Sir Henry William Lucy JP, (5 December 1842 – 20 February 1924) was a famed English political journalist of the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

, acknowledged as the first great

lobby correspondent The terms the Lobby and Lobby journalists collectively characterise the political journalists in the United Kingdom Houses of Parliament. The term derives from the special access they receive to the Members' Lobby. Lobby journalism refers to th ...

. He wrote for ''

Punch Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pun ...

'', ''

The Strand Magazine ''The Strand Magazine'' was a monthly British magazine founded by George Newnes, composed of short fiction and general interest articles. It was published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950, running to 711 issues, though the ...

'', ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the w ...

'', ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' and many other papers. He also wrote books, detailing the workings of the

Houses of Parliament The Palace of Westminster serves as the meeting place for both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Informally known as the Houses of Parliament, the Palace lies on the north bank ...

and two autobiographies. He was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...

in 1909. Lucy was widely known also in North America. President

Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856February 3, 1924) was an American politician and academic who served as the 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, Wilson served as the president of ...

said Lucy's articles in ''

The Gentleman's Magazine ''The Gentleman's Magazine'' was a monthly magazine founded in London, England, by Edward Cave in January 1731. It ran uninterrupted for almost 200 years, until 1922. It was the first to use the term ''magazine'' (from the French ''magazine'' ...

'' inspired his mind and propelled him into public life. Lucy was a serious parliamentary commentator, but also an accomplished humorist and a parliamentary sketch-writer. His friend, the explorer

Ernest Shackleton Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922) was an Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of ...

, named a mountain in Antarctica after him.

Life and career

Henry Lucy was born in

Crosby Crosby may refer to: Places ;Canada *Crosby, Ontario, part of the township of Rideau Lakes, Ontario *Crosby, Ontario, a neighbourhood in the city of Markham, Ontario ;England *Crosby, Cumbria *Crosby, Lincolnshire *Crosby, Merseyside ** Crosby (U ...

, near

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

in 1842, istrict:West Derby Vol:XX Page:863/ref> the son of Robert Lucy, a rose-engine turner in the watch trade, and his wife, Margaret Ellen Kemp. He was baptised, William Henry on 23 April 1843 at St. Michael's

Church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...

, Crosby. While he was still an infant the family removed to

Everton, Liverpool Everton is a district in Liverpool, in Merseyside, England, in the Liverpool City Council ward of Everton. It is part of the Liverpool Walton Parliamentary constituency. Historically in Lancashire, at the 2001 Census the population was record ...

, where he attended the private Crescent School until August 1856; thereafter until 1864 he was junior clerk to Robert Smith, hide merchant, of Redcross Street, Liverpool. While working as a clerk he had poetry published in the ''

Liverpool Mercury The ''Liverpool Mercury'' was an English newspaper that originated in Liverpool, England. As well as focusing on local news, the paper also reported on both national and international news allowing it to circulate in Lancashire, Wales, Isle of Man ...

''; taught himself shorthand. Worked for the ''

Shrewsbury Chronicle The ''Shrewsbury Chronicle'' is a local news newspaper in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. It is one of the oldest weekly newspapers in the United Kingdom, publishing its first edition in 1772. It is printed on Wednesday evening and is on sale ...

'' as chief reporter from 1864, and for

Shrewsbury Shrewsbury ( , also ) is a market town, civil parish, and the county town of Shropshire, England, on the River Severn, north-west of London; at the 2021 census, it had a population of 76,782. The town's name can be pronounced as either 'Sh ...

's local ''Observer'', and the ''Shropshire News''. Before giving notice to the ''Chronicle'' he wrote leader articles for the other Shrewsbury papers, which mostly replied to his own leaders in the ''Chronicle'' the week before, besides writing "penny-a-liners" of Shropshire news for London newspapers. Lucy married on 29 October 1873 Emily Anne (1847–1937), daughter of his old schoolmaster at Liverpool, John White. There were no children of the marriage. Lucy lived in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

during 1869 and learned French. After returning to England he wrote for ''

Pall Mall Gazette ''The Pall Mall Gazette'' was an evening newspaper founded in London on 7 February 1865 by George Murray Smith; its first editor was Frederick Greenwood. In 1921, '' The Globe'' merged into ''The Pall Mall Gazette'', which itself was absorbed int ...

