Gerald Gould facts for kids

Gerald Gould (born 1885 – died November 2, 1936) was an English writer. He was known for his work as a journalist, reviewer, essay writer, and poet.

A Life of Writing and Change

Gerald Gould was born in Scarborough, England. He grew up in Norwich. He studied at University College London and Magdalen College, Oxford. From 1906, he worked at University College. He was also a Fellow at Merton College, Oxford, from 1909 to 1916.

Supporting Women's Rights

Gould played a part in the women's suffrage movement. This movement fought for women's right to vote. He helped with the newspaper The Suffragette. This was the newspaper of the WSPU.

On February 6, 1914, he and his wife, Barbara Ayrton-Gould, helped start a group called the United Suffragists. This group included both men and women. They welcomed people who had been involved in different parts of the suffrage movement. The United Suffragists stopped their work when the Representation of the People Act 1918 was passed. This law gave some women in the United Kingdom the right to vote.

Working During Wartime

From 1914, Gould worked for the Wellington House War Propaganda Bureau. This group created information to support Britain during World War I. This might be why he did not write much poetry about the war.

He also worked as a journalist for the Daily Herald newspaper. He was part of a group of young, hopeful men who helped with the paper. This was after George Lansbury bought it in 1913. Other people in this group included G. D. H. Cole and Harold Laski.

Gould likely helped bring the famous poet Siegfried Sassoon to the Daily Herald. Sassoon became the literary editor after the paper was relaunched in 1919. Gould often wrote poems for the Herald. He also gave several poems to Common Cause, which later became Woman's Leader.

A Career in Publishing

Gould also reviewed novels for the New Statesman magazine. In 1920, he moved to The Observer newspaper as their fiction editor. He also became the chief reader for Victor Gollancz Ltd, a publishing company. In this role, he was involved in the early publishing of books by George Orwell. Gerald Gould passed away in London in 1936.

His Family Life

Gerald Gould married Barbara Bodichon Ayrton (1888–1950). She was also a suffragist, fighting for women's right to vote. After Gerald's death, Barbara became a member of the Labour National Executive. She also served as a Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) from 1945 to 1950.

Barbara was the daughter of two scientists, William Edward Ayrton and Hertha Marks Ayrton. Gerald and Barbara's son was the artist Michael Ayrton (1921–1975).

His Published Works

Gerald Gould wrote many books, including collections of poems, essays, and a novel. Here are some of his works:

• Lyrics (1906)
• On the Nature of Lyric (1909)
• My Lady's Book (1913)
• Poems (1914)
• Monogamy (1918) (poems)
• The Happy Tree and Other Poems (1919)
• The Journey: Odes and Sonnets (1920)
• Lady Adela (1920)
• The Coming Revolution in Great Britain (1920)
• The English Novel of Today (1924)
• The Return to the Cabbage and Other Essays and Sketches (1926)
• Beauty the Pilgrim (1927) (poems)
• Collected Poems (1929)
• Democritus or the Future of Laughter (1929)
• The Musical Glasses (1929) (essays)
• All About Women: Essays and Parodies (1931)
• Isabel (1932) (novel)
• Refuge From Nightmare (1933)

His poem Wander-thirst is often quoted and remembered.