George Whalley
Encyclopedia
George Whalley was a scholar, poet, naval officer and secret intelligence agent during World War II, CBC broadcaster, musician, biographer, and translator. He taught English at Queen's University
in Kingston, Ontario (1950-80) and was twice the head of the department. He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada
in 1959. He married Elizabeth Watts on July 25, 1944. They had three children: Katharine, Christopher, and Emily. His brother, Peter Whalley
, was a famous artist and cartoonist.
(1940-56) and was on active duty in the Royal Navy
(1940-45). He served on warships (including HMS Tartar and HMS Ceres), participated in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck
, saved a life at sea (for which he was awarded a Royal Humane Society
Bronze Medal), worked as a naval intelligence officer, designed a marker buoy used during the Sicily landing in 1943, and secretly tested surfboats used to land Allied agents in Europe covertly in preparation for the invasion of Normandy in 1944. After the war, Whalley served as the Commander to HMCS Cataraqui in Kingston (1952-56). He retired with the rank of Commander in 1956.
. His PhD thesis was entitled S.T. Coleridge: Library Cormorant. He published over twenty scholarly essays and articles on Coleridge's poetry, letters, criticism, and marginalia and these appeared in numerous journals including Queen's Quarterly, University of Toronto Quarterly, and Review of English Studies. For thirty years, he collected and organized Coleridge's marginalia, which was published in six volumes as part of The Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Whalley edited the first two volumes and was named as a co-editor, with H.J. Jackson, for the other four.
began when he read Unflinching, the edition of Edgar Christian
's diary that was published in 1937, before World War II. In the 1950s, Whalley began a careful study by studying the existing documents, contacting the Christian family, and travelling to the Thelon River site of the Hornby camp. He wrote "Death in the Barren Ground," a 60-minute radio feature for CBC radio
(first broadcast 3 March 1954), based on Christian's diary and the Hornby legend. A television version was first broadcast on CBC Explorations on 28 October 1959. In The Legend of John Hornby, published in 1962, and Death in the Barren Ground: The Diary of Edgar Christian, published in 1980, Whalley wrote remarkable accounts of the relationship that tied Hornby and Christian together and led to their deaths.
Queen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
in Kingston, Ontario (1950-80) and was twice the head of the department. He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada
Royal Society of Canada
The Royal Society of Canada , may also operate under the more descriptive name RSC: The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada , is the oldest association of scientists and scholars in Canada...
in 1959. He married Elizabeth Watts on July 25, 1944. They had three children: Katharine, Christopher, and Emily. His brother, Peter Whalley
Peter Whalley
Peter Whalley was a Canadian cartoonist and sculptor. Whalley established himself as a prominent humorist beginning in the 1940s. He used a distinctive stripped down style to send up the cultural and political life of Canada. He died in a hospital in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, on September 18, 2007. He...
, was a famous artist and cartoonist.
Education
Whalley attended St. Alban's School in Brockville, Ontario from 1922-30. He completed his first B.A. at Bishop's University, in Lennoxville, Quebec, graduating in 1935. As a Rhodes Scholar, he completed his second B.A. at Oriel College, Oxford, in 1939. He received an M.A. from Oriel College, Oxford, in 1945. He completed his second M.A. degree at Bishop's University in 1948. His thesis was entitled "A Critique of Criticism." He received his Ph.D. from King's College, University of London, in 1950.Military service 1940-56
Whalley served in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer ReserveRoyal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
The Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve was a naval reserve force of the Royal Canadian Navy, which replaced the Royal Navy Canadian Volunteer Reserve .-Foundation:...
(1940-56) and was on active duty in the Royal Navy
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...
(1940-45). He served on warships (including HMS Tartar and HMS Ceres), participated in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
, saved a life at sea (for which he was awarded a Royal Humane Society
Royal Humane Society
The Royal Humane Society is a British charity which promotes lifesaving intervention. It was founded in England in 1774 as the Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Drowned, for the purpose of rendering first aid in cases of near drowning....
Bronze Medal), worked as a naval intelligence officer, designed a marker buoy used during the Sicily landing in 1943, and secretly tested surfboats used to land Allied agents in Europe covertly in preparation for the invasion of Normandy in 1944. After the war, Whalley served as the Commander to HMCS Cataraqui in Kingston (1952-56). He retired with the rank of Commander in 1956.
Poetry
Whalley published two collections of poems written during World War Two. The first, Poems 1939-1944 was issued as part of the Ryerson Poetry Chapbook series in 1946. It contains 17 poems. The second book, No Man An Island, appeared in 1948. It contains 41 poems, a few of which are reprinted from the chapbook. The Collected Poems of George Whalley, edited by George Johnston, is currently the most complete collection available, containing 76 poems, and all of the poems that appeared in the two earlier books. Whalley's "rare body of wartime poetry" has been praised as "war poems [that] display a mature range and scope that is unmatched by any other of the second world war poets".Coleridge Scholarship
Whalley was a leading expert on the writings of the poet and critic Samuel Taylor ColeridgeSamuel Taylor Coleridge
Samuel Taylor Coleridge was an English poet, Romantic, literary critic and philosopher who, with his friend William Wordsworth, was a founder of the Romantic Movement in England and a member of the Lake Poets. He is probably best known for his poems The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and Kubla...
