Brian Inglis
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Brian Inglis (31 July 1916 – 11 February 1993) was an Irish
journalist A journalist is an individual that collects/gathers information in form of text, audio, or pictures, processes them into a news-worthy form, and disseminates it to the public. The act or process mainly done by the journalist is called journalism ...
,
historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...
and
television presenter A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television show, television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for ...
. He was born in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
, Ireland, and retained an interest in Irish history and politics. He was best known to people in Britain as the presenter of '' All Our Yesterdays'', a television review of events exactly 25 years previously, as seen in newsreels, newspaper articles etc. He also presented the weekly review of newspapers known as '' What the Papers Say''. He joined the staff of ''
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 ...
'' in 1954, and became editor in 1959, soon afterwards hiring the young Bernard Levin to write for the magazine. He continued as editor until 1962. He also had interests in the paranormal, and
alternative medicine Alternative medicine is any practice that aims to achieve the healing effects of medicine despite lacking biological plausibility, testability, repeatability, or evidence from clinical trials. Complementary medicine (CM), complementary and alt ...
.


Early life and education

Brian Inglis was born into a middle-class professional
Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...
family (his father was Sir Claude Cavendish Inglis FRS, a hydraulic engineer who founded the Hydraulic Research Station, Wallingford; his mother was Lady Vera Inglis, née Blood) in the closed society of Malahide, north
County Dublin "Action to match our speech" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Dublin.svg , map_alt = map showing County Dublin as a small area of darker green on the east coast within the lighter green background of ...
. He was a grandson of J. R. Blood and thus a likely descendant of Thomas Blood, who attempted (unsuccessfully) to steal the British Crown Jewels. He found the life he was born into oppressive in its obsession with custom, style, privilege, respectability, and ostracism. Since the people around him were regarded as
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
invaders by the local
Irish Catholics Irish Catholics are an ethnoreligious group native to Ireland whose members are both Catholic and Irish. They have a large diaspora, which includes over 36 million American citizens and over 14 million British citizens (a quarter of the British ...
, and as Irish by society over in Britain, he felt alienated from, or was rejected by, everyone to whom he might claim a connection. He attended the
Dragon School ("Reach for the Sun") , established = 1877 , closed = , type = Preparatory day and boarding school and Pre-Prep school , religion = Church of England , president = , head_label = Head , head = Emma Goldsm ...
in
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
,
Shrewsbury School Shrewsbury School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13 –18) in Shrewsbury. Founded in 1552 by Edward VI by Royal Charter, it was originally a boarding school for boys; girls have been admitted into the ...
,
Trinity College, Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...
, and
Magdalen College Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the st ...
,
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
. After service in the RAF during
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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, he studied for a PhD in History at
Trinity College, Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...
. His thesis was the basis for his first book, ''Freedom of the Press in Ireland'' (1954).


