Correspondence with Harold Dore

This material is held atUniversity of Manchester Library

  • Reference
    • GB 133 GDN/A/D44
  • Dates of Creation
    • 26 Aug 1904-14 Jun 1943
  • Physical Description
    • 83 pieces

Scope and Content

Correspondence between Harold Dore (1878-1943), journalist, and C.P. Scott, E.T. Scott and W.P. Crozier, relating to Dore's employment by the Manchester Guardian as a political correspondent, a lobby reporter at the Houses of Parliament, as an editor of the miscellany page, and as a member of staff in the London office. There is a letter of recommendation for Dore from [Sir William Stephens], Mayor of Salford, and internal memoranda discussing Dore's potential employment.

There is correspondence relating to the evolution of Dore's work and his focus upon politics, of requests for increases in salary, and of his transfer to the London office. There is correspondence relating to Dore's potential full time employment as a leader writer and return to work in Manchester, which does not take place. There is discussion of Scott's request that Dore should not allow his political views to be visible in his articles, and of contributors to the miscellany pages. There is correspondence relating to the discussion of tariffs and the League of Nations, and the [Munitions of War Act, 1915]. There is also reference to a letter [to the editor] relating to a visit to Russia in the Manchester Guardian, and a report provided by the Conservative Central Office which suggests that the authors of the letter in question were agents of the Russian government. Also included are internal memoranda discussing the subjects.

There is also correspondence relating to Dore's personal life, including thanks for a wedding gift given to Dore by Scott, and discussion of his pride in working for the Manchester Guardian. There are references to debts incurred by Dore, and his on-going issues with alcohol, and discussion of the lasting effects on Dore of a car accident in 1930. There is correspondence relating to absence from work, courses of treatment, financial assistance for medical treatment provided by the Manchester Guardian, visits to specialists, reports from doctors, and stints for Dore in nursing homes and at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases. There are also multiple internal memoranda discussing Dore's health.

There are internal memoranda relating to complaints as to the quality of Dore's work on his recovery, with reference to coverage of the impact of the resignation of [Archibald] Sinclair [first Viscount Thurso], politician, as chief whip of the Liberal Party. There is correspondence relating to a change in Dore's employment from lobby correspondent to parliamentary sketch writer, and also to a nervous breakdown suffered by Dore owing to the pressure of work.

There is correspondence relating to the termination of Dore's employment with the Manchester Guardian, with discussion of the potential to continue to accept occasional contributions for publication. There is also discussion of the continuing decline of Dore's mental and physical health, and requests by Dore for financial assistance from the Manchester Guardian.

GDN/A/D44/1-2 are articles [by Dore] entitled 'By-Products of the Tramway Extension' and 'Mr Balfour and the British Association' in the North Manchester Times, 1904.

GDN/A/D44/81 is an obituary for Dore in the Manchester Guardian, 1943.