. His PhD thesis was entitled S.T. Coleridge: Library Cormorant. He published over twenty scholarly essays and articles on Coleridge's poetry, letters, criticism, and marginalia and these appeared in numerous journals including Queen's Quarterly, University of Toronto Quarterly, and Review of English Studies. For thirty years, he collected and organized Coleridge's marginalia, which was published in six volumes as part of The Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Whalley edited the first two volumes and was named as a co-editor, with H.J. Jackson, for the other four.
John Hornby and Edgar Christian Writings
Whalley's interest in the story of John HornbyJohn Hornby
John Hornby was an English explorer best known for his expeditions in the Arctic region, notably in the "barren lands" in the Northwest Territory of Canada...
began when he read Unflinching, the edition of Edgar Christian
Edgar Christian
Edgar Christian was born on 6 June 1908, the son of Lt Col Frank Christian RA.He attended prep school at the Grange School, Shorncliffe Road, Folkestone and hoped to follow his brother Charles to Marlborough College; in the end he went on to Dover College which was more local, despite the fact the...
's diary that was published in 1937, before World War II. In the 1950s, Whalley began a careful study by studying the existing documents, contacting the Christian family, and travelling to the Thelon River site of the Hornby camp. He wrote "Death in the Barren Ground," a 60-minute radio feature for CBC radio
CBC Radio
CBC Radio generally refers to the English-language radio operations of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The CBC operates a number of radio networks serving different audiences and programming niches, all of which are outlined below.-English:CBC Radio operates three English language...
(first broadcast 3 March 1954), based on Christian's diary and the Hornby legend. A television version was first broadcast on CBC Explorations on 28 October 1959. In The Legend of John Hornby, published in 1962, and Death in the Barren Ground: The Diary of Edgar Christian, published in 1980, Whalley wrote remarkable accounts of the relationship that tied Hornby and Christian together and led to their deaths.
Books
A full bibliography of Whalley's publications, including articles, reviews, and broadcasts, is available. Listed here are books only.- Poems 1939-44. Toronto: Ryerson, 1946. Print. Ryerson Poetry Chap-Book No 116.
- No Man an Island. Toronto: Clarke & Irwin, 1948. Print.
- Poetic Process. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1953. Print.
- Editor. Selected Poems of George Herbert Clarke. With a foreword by George Whalley and with a general introduction by W.O. Raymond. Toronto: Ryerson, 1954. Print.
- Coleridge and Sara Hutchinson and the Asra Poems. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1955; Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1955. Print.
- Editor. Writing in Canada. Proceedings of the Canadian Writers' Conference, Queen's University, 28-31 July 1955. With a preface by George Whalley and with an introduction by F.R. Scott. Toronto: Macmillan, 1956. Print.
- The Legend of John Hornby. London: John Murray, 1962; Toronto: Macmillan, 1962. Print.
- Editor. A Place of Liberty, Essays on the Government of Canadian Universities. With an essay “Further Proposals” (154-75), by George Whalley. Toronto: Clarke & Irwin, 1964. Print.
- Editor. Death in the Barren Ground: The Diary of Edgar Christian. With an Introduction by George Whalley. Ottawa: Oberon Press, 1980. Print.
- Editor. Christopher Pepys 1914-1974: A Remembrance by his Friends. With contributions by George Whalley. Oxford: privately printed, 1980. Print.
- Editor. Marginalia I. The Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, No. 12.1. Princeton: Princeton UP; London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1980. Print.
- Editor. Marginalia 2. The Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, No. 12.2. Princeton: Princeton UP; London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1985. Print.
- Studies in Literature and the Humanities: Innocence of Intent. Editors. Brian Crick and John Ferns. Montreal: McGill-Queen's UP, 1985. Print.
- The Collected Poems of George Whalley. Editor. George Johnston. Kingston: Quarry Press, 1986. Print.
- H.J. Jackson and George Whalley. Editors. Marginalia 3. The Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, No. 12.3. Princeton: Princeton UP; London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1992.
- H.J. Jackson and George Whalley. Editors. Marginalia 4. The Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Marginalia I and II. No. 12.4. Princeton: Princeton UP; London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1998. Print.
- H.J. Jackson and George Whalley. Editors. Marginlia 5. The Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, No. 12.5. Princeton: Princeton UP; London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1999. Print.
- H.J. Jackson and George Whalley. Editors. Marginalia 6. The Collected Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, No. 12.6. Princeton: Princeton UP; London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 2001. Print.
- Translator. Aristotle's Poetics. With commentary by George Whalley. Ed. John Baxter and Patrick Atherton. Montreal: McGill-Queen's UP, 1997. Print.