Clement King Shorter
Encyclopedia
Clement King Shorter was a British
journalist
and literary critic.
, the youngest of three boys. The son of Richard and Elizabeth (née Clemenson) Shorter, young Clement attended school from 1863 to 1871 in Downham Market
, Norfolk
. He was still a young boy when his father died in Melbourne, Australia, where he had gone in an attempt to make a better life for his young family.
Once finished with his schooling, Shorter spent four years working for several booksellers and publishers on Paternoster Row
in London. In 1877, he found himself working in the Exchequer and Audit Department at Somerset House
, as a low-level clerk.
Shorter married twice, first to Dora Sigerson, an Irish poet. He married her in 1896, and she died in 1918. In 1920, he remarried, to a woman from Penzance
, named Annie Doris Banfield. Shorter, survived by his wife and daughter, died on 19 November 1926, in his home at Great Missenden
, Buckinghamshire
.
. At that time, he was also writing for The Star
, a weekly column about books. By 1890, he had resigned his clerical position at Somerset House, to focus solely on his journalistic endeavors.
An important influence on the English pictorial press, in 1891 he became editor of the Illustrated London News
. By 1893, he had founded and edited Sketch. In 1900, he founded Sphere
, which he edited up until his death in 1926. During this time, Shorter maintained writing his controversial weekly column, "A Literary Letter." He described the content of the two papers he edited during this time (first, The Sphere, and shortly thereafter, The Tatler") as "on more frivolous lines."
In addition to founding Sketch and The Sphere, he was also the founder of The Tatler.
, and two books about the Brontë family. Additionally, he edited Elizabeth Gaskell
's The Life of Charlotte Brontë
in 1899. Shorter's own works of literary criticism
include The Brontës and their Circle (1896), Immortal Memories (1907), The Brontës: Life and Letters (1908), and George Borrow and his Circle (1913).
Shorter also wrote multiple books about Napoleon, two about George Borrow
, as well as a volume of addresses and essays. His last published work was C. K. S.: an Autobiography, which was edited by J.M. Bulloch, and published posthumously, in 1927.
British literature
British Literature refers to literature associated with the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Channel Islands. By far the largest part of British literature is written in the English language, but there are bodies of written works in Latin, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Cornish, Manx, Jèrriais,...
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 literary critic.
Biography
Clement Shorter was born in LondonLondon
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...
, the youngest of three boys. The son of Richard and Elizabeth (née Clemenson) Shorter, young Clement attended school from 1863 to 1871 in Downham Market
Downham Market
Downham Market is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens, on the River Great Ouse, some 20 km south of the town of King's Lynn, 60 km west of the city of Norwich and the same distance north of the city of Cambridge....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. He was still a young boy when his father died in Melbourne, Australia, where he had gone in an attempt to make a better life for his young family.
Once finished with his schooling, Shorter spent four years working for several booksellers and publishers on Paternoster Row
Paternoster Row
Paternoster Row was a London street in which clergy of the medieval St Paul's Cathedral would walk, chanting the Lord's Prayer . It was devastated by aerial bombardment in The Blitz during World War II. Prior to this destruction the area had been a centre of the London publishing trade , with...
in London. In 1877, he found himself working in the Exchequer and Audit Department at Somerset House
Somerset House
Somerset House is a large building situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, England, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The central block of the Neoclassical building, the outstanding project of the architect Sir William Chambers, dates from 1776–96. It...
, as a low-level clerk.
Shorter married twice, first to Dora Sigerson, an Irish poet. He married her in 1896, and she died in 1918. In 1920, he remarried, to a woman from Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
, named Annie Doris Banfield. Shorter, survived by his wife and daughter, died on 19 November 1926, in his home at Great Missenden
Great Missenden
Great Missenden is a large village in the Misbourne Valley in the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England, situated between the towns of Amersham and Wendover. It closely adjoins the villages of Little Missenden and Prestwood. The narrow High Street is bypassed by the main A413 London to...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
.
In journalism
Shorter's career in journalism began in 1888, when he began working as a sub-editor for the Penny Illustrated PaperPenny Illustrated Paper
The Penny Illustrated Paper was a cheap illustrated weekly newspaper, which ran from 1861 to 1913.Illustrated weekly newspapers had been pioneered by the Illustrated London News : its imitators included the Pictorial Times , and - after the 1855 repeal of the Stamp Act - the Illustrated Times...
. At that time, he was also writing for The Star
The Star (London)
The Star was a London evening newspaper founded in 1788.The first edition was printed on 3 May 1788 under the editorship of Peter Stuart. Founding sponsors of the new paper included publisher John Murray and William Lane of the Minerva Press...
, a weekly column about books. By 1890, he had resigned his clerical position at Somerset House, to focus solely on his journalistic endeavors.
An important influence on the English pictorial press, in 1891 he became editor of the Illustrated London News
Illustrated London News
The Illustrated London News was the world's first illustrated weekly newspaper; the first issue appeared on Saturday 14 May 1842. It was published weekly until 1971 and then increasingly less frequently until publication ceased in 2003.-History:...
. By 1893, he had founded and edited Sketch. In 1900, he founded Sphere
The Sphere (newspaper)
The Sphere was a British newspaper, published weekly from 27 January 1900 until the closure of the paper on 27 June 1964; the first issue came out at the height of the Boer War and was no doubt a product of that conflict and the public appetite for images...
, which he edited up until his death in 1926. During this time, Shorter maintained writing his controversial weekly column, "A Literary Letter." He described the content of the two papers he edited during this time (first, The Sphere, and shortly thereafter, The Tatler") as "on more frivolous lines."
In addition to founding Sketch and The Sphere, he was also the founder of The Tatler.
As an author, literary critic, and collector
It is difficult to separate Shorter's career as an author and critic from his hobby of collecting manuscripts, books, and other materials related to his favorite authors. He was an avid collector, particularly focusing on the works of the Brontë sisters. This collecting and research eventually led to some of his most well-known works, including two books about Charlotte BrontëCharlotte Brontë
Charlotte Brontë was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood, whose novels are English literature standards...
, and two books about the Brontë family. Additionally, he edited Elizabeth Gaskell
Elizabeth Gaskell
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell, née Stevenson , often referred to simply as Mrs Gaskell, was a British novelist and short story writer during the Victorian era...
's The Life of Charlotte Brontë
The Life of Charlotte Bronte
The Life of Charlotte Brontë is the posthumous biography of Charlotte Brontë by fellow novelist Elizabeth Gaskell. Although quite frank in many places, Gaskell suppressed details of Charlotte's love for Constantin Héger, a married man, on the grounds that it would be too great an affront to...
in 1899. Shorter's own works of literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
include The Brontës and their Circle (1896), Immortal Memories (1907), The Brontës: Life and Letters (1908), and George Borrow and his Circle (1913).
Shorter also wrote multiple books about Napoleon, two about George Borrow
George Borrow
George Henry Borrow was an English author who wrote novels and travelogues based on his own experiences around Europe. Over the course of his wanderings, he developed a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe. They figure prominently in his work...
, as well as a volume of addresses and essays. His last published work was C. K. S.: an Autobiography, which was edited by J.M. Bulloch, and published posthumously, in 1927.