Exhibitions

CYRIL JAMES FOX CHRONOLOGY

1931: Born in St. John's, Newfoundland (then a British Dominion), July 26, son of Cyril Fox (lawyer, politician, judge) and Mary Cashin Fox (daughter of late Nfld. Prime Minister Sir Michael Cashin). Four sisters, later a brother.

1937: After kindergarten, begins 11 years schooling at St. Bonaventure's College (Irish Christian Brothers), St. John's. Becomes known as 'Cy'.

1946: Father, 57, collapses during session of 'National Convention' on Nfld.'s constitutional future, of which he is Chairman. Dies November.

1948: Cyril Jr. enters Memorial University College, St. John's.

1949: Nfld. becomes part of Canada after two bitter referenda, with Fox/Cashin family opposed. CF enters St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia.

1951: First of two successive summers as radio broadcaster in St. John's.

1952: BA, St. FX, majoring in History. Made Nfld. Rhodes Scholar, entering Merton College, Oxford, Law.

1953: Summer travel, continental Europe, meets literary activist Renate Gerhardt while hitch-hiking.

1954: Law studies Oxford interrupted by illness. First reading of works by writer-painter Wyndham Lewis.

1955: Leaves Oxford without gaining Law degree.

1956: Returns to North America. Newspaper work Montreal and St. John's.

1957: Lewis dies, London. CF enters Masters programme, Modern History, Columbia University, New York City.

1959: MA, Columbia. Now living in Greenwich Village, meets Lewis specialist Walter Michel who spurs CF's interest in WL's painting.

1960: Night-school lecturer, 'Contemporary Civilization', Queens College, NYC.

1961: Joins Associated Press news agency as journalist, Newark, New Jersey bureau.

1963: Transfers to AP partner, Canadian Press, NYC bureau, from there moving to Canada and CP Montreal, then in Quebec separatist ferment.

1964: Publishes his first article on Lewis (via CP). Returns, on holiday, to UK. Buys first of his WL picture collection.

1965: On another UK vacation, meets Mrs. Lewis following first meetings with London-based writers C.H. Sisson and Julian Symons.

1967: 'Posted' by CP to its London bureau, with roving beat.

1968: Covers Paris student riots for CP. Independently in London, participates in BBC radio programme on Lewis through producer/writer D.G. Bridson.

1969: Five-month CP posting to Paris, followed by first assignment covering Northern Ireland troubles for CP.

1971: Joint Michel-Fox selection of WL writings on art published by Thames & Hudson, London.

1973: CF interim-posted to Brussels to cover Common Market for CP. Fox-Robert Chapman edition of WL short fiction published by Vision Press, London.

1974: After 14 months in Brussels, discovering modern Belgian art off-duty, CF returns to CP London and is on assignment in Cyprus when Turks invade. Back in London, moves to Reuters World Desk, Fleet Street, as a "sub-editor".

1975: Spare-time work on WL continues and CF-edited selection of L's literary criticism is published by Vision Press. Begins off-duty book-reviewing for UK and North American journals (P.N. Review, etc.), also editing newsletter of newly formed Lewis Society and giving first of several public talks on WL. Widens book collecting to other similarly 'independent' writers.

1979: Mrs. Lewis dies and a WL Memorial Trust is subsequently formed, of which CF becomes a Trustee.

1981: CF granted a sabbatical from Reuters and travels to US for completion of research on WL writings and art connected with 1931 visit to Morocco. Meets John Martin of Black Sparrow Press in California about a WL-Morocco book expanding on L's original Filibusters in Barbary.

1982: CF visits Halifax, Canada, to give inaugural talk at exhibition of Lewis pictures that marks centenary of L's birth, reputedly off Nova Scotia.

1983: WL-Morocco book, edited by CF and with Lewis illustrations, published by Black Sparrow as Journey into Barbary. CF gives E.J. Pratt Lecture at Memorial University of Nfld. pointing up 'convergences' between Pratt's poetry and WL.

1984: CF seconded for three months to Reuters Hong Kong from London, with fortnight en route in New Delhi to help with coverage of Indian political events.

1985: After conclusion of Hong Kong assignment, CF spends two weeks touring southeastern Australia before returning to London. There, during off-hours from Reuters, organizes Kensington Library exhibition on WL, Ford Madox Ford and Ezra Pound as past residents of the 'Royal Borough'.

1986: Speaks at Reading University conference on WL-related writer Richard Aldington, dealing with RA and WL as cohorts and antagonists. Retires from Reuters, December.

1987: Returns to Nfld., taking up residence in St. John's.

1988: Returns to UK, eventually settling in South London. Begins regular book reviewing for The Independent newspaper, also contributing to the London Magazine, etc.

1991: Accompanies Julian Symons on the writer's lecture trip to Spain, recounting it for The Independent.

1992: Helps organize events marking Aldington birth centenary at RA's alma mater, Dover College. Lends picture to and otherwise supports exhibition of WL's war art at Imperial War Museum, London.

1994: Returns to Canada (Toronto), June. Mainline life ends.

About the C.J. Fox Collection

Cyril J. Fox Biography

Browse the C.J. Fox Collection Archives

Browse the C.J. Fox Collection Books

Cy Fox on CBC Radio-North by Northwest, March 28th, 2009 [MP3, 14.8 MB]

Cy Fox with part of the Fox Collection before it was donated to UVic