About
Douglas William Jerrold (1803-1857) was an English dramatist, journalist, and humorist. Born in London, he served as a midshipman in the Royal Navy, an experience that shaped his anti-war and anti-authoritarian convictions. He achieved success with his nautical melodrama Black-Eyed Susan (1829). A co-founder of Punch magazine in 1841, he contributed the celebrated comic series Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures. He edited Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper from 1852 until his death, greatly increasing its circulation. A committed Liberal reformer, he opposed capital punishment and advocated for the poor through his writing.
Major works
- Black-Eyed Susan; or, All in the Downs (1829)melodrama
- Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures (1846)comic series
- The History of St. Giles and St. James (1845)novel
Key milestones
- 1813Serves as a midshipman in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Namur.
- 1841Co-founds Punch magazine.
- 1851Credited with coining the popular name 'The Crystal Palace' for the Great Exhibition of 1851.
Themes
Social critiqueAnti-militarismHumor and satireLiberal reformAdvocacy for the poor
Sources: britannica.com · victorianweb.org