Collin Brooks
| Collin Brooks | |
|---|---|
Brooks as a young man, in 1911
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|
| Born |
William Collin Brooks 22 December 1893 |
| Died | 6 April 1959 |
| Other names | CB |
| Occupation | Journalist, broadcaster, and author |
| Spouse(s) | Lillian (Dilly) Brooks (1916–1959) |
| Children | Rosemary Brooks (1920–1971) Vivian Brooks (1922–2003) Austen Brooks (1924–1986) Edward "Tich" Brooks (1928–2010) |
Collin Brooks (22 December 1893 – 1959), frequently known as "CB"), was a British journalist, writer, and broadcaster.
Born William Collin Brooks he was the son of William Edward Brooks (1864–1914) and Isabella (née Thomas), herself the daughter of Griffith Thomas and Isabella (née Harrison – a descendant of Colonel Thomas Harrison of Cromwell's New Model Army). He was born and brought up in the north of England, spent only seven years in formal education, and after a short period as a trainee accountant became a commercial traveller for various companies, from the age of fifteen to twenty.
In 1913 he founded the Manchester Press Agency. Brooks' father died only weeks before the outbreak of World War I, and his mother Isabella died eighteen months later, on Christmas Eve 1915. Two weeks later their son married Lillian Susanna Marsden, and the couple had five children: Barbara (who died in infancy); Rosemary Collin Brooks (1920–1971), whose career included a period working for MI5; Vivian Collin Brooks (1922–2003) – a journalist who wrote a number of detective books under the pen-name "Osmington Mills"; William Austen Brooks (1924–1986), also a journalist: and Edward Clarke Brooks (1928–2010) who became an actor and wrote a number of short stories.
On 20 November 1915, Collin Brooks joined the British Army, and after a period driving tanks transferred to the machine gun corps. As a 2nd Lieutenant, he was awarded the Military Cross, his citation reading: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the attack across the Piave on 27 October 1918. This officer led his four guns forward under heavy shell and machine gun fire with the forward waves of the infantry. On arrival at the objective, by his skilful handling of his guns, he formed a defensive flank and in spite of heavy casualties he maintained his position. The coolness and energy of this officer was, throughout the action, a fine example to the men under him.”
His own field notes — taken from his pocket book — of this event run as follows:
His war service was followed by an increased awareness and involvement in politics and journalism. In 1921 he was employed by the Liverpool Courier; in 1923 he joined the Yorkshire Post, and moved in 1928 to their London office. This was followed by a move to the position of editor of the Financial News later that year. In 1933 he moved to the Sunday Dispatch, which began his long involvement with Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere. He was shortly elevated to the position of Editor of the Sunday Dispatch.
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