Evelyn Wrench
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Sir Evelyn Wrench | |
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Born | John Evelyn Leslie Wrench 29 October 1882 |
Died | 11 November 1966 High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England | (aged 84)
Occupation | Author |
Spouse | Hylda Henrietta Brooke |
Sir John Evelyn Leslie Wrench
Early life
Wrench was born in 1882, in
At the age of five years, his favourite literature was Army and Navy Stores catalogues, which his parents gave him to keep him quiet during railway journeys. He attended Summer Fields Preparatory School (1896), and Eton College (1896–1899).
Postcard company
Upon leaving Eton, Wrench travelled on the Continent to learn languages with the idea of entering the
Journalism and autobiography
The future
Overseas League
Passionately longing to make a more personal contribution to the unity of the
He ended up travelling 64,000 miles to all parts of the British Empire. In 1911, while in New Zealand, he gave Captain Robert Falcon Scott, R.N., the British Antarctic explorer, a clean handkerchief immediately before the latter's departure for the South Pole. His club made rapid progress and during the war of 1914–1918 its contribution included the Empire Fund to provide tobacco for the forces. It worked in conjunction with the Patriotic League of Britons Overseas, with which it amalgamated in 1918. In 1923, the society was granted a royal charter and became the Overseas League.
Royal Flying Corps
In 1917, Wrench joined the
English-Speaking Union
As a result of his experience in this last appointment, Wrench founded in 1918 the English-Speaking Union of the Commonwealth "in no narrow attitude of race pride, in no spirit of hostility to any people" and created the mission statement of the English-Speaking Union in the first edition of the organization's magazine, Landmark: "Believing that the peace of the world and the progress of mankind can be largely helped by the unity in purpose of the English-Speaking Democracies, we pledge ourselves to promote by every means in our power a good understanding between the peoples of the USA and the British Commonwealth." The E.S.U. shortly afterwards absorbed the Atlantic Union, and was extremely active during World War II, when, among other projects, it created the Sir Evelyn Wrench Tobacco Fund to provide tobacco money for members of the Allied Forces.
In 1920, he founded a twin organization, the English-Speaking Union of the United States, which organization created the Sir Evelyn Wrench Travelling Fellowships in his honour. The first President of the English-Speaking Union of the United States was former President of the United States William Howard Taft.
From 1918 until 1920, he was a committee member of
The Spectator
In addition, he was a contributor to, and from 1925 to 1932 editor of,
All People's Association
Wrench's third major project, the
Marriage
On 18 May 1937, in St. Paul's Church, London, he married his first cousin, Hylda Henrietta Brooke (1879–1955), whom he had known all his life. She was the daughter of
Publications
- Uphill: The First Stage in a Strenuous Life (London: I. Nicholson & Watson, Ltd., 1934)
- Struggle 1914–1920 (London: I. Nicholson & Watson, Ltd., 1935)
- I Loved Germany (London: Michael Joseph and Ryerson, 1940)
- Immortal Years (1937–1944) As Viewed from Five Continents (London: Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., 1945)
- Foreword to Young Adventurers by Kitty Byrne, (London/Singapore Branch: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1947)
- 'Founders of Virginia' (National Geographic, April 1948, pp. 433–462)
- Francis Yeats-Brown, 1886–1944: A Portrait, (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1948)
- 'The British Way' (National Geographic, April 1949, pp. 421–542)
- Transatlantic London: Three Centuries of Association Between England and America (London: Hutchinson & Co., Ltd., 1949)
- 'Founders of New England' (National Geographic, June 1953, pp. 803–838)
- An essay about Winston Churchill in Churchill by his Contemporaries (London: Hutchinson & Co., Ltd., 1953
- Geoffrey Dawson and Our Times (London: Hutchinson & Co., Ltd., 1955)
- Alfred Lord Milner: The Man of No Illusions (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1958)
- A Short History of Great Marlow Parish Church (Gloucester, (UK): British Publishing, 1968).
Miscellaneous activities in later life
In 1952, Wrench became a joint founder of the "Elizabethan Garden" on
Enthusiasms and ideals
In 1958, he founded and served as chairman of the Commonwealth Union of Trade "to strengthen the economic bonds" among member countries. Another result of his latter enthusiasms was the foundation in 1958 of the Anglo-Kin Society with the aim of encouraging literary, historical, and
Wrench was a deeply religious person and once thought about becoming a missionary. He was an amateur
In appearance, Wrench was
Honours
For his war services, he was appointed a Commander of the
Death and memorial
His memorial service was held on 9 December 1966 in the Crypt Chapel,
References
- ^ "Obituary: Sir Evelyn Wrench – Founder of the Royal Overseas League and the English-Speaking Union". The Times. 12 November 1966. p. 10.
- ^ Byatt, p. 336
- ^ The Royal Overseas League, in WWI
- ^ Rowold, Katharina (17 December 2018). "'If We Are to Believe the Psychologists …': Medicine, Psychoanalysis and Breastfeeding in Britain, 1900–55". Medical History. 63 (1). Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "No. 30111". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1917. p. 5457.
- ^ "No. 33804". The London Gazette. 1 March 1932. p. 1418.
- ^ "No. 41909". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1959. p. 4.
- ^ The Times, 24 November 1966, p. 2
Sources
- The Times digital archive, 12 November 1966, page 10
- OCLC 641778625.
- The Gazette, official public record
- The Royal Overseas League Magazine
- Archive.org (sign in to access footnotes)
Further reading
- Canada and a United Empire, a speech by Sir Evelyn Wrench, 9 November 1937.
- Griffen, William Vincent, "Sir Evelyn Wrench – and his continuing vision of international relations during 40 years", New York: Newcomen Society in North America, 1950.
- Biography, The Royal Overseas League.