R. D. Blumenfeld: Difference between revisions

R. D. Blumenfeld
R. D. Blumenfeld
Born	Ralph David Blumenfeld; 7 April 1864; Watertown, Wisconsin, United States
Died	17 July 1948 (aged 84); Great Easton, Essex, United Kingdom
Nationality	American (birth); British (naturalized in 1907)
Other names	R.D.B. (pen name)
Occupation	Journalist
Title	Editor, Daily Express
Spouse	Teresa Blumfeld (1892-1948)
Children	John Elliot

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Ralph David Blumenfeld (pen-name R.D.B., 7 April 1864 – 17 July 1948) was an American-born journalist, writer and newspaper editor who is chiefly notable for having been in charge of the British newspaper Daily Express from 1904 to 1932.^[1]^[2]

Biography

Blumenfeld was born in Watertown, Wisconsin on 7 April 1864, the fourth son of David Blumenfeld, and his wife Nancy. A former professor from Nuremberg, David Blumenfeld had emigrated to the United States in 1848, where he founded Der Weltbürger, a German language newspaper. Aspiring to follow in his father's footsteps, Blumenfeld began his journalistic career working with his father before moving to the Chicago Herald in 1884. The next year saw him work for the United Press and in 1887 he visited the United Kingdom to report on the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. After his return, his coverage of a fire for the New York Morning Journal led James Gordon Bennett, Jr. to offer him a Blumenfeld a job with his paper, the New York Herald, where Blumenfeld worked a reporter until differences led to his resignation in 1892.^[3] ^{: 329–330}

Over the following six years, Blumenfeld built up a successful business selling linotype machines. In 1894 he moved to Britain, where his wealth and reputation as a journalist led to offers to purchase both The Observer and The Sunday Times, both of which he declined. Yet he desired to return to the world of journalism, and in 1900 eagerly accepted Alfred Harmsworth's offer of a position as news editor of the Daily Mail. He was soon involved in Harmsworth's business dealings as well, serving as Harmsworth's contact in his unsuccessful effort to purchase The Times from the Walter family.^[3]^: 330^[4]^: 80

Blumenfeld's tenure with Harmsworth was short. In 1902, Arthur Pearson convinced Blumenfeld to leave the Daily Mail for its rival, the recently established Daily Express. Accepting, Blumenfeld soon came to play an important role in the operation of the paper and he succeeded Bertram Fletcher Robinson as editor in the summer of 1904.^[5]^[6] During 1908, Blumenfeld was named a director of the company and took over as editor the following year. Grappling with business-related problems with the newspaper, he accepted a loan of £25,000 from Max Aitken, which was key to the press baron's subsequent assumption of ownership of the newspaper in 1917. Blumenfeld remained editor of the paper until 1929, but he gradually found himself marginalized as Beaverbrook (as Aitken was subsequently ennobled) assumed an intrusive role in editorial matters.^[3]^: 330

Politically Blumenfeld was a strong supporter of laissez-faire economics and a harsh critic of socialism and to this end he established the Anti-Socialist Union in 1908 and succeeded in linking the group closely to the Conservative Party.^[7]^: 319

After turning over editorship of the paper to his protégé Beverley Baxter, Blumenfeld wrote a number of books, including What is a Journalist (1930) and The Press in My Time (1932). In 1932 he became Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Daily Express, a position he held for the remainder of his life. He also served as president of the Institute of Journalists in 1928, master of the Company of News Makers from 1931 until 1933, and deputy master of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers from 1931 until 1935. Though active in the Conservative Party, he declined a knighthood offered for political services.^[3]^: 331 A close friend of several politicians, he was said to have been one of the few people who induced Calvin Coolidge to talk, while leading a visit of journalists to the White House in 1927.

In 1935, after broadcasting a series of talks on BBC Radio called "Anywhere for a News Story", Blumenfeld retired to Muscombs, a farmhouse in Great Dunmow, Essex. Incapacitated by a stroke in 1936, he died twelve years later.

