George Godfrey (journalist)
Encyclopedia
George Fuller Godfrey CBE
(5 November 1904 – 16 September 1989) was an English-born Australian journalist and trade unionist.
Godfrey was born in Battersea
in London
to schoolteacher Francis George Godfrey and Millie, née Fuller. He was educated at Strand School and won a mathematics scholarship to Queens' College, Cambridge
, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts
in 1926 (and later a Master of Arts
in 1972). During the general strike
in 1926 he enlisted as a special constable. In 1927 he emigrated to Australia, arriving in 1927 in Melbourne
. He taught mathematics for a term at Essendon High School before being employed by The Argus
in May. In 1930 he moved to Sydney
to work for the afternoon broadsheet the Sun, of which he became a sub-editor (1943) and relieving editor. He married a clerk, Phyllis Berenice Alethia Carling, at St Augustine's Church of England in Neutral Bay
on 21 June 1932.
In 1927, Godfrey joined the Australian Journalists' Association (AJA); he was elected to the state committee in 1934 and 1940 and was state president 1941–44 (during which time he implemented a code of ethics federally) and 1953–63. He was awarded the gold honour badge in 1944. Godfrey was elected federal president of the AJA in 1963, serving until 1974. He was a long-term campaigner for the Australian Press Council
, which was finally established in 1976.
Godfrey was also a prominent figure in the Australian Labor Party
; he became president in 1944 of the Mosman
branch in one of Sydney's least Labor-friendly areas. He edited the Labor Digest from 1945 to 1946, was elected a party conference delegate in 1946 and was on the state executive from 1959 to 1971. Godfrey was also a member of the Fabian Society
. In 1955 he came to the rescue of federal leader Bert Evatt
by providing him with membership of the Mosman branch after Evatt's leadership was not renewed.
Godfrey wrote a column for the A.L.P. News in the early 1960s and published a series of articles on democratic socialism
for the A.L.P. Journal from 1960 to 1968. An anti-censorship
campaigner, Godfrey had rallied against the imprisonment of Robert Close
for obscene libel in 1948, opposed Robert Menzies
' attempt to dissolve the Communist Party
in 1950, and objected to the barring of Russian journalist Vadim Nekrasov in 1963.
In the later years of his federal presidency Godfrey opposed the more militant unionists who opposed the close relationship between the union and media proprietors. He retired from the Sun in 1971 and worked for the North Shore Times from 1976 to 1986. Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1972, Godfrey was also a Freemason. He died at Mosman in 1989 and was cremated.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(5 November 1904 – 16 September 1989) was an English-born Australian journalist and trade unionist.
Godfrey was born in Battersea
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
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...
to schoolteacher Francis George Godfrey and Millie, née Fuller. He was educated at Strand School and won a mathematics scholarship to Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College, Cambridge
Queens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
, from which he received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1926 (and later a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1972). During the general strike
1926 United Kingdom general strike
The 1926 general strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted nine days, from 4 May 1926 to 13 May 1926. It was called by the general council of the Trades Union Congress in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reduction and worsening...
in 1926 he enlisted as a special constable. In 1927 he emigrated to Australia, arriving in 1927 in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. He taught mathematics for a term at Essendon High School before being employed by The Argus
The Argus (Australia)
The Argus was a morning daily newspaper in Melbourne established in 1846 and closed in 1957. Widely known as a conservative newspaper for most of its history, it adopted a left leaning approach from 1949...
in May. In 1930 he moved to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to work for the afternoon broadsheet the Sun, of which he became a sub-editor (1943) and relieving editor. He married a clerk, Phyllis Berenice Alethia Carling, at St Augustine's Church of England in Neutral Bay
Neutral Bay, New South Wales
Neutral Bay is a harbourside suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Neutral Bay is located 5 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of North Sydney Council....
on 21 June 1932.
In 1927, Godfrey joined the Australian Journalists' Association (AJA); he was elected to the state committee in 1934 and 1940 and was state president 1941–44 (during which time he implemented a code of ethics federally) and 1953–63. He was awarded the gold honour badge in 1944. Godfrey was elected federal president of the AJA in 1963, serving until 1974. He was a long-term campaigner for the Australian Press Council
Australian Press Council
The Australian Press Council is the self-regulatory body of the Australian print media. It was established in 1976 and is a private organisation. Its aims are to help preserve the traditional freedom of the press within Australia and to ensure that the free press acts responsibly and ethically...
, which was finally established in 1976.
Godfrey was also a prominent figure in the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
; he became president in 1944 of the Mosman
Mosman, New South Wales
Mosman is a suburb on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Mosman is located 8 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Mosman.-Localities:In February...
branch in one of Sydney's least Labor-friendly areas. He edited the Labor Digest from 1945 to 1946, was elected a party conference delegate in 1946 and was on the state executive from 1959 to 1971. Godfrey was also a member of the Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
. In 1955 he came to the rescue of federal leader Bert Evatt
H. V. Evatt
Herbert Vere Evatt, QC KStJ , was an Australian jurist, politician and writer. He was President of the United Nations General Assembly in 1948–49 and helped draft the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights...
by providing him with membership of the Mosman branch after Evatt's leadership was not renewed.
Godfrey wrote a column for the A.L.P. News in the early 1960s and published a series of articles on democratic socialism
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
for the A.L.P. Journal from 1960 to 1968. An anti-censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
campaigner, Godfrey had rallied against the imprisonment of Robert Close
Robert Close
Robert Close was an Australian novelist. In a widely publicised case, in 1946 he and "Georgian House Pty Ltd", the publisher of his 1945 novel "Love Me Sailor" were prosecuted in the Supreme Court of Victoria for "obscene libel"....
for obscene libel in 1948, opposed Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
' attempt to dissolve the Communist Party
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
in 1950, and objected to the barring of Russian journalist Vadim Nekrasov in 1963.
In the later years of his federal presidency Godfrey opposed the more militant unionists who opposed the close relationship between the union and media proprietors. He retired from the Sun in 1971 and worked for the North Shore Times from 1976 to 1986. Appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1972, Godfrey was also a Freemason. He died at Mosman in 1989 and was cremated.