Geoffrey Dawson
Encyclopedia
George Geoffrey Dawson was editor of The Times
from 1912 to 1919 and again from 1923 until 1941. His original last name was Robinson, but he changed it in 1917.
and Magdalen College, Oxford
, and was elected a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
. He chose a career in civil service, entering in 1898 by open examination. After a year at the Post Office
, he was transferred to the Colonial Office
and in 1901 he was selected as assistant private secretary to Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain
. Later the same year Dawson obtained a similar position with Lord Milner
, high commissioner in South Africa
.
As Milner's assistant, Dawson participated in the establishment of British administration in South Africa in the aftermath of the Boer War
. While there, he became a member of "Milner's kindergarten
", a circle of young administrators and civil servants whose membership included Leo Amery, Bob Brand
, Philip Kerr
, Richard Feetham
and Lionel Curtis
. United by a common aspiration for Imperial Federation
, all later became prominent in the "round table" of Empire Loyalists.
. He persuaded the owners of the Johannesburg Star to appoint Dawson as the paper's editor. Dawson later parlayed this post into a position as the Johannesburg
correspondent of The Times; and then attracted the attention of Lord Northcliffe
, owner of the Times, who appointed him editor of the paper in 1912.
Dawson was unhappy, however, with the way that Northcliffe used the paper as an instrument to further his own personal political agenda and broke with him, stepping down as editor in 1919. Dawson returned to the post in 1923 after Lord Northcliffe's death, when the paper's ownership had passed to John Jacob Astor V. Bob Brand had become the Astors' brother-in-law, and it is thought that he introduced Dawson to the Astors' circle at Cliveden, the so-called Cliveden set
presided over by Nancy Astor.
In his second stint as editor, Dawson began to use the paper in the same manner as Lord Northcliffe had once done, to promote his own agenda. He also became a leader of a group of journalists that sought to influence national policy by private correspondence with leading statesmen. Dawson was close to both Stanley Baldwin
and Neville Chamberlain
. He was a prominent proponent and supporter of appeasement
policies, after Adolf Hitler
came to power in Germany
. He was a member of the Anglo-German Fellowship
and under his editorship, The Times forbade any mention of German anti-semitism
during the pre-war years when Hitler was in power. He was opposed to Zionism. He is considered a major figure in the events that led up to the Munich agreement
in 1938. He retired in 1941.
Dawson was also a life-long friend and dining companion of Edward Wood, later Lord Halifax, who was Foreign Secretary in the period 1938-1940. He promoted the policies of the Baldwin/Chamberlain governments of the period 1936-1940.
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
from 1912 to 1919 and again from 1923 until 1941. His original last name was Robinson, but he changed it in 1917.
Early life
Dawson was born George Geoffrey Robinson, the eldest child of George Robinson, a banker, and his wife Mary. He attended Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, and was elected a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
. He chose a career in civil service, entering in 1898 by open examination. After a year at the Post Office
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
, he was transferred to the Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
and in 1901 he was selected as assistant private secretary to Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
. Later the same year Dawson obtained a similar position with Lord Milner
Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner
Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner KG, GCB, GCMG, PC was a British statesman and colonial administrator who played an influential leadership role in the formulation of foreign and domestic policy between the mid-1890s and early 1920s...
, high commissioner in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
As Milner's assistant, Dawson participated in the establishment of British administration in South Africa in the aftermath of the Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. While there, he became a member of "Milner's kindergarten
Milner's Kindergarten
Milner's Kindergarten is an informal reference to a group of Britons who served in the South African Civil Service under High Commissioner Alfred, Lord Milner, between the Second Boer War and the founding of the Union of South Africa. They were in favour of the South African union and, ultimately,...
", a circle of young administrators and civil servants whose membership included Leo Amery, Bob Brand
Robert Henry Brand, 1st Baron Brand
Robert Henry Brand, 1st Baron Brand CMG was a British civil servant, businessman, and Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford.-Background and education:...
, Philip Kerr
Philip Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian
Philip Henry Kerr, 11th Marquess of Lothian KT CH PC was a British politician and diplomat.Philip Kerr was the son of Lord Ralph Drury Kerr, the third son of John Kerr, 7th Marquess of Lothian...
, Richard Feetham
Richard Feetham
Richard Feetham was a lawyer, politician and judge in South Africa. He was chairman of the Feetham Function Committee on Constitutional Reform in India and of the Irish Boundary Commission ....
and Lionel Curtis
Lionel Curtis
Lionel George Curtis was a British official and author. He advocated British Empire Federalism and, late in life, a world state...
. United by a common aspiration for Imperial Federation
Imperial Federation
Imperial Federation was a late-19th early-20th century proposal to create a federated union in place of the existing British Empire.-Motivators:...
, all later became prominent in the "round table" of Empire Loyalists.
Career in journalism
Milner wanted to ensure the support of the local newspapers after his return to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He persuaded the owners of the Johannesburg Star to appoint Dawson as the paper's editor. Dawson later parlayed this post into a position as the Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
correspondent of The Times; and then attracted the attention of Lord Northcliffe
Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe
Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe rose from childhood poverty to become a powerful British newspaper and publishing magnate, famed for buying stolid, unprofitable newspapers and transforming them to make them lively and entertaining for the mass market.His company...
, owner of the Times, who appointed him editor of the paper in 1912.
Dawson was unhappy, however, with the way that Northcliffe used the paper as an instrument to further his own personal political agenda and broke with him, stepping down as editor in 1919. Dawson returned to the post in 1923 after Lord Northcliffe's death, when the paper's ownership had passed to John Jacob Astor V. Bob Brand had become the Astors' brother-in-law, and it is thought that he introduced Dawson to the Astors' circle at Cliveden, the so-called Cliveden set
Cliveden set
The Cliveden Set were a 1930s right-wing, upper class group of prominent individuals politically influential in pre-World War II Britain, who were in the circle of Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor...
presided over by Nancy Astor.
In his second stint as editor, Dawson began to use the paper in the same manner as Lord Northcliffe had once done, to promote his own agenda. He also became a leader of a group of journalists that sought to influence national policy by private correspondence with leading statesmen. Dawson was close to both Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC was a British Conservative politician, who dominated the government in his country between the two world wars...
and Neville Chamberlain
Neville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
. He was a prominent proponent and supporter of appeasement
Appeasement
The term appeasement is commonly understood to refer to a diplomatic policy aimed at avoiding war by making concessions to another power. Historian Paul Kennedy defines it as "the policy of settling international quarrels by admitting and satisfying grievances through rational negotiation and...
policies, after Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
came to power in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He was a member of the Anglo-German Fellowship
Anglo-German Fellowship
The Anglo-German Fellowship was a group which existed from 1935 to 1939 and aimed to build up friendship between the United Kingdom and Germany; it was widely perceived as being allied to Nazism...
and under his editorship, The Times forbade any mention of German anti-semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
during the pre-war years when Hitler was in power. He was opposed to Zionism. He is considered a major figure in the events that led up to the Munich agreement
Munich Agreement
The Munich Pact was an agreement permitting the Nazi German annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland. The Sudetenland were areas along Czech borders, mainly inhabited by ethnic Germans. The agreement was negotiated at a conference held in Munich, Germany, among the major powers of Europe without...
in 1938. He retired in 1941.
Dawson was also a life-long friend and dining companion of Edward Wood, later Lord Halifax, who was Foreign Secretary in the period 1938-1940. He promoted the policies of the Baldwin/Chamberlain governments of the period 1936-1940.