Evelyn Wrench
Encyclopedia
Sir John Evelyn Leslie Wrench, CMG
, LL.D
(1882–1966) was born on 29 October 1882, in Brookeborough
, County Fermanagh
, part of the Province of Ulster
in Ireland
, the son of Frederick Stringer Wrench (1849-1926), an Irish Land Commissioner, and Charlotte Mary Bellingham (1848-1935).
At the age of five years, his favorite 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, Oxford
, Oxfordshire
, England
(1896), and Eton College
(1896-1899), where he was remembered for his kindness towards new boys, and as the best looking boy in the school.
Upon leaving Eton, he travelled on the Continent to learn languages with the idea of entering the Diplomatic Service
. He noticed the lead that the Continent had over Great Britain
in the production of picture postcards, and upon his return instituted a firm that soon became the largest of its kind in the country. This occupied him from 1900 until 1904, when the firm failed, mainly through too rapid an expansion and lack of capital. This venture indicated the enterprising spirit that Wrench possessed, and its failure in no way lowered his reputation.
The future Lord Northcliffe had observed Wrench's qualities and invited him to join his staff, which he did in 1904. He was editor of The Overseas Daily Mail and in addition manager of the export department of the Amalgamated Press from 1907 and sales manager from 1909. Wrench, however, was less interested in success in journalism than in his visions of Commonwealth
development awakened by his visits to Canada
and the United States
. He told in his book "Uphill", the first volume of his autobiography, how in 1910 a turning point came in his life, crystallizing itself in his memory as a "vision" that came to him at the memorial service to King Edward VII
in Westminster Abbey
, where he said, "the scales fell from my eyes, I vowed I would devote my life to great causes -- to the Empire, to my fellows."
Passionately longing to make a more personal contribution to the unity of the British Empire
, he formed in 1910 The Royal Over-Seas League
as The Overseas Club in order to encourage international understanding. The Royal Over-Seas League is a self-funded Commonwealth organization that offers clubhouse, conference, and private-dining facilities in London
and Edinburgh
; organizes Commonwealth art and music competitions; and develops joint welfare projects with specific countries. In 1918, the League was amalgamated with the Patriotic League of Britons Overseas, with which group it had been working in conjunction on several projects. In 1922, the League was granted a Royal Charter of Incorporation. The clubhouses have not-for-profit status and the art music and welfare projects charitable status. The governing body is the Central Council. There are reciprocal clubs, branches, or chapters in over seventy countries. The aim of the League is "To support the ideals of the Commonwealth; to encourage young Commonwealth artists and musicians; and encourage Commonwealth friendship and support welfare work." The League is pledged under its Royal Charter "to give service to the Commonwealth." He put his full enthusiasm and energies into this organization, resigned his newspaper appointments in 1912, and embarked upon a visit to the dominions in 1912-1913.
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.
In 1917, Wrench joined the Royal Flying Corps
. He reached the rank of major and served as principal private secretary to Lord Rothermere when he was President of the Air Council
, and later as his deputy when controller for the dominions and United States at the Ministry of Information.
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 Royal Commonwealth Society
. In January 1932, he was knighted by His Majesty King George V of Great Britain
. For many years between the wars, Wrench acted as secretary of the Overseas League and as editor of the League's journal, "Over-Seas," in which his "Monthly Letter" was enjoyed by many as an informal summary of the previous month's events. He also served two terms as chairman of the English-Speaking Union.
In addition, he was a contributor, and from 1925 to 1932 editor, of The Spectator
magazine in Britain
. He had bought a controlling interest in The Spectator from John St. Loe Strachey
in 1925 and, although he later sold his controlling shareholding to Sir Ian Gilmour, he was chairman of the board for the remainder of his life.
Wrench's third major project, the All Peoples' Association
, founded by him in 1930, while promoting friendship among the world's peoples, was largely unsuccessful. The wideness of its scope was too idealistic. Its special field in attempting understanding between the English and German peoples was poorly nurtured in the hostile soil of increasing Nazism
. The publication of his book "I Loved Germany" was ill timed and misunderstood.
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 Sir Victor Brooke, Bt.
, sister of Field Marshal Lord Alanbrooke
, and widow of Frederick Henry Arthur des Vouex. In 1940, they set out on a tour of Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia
. They became stranded in India in 1941 on their way back to England. They quickly found ways of being useful in helping American servicemen. Wrench served from 1942 to 1944 as American relations officer to the Government of India, a post especially created for him by the Viceroy of India.