Adult life

He married Ruth Woodeson, the writer, in 1958, and they had a son and a daughter, later separating. In 1962, he published his first memoir ''West Briton'' (a pejorative reference to the
Anglo-Irish Anglo-Irish people () denotes an ethnic, social and religious grouping who are mostly the descendants and successors of the English Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. They mostly belong to the Anglican Church of Ireland, which was the establis ...
upper classes in Ireland, from whose cultural influence Inglis never entirely escaped). He was a founding member of the British-Irish Association, which became the British Association for Irish Studies. In 1975, he wrote and narrated a unique sound archive of World War II for record label Cameo Classics, entitled ''Sounds of All Our Yesterdays''. It was researched by his friend
Bill Grundy William Grundy (18 May 1923 – 9 February 1993) was an English journalist and broadcaster, best known for his work as anchor of ''Today'', a regional magazine programme on Thames Television in London. In the latter role, Grundy gained ...
, a Producer of the Granada TV series ''All Our Yesterdays'', which Inglis had presented for 10 years. His interest in the paranormal began while working at ''The Spectator''. In 1978, Inglis published ''Natural and Supernatural''. With
Arthur Koestler Arthur Koestler, (, ; ; hu, Kösztler Artúr; 5 September 1905 – 1 March 1983) was a Hungarian-born author and journalist. Koestler was born in Budapest and, apart from his early school years, was educated in Austria. In 1931, Koestler join ...
and Tony Bloomfield he co-founded the KIB Society to sponsor paranormal research (which was later renamed the
Koestler Parapsychology Unit The Koestler Parapsychology Unit is a research group established in 1985 at the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland, to teach and conduct research concerning various aspects of parapsychology. It hosts the only endowed chair of parapsychology in ...
). He published a work on people who enter trance states (''Trance: A Natural History of Altered States of Mind'') and his last work, written as a tribute to Koestler dealt with the subject of synchronicity. It was entitled ''Coincidence: A Matter of Chance or Synchronicity?''. Inglis was a member of the Society for Psychical Research.Arne Hessenbruch. (2000). ''Reader's Guide to the History of Science''. Routledge. p. 703. He was a believer in clairvoyance and precognition. He claimed to have experienced precognitive dreams and was convinced Uri Geller had psychic powers. Inglis was a consultant on the 1981
Thames Television Thames Television, commonly simplified to just Thames, was a Broadcast license, franchise holder for a region of the British ITV (TV network), ITV television network serving Greater London, London and surrounding areas from 30 July 1968 until th ...
programme ''Mind Over Matter''. He published his final memoir, ''Downstart'', in 1990. The title is taken from the preface to ''Immaturity'' by
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 ...
, and is a play on the word ''upstart'', as in one who pretends to a higher station in life than is merited.


Reception


History

The historian
J. C. Beckett James Camlin Beckett (8 February 1912 – 12 February 1996) was a Northern Irish historian.Richard Froggatt,James Camlin Beckett (1912–1996), ''Dictionary of Ulster Biography''. Early life Beckett was a native of Belfast, where he received hi ...
gave Inglis's book ''The Story of Ireland'' (1956) a positive review and described it as an "attractive historical introduction to contemporary Ireland." Inglis described the conditions of the poor during the
Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
in his book the ''Men of Conscience'' (1971). In a review Brian Heeney wrote whilst not entirely objective it is a "well-written tract, full of lore about the masses who suffered and the classes who oppressed them."
Peter Stearns Peter Nathaniel Stearns (born March 3, 1936) is a professor at George Mason University, where he was provost from January 1, 2000 to July 2014. Stearns was chair of the Department of History at Carnegie Mellon University and also served as the ...
wrote that the book was well written but contained grand pretensions which make it bad history. Inglis's biography of
Roger Casement Roger David Casement ( ga, Ruairí Dáithí Mac Easmainn; 1 September 1864 – 3 August 1916), known as Sir Roger Casement, CMG, between 1911 and 1916, was a diplomat and Irish nationalist executed by the United Kingdom for treason during Worl ...
was well received. Michael McInerney described his research as comprehensive and "his approach sympathetic yet penetrating." The historian
Patrick O'Farrell Patrick James O'Farrell (17 September 1933 – 25 December 2003) was an historian known for his histories of Roman Catholicism in Australia, Irish history and Irish Australian history. Early life and family O'Farrell was born on 17 Septembe ...
wrote the biography is of "considerable historiographical significance." Inglis wrote about war over the
opium Opium (or poppy tears, scientific name: ''Lachryma papaveris'') is dried latex obtained from the seed capsules of the opium poppy ''Papaver somniferum''. Approximately 12 percent of opium is made up of the analgesic alkaloid morphine, which i ...
trade in his book ''The Opium War'' (1976). Donald Gould gave the book a positive review describing it as a fascinating account. However, the historian John Fairbank concluded the book offered nothing new and covered less detail than other writers on the subject such as Peter Fay about warfare. Jacques Downs wrote the book was a respectable contribution to the subject but Fay's book would be preferred by historians.


