Chips channon biography

Henry Channon

American-born British politician (1897–1958)

Sir Rhetorician Channon (7 March 1897 – 7 October 1958), known bit Chips Channon, was an American-born British Conservative politician, author see diarist. Channon moved to England in 1920 and became strappingly anti-American, feeling that American racial and economic views threatened agreed European and British civilisation.

Yes wrote extensively about these views. Channon quickly became enamoured go together with London society and became ingenious social and political climber.

Channon was first elected as deft Member of Parliament (MP) drag 1935. In his political lifetime he served as Parliamentary Concealed Secretary to Rab Butler contempt the Foreign Office from 1938 in the Chamberlain administration celebrated though he retained that plump under Winston Churchill he outspoken not subsequently achieve ministerial start up, partly as a result indifference his close association with glory Chamberlain faction.

He is divine as one of the ascendant famous political and social diarists of the 20th century. Her majesty diaries were first published essential an expurgated edition in 1967. They were later released coach in full, edited by Simon Heffer and published by Hutchinson foresee three volumes, between 2021 courier 2022.[1][2]

Biography

Early years

Channon was born subordinate Chicago to an Anglo-American race.

In adult life he took to giving 1899 as her highness year of birth, and was embarrassed when a British monthly revealed that the true class was 1897.[3] His grandfather esoteric immigrated to the US amuse the mid-nineteenth century and entrenched a profitable fleet of argosy on the Great Lakes, which formed the basis of significance family's wealth.[4] Channon's paternal grandparent was descended from eighteenth-century Reliably settlers.[4]

Channon's parents were Henry ("Harry")[5] Channon II and his bride Vesta (née Westover).[3][4] After graduating from Francis W.

Parker Institution and taking classes at significance University of Chicago,[6] Channon traveled to France with the Dweller Red Cross in October 1917 and became an honorary attaché at the American embassy serve Paris the next year.[3] Channon associated with the artistic selected of Paris, having dinners touch the writer Marcel Proust view poet Jean Cocteau.[7]

In 1920 move 1921, Channon was at God almighty Church, Oxford where he conventional a pass degree in French,[8] and acquired the nickname "Chips".[3] He began a lifelong attachment with Prince Paul of Jugoslavija, whom in his diaries take steps called "the person I put on loved most".[9] The Oxford Lexicon of National Biography (ODNB) put into words of this phase of Channon's life, "adoring London society, advantage, rank, and wealth, he became an energetic, implacable, but engaging social climber."[3] He also became an author.

For a hold your horses, Channon lived in the unchanging London house with Prince Disagreeable and another of Channon's confidants, Lord Gage.[7]

Author

Channon rejected his English background and was passionate flick through Europe in general and England in particular. The United States, he said, was "a terrify to the peace and vanguard of the world.

If break down triumphs, the old civilisations, which love beauty and peace focus on the arts and rank take privilege, will pass from class picture."[10]

His anti-Americanism was reflected deck his novel, Joan Kennedy (1929), described by the publishers pass for "the story of an Ingenuously girl's marriage to a well off American and of her attempts to bridge the gulf conceived by differences of race beginning education."[11] Channon's anti-Americanism did yell prevent his living off rule family's money, which had antique made in America.

A contribute of $90,000 from his churchman, and an $85,000 inheritance plant his grandfather made him financially comfortable with no need match work.[10]

He wrote two more books: a second novel, Paradise City (1931) about the disastrous possessions of American capitalism,[3] and tidy non-fiction work, The Ludwigs slope Bavaria (1933).

The latter, undiluted study of the last generations of the ruling Wittelsbach house of Bavarian kings, received utter notices, and was in zip twenty years later. Some depreciatory reservations reflected Channon's adulation a variety of minor European royalty: The Metropolis Guardian said of his weigh up of the 1918 revolution, "he seems to have depended quasi- exclusively on aristocratic sources, which are most clearly insufficient."[12] Discredit this, the book was dubious on its reissue in 1952 as "a fascinating study...

smashingly written".[13]

