Sydney Jacobson, Baron Jacobson
Encyclopedia
Sydney Jacobson, Baron Jacobson MC
, (26 October 1908, Zeerost, Transvaal – 13 August 1988, St Albans
, Hertfordshire
) was a British
journalist, editor and political commentator.
. His father was drowned when the ship in which he was trying to return to South Africa sank. The family went to live in Wales with relatives, the family of Lewis Silkin.
Jacobson and his mother subsequently moved to London where he attended Strand School
and studied journalism at King's College London
. He started out on local newspapers but by 1934 was assistant editor of The Statesman
newspaper in Calcutta. On his return to England he became assistant editor of the pocket-sized literary and humour magazine Lilliput (magazine)
in October 1937.
Jacobson served with the Middlesex Regiment
(Duke of Cambridge's Own) and rose to the rank of major. He was awarded the Military Cross
in 1944 in recognition of his exemplary gallantry.
After the war he returned to journalism and worked as a feature writer on the pioneering photojournalistic magazine Picture Post
under its influential editor Tom Hopkinson
. He went on to work as political editor of the Daily Mirror for 10 years before becoming editor of the Daily Herald and its replacement The Sun
; he was appointed editorial director of the International Publishing Corporation
(IPC) in 1965.
By 1974 Jacobson was deputy chairman of IPC working under his friend and colleague of many years Hugh Cudlipp
. During one of the two General Elections that year Jacobson was responsible for at least two of the Daily Mirror 's best-known front pages - one bore nothing but a photograph of the then Prime Minister Edward Heath
and the words, "AND NOW HE HAS THE NERVE TO ASK FOR A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE." The other read, "FOR ALL OUR TOMORROWS VOTE LABOUR TODAY."
as Baron Jacobson of St Albans in the County of Hertfordshire
. (The Times newspaper reports that he had previously declined a knighthood in 1968.) He retired from journalism the same year.
Sydney Jacobson died in August 1988. He was survived by his wife, June, their daughter Ruth and sons Colin and Philip. At a thanksgiving service at the "journalists' church" St Bride's
off of Fleet Street
in London Hugh Cudlipp
used his address to launch an attack on the state of British tabloid newspapers.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, (26 October 1908, Zeerost, Transvaal – 13 August 1988, St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
journalist, editor and political commentator.
Early years
Jacobson was the only son and elder child of Samuel and Anna Jacobson, a Jewish couple originally from Germany who ran an ostrich farm. In 1914 the family returned to Frankfurt am Main for a holiday. They were interned on the outbreak of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. His father was drowned when the ship in which he was trying to return to South Africa sank. The family went to live in Wales with relatives, the family of Lewis Silkin.
Strand School
Strand School was a boys' grammar school in the Tulse Hill area of South London. It moved there in 1913 from its original location in the Strand...
and studied journalism at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. He started out on local newspapers but by 1934 was assistant editor of The Statesman
The Statesman
The Statesman is an Indian English-language broadsheet daily newspaper founded in 1875 and published simultaneously in Kolkata, New Delhi, Siliguri and Bhubaneswar. The Statesman is owned by The Statesman Ltd., its headquarters at Statesman House, Chowringhee Square, Calcutta and its national...
newspaper in Calcutta. On his return to England he became assistant editor of the pocket-sized literary and humour magazine Lilliput (magazine)
Lilliput (magazine)
Lilliput was a small-format British monthly magazine of humour, short stories, photographs and the arts, founded in 1937 by the photojournalist Stefan Lorant. The first issue came out in July and it was sold shortly after to Edward Hulton, when editorship was taken over by Tom Hopkinson in 1940....
in October 1937.
Wartime years
During World War IIWorld 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...
Jacobson served with the Middlesex Regiment
Middlesex Regiment
The Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
(Duke of Cambridge's Own) and rose to the rank of major. He was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in 1944 in recognition of his exemplary gallantry.
Journalism
Picture Post
Picture Post was a prominent photojournalistic magazine published in the United Kingdom from 1938 to 1957. It is considered a pioneering example of photojournalism and was an immediate success, selling 1,700,000 copies a week after only two months...
under its influential editor Tom Hopkinson
Sir Tom Hopkinson
Sir Thomas Hopkinson was a British journalist, picture magazine editor, author, and teacher.-Early life:Born in Manchester, his father was a Church of England clergyman and a scholar, and his mother had been a school mistress. Hopkinson attended prep school on the Lancashire coast and then St...
. He went on to work as political editor of the Daily Mirror for 10 years before becoming editor of the Daily Herald and its replacement The Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
; he was appointed editorial director of the International Publishing Corporation
IPC Media
IPC Media , a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Inc., is a consumer magazine and digital publisher in the United Kingdom, with a large portfolio selling over 350 million copies each year.- Origins :...
(IPC) in 1965.
By 1974 Jacobson was deputy chairman of IPC working under his friend and colleague of many years Hugh Cudlipp
Hugh Cudlipp
Hubert "Hugh" Kinsman Cudlipp, Baron Cudlipp, OBE , was a Welsh journalist and newspaper editor noted for his work on the Daily Mirror in the 1950s and 60s.- Life and career :...
. During one of the two General Elections that year Jacobson was responsible for at least two of the Daily Mirror 's best-known front pages - one bore nothing but a photograph of the then Prime Minister Edward Heath
Edward Heath
Sir Edward Richard George "Ted" Heath, KG, MBE, PC was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and as Leader of the Conservative Party ....
and the words, "AND NOW HE HAS THE NERVE TO ASK FOR A VOTE OF CONFIDENCE." The other read, "FOR ALL OUR TOMORROWS VOTE LABOUR TODAY."
Latter years
On 16 July 1975, Jacobson was made a life peerLife peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Jacobson of St Albans in the County of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. (The Times newspaper reports that he had previously declined a knighthood in 1968.) He retired from journalism the same year.
Sydney Jacobson died in August 1988. He was survived by his wife, June, their daughter Ruth and sons Colin and Philip. At a thanksgiving service at the "journalists' church" St Bride's
St Bride's Church
St Bride's Church is a church in the City of London, England. The building's most recent incarnation was designed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1672 on Fleet Street in the City of London, though Wren's original building was largely gutted by fire during the London Blitz in 1940. Due to its location on...
off of Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
in London Hugh Cudlipp
Hugh Cudlipp
Hubert "Hugh" Kinsman Cudlipp, Baron Cudlipp, OBE , was a Welsh journalist and newspaper editor noted for his work on the Daily Mirror in the 1950s and 60s.- Life and career :...
used his address to launch an attack on the state of British tabloid newspapers.