Robin Denniston: Difference between revisions
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'''Robin Denniston''' (December 25, 1926 – April 6, 2012) was a British publisher, author and minister. He worked for [[HarperCollins|Collins]], [[Hodder and Stoughton]], [[Weidenfeld & Nicolson]], [[The Thomson Corporation|Thomson Publications]] and [[Oxford University Press]]. ''The Guardian'' indicated in his obituary that Denniston had "commissioned some of the most popular novels of the 20th century", while ''The Telegraph'' credits him with reversing Oxford University Press's economic misfortunes.<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> He was a clergyman in the [[Church of England]]. |
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{{Close paraphrasing|source=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9293492/Robin-Denniston.html|date=October 2012}} |
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'''Robin Denniston''' (December 25, 1926 – April 24, 2012) was an influential publisher associated with several leading authors. He was said to be like a "kindly vicar" but he had a highly trained business mind. He worked for [[HarperCollins|Collins]], [[Hodder and Stoughton]], [[Weidenfeld & Nicolson]], [[The Thomson Corporation|Thomson Publications]] and [[Oxford University Press]]. While still in publishing, he went through training as a clergyman in the [[Church of England]]. Eventually he resigned to become the minister at [[Great Tew]] in [[Oxfordshire]]. In the early 1990s he moved to [[Scotland]] but they persuaded him to return to Great Tew for a second term of office.<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> |
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==Personal life and education== |
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==Career== |
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The son of a teacher and [[military intelligence]] specialist [[Commander]] [[Alistair Denniston]], Denniston was born in London. He attended [[Westminster School]] from autumn 1941. He studied classics at [[Christ Church, Oxford]] and served a stint in the [Airborne Artillery.<ref name=dt>[[The Daily Telegraph]], 27 May 2012 [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9293492/Robin-Denniston.html Online]</ref><ref name=gdn>[[The Guardian]], 8 May 2012 [http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/may/08/the-rev-robin-denniston Online]</ref> |
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He was married twice, first to Anne Evans from 1950 to 1985.<ref name=gdn/> Following her death from colon cancer, he wed [[Rosa Beddington]] in 1987, remaining with her until her death from cancer in 2001.<ref name=Herald/> He had three children, two daughters and a son, with his first wife. Denniston died on April 6, 2012 following a lengthy illness.<ref name=Herald>[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]], 19 April 2012 [http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/obituaries/robin-denniston.17357175 Online]</ref> |
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In 1960 he joined Hodders, where he became first Editorial Director and then [[Managing Director]]. He bought [[Eric Segal]]’s [[Love Story (novel)|Love Story]] and commissioned [[Anthony Sampson]] to write his [[Anatomy of Britain]]. He poached [[John le Carre]] from [[Victor Gollancz]] when le Carre was under critical attack. His reward was to publish [[Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy]].<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> |
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==Publishing career== |
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In 1973 he joined Weidenfeld as deputy chairman but then moved to 1975 to Thomson Publications to chair subsidiaries including: [[Michael Joseph (publisher)|Michael Joseph]], [[Thomas Nelson (publisher)|Thomas Nelson]], [[George Rainbird]] and [[Sphere Books]]. Not enjoying this, he moved in 1978 to [[OUP]].<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> |
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After national service, Denniston took a position in 1950 as a trainee in Glasgow with Collins, rising to head office and becoming an editor. In 1959, he served a year as managing director of Faith Press. In 1960, he went to Hodder and Stoughton, where his positions including editorial director and [[managing director]]. <ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> He remained with Hodder and Stoughton until 1973. He held brief positions at Weidenfelt (1973-1975) and Thomson Publications (1975-1977) before settling at Oxford University Press as chairman of the academic division. According to ''The Telegraph'', Denniston was responsible for rescuing Oxford UP from the dire financial straits in which he found it, with important changes including short run printing and a shifting focus from general publishing to academic and scientific.<ref name=dt/> By the time of his departure from Oxford UP in 1988, he was second in command.<ref name=gdn/> |
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At OUP he made important changes. He introduced short run printing. He moved the [[typesetting]] to India. He recruited new young editors and gave them the power to make big decisions. He steered away from general publishing to academic and scientific publishing.<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> |
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One very special project was a personal one. Denniston’s father was [[Commander]] [[Alistair Denniston]] who during the [[World War I|First World War]] had served as "watch-keeper" for the British Government's "Signals Intelligence Centre", decrypting, translating, assessing and processing intercepted German signals. Between the wars he set up and ran the [[GC%26CS#Government_Code_and_Cypher_School|Government Code and Cypher School]] (GC&CS). In 1939 he travelled to [[Poland]], where invasion was imminent, and was given details of the Polish research which soon became the bedrock of the code-breaking work at [[Bletchley Park]], which he established. Then in February 1942 he was suddenly replaced. Although he was given a job in a civil and diplomatic division in London, it seems that his salary was drastically reduced.<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> |
