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James William Edmund Doyle (22 October 1822 – 3 December 1892) was an historian,
While comparatively young, however, Doyle abandoned the profession of an artist and devoted himself to historical studies. For his own edification he compiled a 'Chronicle of England' from B.C. 55 to A.D. 1485, which he adorned with numerous illustrations in colours. It received considerable praise from various persons to whom it was afterwards submitted, among others from the prince consort, and was well received by the public when published in 1864 (London, 12mo).
Doyle's illustrations were engraved and printed in colours by Edmund Evans.
The great undertaking of Doyle's life, however, was his ''Official Baronage of England'', which included every rank of nobility except barons. The epithet 'official' in the title means not that Doyle's 'Baronage' was published 'by authority,' but that it gave an exhaustive list of the offices held by the peers of whom it treated. The compilation was at first designed especially to cover the period between the Norman Conquest and the Revolution of 1688, but it was afterwards brought down to 1885. It provided particulars in as complete a manner as possible, of the succession, titles, offices, heraldic bearings, and personal appearance of each peer.
The work was published in three quarto volumes in 1886, a large-paper edition, limited to two hundred copies, appearing somewhat earlier in 1885.
It was a painstaking but unequal work. For the earlier portion, especially the Norman and Angevin period, Doyle relied too much on secondary authorities, and was not sufficiently critical. Greatly to his disappointment, the book was not a financial success, and inflicted a heavy loss on the publishers.
In 1886, he wrote the explanatory text for Richard Doyle's coloured cartoons, entitled ''Scenes from English History''.
He died in London on 3 December 1892 at his residence, 38 Dorset Square, and was buried in
antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary () is an fan (person), aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifact (archaeology), artifac ...
and illustrator.
Life
Doyle was born in London on 22 October 1822, was the eldest son of John Doyle. Richard Doyle, Henry Edward Doyle andCharles Altamont Doyle
Charles Altamont Doyle (25 March 1832 – 10 October 1893) was an illustrator, watercolourist and civil servant. A member of an artistic family, he is remembered today primarily for being the father of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of She ...
were younger brothers. He was the uncle of Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...
.
He was educated as a Roman Catholic. He inherited a portion of his father's artistic ability, and in early life studied drawing and painting. Among other works he executed a painting of Dr. Johnson reading the manuscript of the 'Vicar of Wakefield,' which was engraved and attained considerable popularity. The copyright of the picture realised £100.
While comparatively young, however, Doyle abandoned the profession of an artist and devoted himself to historical studies. For his own edification he compiled a 'Chronicle of England' from B.C. 55 to A.D. 1485, which he adorned with numerous illustrations in colours. It received considerable praise from various persons to whom it was afterwards submitted, among others from the prince consort, and was well received by the public when published in 1864 (London, 12mo).
Doyle's illustrations were engraved and printed in colours by Edmund Evans.
The great undertaking of Doyle's life, however, was his ''Official Baronage of England'', which included every rank of nobility except barons. The epithet 'official' in the title means not that Doyle's 'Baronage' was published 'by authority,' but that it gave an exhaustive list of the offices held by the peers of whom it treated. The compilation was at first designed especially to cover the period between the Norman Conquest and the Revolution of 1688, but it was afterwards brought down to 1885. It provided particulars in as complete a manner as possible, of the succession, titles, offices, heraldic bearings, and personal appearance of each peer.
The work was published in three quarto volumes in 1886, a large-paper edition, limited to two hundred copies, appearing somewhat earlier in 1885.
It was a painstaking but unequal work. For the earlier portion, especially the Norman and Angevin period, Doyle relied too much on secondary authorities, and was not sufficiently critical. Greatly to his disappointment, the book was not a financial success, and inflicted a heavy loss on the publishers.
In 1886, he wrote the explanatory text for Richard Doyle's coloured cartoons, entitled ''Scenes from English History''.
He died in London on 3 December 1892 at his residence, 38 Dorset Square, and was buried in Kensal Green cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of Queens Park in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, it was founded by the barrister George Frederick ...
on 9 December.
Family
On 12 February 1874, he married Jane Henrietta Hawkins atOur Lady of the Rosary
Our Lady of the Rosary, also known as Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, is a Marian title.
The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, formerly known as Feast of Our Lady of Victory and Feast of the Holy Rosary is celebrated on 7 October in the General Rom ...
Church, Marylebone Road
Marylebone Road ( ) is an important thoroughfare in central London, within the City of Westminster. It runs east–west from the Euston Road at Regent's Park to the A40 Westway at Paddington. The road which runs in three lanes in both directio ...
, London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, 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 dow ...
.
He made numerous drawings of famous moments in English history, as illustrations to "A Chronicle of England, B.C. 55 – A.D. 1485" (see Wikimedia Commons link below)
See also
''DOYLE, James E. (James William Edmund), 1822–1893: A CHRONICLE OF ENGLAND : B.C. 55 – A.D. 1485'', published by Longman.References
;AttributionExternal links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doyle, James William Edmund 1822 births 1892 deaths English illustrators James William Edmund