Brian Howard

Brian Christian de Claiborne Howard was an English poet, whose work belied a spectacularly precocious start in life; in the end he became more of a journalist, writing for the New Statesman. He entered Christ Church, Oxford in 1923, not without difficulty. He was prominent in the group later known as the Oxford Wits. He was one of the Hypocrites group that included Harold Acton, Lord David Cecil, L. P. Hartley and Evelyn Waugh.

It has been suggested that Howard was Waugh's model for Anthony Blanche in Brideshead Revisited.

At this time he had already been published as a poet, in A. R. Orage's The New Age, and the final Edith Sitwell Wheels anthology. He used the pseudonyms Jasper Proude and Charles Orange. His verse was also included in Oxford Poetry-1924.

Subsequently he led a very active social life, tried to come to terms with his homosexuality, and published only one substantial poetry collection God Save the King.

He was active as a poet during the Spanish Civil War, but did not ultimately invest in his work with seriousness. He drank heavily and used drugs. During World War II he was part of the little ships armada to Dunkirk and later worked for MI5 and had a low-level post in the Royal Air Force.

He suffered from bad health in the 1950s, and committed suicide after the accidental death of a lover. Howard poisoned himself some days later.

Evelyn Waugh wrote: "I used to know Brian Howard well -- a dazzling young man to my innocent eyes. In later life he became very dangerous -- constantly attacking people with his fists in public places -- so I kept clear of him. He was consumptive but the immediate cause of his death was a broken heart."