Harry Brittain

Sir Harry Ernest Brittain, KBE, CMG (24 December 1873 – 9 July 1974) was a British journalist and Conservative politician.

Biography Brittain was born in Ranmoor, Sheffield, the son of W. H. Brittain. Following education at Repton School, Rossall School and Worcester College, Oxford (where he achieved third class honours in jurisprudence), he entered training in business at Sheffield. In 1897 he was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple, but did not practise.

Journalism Instead of law, Brittain developed an interest in journalism. He became an assistant to Sir William Ingram, managing director of the Illustrated London News.

He was also a member of the original Committee of Sulgrave Manor Board, which was set up in 1914 to commemorate 100 years of peace between Great Britain and the United States. In addition to The Pilgrims, Brittain had many close associations with the United States. He was an honorary life member of the American Club, and the Society of Americans in London.

The United States entered the First World War on the side of the Allies in 1917. American officers started to come to London, and Brittain took on the task of organising an Officers' Club. King George V, when accompanied by Queen Mary, inspecting the club, expressed surprise that the chairs were so much more sumptuous than he could get for Buckingham Palace.

In May 1918 Brittain conducted a U.S. delegation, including a number of labour leaders, to the battlefields of France. The tour included personal visits to senior commanders including General Pershing, the American Commander-in-Chief in France, who paid Brittain high praise for his part in organising the American Officers' Club in London.

On 25 January 1972 he was the guest of honour at a dinner to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Pilgrims Society at which were read a message from Queen Elizabeth II and a personal letter to Brittain from the United States President, Richard Milhous Nixon.

Commonwealth Press Union In 1909 Brittain organised the First Imperial Press Conference. After the conference, he founded the Empire Press Union (later the Commonwealth Press Union) and lived to see his concept grow into an organisation which included in its membership over 1,500 newspapers and news agencies throughout the Commonwealth. She died in 1943.

In 1961, Brittain married Muriel Leslie Dixon.

Brittain wrote three books of reminiscences. He was the author of many publications including From Verdun to the Somme, which went through five editions in six days.