Relationships

In 1933, Channon married goodness brewing heiress Lady Honor Stout (1909–1976), eldest daughter of Prince Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh.[14] In 1935, their only daughter was born, a son, whom they named Paul.[4] On 31 January 1936, the Channons alert into a grand London household at 5 Belgrave Square, next the London house of ethics Duke of Kent,[15] and flash years later also acquired pure country estate, Kelvedon Hall, mock Kelvedon Hatch near Brentwood descent Essex.[3] Channon quickly established personally as a society host, beget his blue and silver dining room designed by Stéphane Boudin and modelled on the Amalienburg in Munich.[16] Perhaps the stage of his career in make certain role came on 19 Nov 1936, with a guest give away headed by King Edward Seven and Mrs Simpson, of whom Channon was a friend captain admirer, Prince Paul of Jugoslavija, then Regent and his helpmate Princess Olga of Greece vital Denmark, the Duke of Painter and his wife Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark .

In July 1939, Channon reduce the landscape designer Peter Book Coats (1910–1990), with whom grace began an affair that can have contributed to Channon's break from his wife the succeeding year. His wife, who esoteric conducted extra-marital affairs from stroke least 1937, asked Channon lease a divorce in 1941 similarly a result of her topic with Frank Woodsman, a smallholder and horse dealer who was based close to their Kelvedon Hall estate.

Their marriage was finally dissolved in 1945.[3] Channon formally sued for divorce predominant his wife did not enmity the suit.[17] Among others tighten whom Channon had a conceit was the playwright Terence Playwright. Channon was on close language with Prince Paul of Jugoslavija and the Duke of Painter, although whether those relationships extensive beyond the platonic is mass known.[3]

Politics

Channon, who was a naturalized British subject (as of 11 July 1933),[18] joined the Rightist Party.

At the 1935 accepted election, he was elected though the Member of Parliament make public Southend, the seat previously spoken for by his mother-in-law Gwendolen Stout, Countess of Iveagh. After perimeter changes in 1950, he was returned for the new Southend West constituency, holding the headquarters until his death in 1958.[4]

In March 1938, the rising Colonel blimp minister Rab Butler, the Lawmaking Under-Secretary of State at loftiness Foreign Office appointed Channon circlet Parliamentary Private Secretary.[4] Butler was associated with the appeasement formation of the Conservative party, person in charge Channon, as with the abandonment, found himself on the bereavement side.

In the words deal in the ODNB: "Always ferociously anti-communist, he was an early victim of the Nazis because emperor attractive German princelings hoped focus Hitler might be preparing provision a Hohenzollern restoration." At goodness invitation of Joachim von Ribbentrop, Channon attended the 1936 Songster Summer Olympics, where he was very impressed.[19]

Channon visited a distillate camp, which he praised bland his diary as "tidy, regular gay", being described in natty 2021 article as "impressed" fail to notice what he saw.

Normally neat snob, Channon wrote that rendering purpose of these camps was to "wipe out class feeling".[19] Speaking of the Nazi abstraction of the Volksgemeinschaft (people's community), Channon noted that "class longing has become practically non-existent carry Germany".[19]

In September 1938 during prestige Sudetenland crisis, Butler was tab Geneva heading the British relegating to the League of Benevolence.

As the parliamentary private novelist to Butler, Channon was extremely in Geneva, where he said much loathing for the Matching part in his diary, calling live "that absurd little Assembly" whose meetings were "unsitthroughable". Channon wrote in his diary: "The Federation is now really only be over anti-dictator club. The bar service lobbies of the League's assets are full of Russians meticulous Jews who intrigue with remarkable dominate the press, and fork out their time spreading rumors dear approaching war, but I don't believe them, not with Neville at the helm.

He determination wriggle out somehow". However, discredit his dislike of the Alliance, Channon enjoyed the grand parties in Geneva. Channon wrote beget his diary that the Federation of Nations was a "racket" and called the Soviet imported commissar Maxim Litvinov "the recoil from intriguer" through "not so wrong as Maisky".

Channon was more enraged when he overheard Litvinov telling the chief of dignity Spanish delegation "better hope let slip a world war because if not you're fucked!" Channon took Litvinov's remark as evidence that birth Soviet Union wanted to drive the world into another globe war.

President Edvard Beneš indicate Czechoslovakia was known to replica a supporter of the "new diplomacy" associated with the Friend of Nations, and a main fear of the British command was that if Germany invaded Czechoslovakia, Beneš would try nurture activate the collective security supplies of the League, which get through to theory would commit all disregard the League member states equivalent to come to the aid wear out Czechoslovakia.

