Sir John Collings Squire (2 April 1884 – 20 December 1958) was a British writer, most notable as editor of the ''
London Mercury
''The London Mercury'' was the name of several periodicals published in London from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The earliest was a newspaper that appeared during the Exclusion Bill crisis; it lasted only 56 issues (1682). (Earlier periodicals ...
'', a major literary magazine in the
interwar period
In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...
. He antagonised several eminent authors, but attracted a coterie that was dubbed the Squirearchy. He was also a poet and historian, who captained a famous literary cricket-team called the Invalids.
Biography
Born in
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
, he was educated at
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school in the English public school tradition, located in Tiverton, Devon. It was founded in 1604 under the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the t ...
and
St. John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge founded by the Tudor matriarch Lady Margaret Beaufort. In constitutional terms, the college is a charitable corporation established by a charter dated 9 April 1511. The ...
. He was one of those published in the
Georgian poetry
Georgian Poetry refers to a series of anthologies showcasing the work of a school of English poetry that established itself during the early years of the reign of King George V of the United Kingdom.
The Georgian poets were, by the strictest ...
collections of
Edward Marsh. His own ''Selections from Modern Poets'' anthology series, launched in 1921, became definitive of the conservative style of ''Georgian poetry''.
He began reviewing for ''
The New Age
''The New Age'' was a British weekly magazine (1894–1938), inspired by Fabian socialism, and credited as a major influence on literature and the arts during its heyday from 1907 to 1922, when it was edited by Alfred Richard Orage. It published ...
''; through his wife he had met
Alfred Orage
Alfred Richard Orage (22 January 1873 – 6 November 1934) was a British people, British influential figure in socialist politics and modernist culture, now best known for editing the magazine ''The New Age'' before the First World War. While he ...
. His literary reputation was first made by a flair for
parody
A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...
, in a column ''Imaginary Speeches'' in ''The New Age'' from 1909.
His poetry from
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
was satirical; at the time he was reviewing for the ''
New Statesman
The ''New Statesman'' is a British political and cultural magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first connected with Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other leading members ...
'', using the name Solomon Eagle (taken from a Quaker of the seventeenth century) – one of his reviews from 1915 was of ''
The Rainbow
''The Rainbow'' is a novel by British author D. H. Lawrence, first published by Methuen & Co. in 1915. It follows three generations of the Brangwen family living in Nottinghamshire, focusing particularly on the individual's struggle to growth ...
'' by
D. H. Lawrence
David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...
. Squire had been appointed literary editor when the ''New Statesman'' was set up in 1912; he was noted as an adept and quick journalist, at ease with contributing to all parts of the journal. He was acting editor of the ''New Statesman'' in 1917–18, when
Clifford Sharp
Clifford Dyce Sharp (1883–1935) was a British journalist. He was the first editor of the ''New Statesman'' magazine from its foundation in 1913 until 1928; a left-wing magazine founded by Sidney and Beatrice Webb and other members of the social ...
was in the British Army, and more than competently sustained the periodical. When the war ended he found himself with a network of friends and backers, controlling a substantial part of London's literary press.
From 1919 to 1934, Squire was the editor of the monthly periodical, the ''
London Mercury
''The London Mercury'' was the name of several periodicals published in London from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The earliest was a newspaper that appeared during the Exclusion Bill crisis; it lasted only 56 issues (1682). (Earlier periodicals ...
''. It showcased the work of the Georgian poets and was an important outlet for new writers.
Alec Waugh
Alexander Raban Waugh (8 July 1898 – 3 September 1981) was a British novelist, the elder brother of the better-known Evelyn Waugh, uncle of Auberon Waugh and son of Arthur Waugh, author, literary critic, and publisher. His first wife was Bar ...
described the elements of Squire's 'hegemony' as acquired largely by accident, consequent on his rejection for military service for bad sight. Squire's natural persona was of a beer-drinking, cricketing West Countryman; his literary cricket XI, the Invalids (originally made up of men who had been wounded in the First World War), were immortalised in
A. G. Macdonell's ''
England, Their England
''England, Their England'' (1933) is an affectionately satirical comic novel of 1920s English urban and rural society by the Scottish writer A. G. Macdonell. It is particularly famed for its portrayal of village cricket.
Social satire
One of a ...
'', with Squire as Mr. William Hodge, editor of the ''London Weekly''. In July 1927 he became an early radio commentator on
Wimbledon
Wimbledon most often refers to:
* Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London
* Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships
Wimbledon may also refer to:
Places London
* ...
