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The Surrender of Silence: The Memoirs of Ironfoot Jack, King of the Bohemians
The life of escape artist, fortune-teller, author and raconteur “Ironfoot Jack,” aka Jack Rudolph Neave (1881–1959), the self-styled “King of the Bohemians” in London's Soho.
“I became acquainted with gipsies, with show people, with buskers, with people who entertained the public by performing in the city, on fair grounds and market places…and with a variety of “fiddles”—that is, some dubious methods of obtaining the means of life. I became a member of this fraternity.”—from The Surrender of Silence
Escape artist, fortune-teller, author, and raconteur “Ironfoot Jack,” aka Jack Rudolph Neave (1881–1959), the self-styled “King of the Bohemians,” was a well-known Soho character in pre- and postwar London. His rich and enthralling story of a lifestyle now gone forever was dictated as his portrait was being painted by the artist Timothy Whidborne in 1956. It was then entrusted to a Soho acquaintance, the author Colin Wilson whose first book The Outsider, had been a success in the same year. Despite his efforts, Wilson failed to find a publisher and, after his death, the manuscript was discovered among his papers by his bibliographer Colin Stanley, who assembled the text, which is accompanied by a contextual introduction by cultural historian Phil Baker.
Jack wrote that The Surrender of Silence was “the outcome of years of struggle to survive; of solving the problem of existence by various and curious methods… Most of the people I am talking about led a precarious life and obtained their livelihood from day to day…. They worked to live; they did not live to work.”
This Strange Attractor Press edition is the first publication of this legendary work.
“I became acquainted with gipsies, with show people, with buskers, with people who entertained the public by performing in the city, on fair grounds and market places…and with a variety of “fiddles”—that is, some dubious methods of obtaining the means of life. I became a member of this fraternity.”—from The Surrender of Silence
Escape artist, fortune-teller, author, and raconteur “Ironfoot Jack,” aka Jack Rudolph Neave (1881–1959), the self-styled “King of the Bohemians,” was a well-known Soho character in pre- and postwar London. His rich and enthralling story of a lifestyle now gone forever was dictated as his portrait was being painted by the artist Timothy Whidborne in 1956. It was then entrusted to a Soho acquaintance, the author Colin Wilson whose first book The Outsider, had been a success in the same year. Despite his efforts, Wilson failed to find a publisher and, after his death, the manuscript was discovered among his papers by his bibliographer Colin Stanley, who assembled the text, which is accompanied by a contextual introduction by cultural historian Phil Baker.
Jack wrote that The Surrender of Silence was “the outcome of years of struggle to survive; of solving the problem of existence by various and curious methods… Most of the people I am talking about led a precarious life and obtained their livelihood from day to day…. They worked to live; they did not live to work.”
This Strange Attractor Press edition is the first publication of this legendary work.
272 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2018
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March 31, 2021
The Surrender of Silence: The Memoirs of Ironfoot Jack, King of the Bohemians (2018) by Ironfoot Jack is the autobiography of Jack Neave more commonly known as Ironfoot Jack. Jack was born in 1881 and is best known as an infamous Soho character during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. He was usually to be seen in a cloak, cravat and a wide brimmed hat. Search YouTube for the 1950s film "Look at Life: Coffee Bar" and you'll see him in the French coffee shop at 5 minutes 28 seconds. Likewise, search YouTube for "Soho Goes Gay" (1955) and he crops up again at 12 seconds.
Jack's nickname was the consequence of a shortened right leg after an accident which needed a a built up boot. How the accident happened is unclear. Jack would offer differing accounts: it was a shark bite while diving for pearls, an avalanche in Tibet, a shooting etc.
As Jack describes in this memoir over a long and varied life he "worked" as an escapologist, astrologer, numerologist, second hand bookseller, antiques dealer, nightclub promoter, founder of a would be religious sect, raconteur and numerous dubious scams to make quick money to survive until the next day. Jack possessed a smattering of knowledge about the occult and other esoteric subjects and often portrayed himself as a mystic or guru.
Jack's account of his career on the streets in the first half of the 20th century is fascinating. It reminded me of Cheapjack by Philip Allingham which also evokes a vanished world of tramps, gypsies, travellers, hustlers, show people, buskers, street market traders, artists, and other bohemian types subsisting on the margins with only their wits and an eye for an opportunity to make enough money to survive another day. Like Jack, these folk led precarious lives. As Jack repeatedly puts it "They worked to live, they did not live to work" - the essence of what Jack described as being a Bohemian.
Unlike Cheapjack, Jack's memoir was dictated by Jack while he had his portrait painted in 1956. It was then typed up. As such the end result is a rambling and repetitive verbatim account related in Jack's somewhat self agrandising manner. Jack describes some amazing stories and experiences which would have been much improved had a decent writer put it together. Another frustration is he omits lots of information which apparently appeared in his 1939 biography by Mark Benney (What rough beast? The Story of Ironfoot Jack) which is long out of print and extremely difficult to find (I know, I've tried).
