Cassell's Magazine
Encyclopedia
Cassell's Magazine was the successor to Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper, which was published from 31 December 1853 to 9 March 1867, becoming Cassell's Family Magazine in 1874, Cassell's Magazine in 1897, and, after 1912, Cassell's Magazine of Fiction.
The magazine was edited by H. G. Bonavia Hunt from 1874 to 1896, Max Pemberton
from 1896 to 1905, David Williamson from 1905 to November 1908, Walter Smith from December 1908 to 1912, and Newman Flower
from 1912 to 1922. It was acquired by the Amalgamated Press in 1927 and merged with The Storyteller Magazine in 1932.
In the 1890s
, under Max Pemberton
's editorship, the magazine was based on the Strand Magazine
, attempting to be a competitor to that periodical. In 1912, under Newman Flower's editorship, it became a "pulp" magazine
. Contributing authors included Wilkie Collins
, whose 1870 novel Man and Wife raised the magazine's circulation to 70,000. Following the success of George Newnes
's Tit-Bits
, the Strand Magazine
and Alfred Harmsworth
's Answers, Cassell's began publishing a combination of journalistic miscellanea and illustrated fiction by popular novelists such as Robert Louis Stevenson
, Arthur Quiller-Couch
, Sheridan Le Fanu
, J. M. Barrie
and P. G. Wodehouse
.
Other contributors were E. W. Hornung, who contributed various Raffles
stories in the late 1890s
, Rudyard Kipling
, with a serialisation of his story Kim
from January to November 1901, Henry Rider Haggard, with a serialisation of his stories The Brethren from December 1903 to November 1904, and Benita from December 1905 to May 1906, Arthur Conan Doyle
's Through the Magic Door, serialised November 1906 to October 1907, and Constance Beerbohm
, etc.
Joseph Conrad
contributed 'Il Conde' to Cassell's Magazine, which went on to become one of the most reproduced of all his stories. In January 1908 he instructed his agent, 'Please secure the number' (CL 4:31), suggestimg that Conrad was interested in seeing its illustrated publication in one of the most popular magazines of that time.
An American edition of the magazine, dated one month later than the English, ran from January 1884 to December 1907.
The magazine was edited by H. G. Bonavia Hunt from 1874 to 1896, Max Pemberton
Max Pemberton
Sir Max Pemberton was a popular British novelist, working mainly in the adventure and mystery genres. He was educated at St Albans School, Merchant Taylors' School, and Caius College, Cambridge...
from 1896 to 1905, David Williamson from 1905 to November 1908, Walter Smith from December 1908 to 1912, and Newman Flower
Newman Flower
Sir Walter Newman Flower was an English publisher and author. He transformed the fortunes of the publishing house Cassell & Co, and later became its proprietor. As an author, he published studies of the composers George Frideric Handel, Franz Schubert and Arthur Sullivan...
from 1912 to 1922. It was acquired by the Amalgamated Press in 1927 and merged with The Storyteller Magazine in 1932.
In the 1890s
1890s
The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the "Mauve Decade" - because William Henry Perkin's aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion - and also as the "Gay Nineties", under the then-current usage of the word "gay" which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no...
, under Max Pemberton
Max Pemberton
Sir Max Pemberton was a popular British novelist, working mainly in the adventure and mystery genres. He was educated at St Albans School, Merchant Taylors' School, and Caius College, Cambridge...
's editorship, the magazine was based on the Strand Magazine
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
, attempting to be a competitor to that periodical. In 1912, under Newman Flower's editorship, it became a "pulp" magazine
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
. Contributing authors included Wilkie Collins
Wilkie Collins
William Wilkie Collins was an English novelist, playwright, and author of short stories. He was very popular during the Victorian era and wrote 30 novels, more than 60 short stories, 14 plays, and over 100 non-fiction pieces...