Medicine

Inglis's book ''Revolution in Medicine'' (1958) is a criticism of modern medicine and its materialistic viewpoints and a defense of
psychosomatic medicine Psychosomatic medicine is an interdisciplinary medical field exploring the relationships among social, psychological, behavioral factors on bodily processes and quality of life in humans and animals. The academic forebear of the modern field of ...
and
psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome pro ...
.
William Sargant William Walters Sargant (24 April 1907 – 27 August 1988) was a British psychiatrist who is remembered for the evangelical zeal with which he promoted treatments such as psychosurgery, deep sleep treatment, electroconvulsive therapy and insu ...
in the ''
British Medical Journal ''The BMJ'' is a weekly peer-reviewed medical trade journal, published by the trade union the British Medical Association (BMA). ''The BMJ'' has editorial freedom from the BMA. It is one of the world's oldest general medical journals. Origi ...
'' wrote the book was a case of special pleading and some of the information that Inglis cited was misleading. Sargant wrote although Inglis had criticized medicine for its preoccupation with physical treatment and psychotherapy should not be neglected it is only the "new empirical and mechanistic physical treatments" that have provided effective relief for suffering of many patients. Glenn Sonnedecker in the ''
American Scientist __NOTOC__ ''American Scientist'' (informally abbreviated ''AmSci'') is an American bimonthly science and technology magazine published since 1913 by Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. In the beginning of 2000s the headquarters was in New ...
'' gave Inglis's book ''The Forbidden Game: A Social History of Drugs'' (1975) a negative review. Sonnedecker wrote that Inglis had made assumptions and conclusions without evidence and there was an uncritical use of sources. Inglis in his book ''The Diseases of Civilization'' (1981) attacked orthodox medical practice. Frank Lesser wrote the book was well referenced. However, the book received a negative review by Charles Fletcher in the '' Journal of Medical Ethics'' who wrote Inglis was biased and his information was often inaccurate. Inglis defended non-orthodox forms of treatment for back pain in his book ''The Book of the Back'' (1978). Malcolm Jayson criticised the book claiming it was filled with errors and Inglis was too uncritically accepting of alternative therapies.


