Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mayhew, Horace

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
1405246Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 37 — Mayhew, Horace1894John Andrew Hamilton

MAYHEW, HORACE (1816–1872), author, younger brother of Henry Mayhew [q. v.], was born in 1816, and, like Henry, early took to literature. He wrote a considerable number of farces and tales, and contributed to current journalism. In 1845 he was one of the brilliant staff of contributors to Cruikshank's 'Table Book.' For a time he was Mark Lemon's sub-editor on the staff of 'Punch.' In December 1847 his 'Plum Pudding Pantomime' was brought out at the Olympic. In 1848 he produced 'Change for a Shilling,' 'Model Men," Model Women,' and an edition of Cruikshank's 'Comic Almanac;' in 1849 'A Plate of Heads,' with Gavarni's drawings; 'The Toothache, imagined by Horace Mayhew and realised by George Cruikshank;' another issue of the 'Comic Almanac,' with Cruikshank's illustrations; and 'Guy Faux.' From 1852, in which year it passed under Douglas Jerrold's editorship, he became a frequent contributor to 'Lloyd's Weekly News.' In 1853 he wrote 'Letters left at the Pastry-cook's.' The death of his father about 1857 left him in easy circumstances, and he wrote little in later years. He was a handsome, captivating man, a brilliant talker and raconteur, and was very popular in society. He married about 1869, but had no children, and on 30 April 1872 he died suddenly at Kensington, of the rupture of a blood-vessel.

[Scott's Life of E. Laman Blanchard, p. 411; George Hodder's Memories of my Time; Athenæum, 4 May 1872; Times, 2 May 1872. A manuscript diary, giving a curious and particular account of Mayhew's daily expenditure, is in the possession of Mr. T. Seccombe.]

J. A. H.