James Nicol Dunn

James Nicol Dunn (12 October 185630 June 1919) was a Scottish journalist and newspaper editor, best known as the editor of London newspaper The Morning Post from 1897 to 1905 and as London editor of the Glasgow Evening News from 1914 until his death in 1919.

Early life

Dunn was born in Kincardineshire on 12 October 1856, the eldest son of Joseph Dunn and Margaret Dunn (née Macleod).

Journalism

Dunn had a varied career as a journalist across various newspapers and magazines in Scotland, England and South Africa until his death in 1919, "Moving between the metropolis and the provinces so as to belong almost equally to both." Dunn's career in journalism began in Scotland, first with the Dundee Advertiser (which he joined before he turned twenty) and later on as a member of the Glasgow and West Scotland staff of The Scotsman. In 1888, he became the managing editor of the Scots Observer in 1888, which in 1889 became the National Observer, following the newspaper's move from Edinburgh to London. Dunn remained in this role "in its prime" under editor William Ernest Henley until 1893 when he resigned to join the staff of The Pall Mall Gazette.

From 1895 to 1897, Dunn was the editor of two periodicals, the Black & White, a British illustrated weekly, and The Ludgate Monthly, a London-based monthly, which published short fiction and articles of general interest.

In 1904, Dunn was elected President of the Institute of Journalists (now the Chartered Institute of Journalists), the oldest professional association for journalists. Dunn was President during "a rather stormy period" of the Institute but "by his urbanity and good humour, weathered a difficult situation, to the complete satisfaction of every one who had to work with him." It was also around this time that Dunn was involved with Quiz, Art and Literature, and The Pen and Pencil.

In 1905, Lord Northcliffe purchased the Manchester Courier, a daily newspaper published in Manchester and rival to the better-known Manchester Guardian (now The Guardian), and installed Dunn as editor "with a big fanfare of trumpets and a large ceremonial lunch". Northcliffe's adventures in northern newspapers were ultimately unsuccessful. Dunn served as editor from 1905 and 1910, and in 1916 the newspaper ceased publication. Dunn's hobbies included chess and golf and he was a member of various private members' clubs including the London Press Club, the Yorick, the Cecil Club, and the Savage Club.

In late 1888, shortly after Dunn moved with the retitled National Observer to London, Oscar Wilde sent Dunn a poem, Symphony in Yellow, inspired by a yellow omnibus (bus) slowly traversing Blackfriars Bridge in London one foggy day in late 1888. According to Wilde, Dunn was "quite charmed" but was unsure about publication.

In 1895 and shortly after becoming editor of Black & White, Dunn sought out writings from American journalist and novelist Harold Frederic. In 1896, English author, poet and dramatist Eden Phillpotts dedicated his book My Laughing Philosopher to Dunn. Dunn is also known to have corresponded with J. M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan, as well as English poet, playwright, novelist, and critic Algernon Charles Swinburne, and Irish poet and author W. B. Yeats.

More generally, Dunn was friends with Thomas Hardy and indeed one at least one occasion holidayed with him, and also had a minor acquaintance with H. G. Wells.

Legacy

Dunn was a prolific correspondent and his letters survive in archives at Yale University, He is the subject of eight photographic portraits, one by Frederic G. Hodsoll and seven - possibly a series - by Henry Walter Barnett, held by the National Portrait Gallery.

Dunn was described in the Dictionary of Nineteenth-century Journalism in Great Britain and Ireland as: "although Dunn's career seems full and varied, he remains a shadowy figure in the history of journalism."