C. E. Montague
Charles Edward Montague was an English journalist and author born in 1867 in Ealing, England, to parents of Irish descent. Educated at the City of London School and later at Oxford University, where he excelled in rowing and rugby, Montague spent thirty-five years working for the Manchester Guardian. His close relationship with the newspaper's editor, C. P. Scott, led to his marriage to Scott's daughter, Madeline, and they had seven children together. Montague was deeply involved in shaping the publication's liberal views on significant issues of the time, including Irish Home Rule and the Boer War, while also showcasing his literary critiques and theater reviews in works like *The Literary Play* and *Dramatic Values*.
The outbreak of World War I was a pivotal moment for Montague, as he enlisted at an advanced age, later serving in the Intelligence Branch and receiving the Order of the British Empire for his contributions. His experiences during the war deeply influenced his writing, leading to publications such as *Disenchantment* and *Rough Justice*, the latter being regarded as his best novel. Montague retired from journalism in 1925 and published his final novel, *Right Off the Map*, in 1927 before passing away from pneumonia a year later. While his novels have faded from memory, his legacy primarily endures through his influential journalism at the Guardian.
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C. E. Montague
- Born: January 1, 1867
- Birthplace: Ealing, England
- Died: 1928
Biography
Charles Edward Montague was born in Ealing, England, in 1867, to Francis Montague and Rosa McCabe Montague, both of Irish descent. One of four sons, he was educated at the City of London School and won a scholarship to Oxford in 1885, where he studied classics and participated in rowing and rugby. Upon graduating from Oxford, Montague went to work for the Manchester Guardian, where he was employed for the next thirty-five years. He developed a close relationship with Guardian editor C. P. Scott and married his daughter Madeline, with whom he had seven children.
Although Montague helped formulate the liberal paper’s views on issues such as Irish Home Rule and the Boer War, he also enjoyed reviewing literature and the theater. His first publication, The Literary Play (1910) reflected his interest in theater, as did the collection of his newspaper theater criticism, Dramatic Values (1911). He published his first novel, A Hind Let Loose, a satire about journalism, in 1910, followed by The Morning’s War in 1913.
The outbreak of World War I was perhaps the defining moment in Montague’s life. Although forty-seven at the time, he was determined to enlist, going so far as to dye his hair and lie about his age. Despite some setbacks, he managed to reach the front in 1915, but contracted a fever in the trenches and was sent home. Recommissioned as a second lieutenant in the Intelligence Branch, he wrote dispatches from the front, gave guided tours of the front lines for prominent citizens, and acted as a press censor. Montague received the Order of the British Empire for these wartime activities.
The war provided inspiration for Montague’s writing. In its aftermath he published Disenchantment (1922), which explores the lives of regular soldiers, class differences, and the realities of war, as well as two volumes of short stories, Fiery Particles (1923) and Action, and Other Stories (1928). A family drama dealing with the war, Rough Justice, which many critics consider his best novel, appeared in 1926.
Montague retired from the paper in 1925. He published his last novel, Right Off the Map, in 1927, and died of pneumonia a year later. His novels, while well reviewed at the time, have largely been forgotten, and it is reputation as a journalist at the Guardian which survives.