His rooms at All Souls were also a favourite venue for literary gatherings.Since 1954, the book world has changed out of all recognition. However, Monteith had many qualities that are still wholly relevant in the 1990s; not least his remarkable ability to bridge the gap between dedication to literature and commercial success. His good judgement and sharpness of perception were also much in demand outside Fabers. He became a director of the Poetry Book Society in 1966, and a member of the Literature Panel of the Arts Council in 1974, of the Library Advisory Council for England in 1979 and also of the Publishers’ Association Law Panel.The extent of his influence was brought home to me at a Faber party to celebrate Philip Larkin’s 60th birthday in 1982. Larkin said to me how sad he was that Monteith was no longer there at the helm and extolled his achievements in what I now realise were unusually eulogistic terms. William Golding remained loyal to Charles Monteith to the end. When the galleys of his posthumous novel The Double Tongue, which will be published shortly, came in, Lady Golding added a dedication.

It concludes, “Above all, this book is for Charles.”Charles Montgomery Monteith, publisher: born Lisburn, Co Antrim 9 February 1921; Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford 1948-88 (Emeritus), Sub-Warden 1967-69; called to the Bar, Gray’s Inn 1949; Director, Faber and Faber 1954-74, Vice-Chairman 1974-76, Chairman 1977-80, Senior Editorial Consultant 1981-95; Director, Poetry Book Society 1966-81; Member, Literature Panel, Arts Council of Great Britain 1974-78; Member, Library Advisory Council for England 1979-81; died 9 May 1995.. “What a geezer!” This raucous Cockney cry of utter disgust was heard a thousand times and more down the years since it was first shouted in Ignorance Is Bliss, a popular crazy quiz of the radio-dominated Forties. It became the instant catchphrase of the comedian and character voice man Harold Berens. Berens’s death follows soon after the departure of the programme’s snappy- chatting chairman, Stewart MacPherson, on 16 April; a coincidence that emphasises the importance of a distinctive voice in radio broadcasting.

MacPherson was dubbed “the fastest voice in radio”; Berens was labelled “the man with a thousand voices”.
Harold Berens (“no relation to Ballbearings”), was born in Glasgow in 1902, the son of a tailor. Educated in Leeds, Harrogate and Brussels, where he picked up the ability to gabble in pseudo-French, Berens first encountered show business in Brighton, where his father had built up a prosperous tailoring business by inviting whoever was starring at the Hippodrome to late-night parties. The stars would respond with a fragment of their acts, and the boy Harold would join in with his own party piece. He would imitate newspaper sellers shouting their headlines, concluding with “Teenage girl gives birth to twins – Harry Roy and his band leave for South America!”After school Berens travelled Britain as a shirt salesman – “Having a flutter with the schmutter” as he called it – before settling down in his own shop in Regent Street, London. Following his father’s technique, he concentrated on a showbiz clientele, styling himself “Shirtmaker To The Stars”.