Elie Kedourie and Frank Cass
It is with great sadness that we, at Middle Eastern Studies, learnt of the death of Frank Cass, for forty years the publisher of the journal, until he sold the Frank Cass imprint in 2003 to the Taylor and Francis Group.
It was in 1964 that Elie Kedourie, on the suggestion of a mutual connection, approached Frank and put to him the idea of launching a journal on the Middle East. Frank had already established himself as a bookseller in 1953, and in 1957 as a publisher of out-of-print books which were in great demand by students.
Frank often recounted how both he and Elie met for lunch to discuss Elie's project, how they both agreed that they had not done anything similar before, and how he was keen to undertake the venture. He immediately and willingly agreed to Elie's two conditions: that no subsidy or institutional connection would be sought, and that no mention would be made of authors' affiliation as articles were to be read for their own merit and not for the status of the author. They developed a happy and fruitful relationship, and Elie helped with suggestions regarding the founding of the subsequent six or seven journals that Frank published. When the business was sold, Frank Cass was publishing sixty-six academic journals.
Middle Eastern Studies, first published in October 1964, has proved to be one of the prime journals in its field, and I am proud that I have been able to maintain its very high academic standard since 1992 when I took over as sole editor following Elie's death. Credit must be given to Frank that not once did he question or doubt my ability to continue the work that Elie had started. Right through its life, Frank never interfered with any of our plans for the journal, and I have always thought that he had a marvellous flair for choosing his staff with whom I have always had a good working relationship.
I have read somewhere that Frank was known as ‘Mr Vallentine Mitchell’, Vallentine Mitchell being his other imprint besides Irish Books. I however have always called him ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel’ as he was ever so elusive. When more than once people phoned me from abroad in desperation asking me to find out what had happened to their manuscript, no doubt lying in Frank's bottom drawer for some months, I would manage eventually to get hold of him. ‘Frank, people think I am your agent’, I would say. ‘I'd hate them to think otherwise’, he would retort laughingly. The one time he answered the phone immediately I was so surprised I asked him if there was anything wrong. With his usual wit: ‘I didn't know it was you on the phone!’
A man of great endeavour, immense energy and ready wit, Frank Cass will be greatly missed. One can only wish great success to his son Stewart in carrying on with the business which his father built up with such love.