Boris Ford

Richard Boris Ford (1 July 1917 – 19 May 1998) was a British literary critic, writer, editor and educationist.

Early life Ford was born on 1 July 1917, Ford was a chorister at King's College, Cambridge, eventually becoming head chorister under Boris Ord. He was then educated at Gresham's School, and through his English master there, Denys Thompson, was introduced to F. R. Leavis under whom he studied at Downing College, Cambridge. He then became chief editor and director of the Army Bureau of Current Affairs (ABCA). So critical of Britain were ABCA's seminars addressed to officers and men that Ford attracted the attention of MI5. Indeed, Ford believed that the Labour Party came to power in 1945 as a result of ABCA's democratizing influence. However, other accounts suggest that his dismissal came following his objection to the broadcast of unsuitable advertisements between programmes,

In 1957–1958 Ford was education secretary to the Cambridge University Press. He then became professor of education and director of the Institute of Education at University of Sheffield from 1960 to 1963, when he became professor of education at Sussex University (1963–73). At Sussex, with the support of Asa Briggs, he helped establish a music department in 1971 with Donald Mitchell as visiting professor of music. While at Sussex, Ford was dean at the School of Cultural and Community Studies (1963–71). After leaving Sussex in 1973, Ford became professor of education at Bristol until 1982.

The Pelican Guide to English Literature series was followed by the even more ambitious The Cambridge Guide to the Arts in Britain (in nine volumes, 1988–91).

Ford died on 19 May 1998, in London, England.

Family

He was married twice. With his first wife, Noreen, he had two daughters and a son, and was the step father to Noreen's daughter by her first marriage. He was the stepfather to the two daughters of his second wife, Inge.

Publications A series edited by Boris Ford for Penguin Books, successively entitled: A Guide to English Literature, The Pelican Guide to English Literature, The New Pelican Guide to English Literature: Vol. 1. The Age of Chaucer, 1945 Vol. 1. Medieval Literature: Chaucer and the alliterative tradition: with an anthology of Medieval poems and drama''', updated edition 1982; 1990 Vol. 2. The Age of Shakespeare, 1969; 1991 Vol. 3. From Donne to Marvell, 1956; 1990 Vol. 4. From Dryden to Johnson, 1957 Vol. 5. From Blake to Byron, 1957; 5th ed. 1965 Vol. 6. From Dickens to Hardy, 1957 . Vol. 7. The Modern Age, From James to Eliot, 9th ed. 1964; 1990 Vol. 8. The Present: From Orwell to Naipaul Vol. 9. American Literature Another series edited by Boris Ford for Cambridge University Press, successively entitled: The Cambridge Guide to the Arts in Britain and The Cambridge Cultural History of Britain: Vol. 1. Early Britain, 1988 Vol. 2. Medieval Britain, 1988 Vol. 3. 16th Century Britain Vol. 4. 17th Century Britain, 1992 Vol. 5. 18th Century Britain Vol. 6. The Romantic Age in Britain, 1992 Vol. 7. Victorian Britain, 1990 Vol. 8. Early 20th Century Britain, 1992 Vol. 9. Modern Britain, 1992 Benjamin Britten's Poets, 1994

Editor of Journals 1951–1968 Co-editor of The Use of English with David Holbrook, Denys Thompson, and Raymond O'Malley 1955–1958 Editor of the Journal of Education 1955–1986 Editor of Universities Quarterly''