12 Facts About Len Fox

Leonard Phillips Fox was an Australian writer, journalist, social activist, and painter.

Len Fox's uncle was the painter Emanuel Phillips Fox, who died when Len Fox was aged 10.

Len Fox studied science at the University of Melbourne, concurrently earning a Diploma of Education.

Len Fox taught at Scotch College from 1928 to 1932, then spent four years in Europe where he witnessed the rise of Fascism.

Len Fox was to remain a member until 1970, long after most 'comrades' had quit as a reaction to the Stalinist purges.

Len Fox moved to Sydney in 1940, and immediately started writing for left-wing weeklies, starting with The Voice of State Labor.

Len Fox took up painting, producing an array of left-wing propagandist posters, and covers for his many booklets, such as Australia's Guilty Men, a 32-page diatribe against Prime Minister Robert Menzies for his dealings with Axis countries in the early days of WWII When the State Labor Party collapsed in 1944, he took up with The Tribune where he worked from 1946 to 1955, and in which he first wrote defending refugees and Jews against prejudice.

In 1956, Len Fox was a co-founder of the Indigenous rights organisation the Aboriginal-Australian Fellowship, along with Pearl Gibbs, Charles Leon, Ray Peckham, Bert Groves, Grace Bardsley, Faith Bandler, and Jack Horner.

Len Fox and Brand's home for the next 50 years was a modest terrace house in Little Surrey Street, near Kings Cross, in an era when the area was not fashionable.

In December 1944, Len Fox published an article about the as then unconfirmed fragments of the Eureka Flag held by the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

Len Fox entered into correspondence with the family of Private John King, the art gallery, and Ballarat local historian Nathan Spielvogel.

Fox's widow Mona initiated the Len Fox Painting Award in his memory.