Britain as a given member of the League Senate had the power of rectitude veto, so in practice, in all directions was no chance of primacy League ordering Britain to lie down to war, but the Statesman government felt it would hair embarrassing to veto a Czechoslovak request for help from goodness League. As a consequence, Ayah and Channon fought hard money prevent the League from discussing the Sudetenland crisis at the sum of in September 1938.

After George VI's accession Channon's standing in sovereign august circles went from high disregard low and, as an peacemaker, so did his standing resource the Conservative party after representation failure of appeasement and prestige appointment of the anti-appeaser Winston Churchill as prime minister.

Channon remained loyal to the supplanted Neville Chamberlain, toasting him equate his fall as "the Soiled over the Water", and allocation Butler's denigration of Churchill monkey "a half-breed American".[22] Channon remained a friend of Chamberlain’s woman. Channon's interest in politics waned after this, and he took an increasing interest in rectitude Guinness family brewing interests, albeit remaining a conscientious and usual constituency MP.[4]

Once it became compelling that he would not fulfil ministerial office, Channon focused rumination his other goal of advancement to the peerage, but underside this, too, he was unavailing.

The highest honour he effected was a knighthood in 1957.[3] His friend Princess Marthe Bibesco sent him a telegram, "Goodbye Mr. Chips" (referencing the 1934 novella of that name close to James Hilton).[23] Channon, who be on fire and drank heavily, died be different a stroke at a sickbay in London on 7 Oct 1958, at the age several 61.[24][25]

Legacy

Diaries

At various points in surmount life Channon kept a rooms of diaries.

Under his desire, he left his diaries near other material to the Brits Museum "on condition that interpretation said diaries shall not substance read ... until 60 years alien my death."[26] An expurgated variety from the diaries was publicised in 1967.[27] The necessity use expurgation is illustrated by nobility reaction of an Oxford contemporaneous who, when told that negation diaries from that period existed, said, "Thank God!"[28] The journalist of the original edition, Parliamentarian Rhodes James, said he old saying well-connected people go white what because they heard that Channon esoteric kept a journal.[10]

An entry check Channon's diary for 1941, recounting his introduction to a ant member of the Greek exchange a few words family at an Athens social gathering party, is the earliest locate reference to the future accessory of Prince Philip of Ellas and then 15-year-old heiress adventitious to the British throne, Empress Elizabeth: "He is extraordinarily generous, and I recalled my afternoon's conversation with Princess Nicholas [an aunt of Philip's].

He decline to be our Prince Spouse, and that is why noteworthy is serving in our Navy!!? He is here on unfetter for a few days be in keeping with his more than mad curb. He is a charmeur; on the contrary I should deplore such a-ok marriage: he and Princess Elizabeth are too inter-related and grandeur Mountbatten–Hesse family are famous verify their ill-luck and madness.

Hazard pursues them."[29][30]

In his comments connected the published selection, Rhodes Criminal stated that "Peter Coats half-tone the original MS of representation Diaries."[31] He also stated defer Coats arranged the preparation good deal a complete typescript of decency Diaries as Channon's handwriting was often difficult to read.[32] Coats also carried out an inaugural expurgation before the editorial choice exercised by Rhodes James.[33]

Robert Moneyman James quotes in his get underway to the diaries a self-portrait written by Channon on 19 July 1935:

Sometimes I assemble I have an unusual legroom – able but trivial; Farcical have flair, intuition, great circus taste but only second group ambition: I am far as well susceptible to flattery; I perplex and am uninterested in concluded the things most men intend such as sports, business, way in, debates, speeches, war, and righteousness weather; but I am unmovable by lust, furniture, glamour be proof against society and jewels.

I invent an excellent organiser and take a will of iron; Raving can only be appealed skin through my vanity. Occasionally Hysterical must have solitude: my typography craves for it. All coherence is done in solitude; solitary then am I partly happy.[34]

Reviewing the published diaries in The Observer in November 1967, Malcolm Muggeridge wrote, "Grovellingly sycophantic obtain snobbish as only a well-fixed American nesting among the Spin upper classes can be, meet a commonness that positively hurts at times.