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His son researched and wrote an account of his father’s life: ''Thirty Secret Years'' (2007). This brought posthumous recognition of his father’s work.<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> |
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''The Guardian'' indicated in his obituary that Denniston had "commissioned some of the most popular novels of the 20th century".<ref name=gdn/> Among other authors, Denniston is credited with working with [[John Le Carré]] through 16 bestselling novels and [[Erich Segall]]'s ''[[Love Story]]''.<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> |
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==Publications== |
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Churchill's Secret War: Diplomatic Decrypts, the Foreign Office and Turkey 1942-44 (1997) |
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==Ministry== |
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[[Trevor Huddleston]]: A Life (1999) |
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Denniston's became first a deacon and then, in 1979, a priest in the Anglican Church.<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> In the 1970s he was an honorary curate, following which he became a stipendiary minister in Great Tew from 1987-1990. In 1990, he served three years as a minister in Fire Scotland. Thereafter, he was persuaded by its parishioners to return to Great Tew as its priest, from 1995 to 2002.<ref name=gdn/><ref name=Herald/> |
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==Authorship== |
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Anatomy of Scotland (1992, with [[Magnus Linklater]])<ref name=dt/><ref name=gdn/> |
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In addition to publishing, Denniston was an author. His first book, with [[Magnus Linklater]], was 1992's ''Anatomy of Scotland''.<ref name=gdn/> In 1997, he published ''Churchill's Secret War'' and in 1999 ''Trevor Huddleston: A Life''. His labor of love was the book he authored describing his father's life and work, 2007's ''Thirty Secret Years''.<ref name=dt/> |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3632333/This-upset-Hitler-a-lot.-England-cheered.html Extracts from his diary], The Daily Telegraph, 27 Apr 2007. |
* [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3632333/This-upset-Hitler-a-lot.-England-cheered.html Extracts from his diary], The Daily Telegraph, 27 Apr 2007. |
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* [http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/obituaries/robin-denniston.17357175 Obituary], HeraldScotland, 20 Apr 2012. |
* [http://www.heraldscotland.com/comment/obituaries/robin-denniston.17357175 Obituary], HeraldScotland, 20 Apr 2012. |
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* [http://article.wn.com/view/2012/05/08/The_Rev_Robin_Denniston_obituary/ Guardian obituary and other references] |
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Revision as of 13:44, 12 November 2013
Robin Denniston (December 25, 1926 – April 6, 2012) was a British publisher, author and minister. He worked for Collins, Hodder and Stoughton, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Thomson Publications and Oxford University Press. The Guardian indicated in his obituary that Denniston had "commissioned some of the most popular novels of the 20th century", while The Telegraph credits him with reversing Oxford University Press's economic misfortunes.[1][2] He was a clergyman in the Church of England.
Personal life and education
The son of a teacher and military intelligence specialist Commander Alistair Denniston, Denniston was born in London. He attended Westminster School from autumn 1941. He studied classics at Christ Church, Oxford and served a stint in the [Airborne Artillery.[1][2]
He was married twice, first to Anne Evans from 1950 to 1985.[2] Following her death from colon cancer, he wed Rosa Beddington in 1987, remaining with her until her death from cancer in 2001.[3] He had three children, two daughters and a son, with his first wife. Denniston died on April 6, 2012 following a lengthy illness.[3]
Publishing career
After national service, Denniston took a position in 1950 as a trainee in Glasgow with Collins, rising to head office and becoming an editor. In 1959, he served a year as managing director of Faith Press. In 1960, he went to Hodder and Stoughton, where his positions including editorial director and managing director. [1][2] He remained with Hodder and Stoughton until 1973. He held brief positions at Weidenfelt (1973-1975) and Thomson Publications (1975-1977) before settling at Oxford University Press as chairman of the academic division. According to The Telegraph, Denniston was responsible for rescuing Oxford UP from the dire financial straits in which he found it, with important changes including short run printing and a shifting focus from general publishing to academic and scientific.[1] By the time of his departure from Oxford UP in 1988, he was second in command.[2]
The Guardian indicated in his obituary that Denniston had "commissioned some of the most popular novels of the 20th century".[2] Among other authors, Denniston is credited with working with John Le Carré through 16 bestselling novels and Erich Segall's Love Story.[1][2]
Ministry
Denniston's became first a deacon and then, in 1979, a priest in the Anglican Church.[1][2] In the 1970s he was an honorary curate, following which he became a stipendiary minister in Great Tew from 1987-1990. In 1990, he served three years as a minister in Fire Scotland. Thereafter, he was persuaded by its parishioners to return to Great Tew as its priest, from 1995 to 2002.[2][3]
Authorship
In addition to publishing, Denniston was an author. His first book, with Magnus Linklater, was 1992's Anatomy of Scotland.[2] In 1997, he published Churchill's Secret War and in 1999 Trevor Huddleston: A Life. His labor of love was the book he authored describing his father's life and work, 2007's Thirty Secret Years.[1]
References
External links
- Extracts from his diary, The Daily Telegraph, 27 Apr 2007.
- Obituary, HeraldScotland, 20 Apr 2012.