Thomas Baistow

July 13, 1914 (age 84)

Glasgow, United Kindom

In 1928 Baistow became a copy boy at the Scottish Daily Express where his father was a compositor. Then he became caption writer and started subbing, establishing himself in the newsroom. In 1931, he moved to the Daily Sketch in Manchester as 'splash' sub. In 1936, Baistow moved to the News Chronicle as picture editor. The same year he visited Germany for the first time and became a 'secret' member of the Communist Party and Peace Pledge Union as well as the Labor Party and National Union of Journalists. In 1939, he volunteered with his brother-in-law for the Navy but was told to await the call-up, so in 1940 he joined the army. He had a basic training at Catterick, Yorkshire. Baistow came to senior officers notice by organizing a strike about the poor quality of the food in the mess. His officers, scared of his militant tendencies, sent him to Royal Military College at Sandhurst. There he edited a Forces newspaper. In 1942, Baistow joined the Royal Tank Regiment and he went to Egypt for the end of the North African campaign, Operation Torch, as a tank commander. He returned to Britain to prepare for the Operation Overlord and in 1944, he landed in Normandy on St Aubin beach near Arromanches. He lost many friends in those days, including the poet Keith Douglas. Baistow was made a Captain in the and in 1945 fought in Belgium, Holland and Germany. He was with one of the first allied troops into the concentration camp at Belsen. In 1946, Baistow returned to Manchester to his old job at the News Chronicle. In 1947, he moved to the News Chronicle in London as deputy features editor. In 1948, Baistow started writing poetry in the gaelic and was broadcast on the BBC. He stood as Labour candidate in local elections. During the 1950s, he worked as features editor and then a foreign editor at the News Chronicle where he formed an 'infamous' lunch club (after being banned from the wine club El Vino). He late became special feature writer of the News Chronicle, covering industrial unrest in the car industry in the Midlands, housing, education, immigration - the whole of Britain's post-war social development. Tom Baistow spent months covering the political crises in the Congo and in Rome for the Olympic games. He also wrote for The Tribune under the pseudonym of Ewan Pearson. In October 1960 the News Chronicle closed down and he fought to secure the best possible deal and new jobs for his colleagues. He joined the Daily Herald as a special feature writer. During the 1960s, when the Daily Herald became the broadsheet The Sun, Baistow left and became deputy editor at the New Statesman. He was now frequently broadcasting on the BBC. In 1976, he retired from the New Statesman and became a part-time lecturer in the School of Journalism of the City University. Tom Baistow died on the 8 March 1999.

Thomas Enoch Baistow

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also known as Tom Baistow; Magnus Turnstile

journalist author

Background

Enoch Thomas Baistow was born on July 13, 1914, in Glasgow, Scotland. His father was a newspaper compositor.

Education

Baistow left school in 1928.

Career

In 1928 Baistow became a copy boy at the Scottish Daily Express where his father was a compositor. Then he became caption writer and started subbing, establishing himself in the newsroom. In 1931, he moved to the Daily Sketch in Manchester as 'splash' sub.

In 1936, Baistow moved to the News Chronicle as picture editor. The same year he visited Germany for the first time and became a 'secret' member of the Communist Party and Peace Pledge Union as well as the Labor Party and National Union of Journalists.

In 1939, he volunteered with his brother-in-law for the Navy but was told to await the call-up, so in 1940 he joined the army. He had a basic training at Catterick, Yorkshire. Baistow came to senior officers notice by organizing a strike about the poor quality of the food in the mess.

His officers, scared of his militant tendencies, sent him to Royal Military College at Sandhurst. There he edited a Forces newspaper.

In 1942, Baistow joined the Royal Tank Regiment and he went to Egypt for the end of the North African campaign, Operation Torch, as a tank commander. He returned to Britain to prepare for the Operation Overlord and in 1944, he landed in Normandy on St Aubin beach near Arromanches. He lost many friends in those days, including the poet Keith Douglas. Baistow was made a Captain in the and in 1945 fought in Belgium, Holland and Germany. He was with one of the first allied troops into the concentration camp at Belsen.

In 1946, Baistow returned to Manchester to his old job at the News Chronicle. In 1947, he moved to the News Chronicle in London as deputy features editor. In 1948, Baistow started writing poetry in the gaelic and was broadcast on the BBC. He stood as Labour candidate in local elections. During the 1950s, he worked as features editor and then a foreign editor at the News Chronicle where he formed an 'infamous' lunch club (after being banned from the wine club El Vino).

He late became special feature writer of the News Chronicle, covering industrial unrest in the car industry in the Midlands, housing, education, immigration - the whole of Britain's post-war social development. Tom Baistow spent months covering the political crises in the Congo and in Rome for the Olympic games. He also wrote for The Tribune under the pseudonym of Ewan Pearson.

In October 1960 the News Chronicle closed down and he fought to secure the best possible deal and new jobs for his colleagues. He joined the Daily Herald as a special feature writer. During the 1960s, when the Daily Herald became the broadsheet The Sun, Baistow left and became deputy editor at the New Statesman. He was now frequently broadcasting on the BBC.

In 1976, he retired from the New Statesman and became a part-time lecturer in the School of Journalism of the City University. Tom Baistow died on the 8 March 1999.

Achievements

Baistow is most commonly known as the contributor to the letters, books and obituary columns of The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Times and the New Statesman.

Personality

Baistow emigrated with his family to Calgary in Canada in mid-1920s and in the late 1920s they returned to Glasgow.

Connections

Baistow married Mae Berg in 1938. He had one son and one daughter. His daughter Karen was born in 1948.

Wife:: Mae Berg Baistow
Daughter:: Karen Baistow

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Thomas Enoch Baistow

Background

Education

Career

Achievements

Personality

Connections

Born

Died

Nationality

Political Party

Career

1928 - 1931

1931 - 1936

1936 - 1940

1940 - 1942

1942 - 1946

1946 - 1947

1947 - 1960

1960 - 1964

1965 - 1976

1976