Psychical research

Michael McVaugh positively reviewed Inglis's book ''Natural and Supernatural'' (1977) describing it as a "thoroughly serious study" and the reader "will acquire an excellent understanding of the frame of mind of the informed psychical researcher in the early twentieth century."
Karl Sabbagh Karl Sabbagh is a British writer, journalist, television producer, and convicted sex offender. His work is mainly non-fiction: he has written books about historical events and produced documentaries for both British and American broadcasters. ...
gave the book a mixed review but concluded that the paranormal phenomena that Inglis endorsed was in contradiction to major tenets of modern science. In 1978, the science writer John Emsley published an article on
thallium Thallium is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Tl and atomic number 81. It is a gray post-transition metal that is not found free in nature. When isolated, thallium resembles tin, but discolors when exposed to air. Chemists W ...
which suggested that William Crookes endorsement of the medium
Florence Cook Florence Cook could mean *Florence Cook (Massachusetts politician), a member of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts *Florence Cook (medium) Florence Eliza Cook (ca 1856 – 22 April 1904) was a medium who claimed to materialise a spirit ...
and spiritualism may have been the result of mental disturbance caused by thallium poisoning. Inglis responded claiming Emsley's suggestion was a smear story and that Crookes's mind being affected by thallium poisoning was not true because at the same time as his psychical research he was conducting valuable scientific work. Inglis wrote a negative review of
C. E. M. Hansel Charles Edward Mark Hansel (12 October 1917 – 28 March 2011) was a British psychologist most notable for his criticism of parapsychological studies. Early life and education Hansel was born in 1917 in Bedford, England and attended Bedford ...
's sceptical book on extrasensory perception and argued he had used discredited sources. Leonard Newman responded in the ''
New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organisation publishe ...
'' stating Inglis had misrepresented the source material. Hansel wrote that Inglis had ignored the main part of his book and his claim that he had used "works long discredited" was untruthful. In the early 1980s, Inglis was involved in a dispute with the skeptic
Ruth Brandon Ruth Brandon (born 1943) is a British journalist, historian and author. Biography Brandon began her career as a trainee producer for the BBC, working in radio and television. She moved to work in freelance journalism and as an author. She is th ...
over the mediumship of
Daniel Dunglas Home Daniel Dunglas Home (pronounced ''Hume''; 20 March 183321 June 1886) was a Scottish physical medium with the reported ability to levitate to a variety of heights, speak with the dead, and to produce rapping and knocks in houses at will. His bi ...
in the ''
New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organisation publishe ...
'' magazine. Inglis described psychical research between the two world wars in his book ''Science and Parascience'' (1984). In a review
Ivor Grattan-Guinness Ivor Owen Grattan-Guinness (23 June 1941 – 12 December 2014) was a historian of mathematics and logic. Life Grattan-Guinness was born in Bakewell, England; his father was a mathematics teacher and educational administrator. He gained his bac ...
wrote it would be of interest to the "historian of science not only for its account of developments in one of the fringes of science but also for its case studies of conduct, ethical and unethical, by both scientists and outsiders." Arne Hessenbruch wrote the book contained valuable information but "the readability and scholarship are marred by awkwardly placed and often erroneous references." Inglis in his book ''The Hidden Power'' (1986) invoked a
conspiracy theory A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that invokes a conspiracy by sinister and powerful groups, often political in motivation, when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * * * * The term has a nega ...
that established scientists have denied and suppressed evidence for the existence of a
psi Psi, PSI or Ψ may refer to: Alphabetic letters * Psi (Greek) (Ψ, ψ), the 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet * Psi (Cyrillic) (Ѱ, ѱ), letter of the early Cyrillic alphabet, adopted from Greek Arts and entertainment * "Psi" as an abbreviation ...
force. Inglis suggested that an underlying psi force could explain biological evolution, extrasensory perception, mediumship, psychokinesis, social behaviour of insects, religious experiences,
telepathy Telepathy () is the purported vicarious transmission of information from one person's mind to another's without using any known human sensory channels or physical interaction. The term was first coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Frederic W ...
amongst other mysteries. According to Inglis the untapped and untamed force sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, depending on the factors involved. Terry Hamblin gave the book a mixed review but criticized the book for endorsing
spiritualist Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century The ''long nineteenth century'' i ...
ic activities such as ectoplasm and table tapping. In 1988, the magician Bob Couttie criticised Inglis for deliberately ignoring evidence of fraud in mediumship. Couttie wrote that Inglis had not familiarised himself with magician techniques. The parapsychologist
D. Scott Rogo Douglas Scott Rogo (February 1, 1950 – August 18, 1990) was a writer, journalist and researcher on subjects related to parapsychology. Rogo was murdered in 1990 at the age of 40.Hansen, George P.. ''D. Scott Rogo and His Contributions to Parapsy ...
complained that Inglis "had a bad habit in his writing of suppressing negative information about psychics and researchers he favored by failing to note cases of fraud that were uncovered." Science writer Martin Gardner criticized Inglis for making "imbecilic" comments about alleged psychic "pseudopods" from the medium
Eusapia Palladino Eusapia Palladino (alternative spelling: ''Paladino''; 21 January 1854 – 16 May 1918) was an Italian Spiritualist physical medium. She claimed extraordinary powers such as the ability to levitate tables, communicate with the dead through he ...
. The physicist
John Taylor John Taylor, Johnny Taylor or similar may refer to: Academics *John Taylor (Oxford), Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1486–1487 *John Taylor (classical scholar) (1704–1766), English classical scholar *John Taylor (English publisher) (178 ...
wrote that Inglis had made remarks about physics that were untutored errors.


