George Walter Thornbury (13 November 1828 – 11 June 1876) was an English author. He was the first biographer of J. M. W. Turner.

Early life

George Thornbury was born on 13 November 1828, the son of a London solicitor, reared by his aunt and educated by her husband, Reverend Barton Bouchier.

Career

A journalist by profession, he also wrote verse, novels, art criticism and popular historical and topographical sketches. He began his career in 1845 with contributions to ''Bristol Journal'' and wrote later mainly for the ''

Athenaeum Athenaeum may refer to: Books and periodicals * ''Athenaeum'' (German magazine), a journal of German Romanticism, established 1798 * ''Athenaeum'' (British magazine), a weekly London literary magazine 1828–1921 * ''The Athenaeum'' (Acadia U ...

''. His first major work was ''Lays and legends of the New World'' (1851). It followed a history of the

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s, ''Monarchs of the Main'', (1855), ''Shakspeare's England during the reign of Elizabeth'' (1856, 2 Vols.) and ''Art and nature at home and abroad'' (1856, 2 Vols.). His ''Old and New London: a Narrative of its History, its People, and its Places'' was first published in 2 volumes in 1872, and in an undated edition of 1878 in 6 volumes, the last four being by Edward Walford. Many of these works are available online in full text from the Internet Archive Digital Library.

Death

Thornbury died of overwork at Camberwell House Asylum, London, at the early age of 47, and was buried in

Nunhead Cemetery Nunhead Cemetery is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries in London, England. It is perhaps the least famous and celebrated of them. The cemetery is located in Nunhead in the London Borough of Southwark and was originally known as All Saints ...

. He was survived by a young wife and three young sons.

Works

Poetry

*''Songs of Cavaliers and Roundheads'' (1857) *''Two centuries of song'' (1867) *''Historical and legendary ballads and songs'' (1875)

Novels

*''Every man his own trumpeter'' (1858) * ''Icebound'' (1861) * ''True as steel'' (1863, 3 Vols.) * ''Wildfire'' (1864) * ''Tales for the marines'' (1865) * ''Greatheart'' (1866) * ''The vicar's courtship'' (1869) *''Old stories retold'' (1869)

Nonfiction writing

*''Life in Spain'' (1859) * ''Turkish life and character'' (1860) *''British Artists from Hogarth to Turner'' (1861, 2 Vols.) *''Life of J. M. W. Turner'' (1861) Full text from the Internet Archive Digital Library. * ''Haunted London'' (1865) Full text from the Internet Archive Digital Library. * ''Tour round England'' (1870, 2 Vols.) * ''Criss cross journeys'' (1873, 2 Vols.) * ''Old and New London: a Narrative of its History, its People, and its Places'' (1873–74, 2 Vols.) Continued in an undated edition of 1878 in 6 volumes, the last four being by Edward Walford. Full text available from the Internet Archive Digital Library

References

;Attribution

External links

* * * *
Some works
(scroll down) * Biography. ''At the circulating library.'' Victorian Research.or

* Biographical information: Jeaffreson, John Cordy, 1831-1901. ''A book of recollections'', London : Hurst and Blackett, 1894. Full text from Internet Archive Digital Librar

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thornbury, George Walter English male poets English travel writers English art historians 1828 births 1876 deaths English male novelists 19th-century English poets 19th-century English novelists 19th-century English male writers English male non-fiction writers