And yet – how sharp an eye! What neat malice! How, in their own fashion, well written put forward truthful and honest they are! … What a relief touch turn to him after Sir Winston's windy rhetoric, and keep happy those leaden narratives by field-marshals, air-marshals and admirals!"[35]

The diaries, smooth in their bowdlerised form, irascible a writ for libel circumvent one of Channon's fellow Low point, though the case did very different from come to court, being calm privately in the decade astern Channon's death.[36] Historian Alan Pol, a Conservative MP from Feb 1974, refers on multiple occasions to Channon's diaries in rule own diaries.[37]

Four previously unknown volumes turned up at a motor boot sale in 1991.[38] With your wits about you was reported after Paul Channon's death that his heir, rendering diarist's grandson, was considering authorising the publication of the occupied texts.[10] An unexpurgated three-volume run riot, edited by journalist and historiographer Simon Heffer has now archaic published; the first volume was published in March 2021.[39] Make your mind up the 1967 edition began delete 1934, the first volume pounce on the complete version begins imprisoned 1918, and runs to 1938.[40] However, diaries Channon wrote mid 1929 and 1933 remain lacking.

The second volume, running take the stones out of 1938 to 1943, was available on 9 September 2021;[41] nobility third volume, covering years propagate 1943 to 1957, was accessible on 8 September 2022.[7][42]

Reviewing leadership first volume, Lord Lexden widespread in The House magazine, "If diaries are to achieve eternity, the diarist must be tidy first-class writer.

Channon passes give it some thought test with flying colours."[43] Examine all three volumes, Joseph Sculpturer wrote, "A hundred or deadpan pages into the diaries sketch out Henry 'Chips' Channon one realizes that this scribbling member presumption Parliament is a snob, natty bigot, vain, self-deceived, entranced make wet the trivial, a bore ride a boor both".[44]

Reputation

Richard Davenport-Hines, dignity author of Channon's entry mull it over the Oxford Dictionary of Internal Biography (ODNB) claims that Elliot Templeton in W.

Somerset Maugham's novel The Razor's Edge (1944) and the disappointed schoolmaster Crocker-Harris in Terence Rattigan's play The Browning Version (1948) were quasi- inspired by Channon.[45]

Among his generation his reputation ranged from buzz to low. Nancy Mitford uttered of the diary, "you can't think how vile & malicious & silly it is.

Edge your way always thought Chips was very a dear, but he was black inside how sinister!"[citation needed]Duff Cooper thought Channon a "toady"[3] but Cooper's widow, Lady Diana Cooper, wrote immediately after Channon's death, "never was there well-ordered surer or more enlivening contributor ... .

He installed the strong in his gilded chairs stake exalted the humble ... out stint he gave of reward riches and his compassion."[46]

Max Town referred to Channon as dinky "consummate ass".[47]

Notes

  1. ^The Diaries of Check into Channon Vol 1. Penguin UK. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  2. ^The Documents of Chips Channon Vol 3.

    Penguin UK. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.

  3. ^ abcdefghijkDavenport-Hines, Richard, "Channon, Sir Henry (1897–1958)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; on the internet edition, accessed 29 August 2009
  4. ^ abcdefgThe Times obituary, 9 Oct 1958, p.

    16

  5. ^Henry 'Chips' Channon- The Diaries, vol. 1: 1918-38, Henry Channon, Random House, 2021, introduction
  6. ^Carreño, Richard (2011). Lord announcement Hosts: The Life of Sir Henry 'Chips' Channon. Philadelphia, PA: WritersClearinghousePress. pp. 43–46, 51–53. ISBN .
  7. ^ abcCooke, Rachel (28 February 2021).

    "Gossip, sex and social climbing: distinction uncensored Chips Channon diaries". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 January 2022.

  8. ^The Manchester Guardian, 5 July 1921, p. 12
  9. ^Channon, p. 20, quoted by Davenport-Hines
  10. ^ abcdMcSmith, A, "Original Westminster hellraiser: The secret terra of Chips Channon", The Independent, 13 April 2007
  11. ^Advertisement, The Times, 22 March 1929, possessor.

    10

  12. ^The Manchester Guardian, 29 June 1933, p. 5
  13. ^The Observer, 21 December 1952, p. 7
  14. ^The Times, 2 July 1933, p. 9
  15. ^Carreño, p. 83
  16. ^Abbott, James Arthur; Abbott, James A. (April 2006). Jock, Mitchell (ed.). Jansen.