'' from 1870 and as parliamentary reporter for '' Daily News'' from 1873. He stayed with the Liberal newspaper, for which he was promoted the editor. He was a parliamentary sketch writer for ''

'' magazine from 1881. In 1880, Lucy began writing for ''

'' "Cross Bench" column. This he continued to do for 29 years. He used the pseudonym "Toby, M.P." from 1881 to 1916. He wrote the weekly column "The Essence of Parliament" in ''Punch'' for 35 years. When not writing under one of his pseudonyms, he was usually styled ''Henry W. Lucy''. Lucy's lasting memorial is in the volumes he compiled from his ''Punch'' parliamentary sketches: ''A Diary of Two Parliaments'' (2 vols., 1885–1886), '' A Diary of the Salisbury Parliament, 1886–1892'' (1892), ''A Diary of the Home Rule Parliament, 1892–1895'' (1896), ''A Diary of the Unionist Parliament, 1895–1900'' (1901), and ''The Balfourian Parliament, 1900–1905'' (1906). They amount to a history of the Commons in its heyday and have been extensively mined by historians. Lucy was a long-running friend and fund-raiser for Shackleton's expeditions to the South Pole. His generosity exceeded Shackleton's expectations, guaranteeing their success. Knighted in 1909, he was the first lobby correspondent to be seen as a social equal of the politicians in the Commons on whom he reported. He rose to national prominence during the constitutional crises of 1909–1910, during which he revealed to the Commons that Navy estimates had been as much as £60 million all along. His article was used as evidence by Hugh Foster MP to demand clarity from the government on the budgetary proposals being blocked in the Lords. His

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

home was at 42 Ashley Gardens, and he was a member of the

National Liberal Club The National Liberal Club (NLC) is a London private members' club, open to both men and women. It was established by William Ewart Gladstone in 1882 to provide club facilities for Liberal Party campaigners among the newly enlarged electorate f ...

. A pioneer of the profession of public affairs consultancy, Lucy had already been awarded a knighthood, when invited to

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

by Queen Mary, to whom he presented a gift of his political anecdote collection. Sir Henry Lucy died of

bronchitis Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...

at ''Whitethorn'', his country house at

Hythe, Kent Hythe () is a coastal market town on the edge of Romney Marsh, in the district of Folkestone and Hythe on the south coast of Kent. The word ''Hythe'' or ''Hithe'' is an Old English word meaning haven or landing place. History The town has m ...

in 1924, aged 81. (The house is now known as "Lucys" on Lucys Hill). Lucy left a huge sum of money, over £250,000, and was probably the wealthiest Victorian journalist who was not also a newspaper proprietor. In his will he endowed a "Sir William Henry Lucy Bed" at Shrewsbury's

Royal Salop Infirmary The Parade Shops, formerly the Royal Salop Infirmary, is a specialist shopping centre at St Mary's Place in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. It is a Grade II listed building. History The original facility on the site was the Salop Infirmary design ...

"in memory of his pleasant connection with Shrewsbury" as a journalist. In 1935, his widow Lady Lucy donated £1,000 to found the ''Sir Henry Lucy Scholarship'' at

Merchant Taylors' School, Crosby Merchant Taylors' Boys' School, Crosby is a British independent school for day pupils, located in Great Crosby on Merseyside. The school's motto is that of the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors: ''Concordia Parvae Res Crescunt'' (Small Thing ...

. There are several portraits of Sir Henry Lucy at the National Portrait Gallery, including one by

John Singer Sargent John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 14, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Edwardian-era luxury. He created roughly 900 oil paintings and more ...

. The mixed perceptions of his personality have been left to modern biographers to examine more deeply.

Quotes about Lucy

US President

credited Lucy with propelling him into public life, describing his articles in ''

'' as "the deciding impulse of ylife; vivid descriptions of Parliament, which took an enthralling hold on yyoung imagination" (''The New York Times'', 1912). "Never in the House, but always of it, Lucy seemed to occupy for a long time a position of his own, as a species of familiar spirit or licensed jester, without which no Parliament was complete." The journalist and writer

Frank Harris Frank Harris (14 February 1855 – 26 August 1931) was an Irish-American editor, novelist, short story writer, journalist and publisher, who was friendly with many well-known figures of his day. Born in Ireland, he emigrated to the United State ...

said of Lucy: "He met everyone, and knew no-one."

Mount Henry Lucy The Supporters Range () is a rugged range in the Queen Maud Mountains of Antarctica. It is long, bordering the eastern side of Mill Glacier, from Keltie Glacier in the north to Mill Stream Glacier in the south. So named by the New Zealand Geolog ...

(3,020 metres) in

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...

was named after him by

Shackleton Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton (15 February 1874 – 5 January 1922) was an Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic. He was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of An ...

in 1909, as thanks for Lucy's help in publicising his ''Nimrod'' Expedition and raising funds. "Shackleton's naming an Antarctic mountain after Sir Henry Lucy amuses me. I knew Lucy very well – a little toadie, who afterwards toadied himself into a title".

