William Blanchard Jerrold
William Blanchard Jerrold (
December 23,
1826 -
March 10,
1884), was an
English journalist and
author.
He was born in
London, the eldest son of the
dramatist,
Douglas William Jerrold. Abandoning the artistic career for which he had been educated, he began working on newspapers at an early age. He was appointed
the Crystal Palace commissioner to
Sweden in
1853, and wrote
A Brage-Beaker with the Swedes (1854) on his return. In
1855 he was sent to the Paris exhibition as correspondent for several London papers, and from that time he lived much in
Paris. In 1857 he succeeded his father as editor of
Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, a post which he held for twenty-six years.
During the
American Civil War he strongly supported the North, and several of his leading articles were reprinted and placarded in
New York City by the federal government. He was the founder and president of the English branch of the international literary association for the assimilation of
copyright laws.
Four of his plays were successfully produced on the London stage, the popular
farce,
Cool as a Cucumber (Lyceum 1851), being the best known. His French experiences resulted in a number of books, most important of which is his
Life of Napoleon III (1874). On his death, he was occupied in writing the biography of
Gustave Dore, who had illustrated several of his books.
Among his books are:
A Story of Social Distinction (1848)
Life and Remains of Douglas Jerrold (1859)
Up and Down in the World (1863)
The Children of Lutetia (1864)
Cent per Cent (1871)
At Home in Paris (1871)
The Best of all Good Company (1871-1873)
The Life of George Cruikshank (1882)
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