Charles Lamb Kenney (29 April 1821 – 25 August 1881) was a journalist, dramatist and miscellaneous writer. He was the second son of the dramatist James Kenney. After working as a clerk in the General Post Office in London, he joined the staff of ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

'', to which paper he contributed dramatic criticism. In 1856, having been called to the bar, he became secretary to

Ferdinand de Lesseps Ferdinand Marie, Comte de Lesseps (; 19 November 1805 – 7 December 1894) was a French diplomat and later developer of the Suez Canal, which in 1869 joined the Mediterranean and Red Seas, substantially reducing sailing distances and times ...

, and in 1857 he published ''The Gates of the East'' in support of the projected construction of the Suez Canal. Kenney wrote the words for a number of light operas, and was the author of several popular songs, the best known of which were "Soft and Low" (1865) and "The Vagabond" (1871). He also published a ''Memoir'' of MW Balfe (1875), and translated the ''Correspondence'' of Balzac. He included

Thackeray William Makepeace Thackeray (; 18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was a British novelist, author and illustrator. He is known for his satirical works, particularly his 1848 novel ''Vanity Fair'', a panoramic portrait of British society, and th ...

and

Dickens Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic. He created some of the world's best-known fictional characters and is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian er ...

among his friends in a literary ''côterie'' in which he enjoyed the reputation of a wit and an accomplished writer of ''vers de société''. Kenney died in 1881 and is buried in

Brompton Cemetery Brompton Cemetery (originally the West of London and Westminster Cemetery) is a London cemetery, managed by The Royal Parks, in West Brompton in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries. Establ ...

, London.

References

Sources

*
Author and Bookinfo.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenney, Charles Lamb 1821 births 1881 deaths English dramatists and playwrights English male journalists Burials at Brompton Cemetery English translators 19th-century British journalists 19th-century British translators English male dramatists and playwrights 19th-century British dramatists and playwrights 19th-century English male writers