Charles Fisher (poet)

Charles Fisher (21 November 1914 – 23 January 2006) was a Welsh journalist, writer, poet and adventurer. Until 1953 he was based in Britain; afterwards, in Canada.

He was the last surviving member of the Kardomah group, a literary and artistic circle in Swansea circa 1930, which included Dylan Thomas, Vernon Watkins and Daniel Jones.

Fisher was born in Swansea. He was educated at the Bishop Gore School, Swansea, where he acted with the young Dylan Thomas in Galsworthy's Strife. He and Thomas were both taught English by Thomas's father, D.J. Thomas.

After school he and Thomas both become journalists for the South Wales Evening Post, where Fisher's father was head printer. Charles was a keen rider and fisherman, and wrote a column for the paper on angling, 'Blue Dun'. A handsome young man, he used the contacts which the newspaper gave him, to enjoy a busy social life. At that period Fisher collaborated with Dylan Thomas on early drafts of the spoof thriller, 'The King's Canary'; which was completed by Thomas and John Davenport, but not published until 1976. He and Thomas would meet at the Kardomah cafe, with other aspiring young artists, among them Vernon Watkins, Daniel Jones, John Prichard, Mabey Owen and Keidrych Rhys.

During World War II Fisher was an operative for British Intelligence. He saw active service in France.

After the War Fisher wrote for Reuters, the South Wales Evening Post and the BBC. He was a Reuter's correspondent at the British Parliament. His poems of this period were published, like those of Dylan Thomas and Vernon Watkins, in Keidrych Rhys's magazine, Wales (which had begun publication in 1937). In London Fisher became an admirer of Eartha Kitt. He was briefly married to the Spanish opera singer, Isabel Elana Alonzo, but they were divorced before 1953.

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