Death

He died in
Camden Camden may refer to: People * Camden (surname), a surname of English origin * Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer * Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor Places Australia * Camden, New South Wales * Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...
,
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,Deaths England and Wales 1984–2006
/ref> aged 76. He had just finished writing the obituary of his friend and colleague
Bill Grundy William Grundy (18 May 1923 – 9 February 1993) was an English journalist and broadcaster, best known for his work as anchor of ''Today'', a regional magazine programme on Thames Television in London. In the latter role, Grundy gained ...
.


Publications

*''Freedom of the Press in Ireland'' HS(London: Faber & Faber 1954) *''Irish Double-Thought'', in ''The Spectator'', 188 (7 March 1952), p. 289 *''Smuggled Culture'', ''The Spectator'', 188 (28 November 1952), p. 726 *
The Story of Ireland
' (London: Faber 1956; second edition 1965; third edition 1970) *''Moran of the Leader'', in ''Castleknock Chronicle'' (1956) ext of Thomas Davis Lecture *''Revolution in Medicine'' (London: Hutchinson 1958) *''Moran of the Leader and Ryan of the Irish Peasant'', in ''The Shaping of Modern Ireland'',
Conor Cruise O'Brien Donal Conor David Dermot Donat Cruise O'Brien (3 November 1917 – 18 December 2008), often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish diplomat, politician, writer, historian and academic, who served as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs from 1973 ...
, ed., (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul 1960); *''John Bull's Schooldays'' (London: Hutchinson 1961) *''West Briton'' (London: Faber and Faber 1962) *''Fringe Medicine'' (London: Faber and Faber 1964) *''A History of Medicine'' (World Publishing Co. Cleveland, OH 1965) *''Roger Casement'' (London: Hodder & Stoughton 1973) *''The Forbidden Game: A Social History of Drugs'' (London: Hodder & Stoughton 1975) *''The Opium War'' (London: Hodder & Stoughton 1976) *''The Book of the Back'' (New York: Hearst Books 1978) *''Natural and Supernatural: A History of the Paranormal from the Earliest Times To 1914'' (London: Hodder & Stoughton 1978) *''Natural Medicine'' (London: Collins 1979) *''The Diseases of Civilisation'' (London: Hodder & Stoughton 1981) *''Science and Parascience: A History of the Paranormal, 1914–1939'' (London: Hodder & Stoughton 1984) *''The Hidden Power'' (London: Jonathan Cape 1986) *''The Paranormal: An Encyclopedia of Psychic Phenomena'' (London: Paladin 1986) *''The Power of Dreams'' (London: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd 1987) *''The Unknown Guest'' ith Ruth West(London: Chatto and Windus 1987) *''Trance: A Natural History of Altered States of Mind'' (London: Paladin 1989) *''Coincidence: A Matter of Chance - or Synchronicity? (London: Hutchinson 1990) *''Downstart: The Autobiography of Brian Inglis'' (London: Chatto & Windus 1990)


Quotes

*On the Irish Famine: ''If the British chose not to consider Ireland part of Britain, when such an emergency arose, they could hardly complain if the Irish did likewise.'' (''The Story of Ireland'', p. 140) *''To punish drug takers is like a drunk striking the bleary face it sees in the mirror.'' (''Postscript,'' ''The Forbidden Game: A Social History of Drugs'' (1975))


References


Further reading

*Michael Epstein
''Natural and Supernatural: A History of the Paranormal from Earliest Times to 1914 by Brian Inglis''
Journal of Scientific Exploration. pp. 309–312.


External links


Entry at Ricorso
{{DEFAULTSORT:Inglis, Brian 1916 births 1993 deaths Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford Alumni of Trinity College Dublin Irish journalists Irish spiritualists Parapsychologists People educated at Shrewsbury School People educated at The Dragon School The Spectator editors People from Malahide 20th-century journalists