Anthony Edward Dyson
| A.E. “Tony” Dyson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 28 November 1928 Paddington, London, United Kingdom |
| Died |
30 July 2002 (aged 73) London, United Kingdom |
| Education | Pembroke College, Cambridge |
Anthony Edward Dyson, aka Tony Dyson (28 November 1928 – 30 July 2002) was a British literary critic, university lecturer, educational activist and gay rights campaigner.
Educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge, his academic career began in 1955 when he was appointed Assistant Lecturer in English Literature at the University of North Wales, Bangor. From there, he went to the University of East Anglia where he was later appointed Reader. He took early retirement in the 1980s.
Dyson single-handedly took the initiative in forming the Homosexual Law Reform Society (HLRS) in May 1958. He had sent hundreds of letters to Members of Parliament and celebrities asking for their support, successfully bringing together an impressive collection of distinguished names, including Noel Annan, Lord Attlee, A. J. Ayer, Isaiah Berlin, Trevor Huddleston, Julian Huxley, C. Day-Lewis, J. B. Priestley, Bertrand Russell, Donald Soper, A.J.P Taylor, Angus Wilson and Barbara Wootton. The campaign began with a letter, signed by all these figures, published in The Times on 7 March 1958, calling for the implementation of the Wolfenden Committee's recommendations that the law in relation to male homosexual relations be liberalised. Dyson had written on the University of North Wales headed paper making a bold statement of exactly who and where he was, which was a risky move. “It is difficult to comprehend the danger of living as a homosexual before the law was reformed in 1967, with the ever-present threat of criminal proceeding or blackmail. Dyson’s careful and courageous handing of the campaign during these years was instrumental in ensuring that it did not arouse animosity and become counter-productive.”
...
Wikipedia