Harry Brittain

Personal

Vocation

British journalist, Conservative politician and centenarian. Brittain became an assistant to Sir William Ingram, managing director of the Illustrated London News. He subsequently worked for Sir Arthur Pearson, founder of the Daily Express. Brittain worked on the staff of The Standard and Evening Standard, two of Pearson's papers. In 1909 he 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. Along with Pearson, Brittain formed the Tariff Reform League. This led him into Conservative politics. At the 1918 general election he received the "coupon" as the Coalition Conservative candidate for the newly created seat of Acton, Middlesex. He won the seat and held it until 1929. He is best remembered for steering the Protection of Birds Act 1925 (sometimes called the "Brittain Act") through parliament. Sir Harry Brittain wrote three books of reminiscences. He died on 9 July 1974, aged 100 years. Link to Wikipedia biography