Born Manchester. Author, best known for "Confessions of an English Opium-Eater" (1821). Was as addicted to books as much as to drink or opium, sometimes renting an extra lodging (which he could not afford) because the first was full of books and papers. Reacted badly to his sister's death when he was a child, dwelling on the details of her corpse and post-mortem for longer than is healthy, Developed a profitable line writing sensational reports of murders, rapes, etc. for the mass magazine audience. Wrote "On murder considered as one of the fine arts" and stories of criminal detection which put him among the early detective fiction writers. Married and had 8 children but then moaned about how the noisy, hungry children kept inspiration at bay. His solution was to leave them in poverty for most of the time while he lived with friends, doing little work. Died at home in Edinburgh.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Thomas de Quincey
Commemorated ati
Thomas de Quincey
Note: "Quincey" seems to be the accepted spelling rather than the "Quincy" o...
Other Subjects
William Thomas Stead
Campaigning journalist and spiritualist. Born Northumberland. Committed to the peace movement, women's rights, civil liberties. As part of his campaign against juvenile prostitution he 'bought' 12 ...
Person, Gender Issues, Journalism / Publishing, Paranormal, Peace, Tragedy
John Newbery
Publisher who was the first to be successful with books for children. Born Berkshire. Died at home in St Paul's Churchyard. In the absense of a picture of Newbery himself we are showing one of his...
News Shopper
A local newspaper in South London and Kent, once owned by Rupert Murdoch.
Sir William Howard Russell
War correspondent. Born near Dublin. 1841 began in journalism, came to London, studied for the bar and became attached to The Times. As a war reporter he covered: the Crimean War, the Indian Rebell...
Lydia Becker
President of NUWSS prior to Millicent Fawcett and campaigned for voting rights of unmarried women and widows. Also an amateur scientist with interests in biology and astronomy. Best remembered for ...
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