Douglas Cleverdon
Thomas Douglas James Cleverdon | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 17, 1903 |
| Died | October 1, 1987 (aged 84) |
| Occupation(s) | Bookseller, radio producer |
| Known for | BBC radio production, fine press publishing |
Thomas Douglas James Cleverdon (17 January 1903 – 1 October 1987) was a prominent English bookseller and radio producer, renowned for his close associations with influential cultural personalities in both domains.
Personal life
Cleverdon received his education at Bristol Grammar School followed by Jesus College, Oxford. During his time there, he formed a friendship with John Betjeman and gained the support of Roger Fry. He established a bookshop in Bristol, modeled after the London-based Birrell & Garnett, which featured signboards crafted by Eric Gill and Fry. This shop specialized in fine printing and first editions dating back to the sixteenth century, also functioning as a publishing venue.
In 1944, he wed Elinor Nest Lewis, who worked as a secretary at the BBC; together, they became central figures within a social circle of producers and performers. Their firstborn is Dame Julia Cleverdon. During the 1950s, he held the position of President of the Double Crown Club. Cleverdon passed away on 1 October 1987 and was laid to rest alongside Nest in Highgate Cemetery.
Publishing and Radio work
Cleverdon’s initial publication showcased engravings by Eric Gill, who also designed the original Gill Sans typeface used for his shop’s signage. In 1927, he commissioned David Jones to create copper engravings for The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. His publishing repertoire includes works by Siegfried Sassoon, T. F. Powys, as well as elegantly printed catalogues presenting first editions from early Caxton Press publications to contemporary authors such as E. M. Forster, Virginia Woolf, and T. S. Eliot.
He joined the BBC in 1939 and collaborated with producer Howard Thomas to develop The Brains Trust. From 1945 onward, he worked within Laurence Gilliam’s department. In 1948, Cleverdon adapted David Jones's poem In Parenthesis for broadcast on BBC Radio's Third Programme, featuring performances by Richard Burton and Dylan Thomas accompanied by music composed by Elizabeth Poston. In 1954, he produced the inaugural radio performance of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood. Additionally, he partnered with Henry Reed on the Hilda Tablet series.
During the 1940s, Cleverdon gathered English folk songs for the BBC and produced programs highlighting poets including Max Beerbohm, Ted Hughes, Stevie Smith, and Sylvia Plath, who composed Three Women: A Poem for Three Voices specifically for him in 1962. Following Plath's death, his wife Nest provided financial support to her children.
In 1966, he produced The Man Who Collected Sounds, featuring music by George Newson created with resources from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. The BBC archives contain over 230 scripts produced under Cleverdon’s direction.
After leaving the BBC, he co-established Clover Hill Editions alongside Will Carter, concentrating on fine press publishing.
Autobiography
- "Fifty Years"; included in: The Private Library, 1978. Pinner, Middlesex: Private Libraries Association; pp. 51–83.