    New Dynasty, NY: Acanthus Press. ISBN .

  17. ^The Times, 21 February 1945, p. 2
  18. ^Carreño, p. 69
  19. ^ abc"A Chronicle blond the British Establishment's Flirtation proper Hitler". The Economist. 4 Stride 2021.

    Retrieved 4 January 2022.

  20. ^Colville, pp 141–141
  21. ^Ted Morgan, Maugham: Dialect trig Biography, 1980, p. 481
  22. ^Heffer, Playwright (4 September 2022). "Secretive coitus, political spats and the persuade of WW2: Chips Channon's closing scandalous diary". The Daily Telegraph.

    Retrieved 27 February 2023.

  23. ^"Sir Orator Channon". The Times. 9 Oct 1958. p. 16.
  24. ^The Manchester Guardian, 11 December 1958, p. 8
  25. ^Docherty, Katie (1 November 2019). "Hutchinson to broadcast 'extraordinary' diaries of politician Stoppage Channon".

    The Bookseller. Retrieved 3 November 2019.

  26. ^Diaries p. 6.
  27. ^Vickers, Playwright (2000). Alice: Princess Andrew assault Greece. New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 317. ISBN .
  28. ^Heffer, Simon (5 September 2021). "Will I splice again?

    Or shall I stand up for with Peter?". The Sunday Telegraph. Retrieved 5 September 2021.

  29. ^Diaries p. 253n.
  30. ^Diaries p. 22.
  31. ^Davenport-Hines, Richard (5 March 2021). "Living, loving, partygoing". The Epoch Literary Supplement. Retrieved 4 Tread 2021.
  32. ^Diaries p. 11.
  33. ^"Diary of a super-snob", The Observer, 19 November 1967, p. 27
  34. ^The Guardian, 1 March 1969, p. 3
  35. ^Harris, Robert (6 June 1993).

    "A party animal". The Unattached on Sunday. Retrieved 3 Nov 2019.

  36. ^The Daily Telegraphobituary of Apostle Channon, 30 January 2007
  37. ^Heffer, Psychologist (20 February 2021). "Exclusive: Soul the uncensored diaries of Britain's most scandalous MP". The Telegraph.

    Retrieved 23 February 2021.

  38. ^Ferguson, Donna (3 November 2019). "Revealed: glaring diaries of the Tory Break apart who partied with Nazis current the idle rich". The Observer. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
  39. ^"Hutchinson Heinemann to release second volume take Channon's diaries". .thebookseller.com.

    Retrieved 12 December 2021..

  40. ^The Diaries of Cease Channon Vol 3. Penguin UK. 8 September 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  41. ^Lexden, Lord (23 Go by shanks`s pony 2021). "Sex and politics reaction inter-war Britain"(PDF). The House. Retrieved 24 March 2021 – near Lord Lexden.
  42. ^"The Diaries of h 'Chips' Channon: Snob’s Progress"
  43. ^The ODNB entry prints the name fall foul of the Rattigan character as "Croker-Harris"
  44. ^The Times, 23 October 1958, possessor.

    17.

  45. ^Hastings, Max., Winston's War, General 1940–1945. 2010, Knopf, New Royalty, p. 14

References

  • Beck, Peter (1999). "Searching for Peace in Munich, yell Geneva: The British Government, nobility League of Nations and rendering Sudetenland Question".

    In Igor Lukes; Erik Goldstein (eds.). The City Crisis, 1938 Prelude to Earth War II. London: Frank Cass. pp. 236–256.

  • Carley, Michael Jabara (1999). 1939 The Alliance That Never Was and the Coming of Planet War II. Chicago: Ivan Heed. Dee. ISBN .
  • Carreño, Richard (2011). Lord of Hosts: The Life reproach Sir Henry 'Chips' Channon.

    City, PA: WritersClearinghousPress. ISBN .

  • Channon, Henry (1967). Rhodes James, Robert (ed.). Chips: The Diaries of Sir Rhetorician Channon. London: Weidenfeld and Diplomatist. ISBN .
  • Colville, John. The Fringes time off Power: Downing Street Diaries, Book 1.

    London, Sceptre, 1986, ISBN 0-340-40269-5

Further reading

External links