, Dare County, North Carolina
, U.S.A. He acted as chairman or protagonist in "World and Ourselves" series of discussions. He talked in the "Art of Cookery" series, applauding English cooking of meat, deploring the English cooking of vegetables, and putting forward a plea for communal kitchens. He described broadcasting as the future "University of the whole Nation."
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 topographical research to provide fuller information about places and events in Britain likely to be of interest to the British Commonwealth and the United States. From 1959 to 1960, he made a tour of Commonwealth countries and southeast Asia
. From 1961 to 1964, he was President of the Dickens Fellowship
; and for many years he was senior trustee of the Cecil Rhodes Memorial Museum Foundation in Bishop's Stortford
, England.
Wrench was a deeply religious person and once thought about becoming a missionary. He was an amateur genealogist. Although he was modest and self-effacing, charming in conversation, some found him somewhat aloof and considered he was not a good mixer. This was probably because he had little time for small talk and social gossip. Where he was concerned with some project close to his ideals, he would speak with enthusiasm. Although an idealist, he was at the same time practical. With all of his idealism, he never let go of reality, and was prepared to admit that "perhaps my friends were right when they warned me 'not to be too visionary.'" His lively, likeable personality exuded his literary style, which was pleasantly informal and underlined his sincerity of purpose.
In appearance, Wrench was ascetic looking, slim, with an intelligent, earnest expression. This is brought out well in Sir Oswald Birley
's portrait in the Royal Overseas League headquarters in London, England. Another portrait, by Margaret Lindsay Williams
, is in the London headquarters of the English-Speaking Union. His hobbies included studying social problems, trying to learn languages, comparing notes with people of other nations, walking, motoring, and sunbathing. His memorial service was held at 11:30 a.m. GMT on 9 December 1966, in the Crypt Chapel, St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England, the Archdeacon of London
officiating. His burial was presided by the Abbot of Nashdom, Dom
Augustine Morris OSB .; The Vicar of Marlow; and The Rev. E. Nobbs. A memorial plaque was placed on the wall of his house by the Anglo-Kin Society. He never had children. W. V. Griffin wrote an interesting book about him, "Sir Evelyn Wrench and his continuing vision of international relations during 40 years" (New York: 1950).
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, LL.D
Legum Doctor
Legum Doctor is a doctorate-level academic degree in law, or an honorary doctorate, depending on the jurisdiction. The double L in the abbreviation refers to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both Canon Law and Civil Law, the double L indicating the plural, Doctor of both...
(1882–1966) was born on 29 October 1882, in Brookeborough
Brookeborough
Brookeborough is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It lies between Enniskillen and Belfast just off the A4 trunk road, about five miles from the County Tyrone boundary....
, County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
, part of the Province of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the son of Frederick Stringer Wrench (1849-1926), an Irish Land Commissioner, and Charlotte Mary Bellingham (1848-1935).
At the age of five years, his favorite 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, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, England
England
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...
(1896), and Eton College
Eton 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"....
(1896-1899), where he was remembered for his kindness towards new boys, and as the best looking boy in the school.
Upon leaving Eton, he travelled on the Continent to learn languages with the idea of entering the Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service
Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service is the diplomatic service of the United Kingdom, dealing with foreign affairs, as opposed to the Home Civil Service, which deals with domestic affairs...
. He noticed the lead that the Continent had over Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
in the production of picture postcards, and upon his return instituted a firm that soon became the largest of its kind in the country. This occupied him from 1900 until 1904, when the firm failed, mainly through too rapid an expansion and lack of capital. This venture indicated the enterprising spirit that Wrench possessed, and its failure in no way lowered his reputation.
The future Lord Northcliffe had observed Wrench's qualities and invited him to join his staff, which he did in 1904. He was editor of The Overseas Daily Mail and in addition manager of the export department of the Amalgamated Press from 1907 and sales manager from 1909. Wrench, however, was less interested in success in journalism than in his visions of Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
development awakened by his visits to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He told in his book "Uphill", the first volume of his autobiography, how in 1910 a turning point came in his life, crystallizing itself in his memory as a "vision" that came to him at the memorial service to King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
, where he said, "the scales fell from my eyes, I vowed I would devote my life to great causes -- to the Empire, to my fellows."