Family

Blumenfeld's son John Elliot was born on 6 May 1898. He went on to become the assistant editor of the Evening Standard from 1922 to 1925.^[8] In his later career he was acting General Manager of the Southern Railway,^[9] the Chairman of the Railway Executive,^[10] and finally the Chairman of London Transport.^[8]

References

^ "British Newspapers in the Nineteenth Century: Daily Express". Bridgeman Images.
^ "Street of Ink: An Intimate History of Journalism by H. Simonis (New York : Funk & Wagnalls, 1917)". Internet Archive.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d A. J. A. Morris, "Blumenfeld, Ralph David", in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, H.C.G. Matthew and Brian Harrison, eds. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), vol. 9.
^ J. Lee Thompson Northcliffe: Press Baron in Politics, 1865-1922 (London: John Murray, 2000).
^ "British Newspapers in the Nineteenth Century: Daily Express". Bridgeman Images.
^ "Street of Ink: An Intimate History of Journalism by H. Simonis (New York : Funk & Wagnalls, 1917)". Internet Archive.
^ Peter Barberis, John McHugh, Mike Tyldesley, Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations: Parties, Groups and Movements of the 20th century.
^ ^a ^b Halliday, Stephen (1 July 2013). Underground to everywhere. The History Press.
^ Rubinstein, W.; Jolles, Michael A. (27 January 2011). The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. Springer.
^ Wragg, David (1 August 2017). Southern Handbook: The Southern Railway 1923-1947. The History Press.

External links

Parliamentary Archives, Papers of Ralph David Blumenfeld

Media offices
Preceded by Fletcher Robinson	Editor of the Daily Express 1909–1929	Succeeded by Beverley Baxter

[1] "British Newspapers in the Nineteenth Century: Daily Express". Bridgeman Images.

[2] "Street of Ink: An Intimate History of Journalism by H. Simonis (New York : Funk & Wagnalls, 1917)". Internet Archive.

[Morris-3] A. J. A. Morris, "Blumenfeld, Ralph David", in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, H.C.G. Matthew and Brian Harrison, eds. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), vol. 9.

[4] J. Lee Thompson Northcliffe: Press Baron in Politics, 1865-1922 (London: John Murray, 2000).

[5] "British Newspapers in the Nineteenth Century: Daily Express". Bridgeman Images.

[6] "Street of Ink: An Intimate History of Journalism by H. Simonis (New York : Funk & Wagnalls, 1917)". Internet Archive.

[7] Peter Barberis, John McHugh, Mike Tyldesley, Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations: Parties, Groups and Movements of the 20th century.

[Halliday-8] Halliday, Stephen (1 July 2013). Underground to everywhere. The History Press.

[9] Rubinstein, W.; Jolles, Michael A. (27 January 2011). The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. Springer.