Ambrose Bierce Ambrose Gwinnett Bierce (June 24, 1842 – ) was an American short story writer, journalist, poet, and American Civil War veteran. His book ''The Devil's Dictionary'' was named as one of "The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature" by t ...

, 1910.

Works

Articles

Lucy wrote many articles for ''Punch'', ''

'', ''

Harper's Magazine ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. (''Scientific American'' is older, b ...

'', ''

Cornhill Magazine ''The Cornhill Magazine'' (1860–1975) was a monthly Victorian magazine and literary journal named after the street address of the founding publisher Smith, Elder & Co. at 65 Cornhill in London.Laurel Brake and Marysa Demoor, ''Dictionar ...

'', ''

'' and others. Some of these are noted below. *"Mr. Gladstone at Hawarden" (1882
Online version
at

Cornell University Library The Cornell University Library is the library system of Cornell University. As of 2014, it holds over 8 million printed volumes and over a million ebooks. More than 90 percent of its current 120,000 Periodical literature, periodical titles are ...

*"Glimpses Of Great Britons" (1882
Online version
at

*"Hatfield House and the Marquess of Salisbury" (1885
Online version
at

*"Men of the Salisbury Parliament" (1891
Online version
at

*"Electioneering methods in England" (1892
Online version
at

*"The Power of the British Press" (1896
Online version
at

*"The Queen's Parliaments, Part I" (1897
Online version
at

*"The Queen's Parliaments, Part II" (1897
Online version
at

Autobiographies

Lucy wrote two

autobiographies An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life. It is a form of biography. Definition The word "autobiography" was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English peri ...

, each in three volumes: ''Sixty Years in the Wilderness'' *Volume I ''Some Passages by the Way'' (1909
Online version
at the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

*Volume II ''More Passages by the Way'' (1912
Online version
at the

*Volume III "''Nearing Jordan'' (1916
Online version
at the

''The Diary of a Journalist'' *Volume I (1920
Online version
at the

*Volume II ''Later Entries'' (1922
Online version
at the

*Volume III ''Fresh Extracts'' (1923)

Pseudonyms

On occasion Lucy used one of the following

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

s for his works. *Toby, M.P. *The Member for the Chiltern Hundreds *The Member for ''Barks'' *Baron de Book-Worms

Books

Lucy wrote a number of books: *''Gideon Fleyce''

ovel Bereavement in Judaism () is a combination of ''minhag'' and ''mitzvah'' derived from the Torah and Judaism's classical rabbinic texts. The details of observance and practice vary according to each Jewish community. Mourners In Judaism, the p ...

(1883
Online version
at the

*''East by West: a journey in the Recess'' (1885
Online version
at the

*''A Diary Of Two Parliaments: The Disraeli Parliament, 1874-1880'' (1885
Online version
at the

*''A Diary Of Two Parliaments: The Gladstone Parliament, 1880-1885'' (1886
Online version
at the

*''A Popular Handbook of Parliamentary Procedure'' (1886
Online version
at the

*''Faces and Places'' (1892
Online version
at

Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg (PG) is a Virtual volunteering, volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, as well as to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks." It was founded in 1971 by American writer Michael S. Hart and is the ...

*''A Diary of the Salisbury Parliament, 1886-1892'' (1892
Online version
at the

*''The Right Honourable W. E. Gladstone: A Study from Life'' (1895
Online version
at the

*''A Diary of the Home Rule Parliament, 1892-1895'' (1896
Online version
at the

*''The Log of the Tantallon Castle'' (1896) *''The Miller's Niece, and some distant connections''

hort stories Hort may refer to: People * Erik Hort (born 1987), American soccer player * F. J. A. Hort (1828–1892), Irish theologian * Greta Hort (1903–1967), Danish-born literature professor * Josiah Hort (c. 1674–1751), English clergyman of the Chu ...

(1896) *''The Law and Practice of General Elections: A Popular Handbook'' (1900) *''A Diary of the Unionist Parliament, 1895-1900'' (1901
Online version
at the

*''Peeps at Parliament, taken from behind the Speaker's Chair'' (1904
Online version
at the

*''Later peeps at Parliament, taken from behind the Speaker's Chair" (1905
Online version
at the

*''The Balfourian Parliament, 1900-1905" (1906
Online version
at the

*''Memories of Eight Parliaments'' (1908
Online version
at the

*''Men and Manner in Parliament'' (1919)
Online version
at the

*''Lords and Commoners'' (1921
Online version
at the

Quotes

Lucy's analytical observations of the Conservative antagonist

Benjamin Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation o ...

were characteristic:

The physical energy with which this election speech was delivered was certainly very remarkable for a man in his seventy-fourth year. There is, however, unmistakeable evidence of pumping up in the Premier's ( Beaconsfield's) latest oratorical feats. The vigour is spasmodic, the strength artificial, and the listener has a feeling that at any moment a spring may break, a screw go loose, and the whole machinery come to a sudden stop.