Passionately longing to make a more personal contribution to the unity of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
, he formed in 1910 The Royal Over-Seas League
Royal Over-Seas League
The Royal Over-Seas League is a non-profit members’ organisation with international headquarters based in its clubhouse in central London, England...
as The Overseas Club in order to encourage international understanding. The Royal Over-Seas League is a self-funded Commonwealth organization that offers clubhouse, conference, and private-dining facilities in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
; organizes Commonwealth art and music competitions; and develops joint welfare projects with specific countries. In 1918, the League was amalgamated with the Patriotic League of Britons Overseas, with which group it had been working in conjunction on several projects. In 1922, the League was granted a Royal Charter of Incorporation. The clubhouses have not-for-profit status and the art music and welfare projects charitable status. The governing body is the Central Council. There are reciprocal clubs, branches, or chapters in over seventy countries. The aim of the League is "To support the ideals of the Commonwealth; to encourage young Commonwealth artists and musicians; and encourage Commonwealth friendship and support welfare work." The League is pledged under its Royal Charter "to give service to the Commonwealth." He put his full enthusiasm and energies into this organization, resigned his newspaper appointments in 1912, and embarked upon a visit to the dominions in 1912-1913.
He ended up travelling 64,000 miles to all parts of the British Empire. In 1911, while in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, he gave Captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...
, R.N.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, the British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
Antarctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic is the region around the Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica and the ice shelves, waters and island territories in the Southern Ocean situated south of the Antarctic Convergence...
explorer, a clean handkerchief immediately before the latter's departure for the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North 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
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
. 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.
In 1917, Wrench joined the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
. He reached the rank of major and served as principal private secretary to Lord Rothermere when he was President of the Air Council
Secretary of State for Air
The Secretary of State for Air was a cabinet level British position. The person holding this position was in charge of the Air Ministry. It was created on 10 January 1919 to manage the Royal Air Force...
, and later as his deputy when controller for the dominions and United States at the Ministry of Information.
As a result of his experience in this last appointment, Wrench founded in 1918 the English-Speaking Union
English-Speaking Union
The English-Speaking Union is an international educational charity which was founded by the journalist Evelyn Wrench in 1918. The ESU aims to "bring together and empower people of different languages and cultures," by building skills and confidence in communication, such that individuals realize...
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
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, 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
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
.
From 1918 until 1920, he was a committee member of Royal Commonwealth Society
Royal Commonwealth Society
The Royal Commonwealth Society is an international educational charity and a private members' club. Its mission is to support and promote the modern Commonwealth, its culture and core values...
. In January 1932, he was knighted by His Majesty King George V of Great Britain
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. For many years between the wars, Wrench acted as secretary of the Overseas League and as editor of the League's journal, "Over-Seas," in which his "Monthly Letter" was enjoyed by many as an informal summary of the previous month's events. He also served two terms as chairman of the English-Speaking Union.
In addition, he was a contributor, and from 1925 to 1932 editor, of The Spectator
The Spectator
The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...
magazine in Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. He had bought a controlling interest in The Spectator from John St. Loe Strachey
John St. Loe Strachey
John St Loe Strachey , was a British journalist and newspaper proprietor.Strachey was the second son of Sir Edward Strachey, 3rd Baronet, and his wife Mary Isabella , and the brother of Edward Strachey, 1st Baron Strachie, and Henry Strachey...
in 1925 and, although he later sold his controlling shareholding to Sir Ian Gilmour, he was chairman of the board for the remainder of his life.
Wrench's third major project, the All Peoples' Association
All Peoples' Association
The All Peoples' Association was a voluntary organisation to foster international amity, established in London in 1930 by Sir Evelyn Wrench, founder of the English-Speaking Union and Royal Overseas League....
, founded by him in 1930, while promoting friendship among the world's peoples, was largely unsuccessful. The wideness of its scope was too idealistic. Its special field in attempting understanding between the English and German peoples was poorly nurtured in the hostile soil of increasing Nazism
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
. The publication of his book "I Loved Germany" was ill timed and misunderstood.
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 Sir Victor Brooke, Bt.
Victor Brooke
Sir Victor Alexander Brooke, 3rd Baronet , was an Anglo-Irish naturalist and baronet. He was the father of Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, and grandfather of Sir Basil Brooke, 1st Viscount Brookeborough, third Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.Brooke, whose family were...
, sister of Field Marshal Lord Alanbrooke
Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke
Field Marshal The Rt. Hon. Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, KG, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO & Bar , was a senior commander in the British Army. He was the Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the Second World War, and was promoted to Field Marshal in 1944...
