Charles Lahr
Charles Lahr | |
|---|---|
| Born | Carl Lahr Template:Birth date Bad Nauheim, Hesse, Germany |
| Died | August 15, 1971 (aged 86) Muswell Hill, London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Bookseller, publisher, anarchist |
| Years active | Early 1900s–1940s |
| Known for | Prominent London-based bookseller and publisher; founder of Blue Moon Press; involvement in anarchist movement |
Charles Lahr (born Carl Lahr on 27 July 1885; died 15 August 1971) was a Jewish anarchist originally from Germany who became a prominent bookseller and publisher based in London.
Biography
Originating from Bad Nauheim in Hesse, Germany, Lahr was the eldest among fifteen siblings in a family with peasant roots. To evade conscription, he relocated to London in 1905, where he lived until his passing. While employed as a baker in London, he encountered anarchist Guy Aldred and by 1907 had attracted police attention. By the year 1914, Lahr had joined the Industrial Workers of the World and managed a bookshop located in Hammersmith.
From 1915 until 1919, he was interned at Alexandra Palace as an enemy alien. Between 1920 and 1922, he briefly affiliated with the Communist Party of Great Britain but was expelled due to political unreliability. In 1921, Lahr took ownership of the Progressive Bookshop in Holborn, through which he ventured into publishing and established literary relationships with authors such as H. E. Bates, Rhys Davies, T. F. Powys, and D. H. Lawrence. When financial hardship struck, his literary acquaintances compiled a collection named Charles Wain (1933) to aid him.
In 1922, Lahr married Esther Argeband (later Archer), whom he met at the Charlotte Street Socialist Club. Esther, a Jewish factory worker from East London, shared close ties with artist William Roberts, who created her portrait now housed by the Tate Gallery.
Between 1925 and 1927, Lahr produced the literary periodical The New Coterie. In 1931, he established Blue Moon Press, a small publishing house responsible for issuing works including D. H. Lawrence's poetry volume Pansies.
In 1935, Lahr faced conviction for possession of stolen books and received a six-month prison sentence. During World War II, he was again interned—an experience he attributed to his German heritage and anarchist beliefs. His bookshop suffered bombing damage in 1941, necessitating multiple relocations throughout London.
Lahr passed away at his residence in Muswell Hill on 15 August 1971. His funeral was attended by numerous figures from British left-wing circles. His archival materials are maintained at the University of London.