[10] Wragg, David (1 August 2017). Southern Handbook: The Southern Railway 1923-1947. The History Press.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Infobox journalist
+{{Short description|American journalist and editor}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
+{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
+{{Infobox person
 |name          = R. D. Blumenfeld
-|image         =
+|image         = File:Ralph David Blumenfeld in 1919.jpg
-|image_size    =
 |caption       =
 |birth_name    = Ralph David Blumenfeld
-|birth_date    = {{Birth date|1864|04|07}}
+|birth_date    = {{Birth date|df=yes|1864|04|07}}
-|birth_place   = [[Watertown, Wisconsin]], [[United States]]
+|birth_place   = [[Watertown, Wisconsin]], United States
-|death_date    = {{Death date and age|1948|07|17|1864|04|07}}
+|death_date    = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1948|07|17|1864|04|07}}
-|death_place   = [[Great Easton, Essex]], [[United Kingdom]]
+|death_place   = [[Great Easton, Essex]], United Kingdom
 |death_cause   =
 |resting_place =
 |resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
-|residence     =
 |nationality   = American (birth); British (naturalized in 1907)
 |citizenship   =
@@ Line 22: / Line 23: @@
 |occupation    = Journalist
 |years_active  =
-|home_town     =
 |title         = Editor, [[Daily Express]]
-|salary        =
 |height        =
-|weight        =
 |predecessor   =
 |successor     =
@@ Line 38: / Line 36: @@
 |footnotes     =
 }}
-'''Ralph David Blumenfeld''' (pen-name '''R.D.B.''', 7 April 1864 &ndash; 17 July 1948) was an [[United States|American]]-born journalist, writer and newspaper editor who is chiefly notable for having been in charge of the [[United Kingdom|British]] newspaper ''[[Daily Express]]'' from 1902 to 1932.
+'''Ralph David Blumenfeld''' (pen-name '''R.D.B.''', 7 April 1864 – 17 July 1948) was an [[United States|American]]-born journalist, writer and newspaper editor who is chiefly notable for having been in charge of the [[United Kingdom|British]] newspaper ''[[Daily Express]]'' from 1904 to 1932.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en/english-school/british-newspapers-in-the-nineteenth-century-daily-express-litho/lithograph/asset/7155469 |title=British Newspapers in the Nineteenth Century: Daily Express |publisher=Bridgeman Images}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/streetofinkintim00simouoft/page/76/mode/2up |title=''Street of Ink: An Intimate History of Journalism'' by H. Simonis (New York : Funk & Wagnalls, 1917) |publisher=Internet Archive}}</ref>
-==Career==
-Blumenfeld was born in [[Watertown, Wisconsin]], the fourth son of David Blumenfeld, and his wife Nancy. A former professor from [[Nuremberg]], David Blumenfeld had emigrated to the United States in 1848, where he founded ''Der Weltbürger'', a [[German language]] newspaper. Asiring to follow in his father's footsteps, Blumenfeld began his journalistic career working with his father before moving to the ''[[Chicago Herald]]'' in 1884. The next year saw him work for the [[United Press International|United Press]] and in 1887 he visited the [[United Kingdom]] to report on the Golden Jubilee of [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]]. After his return, his coverage of a fire for the New York ''Morning Journal'' led [[James Gordon Bennett, Jr.]] to offer him a Blumenfeld a job with his paper, the ''[[New York Herald]]'', where Blumenfeld worked a reporter until differences led to his resignation in 1892.<ref>A. J. A. Morris, "Blumenfeld, Ralph David", in ''The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', H.C.G. Matthew and Brian Harrison, eds. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), vol. 9, pgs. 329-330.</ref>
+==Biography==
-Over the following six years, Blumenfeld built up a successful business selling [[linotype machine]]. In 1894 he moved to Britain, where his wealth and reputation as a journalist led to offers to purchase both ''[[The Observer]]'' and ''[[The Sunday Times]]'', both of which he declined. Yet he desired to return to the world of journalism, and in 1900 eagerly accepted [[Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe|Alfred Harmsworth]]'s offer of a position as news editor of the ''[[Daily Mail]]''. He was soon involved in Harmsworth's business dealings as well, serving as Harmsworth's contact in his unsuccessful effort to purchase ''[[The Times]]'' from the Walter family.<ref>Ibid, 330; J. Lee Thompson ''Northcliffe: Press Baron in Politics, 1865-1922'' (London: John Murray, 2000), p. 80.</ref>
+Blumenfeld was born in [[Watertown, Wisconsin]] on 7 April 1864, the fourth son of David Blumenfeld, and his wife Nancy. A former professor from [[Nuremberg]], David Blumenfeld had emigrated to the United States in 1848, where he founded ''Der Weltbürger'', a [[German language]] newspaper. Aspiring to follow in his father's footsteps, Blumenfeld began his journalistic career working with his father before moving to the ''[[Chicago Times|Chicago Herald]]'' in 1884. The next year saw him work for the [[United Press International|United Press]] and in 1887 he visited the [[United Kingdom]] to report on the Golden Jubilee of [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]]. After his return, his coverage of a fire for the New York ''Morning Journal'' led [[James Gordon Bennett, Jr.]] to offer him a Blumenfeld a job with his paper, the ''[[New York Herald]]'', where Blumenfeld worked a reporter until differences led to his resignation in 1892.<ref name="Morris">[[A. J. A. Morris]], "Blumenfeld, Ralph David", in ''The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', H.C.G. Matthew and Brian Harrison, eds. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), vol. 9.</ref> {{rp|329–330}}
+Over the following six years, Blumenfeld built up a successful business selling [[linotype machine]]s. In 1894 he moved to Britain, where his wealth and reputation as a journalist led to offers to purchase both ''[[The Observer]]'' and ''[[The Sunday Times]]'', both of which he declined. Yet he desired to return to the world of journalism, and in 1900 eagerly accepted [[Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe|Alfred Harmsworth]]'s offer of a position as news editor of the ''[[Daily Mail]]''. He was soon involved in Harmsworth's business dealings as well, serving as Harmsworth's contact in his unsuccessful effort to purchase ''[[The Times]]'' from the Walter family.<ref name="Morris"/>{{rp|330}}<ref>J. Lee Thompson ''Northcliffe: Press Baron in Politics, 1865-1922'' (London: John Murray, 2000).</ref>{{rp|80}}
-Blumenfeld's tenure with Harmsworth was short. In 1902 , [[Sir Arthur Pearson, 1st Baronet|Arthur Pearson]] convinced Blumenfeld to leave the ''Daily Mail'' for its rival, the recently-established ''[[Daily Express]]''. Accepting, Blumenfeld soon came to play an important role in the operation of the paper, introducing such innovations as the American practice of featuring news on the front page instead of advertisements. In 1908 he was named a director of the company and took over as editor the following year. Grappling with business-related problems with the newspaper, he accepted a loan of £25,000 from [[Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook|Max Aitken]], which was key to the press baron's subsequent assumption of ownership of the newspaper in 1917. Blumenfeld remained editor of the paper until 1929, but he gradually found himself marginalized as Beaverbrook (as Aitken was subsequently ennobled) assumed an intrusive role in editorial matters.<ref>Morris, op cit, p. 330.</ref>