, whose 1870 novel Man and Wife raised the magazine's circulation to 70,000. Following the success of George Newnes
George Newnes
Sir George Newnes, 1st Baronet was a publisher and editor in England.-Background and education:...
's Tit-Bits
Tit-Bits
Tit-Bits was a British weekly magazine founded by George Newnes on 22 October 1881 until 18 July 1984, when it was taken over by Associated Newspapers' Weekend, which itself closed in 1989. The last editors were David Hill and Brian Lee...
, the Strand Magazine
Strand Magazine
The Strand Magazine was a monthly magazine composed of fictional stories and factual articles founded by George Newnes. It was first published in the United Kingdom from January 1891 to March 1950 running to 711 issues, though the first issue was on sale well before Christmas 1890.Its immediate...
and Alfred Harmsworth
Alfred Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe
Alfred Charles William Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Northcliffe rose from childhood poverty to become a powerful British newspaper and publishing magnate, famed for buying stolid, unprofitable newspapers and transforming them to make them lively and entertaining for the mass market.His company...
's Answers, Cassell's began publishing a combination of journalistic miscellanea and illustrated fiction by popular novelists such as Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
, Arthur Quiller-Couch
Arthur Quiller-Couch
Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch was a Cornish writer, who published under the pen name of Q. He is primarily remembered for the monumental Oxford Book Of English Verse 1250–1900 , and for his literary criticism...
, Sheridan Le Fanu
Sheridan Le Fanu
Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels. He was the leading ghost-story writer of the nineteenth century and was central to the development of the genre in the Victorian era....
, J. M. Barrie
J. M. Barrie
Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM was a Scottish author and dramatist, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. The child of a family of small-town weavers, he was educated in Scotland. He moved to London, where he developed a career as a novelist and playwright...
and P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
.
Other contributors were E. W. Hornung, who contributed various Raffles
A. J. Raffles
Arthur J. Raffles is a character created in the 1890s by E. W. Hornung, a brother-in-law to Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Raffles is, in many ways, a deliberate inversion of Holmes — he is a "gentleman thief," living in the Albany, a prestigious address in London, playing...
stories in the late 1890s
1890s
The 1890s were sometimes referred to as the "Mauve Decade" - because William Henry Perkin's aniline dye allowed the widespread use of that colour in fashion - and also as the "Gay Nineties", under the then-current usage of the word "gay" which referred simply to merriment and frivolity, with no...
, Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
, with a serialisation of his story Kim
Kim (novel)
Kim is a picaresque novel by Rudyard Kipling. It was first published serially in McClure's Magazine from December 1900 to October 1901 as well as in Cassell's Magazine from January to November 1901, and first published in book form by Macmillan & Co. Ltd in October 1901...
from January to November 1901, Henry Rider Haggard, with a serialisation of his stories The Brethren from December 1903 to November 1904, and Benita from December 1905 to May 1906, Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
's Through the Magic Door, serialised November 1906 to October 1907, and Constance Beerbohm
Constance Beerbohm
Constance Beerbohm was the oldest daughter of Julius Ewald Edward Beerbohm , of Dutch, Lithuanian, and German origin, who had come to England in about 1830 and set up as a prosperous corn merchant. He married an Englishwoman, Constantia Draper, and the couple had four children...
, etc.
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-born English novelist.Conrad is regarded as one of the great novelists in English, although he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties...
contributed 'Il Conde' to Cassell's Magazine, which went on to become one of the most reproduced of all his stories. In January 1908 he instructed his agent, 'Please secure the number' (CL 4:31), suggestimg that Conrad was interested in seeing its illustrated publication in one of the most popular magazines of that time.
An American edition of the magazine, dated one month later than the English, ran from January 1884 to December 1907.
External links
- http://www.conradfirst.net/view/periodical?id=39 Cassell's Magazine on The Joseph Conrad Periodical Archive]
- http://www.philsp.com/data/data063.html#CASSELLSMAGAZINE Cassell's Magazine on Magazine Data website]
- Cassell & Co Ltd History