Charles Diamond

Charles Diamond (17 November 1858 – 19 February 1934)[1] was an Irish newspaper entrepreneur and Labour Party politician.

Early life

Charles Diamond was born on 17 November 1858 in Derry, Ireland. He later emigrated to England, settling in Newcastle-upon-Tyne by 1878.[2]

Career

Diamond worked as a journalist.[3] In 1884, he launched The Irish Tribune and in 1887 acquired the Glasgow Observer as well as The Catholic News, which he both amalgamated into The Catholic Herald,[4] of which he was editor in charge until his death, aged 75, in 1934. In 1888 he founded the Weekly Herald, Catholic Educator and Manchester Citizen newspapers.[5] In 1899, he bought the Aberdeen Catholic Herald.[6] Throughout his life he established 37 weekly newspapers.[3]

Diamond was an outspoken and controversial figure, described by one of his successors as "the kind of a man who made a good many enemies". On 8 January 1920 he was arrested and charged with publication of an article in the Catholic Herald that allegedly encouraged assassination in Ireland. [citation needed]

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment for the article, which was titled "Killing No Murder".[7]

Diamond entered the British House of Commons as an Anti-Parnellite Nationalist in 1892, sitting for North Monaghan the following three years.[1] He contested Peckham in the 1918 general election and Rotherhithe in the 1922 general election, as a Labour Party candidate, however was unsuccessful.[8] Extensive travels led him through Southern Africa, America and Southern Europe.[3]

Personal life and death

Diamond married Jeannie, only daughter of Jeremiah McCarthy, in 1882.[3] He died on 19 February 1934.[7]

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b "Leigh Rayment - British House of Commons, Monaghan North". Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
  2. ^ Swift and Gilley, p. 173
  3. ^ a b c d Who's Who, 1926. London: Adam & Charles Black Ltd. 1926. p. 790.
  4. ^ "The Universe - History of the Catholic press in the UK". Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2009.
  5. ^ Swift and Gilley, p. 175
  6. ^ Swift and Gilley, p. 176
  7. ^ a b "Charles Diamond, Editor, 75, Is Dead". The New York Times. 20 August 1934. p. 24.
  8. ^ Debrett, John (1922). Arthur G. M. Hesilrige (ed.). Debrett's House of Commons and Judicial Bench. London: Dean & Son Ltd. p. 191.

References

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Member of Parliament for North Monaghan
1892 – 1895 		Succeeded by