+Blumenfeld's tenure with Harmsworth was short. In 1902, [[Sir Arthur Pearson, 1st Baronet|Arthur Pearson]] convinced Blumenfeld to leave the ''Daily Mail'' for its rival, the recently established ''[[Daily Express]]''. Accepting, Blumenfeld soon came to play an important role in the operation of the paper and he succeeded [[Bertram Fletcher Robinson]] as editor in the summer of 1904.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bridgemanimages.com/en/english-school/british-newspapers-in-the-nineteenth-century-daily-express-litho/lithograph/asset/7155469 |title=British Newspapers in the Nineteenth Century: Daily Express |publisher=Bridgeman Images}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/streetofinkintim00simouoft/page/76/mode/2up |title=''Street of Ink: An Intimate History of Journalism'' by H. Simonis (New York : Funk & Wagnalls, 1917) |publisher=Internet Archive}}</ref> During 1908, Blumenfeld was named a director of the company and took over as editor the following year. Grappling with business-related problems with the newspaper, he accepted a loan of £25,000 from [[Max Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook|Max Aitken]], which was key to the press baron's subsequent assumption of ownership of the newspaper in 1917. Blumenfeld remained editor of the paper until 1929, but he gradually found himself marginalized as Beaverbrook (as Aitken was subsequently ennobled) assumed an intrusive role in editorial matters.<ref name="Morris"/>{{rp|330}}
-Politically Blumenfeld was a strong supporter of [[laissez-faire]] economics and a harsh critic of [[socialism]] and to this end he established the [[Anti-Socialist Union]] in 1908 and succeeded in linking the group closely to the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]].<ref>Peter Barberis, John McHugh, Mike Tyldesley, ''Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations: Parties, Groups and Movements of the 20th century'', p. 319</ref>
-After turning over editorship of the paper to his protégé [[Beverley Baxter]], Blumenfeld wrote a number of books, including ''What is a Journalist'' (1930) and ''The Press in My Time'' (1932). In 1932 he became Chairman of the Board of Directors for the ''Daily Express'', a position he held for the remainder of his life. He also served as president of the [[Chartered Institute of Journalists|Institute of Journalists]] in 1928, master of the Company of News Makers from 1931 until 1933, and deputy master of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers from 1931 until 1935. Though active in the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], he declined a knighthood offered for political services.<ref>Morris, op cit, p. 331.</ref> A close friend of several politicians, he was said to have been one of the few people who induced [[Calvin Coolidge]] to talk, while leading a visit of journalists to the [[White House]] in 1927.
+Politically Blumenfeld was a strong supporter of [[laissez-faire]] economics and a harsh critic of [[socialism]] and to this end he established the [[Anti-Socialist Union]] in 1908 and succeeded in linking the group closely to the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]].<ref>Peter Barberis, John McHugh, Mike Tyldesley, ''Encyclopedia of British and Irish Political Organizations: Parties, Groups and Movements of the 20th century''.</ref>{{rp|319}}
+After turning over editorship of the paper to his protégé [[Beverley Baxter]], Blumenfeld wrote a number of books, including ''What is a Journalist'' (1930) and ''The Press in My Time'' (1932). In 1932 he became Chairman of the Board of Directors for the ''Daily Express'', a position he held for the remainder of his life. He also served as president of the [[Chartered Institute of Journalists|Institute of Journalists]] in 1928, master of the Company of News Makers from 1931 until 1933, and deputy master of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers from 1931 until 1935. Though active in the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]], he declined a knighthood offered for political services.<ref name="Morris"/>{{rp|331}} A close friend of several politicians, he was said to have been one of the few people who induced [[Calvin Coolidge]] to talk, while leading a visit of journalists to the [[White House]] in 1927.
 In 1935, after broadcasting a series of talks on [[BBC]] Radio called "Anywhere for a News Story", Blumenfeld retired to Muscombs, a farmhouse in [[Great Dunmow]], [[Essex]]. Incapacitated by a [[Cerebrovascular accident|stroke]] in 1936, he died twelve years later.
+== Family ==
+Blumenfeld's son [[John Elliot (railway manager)|John Elliot]] was born on 6 May 1898. He went on to become the assistant editor of the ''[[London Evening Standard|Evening Standard]]'' from 1922 to 1925.<ref name=Halliday>{{cite book |title=Underground to everywhere |first=Stephen |last=Halliday |publisher=The History Press |date=1 July 2013}}</ref> In his later career he was acting General Manager of the [[Southern Railway (UK)|Southern Railway]],<ref>{{cite book |title=The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History |first1= W. |last1=Rubinstein |first2=Michael A. |last2=Jolles |publisher=Springer |date=27 January 2011}}</ref> the Chairman of the Railway Executive,<ref>{{cite book |title=Southern Handbook: The Southern Railway 1923-1947 |last=Wragg |first=David |date=1 August 2017 |publisher=The History Press}}</ref> and finally the Chairman of [[London Transport Executive|London Transport]].<ref name=Halliday/>
 ==References==
-{{Ibid|date=April 2010}}
 {{reflist}}
 ==Further reading==
 *"Mr. R.D. Blumenfeld: Chairman of the Daily Express" (Obituary), ''[[The Times]]'', 19 July 1948.
+==External links==
+*[https://archives.parliament.uk/collections/getrecord/GB61_BLU Parliamentary Archives, Papers of Ralph David Blumenfeld]
 {{s-start}}
@@ Line 63: / Line 67: @@
 {{succession box
  | title=Editor of the ''[[Daily Express]]''
- | years=1909&ndash;1929
+ | years=1909–1929
- | before=[[Fletcher Robinson]]
+ | before=[[Bertram Fletcher Robinson|Fletcher Robinson]]
  | after=[[Beverley Baxter]]}}
 {{s-end}}
@@ Line 70: / Line 74: @@
 {{Daily Express editors}}
+{{Authority control}}
-{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
-| NAME              =Blumenfeld, Ralph
-| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
-| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
-| DATE OF BIRTH     =7 April 1864
-| PLACE OF BIRTH    =[[Watertown, Wisconsin]], [[United States]]
-| DATE OF DEATH     =17 July 1948
-| PLACE OF DEATH    =[[Great Easton, Essex]], [[United Kingdom]]
-}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Blumenfeld, Ralph}}
 [[Category:1864 births]]
@@ Line 84: / Line 81: @@
 [[Category:American expatriates in the United Kingdom]]
 [[Category:American newspaper editors]]
-[[Category:American Jews]]
 [[Category:American people of German-Jewish descent]]
-[[Category:British journalists]]
+[[Category:British male journalists]]
 [[Category:British newspaper editors]]
 [[Category:Daily Express people]]
+[[Category:People from Watertown, Wisconsin]]
+[[Category:People from Great Dunmow]]

