Anthony Edward Dyson

Anthony Edward Dyson (November 28, 1928 - July 30, 2002) was a British literary critic, university lecturer, and gay rights campaigner

Biography

Educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge, his academic career began in 1955 when he was appointed as Assistant Lecturer in English Literature at the University of North Wales, Bangor. From there, he went to the University of East Anglia where he was later appointed Reader.

Dyson single-handedly took the initiative in forming the Homosexual Law Reform Society (HLRS) early in 1958 and acting as its unpaid secretary. He sent hundreds of letters to Members of Parliament and celebrities asking for their support, successfully bringing together an impressive collection of distinguished names, including Lord Attlee, A. J. Ayer, Isaiah Berlin, Trevor Huddleston, Julian Huxley, J. B. Priestley, Bertrand Russell, Donald Soper, Angus Wilson and Barbara Wootton. The campaign began with a letter, signed by the aforementioned, published in "The Times" newspaper on 7 March 1958, which called for reform of the law by the implementation of the Wolfenden Committee's recommendations.

Dyson is also credited with, in 1958, founded the Albany Trust, which became the pioneer national counselling agency for both gay men and lesbians.

During this time he met Cliff Tucker, a senior executive at British Petroleum and a Labour Party councillor in inner London. They lived together for 35 years until Cliff Tucker's death, in 1993. Dyson followed Tucker's wishes and bequeathed the proceeds of their Hampstead home to Tucker's alma mater, the University of Wales, Lampeter. As such, there is now a scholarship and lecture theatre which bear Tucker's name, and a Fellowship in Poetry named for Dyson.

Dyson died in London during July 2002.