "Yellow Hat" school of Tibetan Buddhism, the newest and most dominant of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The 14th and current D ...
and established the Tibetan Refugee Aid Society. With Inge, his wife, Woodcock established Canada India Village Aid, which sponsors self-help projects in rural
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. Both organizations exemplify Woodcock's ideal of voluntary cooperation between peoples across national boundaries.
George and Inge also established a program to support professional Canadian writers. The Woodcock Fund, which began in 1989, provides financial assistance to writers in mid-book-project who face an unforeseen financial need that threatens the completion of their book. The Fund is available to writers of fiction, creative non-fiction, plays, and poetry. The Woodcocks helped create an endowment for the program in excess of two million dollars. The Woodcock Fund program is administered by the
Writers' Trust of Canada and by March 2012 had distributed $887,273 to 180 Canadian writers.
George Woodcock died at his home in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on January 28, 1995.
Orwell
Woodcock first came to know
George Orwell
Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalit ...
after they had a public disagreement in the pages of the ''
Partisan Review''. In his "
London Letter" published in the March–April 1942 issue of the review, Orwell had written that in the context of a war against fascism,
pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace camp ...
was "objectively
pro-fascist".
[Orwell, Sonia and Angus, Ian (eds.) ''The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell Volume 2: My Country Right or Left'', pp. 210–212 (London, Penguin)] As the founder and editor of ''
Now'', an "anti-war paper" which Orwell had mentioned in his article as an example of publications that published contributions by both
pacifists
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigne ...
and
fascists
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and the ...
, Woodcock took exception to this.
Woodcock stated that "the review had abandoned its position as an independent forum", and was now "the cultural review of the British Anarchist movement".
Despite this difference, the two became good friends and kept up a correspondence until Orwell's death, and ''Now'' would publish Orwell's article "
How the Poor Die" in its November 6, 1946 issue.
Woodcock and Orwell would both also be active members of the
Freedom Defence Committee
The Freedom Defence Committee was a UK-based organisation set up on 3 March 1945 to "uphold the essential liberty of individuals and organisations, and to defend those who are persecuted for exercising their rights to freedom of speech, writing an ...
.
Woodcock later wrote ''
The Crystal Spirit
''The Crystal Spirit: A Study of George Orwell'' is a 1966 book of literary criticism by George Woodcock, analyzing the works and life of George Orwell.
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
External links
Full text
at the Internet Archiv ...
'' (1966), a critical study of Orwell and his work which won a
Governor General's Award
The Governor General's Awards are a collection of annual awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, recognizing distinction in numerous academic, artistic, and social fields.
The first award was conceived and inaugurated in 1937 by th ...
.
[Hiebert, Matt. "In Canada and Abroad: The Diverse Publishing Career of George Woodcock".]
Retrieved August 19, 2013. The title is taken from the last line of the poem written by Orwell in memory of the Italian militiaman he met in Barcelona in December 1936 during the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...
, a meeting Orwell describes in the opening lines to ''
Homage to Catalonia'' (1938).
Recognition
Woodcock was honoured with several awards, including a Fellowship of the
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada (RSC; french: Société royale du Canada, SRC), also known as the Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada (French: ''Académies des arts, des lettres et des sciences du Canada''), is the senior national, bil ...
in 1968, the UBC Medal for Popular Biography in 1973 and 1976, and the
Molson Prize
The Thomas Henry Pentland Molson Prize for the Arts is awarded by the Canada Council, Canada Council for the Arts. Two prizes are awarded annually to distinguished individuals. One prize is awarded in the arts, one in the social sciences and human ...
in 1973. In 1970, he received an honorary doctorate from
Sir George Williams University, which later became
Concordia University
Concordia University (French: ''Université Concordia'') is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University, Concordia is one of the t ...
. However, he only accepted awards given by his peers, refusing several awards given by the Canadian state, including the
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada (french: Ordre du Canada; abbreviated as OC) is a Canadian state order and the second-highest honour for merit in the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, after the Order of Merit.
To coincide with the cen ...
. The one exception was the award of the Freedom of the City of Vancouver, which he accepted in 1994.
Freedom of the City honorees
City of Vancouver Official Site. Retrieved September 12, 2013.
He is the subject of a biography, ''The Gentle Anarchist: A Life of George Woodcock'' (1998) by George Fetherling
Douglas George Fetherling (born 1949), is a Canadian poet, novelist, and cultural commentator. One of the most prolific figures in Canadian letters, he has written or edited more than fifty books, including a dozen volumes of poetry, five book-len ...
, and a documentary ''George Woodcock: Anarchist of Cherry Street'' by Tom Shandel and Alan Twigg.
Selected bibliography
* ''Anarchy or Chaos'' – 1944
* ''William Godwin
William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836) was an English journalist, political philosophy, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism and the first modern proponent of anarchism. God ...
: A biographical study'' 1946
* ''The Incomparable Aphra'' – 1948
* '' The Anarchist Prince: A Biographical Study of Peter Kropotkin'' – 1950 (with Ivan Avakumović)
* ''Ravens and Prophets'' – 1952
* ''Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (, , ; 15 January 1809, Besançon – 19 January 1865, Paris) was a French socialist,Landauer, Carl; Landauer, Hilde Stein; Valkenier, Elizabeth Kridl (1979) 959 "The Three Anticapitalistic Movements". ''European Socia ...
