Alias Robert Pagan: William Plomer and the Promotion of South African Writing

Abstract

The purpose of this article is twofold: to examine a neglected aspect of the
otherwise well-documented career of William Plomer (1903–73), and then to
draw attention to his role as a backstage negotiator on behalf of our literary
figures, in Britain as well as in his country of birth, South Africa. Both these
sides of his otherwise well-publicised activities involved a contrastingly
humble, off-the-record quality, which we would call anonymous and
unsigned, so that it is unsurprising if they have been overlooked by the fine
chroniclers of his rich life and abundant works.