Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Alger, John Goldworth

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1488884Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement, Volume 1 — Alger, John Goldworth1912S. E. Fryer

ALGER, JOHN GOLDWORTH (1836–1907), journalist and author, born at Diss, Norfolk, and baptised on 7 Aug. 1836, was the only son of John Alger, a corn merchant of that town, by his wife Jemima, daughter of Salem Goldworth, yeoman, of Morning Thorpe, Norfolk. Educated at Diss, Alger became a journalist at the age of sixteen. At first he wrote for the 'Norfolk News,' and afterwards transferred his services to the 'Oxford Journal.' In 1866 he joined the parliamentary reporting staff of 'The Times,' and after eight years' work in that capacity was sent to Paris in 1874 to act as assistant to Henri Opper de Blowitz, 'The Times' Paris correspondent. There he remained for twenty-eight years. His leisure he chiefly devoted to historical research in the Bibliotheque Nationale and National Archives. He made himself thoroughly familiar with the topographical history of Paris, and threw new light on byways of the French revolution, investigating with especial thoroughness the part which Englishmen played in the great movement. His chief publications were:

  1. 'Englishmen in the French Revolution,' 1889.
  2. 'Glimpses of the French Revolution,' 1894.
  3. 'Paris in 1789-94; Farewell Letters of Victims of the Guillotine,' 1902.
  4. 'Napoleon's British Visitors and Captives,' 1904.

He also published 'The Paris Sketch Book' (a description of current Parisian life) (1887); contributed historical articles to several leading magazines, and was an occasional contributor to this Dictionary. In 1902 Alger retired from the service of 'The Times' on a pension, and settled in London. He died unmarried at 7 Holland Park Court, Addison Road, West Kensington, on 23 May 1907.

[The Times, 25 May 1907; Who's Who, 1907; M. de Blowitz, My Memoirs, 1903.]

S. E. F.