Charles Benjamin Purdom (15 October 1883 – 8 July 1965) was a British author, drama critic, town planner, and economist. He was one of the pioneers and founders of the first garden cities, Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City, the latter of which he was appointed Finance Director between 1919–1928. He was then made Honorary Secretary, then Treasurer of the International Federation for Housing and Planning (1931–1935). He was also founder of the Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City Theatre Society, now the Welwyn Drama Club. He won the Howard Walden cup at the Welwyn Garden City Drama Festival and the David Belasco cup in New-York in 1927. He was an author of many books on city development, on Shakespeare and Bernard Shaw plays, Harley Granville-Barker,[1] and on producing plays. He was editor of an English literary periodical called Everyman,[2] covering books, drama, music and travel and featured articles by renowned authors such as Ivor Brown, Arthur Machen, G. K. Chesterton, A. E. Coppard, and Bertrand Russell. He was General Secretary of British Equity (1939–1940) and joint secretary of the London Theatre Council. He was also the earliest biographer of Meher Baba. He was father of the actor Edmund Purdom. He died in Welwyn Garden City in 1965.[3]
Purdom was a devoted follower of the Indian silent teacher Meher Baba after meeting him in Devon, England on Baba's first visit to the West in 1931.[4] Purdom was Meher Baba's original biographer, writing The Perfect Master: The Early Life of Meher Baba in 1937, which covers Meher Baba's life from 1911–1936, and The God Man: The Life, Journeys & Work of Meher Baba with an Interpretation of His Silence & Spiritual Teaching in 1964. He also wrote an early single-volume edition of Meher Baba's discourses titled God to Man and Man to God: The Discourses of Meher Baba (1955) and with author Malcolm Schloss co-wrote a detailed account of a group visit with Meher Baba in India titled Three Incredible Weeks with Meher Baba.
Selected publicationsedit
The Garden City: A Study of the Development of a Modern Town, J.M. Dent & Sons, London, 1913
The Building of Satellite Towns: A Contribution to the Study of Town Development and Regional Planning, J.M. Dent & Sons, London, 1925
The Swan Shakespeare; a Player's Edition – 3 Volumes , J.M. Dent & Sons, London, 1930
Producing Plays: a handbook for producers & players, J.M. Dent, London 1930
Everyman at War. Sixty Personal Narratives of the War, (Selected from Everyman Magazine), Dutton, New York, 1930 and J.M. Dent, London, 1939
The Perfect Master: The Life of Shri Meher Baba, (Meher Baba's life from 1911–1936), Williams & Norgate Ltd, London, 1937. Reprinted as Perfect Master, The Early Life of Meher Baba, by Sheriar Press USA in 1976
The New Order, J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd, 1941
How Shall We Rebuild London?, J.M. Dent, London, 1946
Economic Wellbeing, Nicholson and Watson, 1947
Producing Shakespeare, Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, London, 1950
Life Over Again (Autobiography), J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London, 1951
Drama Festivals and Their Adjudication; a Handbook for Producers, Actors, Festival Organisers, and Adjudicators, J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd., London, 1951
Harley Granville Barker: Man of the Theatre, Dramatist, and Scholar, Salisbury Square, 1955
God to Man and Man to God: The Discourses of Meher Baba, Victor Gollancz Ltd., London, 1955
Bernard Shaw's Letters to Granville Barker, Phoenix House, London, 1956
A Guide to the Plays of Bernard Shaw, Methuen & Co. Ltd, London, 1963
The Letchworth Achievement, J.M. Dent & Sons, 1963
What Happens in Shakespeare: a New Interpretation, John Baker Publ., London, 1963
The God-Man: The Life, Journeys & Work of Meher Baba with an Interpretation of His Silence & Spiritual Teaching, George Allen & Unwin, London, 1964
Three Incredible Weeks with Meher Baba: 11–30 September 1954, Sheriar Press, Myrtle Beach, 1979
Referencesedit
^Purdom, C. B., Harley Granville Barker, Man of the Theatre, Dramatist and Scholar, London: Salisbury Square (1955)
^Purdom, C. B., Life Over Again (Autobiography), J.M. Dent & Sons Ltd., London (1951)
^. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
^The Awakener Magazine, Fall 1955, Vol. III, No. 2
External linksedit
Charles Purdom at meherbabatravels.com
Divine Drama, the Valiant Life of Charles B. Purdom
