Dermot Freyer

MainlyTwelve: added Category:Irish activists using HotCat

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'''Dermot Johnston Freyer''' (29 July 1883 – 11 January 1970) was an [[Irish people|Irish]] author, who also spent time as a political activist in Britain.

Freyer was born in [[Moradabad]] in [[India]], where his father, Peter, was serving in the [[Indian Medical Service]]. He was largely brought up in [[Dublin]], and he was educated at [[Wellington College, Berkshire|Wellington College]], then attended [[Trinity College, Cambridge]], followed by the [[University of Edinburgh]], where he studied medicine. Before graduating from Edinburgh, he met [[Oliver St John Gogarty]], who convinced him to leave the university and focus on writing.<ref name="obituary">Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> He spent some time as a reader for [[Charles Elkin Mathews]], and in this role rejected [[James Joyce]]'s ''[[Dubliners]]'', describing two of its stories as "almost obscene".<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>

In Edinburgh, Freyer met New Zealand-born Lorna Doone, although she contracted [[tuberculosis]] and was advised to return to New Zealand. Freyer moved to Cambridge, and was soon joined by Doone, the two marrying in 1909.<ref name="buried" /><ref name="buried"></ref> During 1912, Freyer served as joint editor of ''[[Granta]]'', despite not being a student at the time. He fell out with his co-editor, Denis Garstin, but was given a say in appointing the next editor, [[Edward Shanks]].<ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref> Despite Lorna spending much time away due to poor health, the couple had three children: Patrick, who became an architect, Grattan, who founded a pottery, and Michael, who became a hotel manager.<ref name="obituary" />

Freyer joined the [[London Irish Rifles]] in 1905, and served with them throughout [[World War I]], apparently based in London and given charge of fitting soldiers' uniforms. Despite this, he was promoted to become a major. In 1919, Lorna died in the [[Spanish flu epidemic]].<ref name="buried" />

Freyer also joined the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]], for which he was elected to [[Cambridge City Council]]. He stood for Parliament on numerous occasions, without success: in [[Huntingdonshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Huntingdonshire]] at the [[1922 UK general election]], the [[Isle of Ely (UK Parliament constituency)|Isle of Ely]] in [[1924 UK general election|1924]] and [[1929 UK general election|1929]], and [[Hitchin (UK Parliament constituency)|Hitchin]] at the [[1931 UK general election]].<ref name="obituary" /><ref>Liquid error: wrong number of arguments (1 for 2)</ref>

In 1932, Freyer wrote the semi-autobiographical novel, ''Not All Joy''.<ref name="buried" /> In 1934, he moved to [[Achill Island]], purchasing the house which had once belonged to [[Charles Boycott]]. He converted it into a hotel, and on Sundays, held song and dance events, open to all.<ref name="obituary" /> He ran it on a haphazard basis, not charging guests who were short of money, but charging extra to anyone who did not take a daily bath. By 1964, he was running out of money, and sold the hotel, returning to Cambridge.<ref name="obituary" /><ref name="buried" />

Freyer died early in 1970, and was buried at [[Grantchester]] Church.<ref name="buried" />

==References==
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[[Category:1883 births]]
[[Category:1970 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]]
[[Category:Irish hoteliers]]
[[Category:Irish people of World War I]]
[[Category:Irish writers]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) councillors]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) parliamentary candidates]]
[[Category:People educated at Wellington College, Berkshire]]
[[Category:20th-century Irish writers]]
[[Category:Irish activists]]

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