How this book came to be published at all is interesting. Once the taped account had been typed, it was given to Colin Wilson (another fascinating character and writer) who was enjoying his first bloom of success in the 1950s. Jack hoped Colin Wilson could get the book published but this did not happen. Jack died soon after, in 1959.
In 2016, three years after Colin Wilson's death, his biographer Colin Stanley discovered the manuscript for this book. After realising it was worth publishing, Colin Stanley edited it and so in 2018 The Surrender of Silence: The Memoirs of Ironfoot Jack, King of the Bohemians finally made it in print.
Coincidentally Colin Wilson featured Jack in his early semi-autobiographical novel Adrift in Soho (1961). Jack appears twice and is the only character given his real name.
Jack was imprisoned for 20 months after the sensational Caravan Club scandal of 1934. The Caravan Club was a gay and lesbian-friendly club in the basement of 81 Endell Street, London. It was one of a number of similar clubs in London's West End in the inter-war years and were gathering places for gay men. These clubs also often also included female prostitution and low level criminality. All were vulnerable to attention from the police. Following a police raid, the Caravan Club's owners were accused of "exhibiting to the view of any person willing to pay for admission lewd and scandalous performances". The trial was a media sensation yet despite this Jack is frustratingly coy on this whole episode and indeed another conviction which resulted in a prison sentence.
If you're interested in this stuff then The Surrender of Silence: The Memoirs of Ironfoot Jack, King of the Bohemians is well worth a read and a fitting epitath to a renowned Soho character and all round Bohemian.
3/5
The Surrender of Silence: The Memoirs of Ironfoot Jack, King of the Bohemians by Ironfoot Jack
The life of escape artist, fortune-teller, author and raconteur “Ironfoot Jack,” aka Jack Rudolph Neave (1881–1959), the self-styled “King of the Bohemians” in London's Soho.
“I became acquainted with gipsies, with show people, with buskers, with people who entertained the public by performing in the city, on fair grounds and market places…and with a variety of “fiddles”—that is, some dubious methods of obtaining the means of life. I became a member of this fraternity.”—from The Surrender of Silence
Escape artist, fortune-teller, author, and raconteur “Ironfoot Jack,” aka Jack Rudolph Neave (1881–1959), the self-styled “King of the Bohemians,” was a well-known Soho character in pre- and postwar London. His rich and enthralling story of a lifestyle now gone forever was dictated as his portrait was being painted by the artist Timothy Whidborne in 1956. It was then entrusted to a Soho acquaintance, the author Colin Wilson whose first book The Outsider, had been a success in the same year. Despite his efforts, Wilson failed to find a publisher and, after his death, the manuscript was discovered among his papers by his bibliographer Colin Stanley, who assembled the text, which is accompanied by a contextual introduction by cultural historian Phil Baker.
Jack wrote that The Surrender of Silence was “the outcome of years of struggle to survive; of solving the problem of existence by various and curious methods… Most of the people I am talking about led a precarious life and obtained their livelihood from day to day…. They worked to live; they did not live to work.”
This Strange Attractor Press edition is the first publication of this legendary work.
Jack's nickname was the consequence of a shortened right leg after an accident which needed a a built up boot. How the accident happened is unclear. Jack would offer differing accounts: it was a shark bite while diving for pearls, an avalanche in Tibet, a shooting etc.
As Jack describes in this memoir over a long and varied life he "worked" as an escapologist, astrologer, numerologist, second hand bookseller, antiques dealer, nightclub promoter, founder of a would be religious sect, raconteur and numerous dubious scams to make quick money to survive until the next day. Jack possessed a smattering of knowledge about the occult and other esoteric subjects and often portrayed himself as a mystic or guru.
Jack's account of his career on the streets in the first half of the 20th century is fascinating. It reminded me of Cheapjack by Philip Allingham which also evokes a vanished world of tramps, gypsies, travellers, hustlers, show people, buskers, street market traders, artists, and other bohemian types subsisting on the margins with only their wits and an eye for an opportunity to make enough money to survive another day. Like Jack, these folk led precarious lives. As Jack repeatedly puts it "They worked to live, they did not live to work" - the essence of what Jack described as being a Bohemian.
Unlike Cheapjack, Jack's memoir was dictated by Jack while he had his portrait painted in 1956. It was then typed up. As such the end result is a rambling and repetitive verbatim account related in Jack's somewhat self agrandising manner. Jack describes some amazing stories and experiences which would have been much improved had a decent writer put it together. Another frustration is he omits lots of information which apparently appeared in his 1939 biography by Mark Benney (What rough beast? The Story of Ironfoot Jack) which is long out of print and extremely difficult to find (I know, I've tried).
How this book came to be published at all is interesting. Once the taped account had been typed, it was given to Colin Wilson (another fascinating character and writer) who was enjoying his first bloom of success in the 1950s. Jack hoped Colin Wilson could get the book published but this did not happen. Jack died soon after, in 1959.
