William Percival Crozier (1 August 1879 – 16 April 1944) was a Britishjournalist and editor of theManchester Guardian from 1932, when he succeededTed Scott, who had died in a sailing accident, until his death in 1944.
Crozier was born atStanhope inCounty Durham on 1 August 1879, the youngest son of Rev. Richard Crozier, aMethodistminister, and his wife, Elizabeth Hallimond. He was educated atManchester Grammar School andTrinity College,Oxford, where he gained a first class degree inClassics (1900).
After leaving Oxford, he spent a year as a schoolmaster inKnaresborough, before abandoning teaching for journalism, joining firstThe Times and then theManchester Guardian in 1903. He made an impression with his critical analysis of the case fortariff reform, and quickly came to the attention of the Guardian's then editor,C. P. Scott, who, recognising Crozier's potential, made him his right-hand man at the paper in charge of news gathering. In 1912 Crozier was made news editor and in 1918 military critic. He also later served as foreign editor. Under Scott, Crozier reorganized the Guardian's foreign news service, increased the use of photographs and maps, encouraged new features and introduced the dailycrossword in 1929. He also developed a deep commitment toZionism and became "the leading advocate in the daily press of a Jewish national home" (Morris).
Crozier was made a member of theManchester Guardian's board and was appointed editor in April 1932 after the death ofEdward Taylor Scott. Crozier's appointment was in part intended to guarantee editorial continuity, and he maintained a close control over the paper, frequently contributing leading articles and editorials. Foreign news had always been Crozier's chief interest and his editorship coincided with the establishment of theNational Socialist regime in Germany and the Second World War. Working closely with his friend and sometime Germancorrespondent,F. A. Voigt, Crozier "considered it no less than his duty personally and persistently to expose theNazis" (Morris) and pursued this policy with a crusading zeal until the very end. In the late 1930s his health became increasingly frail and he suffered from a perforatedulcer in 1936. In June 1936 he was elected to serve on the Liberal Party Council.[1] In 1943 he was diagnosed with the heart condition which proved ultimately to be fatal.
Crozier died at his Manchester home on 16 April 1944, aged 64, just two months before his son Major S.F. Crozier was part of the Military Police operations overseeing logistics landings using the Mulberry Harbours at Gold Beach (Arromanche) after D-Day. He was 'mentioned in dispatches' for this work and later awarded the MBE.
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| Preceded by | Editor ofThe Manchester Guardian 1932–1944 | Succeeded by |
