Sir Richard Rees, 2nd Baronet
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Sir Richard Lodowick Edward Montagu Rees, 2nd Baronet (4 April 1900 – 24 July 1970) was a British diplomat, writer, humanitarian, and painter. Rees was the son of Sir John Rees, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary Catherine Dormer. His sister was the pilot Rosemary Rees, Lady du Cros, MBE. He was educated at West Downs School, Eton and
Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any ...
. His father, who had been an administrator in
British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
and a Liberal politician, died in 1922 and he inherited the baronetcy. He was for a while an attache at the British Embassy in Berlin. In 1925 he became a lecturer at the
Workers' Educational Association Workers' Educational Associations (WEA) are not-for-profit bodies that deliver further education to adults in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. WEA UK WEA UK, founded in 1903, is the UK's largest voluntary sector provider of adult edu ...
in London, and also acted as Treasurer there.University College London - Rees Papers
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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. ...
appointed him editor of '' Adelphi'' in 1930, where he provided encouragement to
George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950) was an English novelist, poet, essayist, journalist, and critic who wrote under the pen name of George Orwell. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to a ...
among others. He was the inspiration for the wealthy Ravelston, publisher of the socialist magazine ''Antichrist'', in Orwell's '' Keep the Aspidistra Flying''. In the
Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...
he drove ambulances in Catalonia. He initially worked with the National Joint Committee for Spanish Relief (NJC) and then the Quakers. Rees worked closely with the NJC, travelling to Mexico in June 1939 as the NJC's delegate to meet the SS Sinaia an oceanliner co-chartered by the NJC to send sixteen hundred Spanish refugees from the camps in France to resettle in Mexico.Schneider, Martin (2023). "¿Que pasa a bordo? ¿Que pasa en el mundo? The Crossing of Spanish Republican Refugees on the SS Sinaia to Mexico (1939)". ''Getty Research Journal'' 17. During
World War II 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 ...
, Rees served in the
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Roya ...
(RNVR). His service included an attachment to the French Navy from 1943, serving as a Liaison Officer (LO) on board ships of the newly-integrated
Mediterranean Fleet The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between ...
, with whom he was awarded the
Croix de Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...
. As well as writing several books, he translated the works of
Simone Weil Simone Adolphine Weil ( ; ; 3 February 1909 – 24 August 1943) was a French philosopher, mystic and political activist. Despite her short life, her ideas concerning religion, spirituality, and politics have remained widely influential in cont ...
and was the literary executor of George Orwell and R. H. Tawney. In addition to writing, he was a painter, exhibiting at the
Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House in Piccadilly London, England. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its ...
.


Publications

*''Brave Men: A study of D H Lawrence and Simone Weil'' (Victor Gollancz, London, 1958) *''For Love or Money'' (Secker & Warburg, London, 1960) *''George Orwell: Fugitive from the Camp of Victory'' (Secker & Warburg, London, 1961) *''A Theory of my Time'' (Secker & Warburg, London, 1963) *''Simone Weil: A Sketch for a Portrait'' (Oxford University Press, London, 1966) ;Edited with
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. ...
*''Selected criticism 1916 to 1957'' (Oxford University Press, London, 1960) *''Poets, Critics, Mystics'' (Feffer & Simons, London & Amsterdam, 1970) ;Translations with Jane Degras *
Alfred Grosser Alfred Grosser (1 February 1925 – 7 February 2024) was a German-born French writer, sociologist and political scientist. Although his Jewish family had to move from Frankfurt to France in 1933, he focused on Franco-German cooperation after Wor ...
''Western Germany: From defeat to rearmament'' (George Allen & Unwin, London, 1955) *Jules Monnerot ''Sociology of Communism'' (George Allen & Unwin, London, 1953) *Simone Weil ''Selected Essays'' (Oxford University Press, London, 1962) *Simone Weil ''Seventy Letters'' (Oxford University Press, London, 1965) *Simone Weil ''On Science, Necessity, and the Love of God'' (Oxford University Press, London, 1968) *Simone Weil ''First and Last Notebooks'' (Oxford University Press, London, 1970


Arms


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rees, Richard 1900 births 1970 deaths Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II Royal Navy officers Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom English writers People educated at Eton College Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge George Orwell People educated at West Downs School Royal Navy officers of World War II British recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France) British people of the Spanish Civil War English translators