, and widow of Frederick Henry Arthur des Vouex. In 1940, they set out on a tour of Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They became stranded in India in 1941 on their way back to England. They quickly found ways of being useful in helping American servicemen. Wrench served from 1942 to 1944 as American relations officer to the Government of India, a post especially created for him by the Viceroy of India.
Later Life
After the war, working in his home, Wrench devoted much of his time to writing. He wrote "The English-Speaking World," "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. [Publishers] Ltd., 1945), "Founders of Virginia" (National Geographic, April 1948, pp. 433-462), "Francis Yeats-Brown, 1886-1944: A Portrait" (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1949), "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), and "A Short History of Great Marlow Parish Church" (Gloucester, England: British Publishing, 1968). In 1952, he became a joint founder of the "Elizabethan Garden" on Roanoke IslandRoanoke Island
Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....
, Dare County, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, U.S.A. He acted as chairman or protagonist in "World and Ourselves" series of discussions. He talked in the "Art of Cookery" series, applauding English cooking of meat, deploring the English cooking of vegetables, and putting forward a plea for communal kitchens. He described broadcasting as the future "University of the whole Nation."
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 topographical research to provide fuller information about places and events in Britain likely to be of interest to the British Commonwealth and the United States. From 1959 to 1960, he made a tour of Commonwealth countries and southeast Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. From 1961 to 1964, he was President of the Dickens Fellowship
Dickens Fellowship
The Dickens Fellowship was founded in 1902, and is an international association of people from all walks of life who share an interest in the life and works of Victorian era novelist Charles Dickens....
; and for many years he was senior trustee of the Cecil Rhodes Memorial Museum Foundation in Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford
Bishop's Stortford is a historic market town and civil parish in the district of East Hertfordshire in the county of Hertfordshire in England. It is situated just west of the M11 motorway, on the county boundary with Essex and is the closest large town to London Stansted Airport and part of the...
, England.
Wrench was a deeply religious person and once thought about becoming a missionary. He was an amateur genealogist. Although he was modest and self-effacing, charming in conversation, some found him somewhat aloof and considered he was not a good mixer. This was probably because he had little time for small talk and social gossip. Where he was concerned with some project close to his ideals, he would speak with enthusiasm. Although an idealist, he was at the same time practical. With all of his idealism, he never let go of reality, and was prepared to admit that "perhaps my friends were right when they warned me 'not to be too visionary.'" His lively, likeable personality exuded his literary style, which was pleasantly informal and underlined his sincerity of purpose.
In appearance, Wrench was ascetic looking, slim, with an intelligent, earnest expression. This is brought out well in Sir Oswald Birley
Oswald Birley
Sir Oswald Hornby Joseph Birley, MC, RA was an English portrait painter in the early part of the 20th century.-Biography:...
's portrait in the Royal Overseas League headquarters in London, England. Another portrait, by Margaret Lindsay Williams
Margaret Lindsay Williams
Margaret Lindsay Williams was a Welsh artist who was commissioned to paint portraits of royalty and American presidents.She was born in Cardiff, the elder of two daughters of Samuel A. Williams, a shipbroker of Barry Docks. For some years, from the age of 9, she lived in 9 Windsor Road, Barry. She...
, is in the London headquarters of the English-Speaking Union. His hobbies included studying social problems, trying to learn languages, comparing notes with people of other nations, walking, motoring, and sunbathing. His memorial service was held at 11:30 a.m. GMT on 9 December 1966, in the Crypt Chapel, St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England, the Archdeacon of London
Archdeacon of London
The Archdeacon of London is an archdiaconal post in the Church of England. It covers one of two archdeaconries within the London and Westminster episcopal area of the Diocese of London - that episcopal area's bishop is the Bishop of London.-List:*William de Beaumais, 12th century *William of...
officiating. His burial was presided by the Abbot of Nashdom, Dom
Dom (title)
Dom is a title of respect prefixed to the given name. It derives from Latin Dominus.It is used in English for certain Benedictine and Carthusian monks, and for members of certain communities of Canons Regular. Examples include Benedictine monks of the English Benedictine Congregation...
Augustine Morris OSB .; The Vicar of Marlow; and The Rev. E. Nobbs. A memorial plaque was placed on the wall of his house by the Anglo-Kin Society. He never had children. W. V. Griffin wrote an interesting book about him, "Sir Evelyn Wrench and his continuing vision of international relations during 40 years" (New York: 1950).