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J.B. Priestley Fact File

J.B. Priestley was born in 1894 in Yorkshire, England to a headmaster father and grew up in a middle-class family. He worked as a clerk after school but began writing articles in his spare time. During World War I, he served in the army and afterwards attended Cambridge University. He became a famous playwright and radio broadcaster, using his show Postscripts to critique the government's handling of World War II. Priestley held socialist political views and advocated for greater equality and cooperation between countries. He lived through multiple significant historical events in the 20th century before passing away in 1984.

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901 views1 page

J.B. Priestley Fact File

J.B. Priestley was born in 1894 in Yorkshire, England to a headmaster father and grew up in a middle-class family. He worked as a clerk after school but began writing articles in his spare time. During World War I, he served in the army and afterwards attended Cambridge University. He became a famous playwright and radio broadcaster, using his show Postscripts to critique the government's handling of World War II. Priestley held socialist political views and advocated for greater equality and cooperation between countries. He lived through multiple significant historical events in the 20th century before passing away in 1984.

Uploaded by

Justinian Krane
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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J.B.

PRIESTLEY FACT FILE


Priestley’s Life and upbringing Priestley’s early career
Priestly was born on the 13th September 1894 in
Manningham. His father was a headmaster and his During his time at Helm and
mother died when he was two years old, with his father Co., he wrote at night, and had
remarrying four years later. He had a half sister called articles published in local and
Winifred. London newspapers. During the
First World War, Priestly
Priestly grew up in in a typical middle class family, with decided to join the British army,
all the privileges that it brought. This made him have afterwards being demobilised in
strong beliefs in equality between social classes. 1919 working at a PoW camp.

Priestly was educated at Bell Vue Grammar School, and After the war he went to Trinity
left school at the age of sixteen to work as a junior clerk Hall, Cambridge and started to
at wool firm names Helm & Co. get a reputation as a writer.

Priestley and Postscripts Events that Priestley lived through


Postscripts was a radio show that Priestley did He was deeply affected by the First
during World War 2. It debated on events during World War as many of his friends had
World War 2, and allowed Priestley to express been killed. He himself had been
his opinions and beliefs. wounded and took many months to
heal.
He particularly criticised the government’s
handling of the war and shared his ideology. He He witnessed the struggle of workers
was criticised for sharing his socialist ideas. It in the 1910s to 1930s. He witnessed
was an extremely popular show with 16 million the depression in the UK, although he
listeners, but the show was abruptly cancelled. It was already wealthy from being a
was rumoured to be at the request of the writer at that point.
government.
He also experienced the Second
Priestley’s Political Beliefs World War and keenly observed the
Priestley’s political views were heavily influenced by the West government.
Riding’s strong Nonconformist socialist traditions.
Being a famous playwright, he
Priestly in the 1930s became concerned about the consequences of visited Russia after the war, where he
social inequality. He went as far as to establish a new political party observed communism first hand.
called the Common Wealth Party. The party argues for public
ownership of land, increase of democracy, and new “morality” in
politics, although it later merged with the Labour Party in 1945.

Priestly was influential in the development of the idea of the Welfare


State. He also believed that further wars could only be avoided
through mutual respect and cooperation between nations, and
because of this became active in the early movement for the United
Nations.

Priestley’s Personal Life and Death


J.B stood for John Boynton. Priestley was married
three times and was a serial adulterer, having
many affairs. He had three children, one son and
two daughters.

He was always known to smoke a pipe, and often


photographed smoking it.

Priestley died of pneumonia on 14 August 1984.

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