v t e Express newspapers
Daily Express editors	1900: Arthur Pearson 1901: Fletcher Robinson 1909: R. D. Blumenfeld 1929: Beverley Baxter 1933: Arthur Christiansen 1957: Edward Pickering 1961: Bob Edwards 1962: Roger Wood 1963: Bob Edwards 1965: Derek Marks 1971: Ian McColl 1974: Alastair Burnet 1976: Roy Wright 1977: Derek Jameson 1980: Arthur Firth 1981: Christopher Ward 1983: Larry Lamb 1986: Nicholas Lloyd 1995: Richard Addis 1998: Rosie Boycott 2001: Chris Williams 2003: Peter Hill 2011: Hugh Whittow 2018: Gary Jones
Sunday Express editors	1920: James Douglas 1928: James Douglas and John Gordon 1931: John Gordon 1952: Harold Keeble 1954: John Junor 1986: Robin Esser 1989: Robin Morgan 1991: Eve Pollard 1994: Brian Hitchen 1995: Sue Douglas 1996: Richard Addis 1998: Amanda Platell 1999: Michael Pilgrim 2001: Martin Townsend 2018: Michael Booker
Other topics	Daily Express Building, London Daily Express Building, Manchester James Bond comic strip Northern & Shell Richard Desmond Rupert Bear Sunday Express Dunblane controversy The Sunday Express Book of the Year

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