Page "George Orwell" Paragraph 77

Orwell returned to London in late 1946 and picked up his literary journalism again.

Now a well-known writer, he was swamped with work.

Apart from a visit to Jura in the new year he stayed in London for one of the coldest British winters on record and with such a national shortage of fuel that he burnt his furniture and his child's toys.

The heavy smog in the days before the Clean Air Act 1956 did little to help his health about which he was reticent, keeping clear of medical attention.

Meanwhile he had to cope with rival claims of publishers Gollancz and Warburg for publishing rights.

About this time he co-edited a collection titled British Pamphleteers with Reginald Reynolds.

As a result of the success of Animal Farm, Orwell was expecting a large bill from the Inland Revenue and he contacted a firm of accountants of which the senior partner was Jack Harrison.

The firm advised Orwell to establish a company to own his copyright and to receive his royalties and set up a " service agreement " so that he could draw a salary.

Such a company " George Orwell Productions Ltd " ( GOP Ltd ) was set up on 12 September 1947 although the service agreement was not then put into effect.

Jack Harrison left the details at this stage to junior colleagues.