In 2016, three years after Colin Wilson's death, his biographer Colin Stanley discovered the manuscript for this book. After realising it was worth publishing, Colin Stanley edited it and so in 2018 The Surrender of Silence: The Memoirs of Ironfoot Jack, King of the Bohemians finally made it in print.
Coincidentally Colin Wilson featured Jack in his early semi-autobiographical novel Adrift in Soho (1961). Jack appears twice and is the only character given his real name.
Jack was imprisoned for 20 months after the sensational Caravan Club scandal of 1934. The Caravan Club was a gay and lesbian-friendly club in the basement of 81 Endell Street, London. It was one of a number of similar clubs in London's West End in the inter-war years and were gathering places for gay men. These clubs also often also included female prostitution and low level criminality. All were vulnerable to attention from the police. Following a police raid, the Caravan Club's owners were accused of "exhibiting to the view of any person willing to pay for admission lewd and scandalous performances". The trial was a media sensation yet despite this Jack is frustratingly coy on this whole episode and indeed another conviction which resulted in a prison sentence.
If you're interested in this stuff then The Surrender of Silence: The Memoirs of Ironfoot Jack, King of the Bohemians is well worth a read and a fitting epitath to a renowned Soho character and all round Bohemian.
3/5
The Surrender of Silence: The Memoirs of Ironfoot Jack, King of the Bohemians by Ironfoot Jack
The life of escape artist, fortune-teller, author and raconteur “Ironfoot Jack,” aka Jack Rudolph Neave (1881–1959), the self-styled “King of the Bohemians” in London's Soho.
“I became acquainted with gipsies, with show people, with buskers, with people who entertained the public by performing in the city, on fair grounds and market places…and with a variety of “fiddles”—that is, some dubious methods of obtaining the means of life. I became a member of this fraternity.”—from The Surrender of Silence
Escape artist, fortune-teller, author, and raconteur “Ironfoot Jack,” aka Jack Rudolph Neave (1881–1959), the self-styled “King of the Bohemians,” was a well-known Soho character in pre- and postwar London. His rich and enthralling story of a lifestyle now gone forever was dictated as his portrait was being painted by the artist Timothy Whidborne in 1956. It was then entrusted to a Soho acquaintance, the author Colin Wilson whose first book The Outsider, had been a success in the same year. Despite his efforts, Wilson failed to find a publisher and, after his death, the manuscript was discovered among his papers by his bibliographer Colin Stanley, who assembled the text, which is accompanied by a contextual introduction by cultural historian Phil Baker.
Jack wrote that The Surrender of Silence was “the outcome of years of struggle to survive; of solving the problem of existence by various and curious methods… Most of the people I am talking about led a precarious life and obtained their livelihood from day to day…. They worked to live; they did not live to work.”
This Strange Attractor Press edition is the first publication of this legendary work.
May 9, 2020
There are many definitions of the word Bohemian. For the French, it has often been a synonym for gypsy, while many Brits would see a Bohemian as someone of artistic bent who drinks too much, has an adventurous love life (think Augustus John), dresses dramatically and cares little for the conventions of mainstream society. Jack Neave, aka Ironfoot Jack, self-styled King of the Bohemians, broadened the definition further by embracing people like himself who got by through trawling flea markets to find odds and ends to sell on, working up an act as an escapologist and learning enough about Eastern religions and the Occult to produce penny pamphlets promoting a mishmash of Buddhism, Hinduism and his own interpretation of karma. He ran a few private members clubs and haunted the pubs and cheap cafés, mainly in his favoured territory of Soho and Fitzrovia, before and immediately after the Second World War, with short sojourns in Oxford, Scotland and prison. He was inevitably noticed, given one leg was shorter than the other, the difference being made up by a boot with an iron extension -- hence his nickname -- and his faux chic garments such as a cloak and cravats made by himself from materials picked up in his wanderings. He was enough of a character to get a biography written of himself while he was still alive, but this book, The Surrender of Silence, is an autobiography, posthumously published, after its typescript was found among the papers of novelist Colin Wilson, who had befriended him. Iron Jack boasted (as the back cover says) that it "will be the greatest book ever written on Bohemians in Europe." Modesty does not characterise those who make ends meet by getting people to part with even small amounts of money to buy "charms" or have their fate analysed through cod numerology. Great the book is not, but it is an intriguing account of how someone could get by on next to nothing except his wits and a fertile imagination at a time when it was possible to rent a scruffy little basement in Chelsea for a few shillings a week, and to cook a meal from the scraps sold by butchers for a couple of pence. Ironfoot Jack's only real education was Life but he experienced more of that than the bourgeois folk with their 9 to 5 jobs and neat semi-detached houses in the suburbs. So, yes, in that sense he was a Bohemian.
February 23, 2019
Fascinating read, fascinating character, great social history of London .❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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