Guild of Agricultural Journalists
Encyclopedia
The Guild of Agricultural Journalists is a membership organisation representing editors and journalists, broadcasters, photographers, public relations and marketing specialists working in agriculture, commercial horticulture and other rural industries in the United Kingdom.
Founder members included:
In his history of the Guild, Peter Bell reports that the early constitution of the Guild was lifted en bloc from another organisation and set out only the bread-and-butter running of the Guild. It was not until much later - 1959 - that the aims and objects familiar to today's members became part of the constitution. Despite Dorman-Smith's backing, Haddon did not wish the Guild to become a convenience for the Minister and the early members fashioned it in the form of a 'brotherhood'; the social side was important from the start.
Initially, membership was open to agricultural journalists who gained three-quarters of their income from their writing. Annual subscription amounted to one guinea; half that for probationers. The earliest recorded meetings took place at the Milk Board's offices, presumably because of Wilfrid Hill's connections, but the venue soon switched to the Farmers Club
in Whitehall Court
, which has become the de facto London base of the Guild. By July 1948, membership had reached more than 100.
Although the Guild started life as the GAJ of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the last three words were dropped after the Irish Republic formed a Guild to which the Northern Ireland members linked in 1962-3.
History
The idea of an agricultural reporters' organisation was first mooted by Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, Minister of Agriculture from 1939-40. He approached Richard Haddon, managing editor of the Farmer and Stockbreeder magazine and senior voluntary press adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture, who in turn sought the backing of NFU Secretary Sir Cleveland Fyfe. Between 1941 and 1943, Haddon gathered a nucleus of senior journalists and was elected the Guild's first chairman in 1944.Founder members included:
- Kenneth Pipe (first Honorary Treasurer; Chairman 1948-9; President 1967-8)
- Percy IzzardPercy IzzardPercy W. D. Izzard OBE was the well-known gardening correspondent on the Daily Mail newspaper and author of several books on gardening.- Life and works :...
- Anthony HurdAnthony HurdAnthony Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd was a British politician and former Conservative Member of Parliament for Newbury....
(agricultural correspondent of The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, father of Douglas HurdDouglas HurdDouglas Richard Hurd, Baron Hurd of Westwell, CH, CBE, PC , is a British Conservative politician and novelist, who served in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major between 1979 and his retirement in 1995....
) - Sidney Maycock (editor of The Smallholder, then selling some 250,000 copies weekly)
- Laurence Easterbrook (agricultural correspondent of the News ChronicleNews ChronicleThe News Chronicle was a British daily newspaper. It ceased publication on 17 October 1960, being absorbed into the Daily Mail. Its offices were in Bouverie Street, off Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8DP, England.-Daily Chronicle:...
) - William Adair (editor of Scotland's Farming News)
- Jock Robertson Coupar (agricultural correspondent for the Press AssociationPress AssociationThe Press Association is the national news agency of the United Kingdom and Ireland, supplying multimedia news content to almost all national and regional newspapers, television and radio news, as well as many websites with text, pictures, video and data content globally...
) - Wilfrid Hill (public relations officer for the Milk Marketing BoardMilk Marketing BoardThe Milk Marketing Board was a government agency established in 1933 to control milk production and distribution in the United Kingdom. It functioned as buyer of last resort in the British milk market, thereby guaranteeing a minimum price for milk producers...
, and seconded to the Minister during the war emergency)
In his history of the Guild, Peter Bell reports that the early constitution of the Guild was lifted en bloc from another organisation and set out only the bread-and-butter running of the Guild. It was not until much later - 1959 - that the aims and objects familiar to today's members became part of the constitution. Despite Dorman-Smith's backing, Haddon did not wish the Guild to become a convenience for the Minister and the early members fashioned it in the form of a 'brotherhood'; the social side was important from the start.
Initially, membership was open to agricultural journalists who gained three-quarters of their income from their writing. Annual subscription amounted to one guinea; half that for probationers. The earliest recorded meetings took place at the Milk Board's offices, presumably because of Wilfrid Hill's connections, but the venue soon switched to the Farmers Club
Farmers Club
The Farmers Club is a London club which is based at 3 Whitehall Court.-History:The club was founded in 1842 by the agricultural writer William Shaw, who invited the founder members from the newly-formed Royal Agricultural Society of England, and the Smithfield Club...
in Whitehall Court
Whitehall Court
Whitehall Court in London, England is one contiguous building but consists of two separate constructions; the end occupied by the National Liberal Club was designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the major part was designed by Archer & Green.The Royal Horseguards Hotel, owned by Thistle Hotels, covers 1 &...
, which has become the de facto London base of the Guild. By July 1948, membership had reached more than 100.
Although the Guild started life as the GAJ of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the last three words were dropped after the Irish Republic formed a Guild to which the Northern Ireland members linked in 1962-3.
Aims and Objectives
- To promote a high professional standard among journalists, photographers and others who specialise in communications in agricultural, horticultural and related subjects
- To represent members' interests in their relations with representative bodies in the agricultural and horticultural industries
- To provide a forum, through business meetings and social activities for members to meet eminent people in these industries
- To maintain contact with associations of agricultural and horticultural journalists overseas
- To promote schemes for the education of members of the Guild and for the provision of suitable entrants into agricultural and horticultural journalism