Remarking on the Liberal counterpart's performance in the chamber, he sensed that

Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...
's ''tours de force'' are perfectly natural. When after one of his great speeches he resumes his seat, he is, and often proves himself to be, ready to start again. With the Premier, the excitement of the moment over and the appointed task achieved, he falls into a state of prostration painful to witness. His eyes seem to lose all expression, his cheeks fall in, and his face takes on a ghastly hue. Physically he is at least ten years older than Gladstone.

The House of Commons is unique in many ways. I believe the main foundation of the position it holds among the parliaments of the world is the condition of volunteered unremunerated service. In spite of the sneers from disappointed or flippant persons, a seat in the House of Commons remains one of the highest prizes of citizen life. There is no reason why any constituency desiring to do so may not return a member on the terms of paying him a salary. It is done in several cases, in two at least with the happiest results. It would be a different thing to throw the whole place open with standing advertisement for eligible Members at a salary. The horde of impecunious babblers and busybodies attracted by such a bait would trample down the class of man who compose the present House of Commons and who are, in various ways, in touch with all the multiform interests of the nation. ''
The Strand Magazine ''The Strand Magazine'' was a monthly British magazine founded by George Newnes, composed of short fiction and general interest articles. It was published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950, running to 711 issues, though the ...
'', 1893

I would rather have been editor of ''Punch'', than Emperor of India

Yesterday
Herbert Spencer Herbert Spencer (27 April 1820 – 8 December 1903) was an English philosopher, psychologist, biologist, anthropologist, and sociologist famous for his hypothesis of social Darwinism. Spencer originated the expression "survival of the fittest" ...
died at Brighton. His natural temperament was such that many things that other men got along with placidly gave him acute pain. To put the incontestable fact another way, he was perhaps the most irascible man who has ever been faced by the inconvenience of other people presuming to inhabit the same globequoted in ''On the Up and Up'' by Bruce Barton (reprinted Kessinger, 2004) p.154

Notes

References

External links

* * *
Mark Twain makes some parting remarks
- ''The New York Times'', 25 October 1903
Sensation in the Lords witnessed by Toby, M.P.
- ''The New York Times'', 29 May 1904
Toby, M.P. tells how late dinners worry the Government
- ''The New York Times'', 17 July 1904
The Parliamentary Game
- Review of ''Memories of Eight Parliaments'', ''The New York Times'', 16 May 1908
To build 8 Dreadnoughts
– ''The New York Times'', 4 April 1909
'Toby, M.P.', Pinero and Tree knighted
– ''The New York Times'', 25 June 1909
Sixty Years in the Wilderness
– Review of ''Sixty years in the Wilderness'', Vol. 1, ''The New York Times'', 26 June 1909
Humor in the House of Commons, by Toby, M.P.
– ''The New York Times'', 27 November 1910
Toby, M.P. writes of the English Peerage
– ''The New York Times'', 25 December 1910
Governor Woodrow Wilson as his biographer knows him
– ''The New York Times'', 28 July 1912
Toby, M.P.
– Review of ''Sixty years in the Wilderness'', Vol. 2, ''The New York Times'', 23 March 1913
Washington ghost disclosed by Lucy
– ''The New York Times'', 25 July 1912
A Humorist writes History
– Review of ''The Diary of a Journalist'', ''The New York Times'', 9 January 1921
Men and Manners in Parliament
– Review of ''Men and Manner in Parliament'', ''The New York Times'', 24 July 1921
Sir Toby, M.P. sketches Parliament
– Review of ''Lords and Commoners'', ''The New York Times'', 25 June 1922
Later Diary of Toby, M.P.
– Review of ''The Diary of a Journalist: Later Entries'', ''The New York Times'', 10 September 1922
Sir William Harcourt, Victorian Statesman
– Book review by Sir Henry Lucy, ''The New York Times'', 29 October 1922

– notice of death in ''

Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...

'', 3 March 1924
Portraits of Sir Henry Lucy
– Portraits at the National Portrait Gallery {{DEFAULTSORT:Lucy, Henry 1842 births 1924 deaths English male journalists People from Crosby, Merseyside Deaths from bronchitis Journalists from Liverpool English humorists English knights 19th-century pseudonymous writers 20th-century pseudonymous writers 19th-century English non-fiction writers 20th-century English non-fiction writers English male non-fiction writers