Morris Duparc
Dutch-born journalist and communal official; reporter and assistant editor of The Jewish Chronicle from 1873 to 1925, and its "working editor" from 1902 to 1907
| Morris Duparc
| |
|---|---|
| Born | 1852 Holland |
| Died | 1942 |
| Occupation | Journalist; assistant editor; communal official |
| Known for | Reporter and assistant editor of The Jewish Chronicle (1873–1925); "working editor" (1902–1907); secretary of the Anglo-Jewish Association |
Morris Duparc (1852 – 1942) was a Dutch-born journalist who served The Jewish Chronicle for more than fifty years. He joined its staff as a reporter in 1873, specialising in foreign news and Zionist affairs, took the title of "working editor" on the death of Asher Myers in May 1902, and stayed as assistant editor under Leopold Greenberg until he retired from the paper in 1925. He was for many years secretary of the Anglo-Jewish Association.[1][2][3]
Early life
Duparc was born in Holland in 1852.[1] The 1949 centenary volume says he was Myers's brother-in-law and that he entered the paper's service as early as 1873, "during the Henry regime", that is under Michael Henry.[3]
The Jewish Chronicle
Reporter, 1873–1902
Cesarani describes Duparc as a staff reporter from 1873 who concentrated on foreign news and Zionist affairs, with a wealth of experience, a wide knowledge of languages and good foreign contacts.[1] In July 1897 he was the paper's own correspondent at the First Zionist Congress in Basle, whose proceedings the paper reported verbatim.[4] The author of Myers's obituary on 16 May 1902 was, Cesarani suggests, possibly Duparc.[5]
Working editor, 1902–1907
On Myers's death in May 1902 Duparc, the assistant editor, took over as "working editor".[1] The 1949 volume says he had the title of "managing editor", with Israel Davis, now sole proprietor, "editor in fact though not in name" for the next five years; elsewhere it calls him the "nominal editor".[3][6] Cesarani likewise places the real power in Davis's hands and says that Duparc and Davis "quarrelled incessantly".[1][7] The 1949 volume says his relations with the business manager, Sidney Davis, were satisfactory because Duparc was easy-going and probably always somewhat diffident "not of his qualifications as a journalist, but as a director of opinion".[6]
During the campaign against the Aliens Act Duparc sent Simon Gelberg (who changed his name to Gilbert during the First World War) to the East End, where in January and February 1904 he provided weekly reports showing that immigration was declining and pressure on the housing market easing.[7][8] After the pogroms in Russia he engaged Nahum Sokolow as a correspondent: Cesarani, drawing on correspondence in the Central Zionist Archive, says Duparc asked for reports and analysis and for pictures of pogrom victims, that Sokolow was paid between £1 and £10 a month, and that Duparc tried to insist he write only for the Chronicle.[9] At the Sixth Zionist Congress Duparc filed the copy for a twelve-page supplement.[10]
After 1907
When Leopold Greenberg took over the paper with a group of backers, announcing the change on 4 January 1907, Duparc, according to the 1949 volume, "continued to work as assistant editor" for some years.[11][12][2] After more than fifty years' service he retired from the paper in 1925, though not from his other communal activities, which he continued almost to his death; his place as assistant editor was taken by Ivan Greenberg.[2] Harry Samuels, the paper's cashier from 1899, was a kinsman of Duparc.[13]
Death
Duparc died in 1942, in his ninety-first year, according to the 1949 centenary volume; Cesarani gives his dates as 1852–1942.[2][1]
Company appointments
The officer registers of the Jewish Chronicle companies held by Companies House list no appointment for Morris Duparc, who died before the online register's coverage begins (its earliest appointment dates for those companies are given as "before 26 December 1991").
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 David Cesarani, The Jewish Chronicle and Anglo-Jewry, 1841–1991 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 95.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 The Jewish Chronicle 1841–1941: A Century of Newspaper History (London, 1949), p. 131.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 The Jewish Chronicle 1841–1941: A Century of Newspaper History (London, 1949), p. 112.
- ↑ David Cesarani, The Jewish Chronicle and Anglo-Jewry, 1841–1991 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 87.
- ↑ David Cesarani, The Jewish Chronicle and Anglo-Jewry, 1841–1991 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 68.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Jewish Chronicle 1841–1941: A Century of Newspaper History (London, 1949), p. 122.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 David Cesarani, The Jewish Chronicle and Anglo-Jewry, 1841–1991 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 97.
- ↑ The Jewish Chronicle 1841–1941: A Century of Newspaper History (London, 1949), p. 119.
- ↑ David Cesarani, The Jewish Chronicle and Anglo-Jewry, 1841–1991 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 99.
- ↑ David Cesarani, The Jewish Chronicle and Anglo-Jewry, 1841–1991 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994), p. 101.
- ↑ The Jewish Chronicle 1841–1941: A Century of Newspaper History (London, 1949), p. 124.
- ↑ The Jewish Chronicle 1841–1941: A Century of Newspaper History (London, 1949), p. 128.
- ↑ The Jewish Chronicle 1841–1941: A Century of Newspaper History (London, 1949), p. 132.