Julius West

Julius West (born Julius Rappoport) (21 March 1891 – 1918) was a historian, poet, and translator who prepared a Fabian Tract on John Stuart Mill and a critical study of G. K. Chesterton. He translated Chekhov into English and produced a number of other works including a history of Chartism that was published posthumously. He travelled to Russia at the time of the 1917 revolution and saw Lenin and Trotsky speak.

Early life and career Julius West was born Julius Rappoport in St. Petersburg on 21 March (9th O.S.), 1891, His father was a correspondent for Russian papers. The family travelled to London when Julius was only two months old. His father was Jewish but Julius was later confirmed in the Church of England and at some point changed his name to the more English sounding "West". He was educated at the Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School in Hampstead from the age of 12.

At the time of the British 1901 census, the family were living at Sumatra Road, Hampstead. Julius had a sister, Anne M. Rappoport.

West worked as a temporary clerk in the Board of Trade in London, preparing a report on the cost of living in Germany, after which he clerked at the Fabian Society. In 1913 he worked for the New Statesman for a few months. the daughter of an English clergyman. who wished to omit the word "obey" from the marriage vows while West's father would not attend the ceremony if they did. A compromise was reached whereby "obey" and "giving away" were omitted and West's father remained in the vestry. where he experienced famine conditions in Petrograd He attended Bolshevik meetings at which Lenin and Trotsky spoke and came under suspicion as a possible spy. In February 1918, he escaped Russia with a party of English governesses and elderly invalids who travelled over ice through German lines. The party spent a night in Åland guarded by German troops. West arrived back in England via Stockholm. Soldiers of the Tsar and other sketches and studies of the Russia of today. Iris Publishing Company, London, 1915. The fountain; or, the De Pootkins family at home and abroad. An initiation into the secrets of the literary trade. Iris Publishing, London, 1916. The Russian revolution and British democracy. Fabian Society, London, 1917. (Fabian Tract No. 184) A history of the Chartist movement. Constable, London, 1920. (Completed by J.C. Squire)

Poetry Atlantis, and other poems. David Nutt, London, 1913.

Translations Chekhov: The three sisters The cherry orchard The proposal On the High Road