Albany Fonblanque
Encyclopedia
Albany William Fonblanque (1794–1872) was a celebrated English
journalist
and by his own example a reformer of that profession.
family, the de Greniers of Languedoc
, and was born in London
.
John de Grenier Fonblanque, a banker, had been naturalized in England under the name of Fonblanque; and his son, John Anthony Fonblanque, was Albany's father. Albany's mother, Frances Caroline Fitzgerald, was a granddaughter of Colonel Samuel Martin of Antigua, West Indies and niece of Samuel Martin (Secretary to the Treasury)
. Her brother was the poet, William Thomas Fitzgerald
.
Albany Fonblanque married Caroline Keane. They had a daughter and three sons.
, and then was sent to the Royal Arsenal
, Woolwich
, to prepare for a career in the Royal Engineers
. His health was not good enough, and his studies were suspended. Upon his recovery he studied law with a view to being called to the bar. At the age of nineteen (1812) he began writing for the newspapers, and soon attracted attention because of the boldness and liberality of his opinions, and because of the superiority of his style to what Macaulay, when speaking of him, called the "rant and twaddle" of the daily and weekly press. While he was sharing in all the political struggles of this eventful period, he was also studying, devoting at least six hours a day to the study of classics and political philosophy. Under this regime, his health once more broke down. He continued to be a regular contributor to the newspapers and reviews, making a reasonable living.
From 1820 to 1830, Fonblanque was successively employed on the staff of The Times
and the Morning Chronicle, whilst he contributed to the Examiner
, to the London Magazine and to the Westminster Review.
newspaper, which had been purchased by the Rev. Dr Fellowes, author of the Religion of the Universe, etc., was given over to Fonblanque's complete control; and for a period of seventeen years (1830 to 1847) he not only sustained the high character for political independence and literary ability which the Examiner had gained under the direction of Leigh Hunt and his brother, John Hunt, but even compelled his political opponents to acknowledge a certain delight in the boldness and brightness of the wit directed against themselves.
When it was proposed that the admirers and supporters of the paper should facilitate a reduction in its price by the payment of their subscription ten years in advance, not only did Edward Bulwer-Lytton volunteer his aid, but also Benjamin Disraeli, who was then flirting with radicalism
. During his time with the Examiner, Fonbianque had many offers of further literary employment; but he devoted his energies and talents to the service of the paper he had resolved to make a standard of literary excellence in the world of journalism.
The Examiner was a weekly paper founded by Leigh and John Hunt in 1808.
Albany Fonblanque, the journal's political commentator from 1826, took over the Examiner in 1830, serving as editor until 1847. He brought in such contributors as John Stuart Mill
, John Forster, William Makepeace Thackeray
, and most notably Charles Dickens
. He wrote the first notice of Sketches by Boz
(28 February 1836) and of The Pickwick Papers
(4 September 1836). Foster became the magazine's literary editor in 1835, and succeeded Fonblanque as editor from 1847 to 1855. Fonblanque retained ownership until 1865. The magazine ceased publication in 1886.
; but although he took great interest in colonial matters, and had used every effort to advocate the more generous political system which had colonial self-government for its goal, he decided not to abandon his beloved Examiner even for so sympathetic an employment. In 1847, however, domestic reasons induced him to accept the post of statistical secretary of the Board of Trade
. This of course compelled him to resign the editorship of the Examiner, but he still continued to contribute largely to the paper, which, under the control of John Forster, continued to sustain its influential position. During the later years of his life Fonblanque took no prominent part in public affairs; and when he died at the age of seventy-nine he seemed, as his nephew, Edward Fonblanque, observes, a man who had lived and toiled in an age gone by and in a cause long since established.
Albany Fonblanque's political activity may be judged by a study of his England under Seven Administrations (1837), in comparison with the course of social and political events in England frnm 1826 to 1837. As a journalist, he must be regarded in the light of a reformer.
See the Life and Labours of Albany Fonblanque, edited by his nephew, Edward Barrington de Fonblanque (London, 1874); a collection of his articles with a brief biographical notice.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and by his own example a reformer of that profession.
Family
Albany Fonblanque was descended from a noble French HuguenotHuguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
family, the de Greniers of Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
, and was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
John de Grenier Fonblanque, a banker, had been naturalized in England under the name of Fonblanque; and his son, John Anthony Fonblanque, was Albany's father. Albany's mother, Frances Caroline Fitzgerald, was a granddaughter of Colonel Samuel Martin of Antigua, West Indies and niece of Samuel Martin (Secretary to the Treasury)
Samuel Martin (Secretary to the Treasury)
Samuel Martin was a British politician and administrator.-Family:He was the son of Samuel Martin, the leading plantation owner on the West Indies island of Antigua, where he was born, and eldest half-brother of Sir Henry Martin, 1st Baronet , for many years naval commissioner at Portsmouth and...
. Her brother was the poet, William Thomas Fitzgerald
William Thomas Fitzgerald
William Thomas Fitzgerald was a British poet. He has been described as "one of the foremost loyalist versifiers of his day". He wrote patriotic poetry during the Napoleonic Wars, including Nelson's Triumph and Nelson's Tomb...
.
Albany Fonblanque married Caroline Keane. They had a daughter and three sons.
