Claud Cockburn

Claud Cockburn
Claud Cockburn.jpg
Born
Francis Claud Cockburn

(1904-04-12)12 April 1904
Peking, Qing Empire
Died15 December 1981(1981-12-15) (aged 77)
OccupationJournalist
Spouse(s)Hope Hale Davis
Patricia Byron
PartnerJean Ross
ChildrenClaudia Cockburn
Sarah Caudwell
Alexander Cockburn
Andrew Cockburn
Patrick Cockburn
Parents
Relativesgranddaughters:
Laura Flanders
Stephanie Flanders
Daisy Cockburn
Olivia Wilde

Francis Claud Cockburn (/ˈkbərn/ KOH-bərn; 12 April 1904 – 15 December 1981) was a British journalist. His saying "believe nothing until it has been officially denied" is widely quoted in journalistic studies,[1][2][3] but he did not claim credit for originating it.[4] He was the second cousin, once removed, of the novelists Alec Waugh and Evelyn Waugh. He lived at Brook Lodge, Youghal, County Cork, Ireland.[5]

In 1940 Cockburn's Security Service file said that "In 1939 he was a leading |British Communist Party member and was said to be a leader of the Comintern in Western Europe".[6]

  1. ^ Article in wikiquotes
  2. ^ "Pilger's law: 'If it's been officially denied, then it's probably true'". The Independent. 12 October 2008.
  3. ^ "Claud Cockburn Quotes". BrainyQuote.
  4. ^ In his autobiography In Time of Trouble, he refers to the phrase as advice he had "often heard" (London, 1957) p. 168.
  5. ^ Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, US: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 120.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference MI5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).