.
In his book ''
If It Had Happened Otherwise
''If It Had Happened Otherwise'' () is a 1931 collection of essays edited by J. C. Squire and published by Longmans, Green. Each essay in the collection could be considered alternate history or counterfactual history, a few written by leading his ...
'' (1931) he collected a series of essays, many of which could be considered
alternative histories, from some of the leading historians of the period (including
Hilaire Belloc
Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc (, ; 27 July 187016 July 1953) was a Franco-English writer and historian of the early twentieth century. Belloc was also an orator, poet, sailor, satirist, writer of letters, soldier, and political activist. H ...
and
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
); in
America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
it was published that same year in somewhat different form under the title ''
If: or, History Rewritten''.
Squire was
knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of 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. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...
ed in 1933, and after leaving the ''London Mercury'' in 1934, he became a reader for
Macmillans, the publishers; in 1937, he became a reviewer for the ''
Illustrated London News
''The Illustrated London News'' appeared first on Saturday 14 May 1842, as the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. Founded by Herbert Ingram, it appeared weekly until 1971, then less frequently thereafter, and ceased publication in ...
''.
His eldest son was
Raglan Squire
Raglan Squire (1912-2004) was a British architect known for his building designs in London and many parts of the world. He was also one of the chief architects who rebuilt Eaton Square in London's Belgravia district between 1945 and 1949 as part ...
, an architect known for his work at Rangoon University in the 1950s, as the architect for the conversion of the houses in Eaton Sq, London into flats thus ensuring the preservation of that great London Square, and many buildings including offices and hotels in the Middle East and elsewhere. His second son was Antony Squire, a pilot film director (''
The Sound Barrier
''The Sound Barrier'' is a 1952 British aviation drama film directed by David Lean. It is a fictional story about attempts by aircraft designers and test pilots to break the sound barrier. It was David Lean's third and final film with his wife ...
''). His third son Maurice was killed in the Second War while his youngest daughter Julia Baker (née Squire) was a costume designer for theatre and cinema. She married the actor George Baker.
Squire was an expert on
Stilton cheese
Stilton is an English cheese, produced in two varieties: Blue, which has '' Penicillium roqueforti'' added to generate a characteristic smell and taste, and White, which does not. Both have been granted the status of a protected designation of o ...
. He also loathed Jazz music, having filed a complaint with BBC radio to demand it stop playing
Benny Goodman's music, which he called "an awful series of jungle noises which can hearten no man."
Politics
Squire had joined the Marxist
Social Democratic Federation
The Social Democratic Federation (SDF) was established as Britain's first organised socialist political party by H. M. Hyndman, and had its first meeting on 7 June 1881. Those joining the SDF included William Morris, George Lansbury, James Con ...
, as a young man. During his time at the ''New Statesman'' he wrote as a "Fabian liberal". In the
1918 general election he was the
Labour
Labour or labor may refer to:
* Childbirth, the delivery of a baby
* Labour (human activity), or work
** Manual labour, physical work
** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer
** Organized labour and the labour ...
candidate for the
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 ...
seat. His views then moved steadily rightwards.
Squire met
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
in 1933, and was one of the founders of 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 ...
, set up on 1 January 1934. He held in it the position of chairman or Secretary, and claimed that it was not a Fascist organisation. It was a dining club with invited speakers, and was closely connected to
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley, 6th Baronet (16 November 1896 – 3 December 1980) was a British politician during the 1920s and 1930s who rose to fame when, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics, he turned to fascism. He was a member ...
's
British Union of Fascists
The British Union of Fascists (BUF) was a British fascist political party formed in 1932 by Oswald Mosley. Mosley changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists in 1936 and, in 1937, to the British Union. In 1939, fo ...
, which nominated members. According to the historian Sir
Charles Petrie (who, like Squire, wrote regularly for the ''Illustrated London News''), Squire "found the atmosphere uncongenial before long".
Reputation
The
Bloomsbury group
The Bloomsbury Group—or Bloomsbury Set—was a group of associated English writers, intellectuals, philosophers and artists in the first half of the 20th century, including Virginia Woolf, John Maynard Keynes, E. M. Forster and Lytton Strac ...
named the coterie of writers that surrounded Squire as the ''Squirearchy''. Alan Pryce-Jones was Squire's assistant on the ''Mercury'' and wrote
In a fairly recent study, the academic Leonard Diepeveen explored the particularly strained relationship between Squire and literary Modernists:
Squire is generally credited with the one-liner "I am not so think as you drunk I am", which appeared as the refrain of his ''
Ballade
Ballad is a form of narrative poetry, often put to music, or a type of sentimental love song in modern popular music.
