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2 - Moral Vigilance

from Part II - The Heyday of Christian Vigilance 1945–1965

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 September 2019

Callum G. Brown
Affiliation:
University of Glasgow
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Summary

The Public Morality Council (PMC), formed in 1899 by the Anglican Bishop of London, was between 1945 and 1965 the most powerful moral vigilante organisation in Britain. This chapter provides the first detailed study of its modus operandi, exploring its ecumenical governance, the role of Christian and Jewish leaders in diverting morality complaints to it for investigation and the manner of its surveillance (both overt and covert) of theatre plays, variety shows, films, radio and television programmes. The chapter explains the influential function of its long-time secretary, Methodist preacher George Tomlinson, the most important vigilante in the nation. It shows how its operations peaked in the 1950s, and reveals its sense of high influence with, on the one hand, regulators (such as the Lord Chamberlain, the British Board of Film Censors, the Home Office and London County Council) and with on the other hand industry bodies (such as theatre owners, film makers, importers and distributors). Its day-to-day operations and the intensity of its power in London and with government agencies are described.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Battle for Christian Britain
Sex, Humanists and Secularisation, 1945–1980
, pp. 31 - 62
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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  • Moral Vigilance
  • Callum G. Brown, University of Glasgow
  • Book: The Battle for Christian Britain
  • Online publication: 28 September 2019
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108367592.005
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  • Moral Vigilance
  • Callum G. Brown, University of Glasgow
  • Book: The Battle for Christian Britain
  • Online publication: 28 September 2019
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108367592.005
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Moral Vigilance
  • Callum G. Brown, University of Glasgow
  • Book: The Battle for Christian Britain
  • Online publication: 28 September 2019
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108367592.005
Available formats
×