Martin Green

Poet & publisher

Martin first came to Soho as a young conscript of the National Service,in the company of his friend Johnny Moynihan,son of artist, Rodrigo.He worked with David Archer in his Parton Street bookshop,published a literary periodical,'Nimbus' from 1951 -58, & made many friends in Soho,before working for publisher MacGibbon & Kee, & later still setting up his own imprint in Bloomsbury near the BM: 'Martin Brian & O'Keeffe'. A brave & ambitious thing to do in the 60's with very little money.Supported financially by their wives, Martin,Tim O'Keeffe & Brian Rooney were pioneers & had huge support from people like Patrick Kavanagh,the emminent Irish Poet, & writer Colin MacInnes,both of whom left their publishers to follow Martin's venture.But bravery was in his blood : his parents had fought in the Spanish Civil War ** with the International Brigades. He was briefly engaged to Henrietta Moraes,muse of Bacon & Freud. Later however,we married & we lived in Fitzrovia with our two children for nearly 50 years, where we held open house for writers & artists from all over the world. You might have met Thabo Mbeki,later to become President of South Africa talking with Robert Graves or Michael Foot with William Crozier.Martin published a poetry quarterly from home,'Two Rivers' with poet Paul Durcan in 1968. Martin has since brought out 8 poetry books of his own,& 4 plays. He had six children & lived in Newlyn,Cornwall.

He died in St Austell after a short illness on 4th February 2015, & leaves behind two sons : Crispin & Barney & four daughters : Cathy,Polly, Katie & Daisy & eight grandchildren.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/feb/11/martin-green obituary by Tim Hilton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Green_(author)

** 'Doves of War' by Paul Preston. Harper Collins

He also get honourable mention as George's publisher in 'The Chameleon Poet' : A Life of George Barker" by Robert Fraser : Jonathan Cape 2001 (btw pages 392 - 443)

Also in the 'Author's Note' to Kavanagh's " Collected Poems " Martin gets credit for the collection by Patrick Kavanagh