John Alfred Spender
| J. A. Spender | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
John Alfred Spender 23 December 1862 Bath, Somerset, England |
| Died | 21 June 1942 (aged 79) Bromley, Kent, England |
| Education | Balliol College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Journalist, editor, and author |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Rawlinson (1892–1942) |
| Children | None |
| Relatives | Harold Spender (brother) Stephen Spender (nephew) |
John Alfred Spender (23 December 1862 – 21 June 1942) also known as J. A. Spender, was a British journalist, newspaper editor, and author. He was the editor of the London newspaper The Westminster Gazette from 1896 to 1922.
Spender was the eldest of four sons born to John Kent Spender, a doctor, and his wife, the novelist Lillian Spender. He was educated at Bath College and Balliol College, Oxford, where he did well in his studies but missed a first in Greats due to illness.
Though Benjamin Jowett, the Master of Balliol, suggested that Spender become a lawyer, Spender sought out a career in journalism instead. In this he had the assistance of his uncle William Saunders, who owned the Western Morning News and Eastern Morning News as well as the Central News Ageny. After a brief period as Saunders's secretary, Spender was offered a position as a leader writer for The Echo by John Passmore Edwards, though their relationship proved difficult and Spender left after only five months in the post. It was at this point in 1886 that Saunders offered his nephew the editorship of the struggling Hull newspaper Eastern Morning News. Spender eagerly accepted and spent a little more than four years in the post. As the editor of a provincial daily, Spender undertook whatever jobs were necessary, serving as sales manager, leader writer, reporter, and critic. Through his efforts the paper returned to profitability, only to then be sold by Saunders in February 1891. Spender returned to London, where he worked as a freelance contributor to a number of papers and wrote his book, a tract on old-age pensions that won him the friendship of John Morley.
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