Ballad or Ballade may also refer to:
Music Genres and forms
* Ballade (classical music), a musical setting of a literary ballad ...
of Soporific Absorption''.
[J. M. Cohen (Ed.); The Penguin book of comic and curious verse”; Penguin Books (1952)]
T. S. Eliot accused Squire of using the ''London Mercury'' to saturate literary London with journalistic and popular criticism. According to Robert H. Ross
John Middleton Murry
John Middleton Murry (6 August 1889 – 12 March 1957) was an English writer. He was a prolific author, producing more than 60 books and thousands of essays and reviews on literature, social issues, politics, and religion during his lifetime. ...
took an adversarial line towards Squire, seeing his ''London Mercury'' as in direct competition with his own ''
The Athenaeum''.
Roy Campbell sometimes mocked Squire in verse.
Since his death the reputation of Squire has declined; scholarship has absorbed the strictures of his contemporaries, such as
F. S. Flint
Frank Stuart Flint (19 December 1885 – 28 February 1960) was an English poet and translator who was a prominent member of the Imagist group. Ford Madox Ford called him "one of the greatest men and one of the beautiful spirits of the country".
L ...
, openly critical of Squire in 1920. Squire is now considered to be on the "blimpish" wing of the reaction to modernist work.
A reappraisal of the periodical network of early twentieth-century literary London, and problems with the term ''
modernism
Modernism is both a philosophy, philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western world, Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new fo ...
'', have encouraged scholars to cast their nets beyond the traditional venue of modernism – the
little magazine
In the United States, a little magazine is a magazine genre consisting of "artistic work which for reasons of commercial expediency is not acceptable to the money-minded periodicals or presses", according to a 1942 study by Frederick J. Hoffman, ...
– to seek to better understand the role mass-market periodicals such as the ''London Mercury'' played in promoting new and progressive writers.
Archives
Papers of Sir John Collings Squire are held at the Cadbury Research Library, University of Arts,London.
Bibliography
* Socialism and Art (1907 - under the name Jack C. Squire)
* Poems and Baudelaire flowers (1909)
* Imaginary Speeches And Other Parodies in Prose And Verse (1912)
* William the Silent (1912)
* Steps to Parnassus: and other parodies & diversions (1913)
* The Three Hills and Other Poems (1913)
* The Survival of the Fittest: and other poems (1916)
* Twelve poems (1916)
* The Lily of Malud and Other Poems (1917)
* The Gold Tree (1917)
* Books in general (1919)
* Poems: First Series (1919)
* The Moon (1920)
* Books in general: Second Series (1920)
* The Birds and Other Poems (1920)
* Tricks of the trade (1920)
* Books in general: Third Series (1921)
* Selections From Modern Poets (1921)
* The Collected Poems of James Elroy Flecker (1921)
* A Book of Women's Verse (1921)
* Collected Parodies (1921)
* Poems: Second Series (1921)
* Life and letters: essays (1921)
* Books reviewed (1922)
* Essays at Large (1922)
* Poems about birds: from the Middle Ages to the present day (1922)
* American poems, and others (1923)
* Essays on Poetry (1923)
* The Grub Street Nights Entertainments (1924)
* Poems in One Volume (1926)
* The Cambridge Book of Lesser Poets (1927)
* Robin Hood: a farcical romantic pastoral (1928)
* Apes and Parrots: An Anthology of Parodies (1929)
* Life at the Mermaid (1930)
* If It Had Happened Otherwise (1931)
* Younger poets of to-day (1932)
* A face in candlelight: & other poems (1932)
* Flowers of speech: being lectures in words and forms in literature (1935)
* Reflections and memories (1935)
* Shakespeare as a Dramatist (1935)
* Water-Music: Or a Fortnight of Bliss (1939)
* Collected Poems (1959)
References
Further reading
*Patrick Howarth, ''Squire: Most Generous of Men'', Hutchinson (London 1963)
External links
*
*
*
Portraits of J. C. Squireat the
National Portrait Gallery
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Squire, J.C.
Writers from Plymouth, Devon
1884 births
1958 deaths
People educated at Blundell's School
Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge
British literary editors
English literary critics
English male poets
20th-century English poets
Knights Bachelor
Labour Party (UK) parliamentary candidates
20th-century English male writers
Members of the Fabian Society
English male non-fiction writers