Henry William Massingham (25 May 1860 – 27 August 1924) was an English journalist, editor of ''
The Nation
''The Nation'' is an American liberal biweekly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper tha ...
'' from 1907 to 1923. In his time it was considered the leading British Radical weekly.
Life
He joined London paper ''
The Star
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' in 1888,
and was promoted to editor in 1890.
In 1888 as deputy editor to
T. P. O'Connor
Thomas Power O'Connor (5 October 1848 – 18 November 1929), known as T. P. O'Connor and occasionally as Tay Pay (mimicking his own pronunciation of the initials ''T. P.''), was an Irish nationalist politician and journalist who served as a ...
he had given
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...
his break in journalism, appointing him deputy drama critic to
Belfort Bax
Ernest Belfort Bax (; 23 July 1854 – 26 November 1926) was an English barrister, journalist, philosopher, men's rights advocate, socialist, and historian.
Biography
Ernest Belfort Bax was born on 23 July 1854, in Leamington Spa, son of Danie ...
.
He edited the ''
Daily Chronicle
The 'Daily Chronicle' was a British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the ''Daily News (UK), Daily News'' to become the ''News Chronicle''.
Foundation
The ''Daily Chronicle'' was developed by Edward Lloyd (publis ...
'' 1897–1899, but in November 1899 was forced out because his editorial line on the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
was hostile to the government.
His departure from ''The Nation'' was a matter of party politics: he had broken from the
Liberals under
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during t ...
, in favour of the
Labour Party. A change of ownership was putting control in the hands of
John Maynard Keynes
John Maynard Keynes, 1st Baron Keynes, ( ; 5 June 1883 – 21 April 1946), was an English economist whose ideas fundamentally changed the theory and practice of macroeconomics and the economic policies of governments. Originally trained in ...
, a Liberal. In July 1914, with the threat of war and refusal of the government to deny the possibility of British involvement, Massingham and
H. N. Brailsford
Henry Noel Brailsford (25 December 1873 – 23 March 1958) was the most prolific British left-wing journalist of the first half of the 20th century. A founding member of the Men's League for Women's Suffrage in 1907, he resigned from his job a ...
voiced their opposition to intervention in ''The Nation'' as did other Liberals in the ''Manchester Guardian, The Economist,'' and ''Daily News.''
Massingham during the short remainder of his life was a columnist, in the ''
Christian Science Monitor
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
'' and ''
The Spectator
''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world.
It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...
''.
Family
Massingham married Emma Jane Snowdon by whom he had his family. After her death he married her sister Ellen Snowdon. They were two of the daughters of Henry Snowdon of St. Leonards Priory in Norwich.
Massingham was also the father of Dr.
Richard Massingham
Richard Massingham (31 January 1898 in Sleaford, Lincolnshire – 1 April 1953 in Biddenden, Kent) was a British medical doctor who is principally known for starring in public information films made in the 1940s and early 1950s.
Life
After ...
who became well known for his direction of public information films at about the time of World War II. The writer
Harold J. Massingham was another son, and the playwright and actress
Dorothy Massingham
Dorothy Massingham ( – ) was a British actress and playwright.
Dorothy Massingham was born on in Highgate, daughter of the journalist H. W. Massingham and Emma Snowdon. She was educated at the Graham High Street School and the Academy for ...
was his daughter.
References
Further reading
''Why We Came to Help Belgium'' online text
*''H. W. M.: A selection from the writings of H. W. Massingham'' (1925)
* Alfred F. Havighurst (1974)
''Radical Journalist: H.W. Massingham, 1860-1924''
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Massingham, Henry William
1860 births
1924 deaths
English male journalists
Members of the Fabian Society
People educated at Norwich School
English male non-fiction writers
World War I