Evelyn Wrench - Later Life

Later Life

After the war, working in his home, Wrench devoted much of his time to writing. He wrote "The English-Speaking World," "Uphill: The First Stage in a Strenuous Life" (London: I. Nicholson & Watson, Ltd., 1934), "Struggle 1914-1920" (London: I. Nicholson & Watson, Ltd., 1935), "I Loved Germany" (London: Michael Joseph and Ryerson, 1940), "Immortal Years (1937-1944) As Viewed from Five Continents" (London: Hutchinson & Co. Ltd., 1945), "Founders of Virginia" (National Geographic, April 1948, pp. 433-462), "Francis Yeats-Brown, 1886-1944: A Portrait" (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1949), "The British Way," (National Geographic, April 1949, pp. 421-542), "Transatlantic London: Three Centuries of Association Between England and America" (London: Hutchinson & Co., Ltd., 1949), "Founders of New England" (National Geographic, June 1953, pp. 803-838), an essay about Winston Churchill in "Churchill by his Contemporaries" (London: Hutchinson & Co., Ltd., 1953), "Geoffrey Dawson and Our Times" (London: Hutchinson & Co., Ltd., 1955), "Alfred Lord Milner: The Man of No Illusions" (London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1958), and "A Short History of Great Marlow Parish Church" (Gloucester, England: British Publishing, 1968). In 1952, he became a joint founder of the "Elizabethan Garden" on Roanoke Island, Dare County, North Carolina, U.S.A. He acted as chairman or protagonist in "World and Ourselves" series of discussions. He talked in the "Art of Cookery" series, applauding English cooking of meat, deploring the English cooking of vegetables, and putting forward a plea for communal kitchens. He described broadcasting as the future "University of the whole Nation."

In 1958, he founded and served as chairman of the Commonwealth Union of Trade "to strengthen the economic bonds" among member countries. Another result of his latter enthusiasms was the foundation in 1958 of the Anglo-Kin Society with the aim of encouraging literary, historical, and topographical research to provide fuller information about places and events in Britain likely to be of interest to the British Commonwealth and the United States. From 1959 to 1960, he made a tour of Commonwealth countries and southeast Asia. From 1961 to 1964, he was President of the Dickens Fellowship; and for many years he was senior trustee of the Cecil Rhodes Memorial Museum Foundation in Bishop's Stortford, England.

Wrench was a deeply religious person and once thought about becoming a missionary. He was an amateur genealogist. Although he was modest and self-effacing, charming in conversation, some found him somewhat aloof and considered he was not a good mixer. This was probably because he had little time for small talk and social gossip. Where he was concerned with some project close to his ideals, he would speak with enthusiasm. Although an idealist, he was at the same time practical. With all of his idealism, he never let go of reality, and was prepared to admit that "perhaps my friends were right when they warned me 'not to be too visionary.'" His lively, likeable personality exuded his literary style, which was pleasantly informal and underlined his sincerity of purpose.

In appearance, Wrench was ascetic looking, slim, with an intelligent, earnest expression. This is brought out well in Sir Oswald Birley's portrait in the Royal Overseas League headquarters in London, England. Another portrait, by Margaret Lindsay Williams, is in the London headquarters of the English-Speaking Union. His hobbies included studying social problems, trying to learn languages, comparing notes with people of other nations, walking, motoring, and sunbathing. His memorial service was held at 11:30 a.m. GMT on 9 December 1966, in the Crypt Chapel, St. Paul's Cathedral, London, England, the Archdeacon of London officiating. His burial was presided by the Abbot of Nashdom, Dom Augustine Morris OSB .; The Vicar of Marlow; and The Rev. E. Nobbs. A memorial plaque was placed on the wall of his house by the Anglo-Kin Society. He never had children. W. V. Griffin wrote an interesting book about him, "Sir Evelyn Wrench and his continuing vision of international relations during 40 years" (New York: 1950).