charles, purdom, charles, benjamin, purdom, october, 1883, july, 1965, british, author, drama, critic, town, planner, economist, pioneers, founders, first, garden, cities, letchworth, welwyn, garden, city, latter, which, appointed, finance, director, between, . Charles Benjamin Purdom 15 October 1883 8 July 1965 was a British author drama critic town planner and economist He was one of the pioneers and founders of the first garden cities Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City the latter of which he was appointed Finance Director between 1919 1928 He was then made Honorary Secretary then Treasurer of the International Federation for Housing and Planning 1931 1935 He was also founder of the Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City Theatre Society now the Welwyn Drama Club He won the Howard Walden cup at the Welwyn Garden City Drama Festival and the David Belasco cup in New York in 1927 He was an author of many books on city development on Shakespeare and Bernard Shaw plays Harley Granville Barker 1 and on producing plays He was editor of an English literary periodical called Everyman 2 covering books drama music and travel and featured articles by renowned authors such as Ivor Brown Arthur Machen G K Chesterton A E Coppard and Bertrand Russell He was General Secretary of British Equity 1939 1940 and joint secretary of the London Theatre Council He was also the earliest biographer of Meher Baba He was father of the actor Edmund Purdom He died in Welwyn Garden City in 1965 3 Charles PurdomC B PurdomBorn 1883 10 15 15 October 1883Southwark London EnglandDied8 July 1965 1965 07 08 aged 81 Welwyn Garden City EnglandOccupation s Writer economistSpouseLilian Antonia PurdomChildrenRonan H Purdom Philip C Purdom Barbara M PurdomEdmund C Purdom Contents 1 First biographer of Meher Baba 2 Selected publications 3 References 4 External linksFirst biographer of Meher Baba editPurdom was a devoted follower of the Indian silent teacher Meher Baba after meeting him in Devon England on Baba s first visit to the West in 1931 4 Purdom was Meher Baba s original biographer writing The Perfect Master The Early Life of Meher Baba in 1937 which covers Meher Baba s life from 1911 1936 and The God Man The Life Journeys amp Work of Meher Baba with an Interpretation of His Silence amp Spiritual Teaching in 1964 He also wrote an early single volume edition of Meher Baba s discourses titled God to Man and Man to God The Discourses of Meher Baba 1955 and with author Malcolm Schloss co wrote a detailed account of a group visit with Meher Baba in India titled Three Incredible Weeks with Meher Baba Selected publications editThe Garden City A Study of the Development of a Modern Town J M Dent amp Sons London 1913 The Building of Satellite Towns A Contribution to the Study of Town Development and Regional Planning J M Dent amp Sons London 1925 The Swan Shakespeare a Player s Edition 3 Volumes J M Dent amp Sons London 1930 Producing Plays a handbook for producers amp players J M Dent London 1930 Everyman at War Sixty Personal Narratives of the War Selected from Everyman Magazine Dutton New York 1930 and J M Dent London 1939 The Perfect Master The Life of Shri Meher Baba Meher Baba s life from 1911 1936 Williams amp Norgate Ltd London 1937 Reprinted as Perfect Master The Early Life of Meher Baba by Sheriar Press USA in 1976 The New Order J M Dent and Sons Ltd 1941 How Shall We Rebuild London J M Dent London 1946 Economic Wellbeing Nicholson and Watson 1947 Producing Shakespeare Sir Isaac Pitman amp Sons London 1950 Life Over Again Autobiography J M Dent amp Sons Ltd London 1951 Drama Festivals and Their Adjudication a Handbook for Producers Actors Festival Organisers and Adjudicators J M Dent and Sons Ltd London 1951 Harley Granville Barker Man of the Theatre Dramatist and Scholar Salisbury Square 1955 God to Man and Man to God The Discourses of Meher Baba Victor Gollancz Ltd London 1955 Bernard Shaw s Letters to Granville Barker Phoenix House London 1956 A Guide to the Plays of Bernard Shaw Methuen amp Co Ltd London 1963 The Letchworth Achievement J M Dent amp Sons 1963 What Happens in Shakespeare a New Interpretation John Baker Publ London 1963 The God Man The Life Journeys amp Work of Meher Baba with an Interpretation of His Silence amp Spiritual Teaching George Allen amp Unwin London 1964 Three Incredible Weeks with Meher Baba 11 30 September 1954 Sheriar Press Myrtle Beach 1979References edit Purdom C B Harley Granville Barker Man of the Theatre Dramatist and Scholar London Salisbury Square 1955 Purdom C B Life Over Again Autobiography J M Dent amp Sons Ltd London 1951 Purdom Biographical Notes Archived from the original on 12 March 2012 Retrieved 13 September 2012 The Awakener Magazine Fall 1955 Vol III No 2External links editCharles Purdom at meherbabatravels com Divine Drama the Valiant Life of Charles B Purdom Purdom with Meher Baba in London 1932 on YouTube Trade union offices Preceded byGeoffrey Robinson General Secretary of Equity1939 1940 Succeeded byLlewellyn Rees Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Charles Purdom amp oldid 1212172692, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