Education
Young Fonblanque was sent to Tonbridge SchoolTonbridge School
Tonbridge School is a British boys' independent school for both boarding and day pupils in Tonbridge, Kent, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judd . It is a member of the Eton Group, and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies...
, and then was sent to the Royal Arsenal
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
, Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
, to prepare for a career in the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
. His health was not good enough, and his studies were suspended. Upon his recovery he studied law with a view to being called to the bar. At the age of nineteen (1812) he began writing for the newspapers, and soon attracted attention because of the boldness and liberality of his opinions, and because of the superiority of his style to what Macaulay, when speaking of him, called the "rant and twaddle" of the daily and weekly press. While he was sharing in all the political struggles of this eventful period, he was also studying, devoting at least six hours a day to the study of classics and political philosophy. Under this regime, his health once more broke down. He continued to be a regular contributor to the newspapers and reviews, making a reasonable living.
From 1820 to 1830, Fonblanque was successively employed on the staff of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
and the Morning Chronicle, whilst he contributed to the Examiner
Examiner
The Examiner was a weekly paper founded by Leigh and John Hunt in 1808. For the first fifty years it was a leading intellectual journal expounding radical principles, but from 1865 it repeatedly changed hands and political allegiance, resulting in a rapid decline in readership and loss of...
, to the London Magazine and to the Westminster Review.
The Examiner
In 1828 the ExaminerExaminer
The Examiner was a weekly paper founded by Leigh and John Hunt in 1808. For the first fifty years it was a leading intellectual journal expounding radical principles, but from 1865 it repeatedly changed hands and political allegiance, resulting in a rapid decline in readership and loss of...
newspaper, which had been purchased by the Rev. Dr Fellowes, author of the Religion of the Universe, etc., was given over to Fonblanque's complete control; and for a period of seventeen years (1830 to 1847) he not only sustained the high character for political independence and literary ability which the Examiner had gained under the direction of Leigh Hunt and his brother, John Hunt, but even compelled his political opponents to acknowledge a certain delight in the boldness and brightness of the wit directed against themselves.
When it was proposed that the admirers and supporters of the paper should facilitate a reduction in its price by the payment of their subscription ten years in advance, not only did Edward Bulwer-Lytton volunteer his aid, but also Benjamin Disraeli, who was then flirting with radicalism
Radicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
. During his time with the Examiner, Fonbianque had many offers of further literary employment; but he devoted his energies and talents to the service of the paper he had resolved to make a standard of literary excellence in the world of journalism.
The Examiner was a weekly paper founded by Leigh and John Hunt in 1808.
Albany Fonblanque, the journal's political commentator from 1826, took over the Examiner in 1830, serving as editor until 1847. He brought in such contributors as John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill
John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher, economist and civil servant. An influential contributor to social theory, political theory, and political economy, his conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state control. He was a proponent of...
, John Forster, William Makepeace Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray was an English novelist of the 19th century. He was famous for his satirical works, particularly Vanity Fair, a panoramic portrait of English society.-Biography:...
, and most notably Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
. He wrote the first notice of Sketches by Boz
Sketches by Boz
Sketches by "Boz," Illustrative of Every-day Life and Every-day People is a collection of short pieces published by Charles Dickens in 1836 accompanied by illustrations by George Cruikshank. The 56 sketches concern London scenes and people and are divided into four sections: "Our Parish",...
(28 February 1836) and of The Pickwick Papers
The Pickwick Papers
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club is the first novel by Charles Dickens. After the publication, the widow of the illustrator Robert Seymour claimed that the idea for the novel was originally her husband's; however, in his preface to the 1867 edition, Dickens strenuously denied any...
(4 September 1836). Foster became the magazine's literary editor in 1835, and succeeded Fonblanque as editor from 1847 to 1855. Fonblanque retained ownership until 1865. The magazine ceased publication in 1886.
Board of Trade
Fonblanque was offered the governorship of Nova ScotiaNova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
; but although he took great interest in colonial matters, and had used every effort to advocate the more generous political system which had colonial self-government for its goal, he decided not to abandon his beloved Examiner even for so sympathetic an employment. In 1847, however, domestic reasons induced him to accept the post of statistical secretary of the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
. This of course compelled him to resign the editorship of the Examiner, but he still continued to contribute largely to the paper, which, under the control of John Forster, continued to sustain its influential position. During the later years of his life Fonblanque took no prominent part in public affairs; and when he died at the age of seventy-nine he seemed, as his nephew, Edward Fonblanque, observes, a man who had lived and toiled in an age gone by and in a cause long since established.
Albany Fonblanque's political activity may be judged by a study of his England under Seven Administrations (1837), in comparison with the course of social and political events in England frnm 1826 to 1837. As a journalist, he must be regarded in the light of a reformer.
How Fonblanque changed attitudes to journalists
Journalism before Fonblanque's day was regarded as a somewhat discreditable profession.; men of true culture were shy of entering the hot and dusty arena lest they should be confounded with the ruder combatants who fought there before the public for hire. But the fact that Fonblanque, a man not only of strong and earnest political convictions but also of exceptional literary ability, did not hesitate to choose this field as a worthy one in which both a politician and a man of letters might usefully as well as honorably put forth his best gifts, must have helped, in no small degree, to correct the old prejudice.See the Life and Labours of Albany Fonblanque, edited by his nephew, Edward Barrington de Fonblanque (London, 1874); a collection of his articles with a brief biographical notice.