Richard Boris Ford (1 July 1917, in Simla, India – 19 May 1998, in London, England),[1][2] was a literary critic, writer, editor and educationist.
[4] He was then educated at Gresham's School, and through his English master there, Denys Thompson, was introduced to F. R. Leavis under whom he studied at Downing College, Cambridge.
"[1] After Cambridge, Ford joined the army, and from 1940 until the end of the Second World War was the officer commanding the Middle East School of Artistic Studies.
This was indebted in many senses to Leavis, who, when he closed Scrutiny in 1953, remarked bitterly that Ford had "approached my main people", and considered that some of the Pelican Guide essays were derivative.
[3] Ford became Associated Rediffusion's first head of schools broadcasting (1957–58), during which time he persuaded Benjamin Britten to compose his church opera Noye's Fludde for a series of programmes.