'' – 1956
* ''To the City of the Dead: An Account of Travels in Mexico'' – 1957
* ''Incas and Other Men: Travels in the Andes'' - 1959
* '' Anarchism: A History of Libertarian Ideas and Movements'' – 1962
* ''Faces of India: A Travel Narrative'' – 1964
* ''Asia, Gods and Cities: Aden to Tokyo'' - 1966
* '' The Crystal Spirit: A Study of George Orwell'' – 1966
* ''The Greeks in India'' – 1966
* ''Kerala: A Portrait of the Malabar Coast'' - 1967
* ''The Doukhobors'' – 1968 (with Ivan Avakumovic)
* '' Henry Walter Bates: Naturalist of the Amazons'' - 1969
* ''The British in the Far East'' – 1969
* ''The British in the Middle East'' – 1970
* ''The Hudson's Bay Company'' – 1970
* ''Canada and the Canadians'' - 1970
* ''Into Tibet: The Early British Explorers'' – 1971
* ''Victoria'' – 1971
* ''Gandhi'' – Fontana Modern Masters
The Fontana Modern Masters was a series of pocket guides on writers, philosophers, and other thinkers and theorists who shaped the intellectual landscape of the twentieth century. The first five titles were published on 12 January 1970 by Fontana ...
, 1972
* ''Dawn and the Darkest Hour: A Study of Aldous Huxley'' – 1972
* ''The Rejection of Politics and Other Essays on Canada, Canadians, Anarchism and the World'' – 1972
* ''Herbert Read
Sir Herbert Edward Read, (; 4 December 1893 – 12 June 1968) was an English art historian, poet, literary critic and philosopher, best known for numerous books on art, which included influential volumes on the role of art in education. Read ...
: The Stream and the Source'' - 1973
* ''Who Killed the British Empire?: An Inquest'' – 1974
* ''Amor de Cosmos: Journalist and Reformer'' – 1975
* ''Gabriel Dumont: The Métis Chief and his Lost World'' – 1975
* ''South Sea Journey'' – 1976
* ''Peoples of the Coast: The Indians of the Pacific Northwest '' – 1977
* ''The Anarchist Reader'' – 1977 (editor)
* ''Anima, or, Swann Grown Old: A Cycle of Poems'' – 1977
* ''Two Plays'' – 1977
* ''Thomas Merton Monk And Poet – A Critical Study'' – 1978
* ''The World of Canadian Writing: Critiques and Recollections'' – 1980
* ''100 Great Canadians'' – 1980
* ''Confederation Betrayed!'' – 1981
* ''The Meeting of Time and Space: Regionalism in Canadian Literature'' – 1981
* ''Taking it to the Letter'' – 1981
* ''Letter to the Past: An Autobiography – 1982
* ''Orwell's Message: 1984 & the Present'' – 1984
* ''Strange Bedfellows: The State and the Arts in Canada'' – 1985
* ''The University of British Columbia: A Souvenir'' – 1986 (with Tim Fitzharris)
* ''Northern Spring: The Flowering of Canadian Literature in English'' – 1987
* ''Caves in the Desert: Travels in China'' – 1988
* ''The Purdy-Woodcock Letters: Selected Correspondence, 1964–1984'' – 1988
* ''William Godwin: A Biographical Study'' – 1989
* ''A Social History of Canada'' – 1989
* ''Powers of Observation'' – 1989
* ''Oscar Wilde: The Double Image'' - 1989
* ''The Century that Made Us: Canada 1814–1914'' – 1989
* ''British Columbia: A History of the Province'' – 1990
* ''Tolstoy at Yasnaya Polyana & Other Poems'' – 1991
* ''Anarchism and Anarchists: Essays'' – 1992
* ''The Cherry Tree on Cherry Street: And Other Poems'' – 1994
* ''Marvellous Century: Archaic Man and the Awakening of Reason'' – 2005
See also
* Anarchism in Canada
Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessar ...
References
Further reading
* Antliff, Mark. "Pacifism, Violence and Aesthetics: George Woodcock's Anarchist Sojourn, 1940–1950 1." Anarchist Studies 23.1 (2015): 15–44.
* Antliff, Allan, and Matthew S. Adams. "George Woodcock's transatlantic anarchism." Anarchist Studies 23.1 (2015): 6–14.
*
* Evren, Süreyyya, and Ruth Kinna. "George Woodcock: The Ghost Writer of Anarchism 1." Anarchist Studies 23.1 (2015): 45–61.
* Adams, Matthew S. "Memory, History, and Homesteading: George Woodcock, Herbert Read, and Intellectual Networks 1." Anarchist Studies 23.1 (2015): 86–104.
*
*
External links
Full texts
at the Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
George Woodcock Official Site (2013 Archive.org Backup)
George Woodcock fonds
a
Queen's University Archives
Tibetan Refugee Aid Society
founded in 1962 by George and Inge Woodcock to aid Tibetan refugees fleeing the Chinese occupation.
Canada India Village Aid
George Woodcock co-founder and past director.
at Anarchist Encyclopedia.
* .
(1969)
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