James White (1775-1820)
Encyclopedia
James White was an advertising agent, author and lifelong friend of Charles Lamb. Known as Jem White.
He was the son of Samuel and Mary White and was baptised at the Church of St. John in Bedwardine, Worcester
, on April 17, 1775.
At the age of 8, he was admitted to Christ's Hospital
on the Presentation of Thomas Coventry on September 19, 1783. He left the school on April 30, 1790 in order to become a clerk in the treasurer's office at the school. In 1800 he founded an advertising company, which subsequently moved to 33 Fleet Street
, London
and became R F White & Son Ltd. This is considered to be where the idea of copywriting
originated.
While at the school, White formed a close and long-lasting friendship with Charles Lamb, who was the same age as he. Charles Lamb refers to James White in many of his letters and the Essays of Elia
(in particular the essay entitled The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers).
White developed a fascination with the character of Falstaff
and was even known to dress up and go about 'in character'. This led to him writing and publishing in 1796 his only known book: Original Letters, etc, of Sir John Falstaff and his friends.
White died at his house in Burton Crescent (since renamed Cartwright Gardens) in London on March 13, 1820. He was survived by his wife Margaret (daughter of Robert Faulder the bookseller) and three children. After his death, his business seems to have been initially managed by his wife, and was later taken over by his son Robert Faulder White.
James White is the great-great-grandfather of the author T. H. White
(1906–1964).
He was the son of Samuel and Mary White and was baptised at the Church of St. John in Bedwardine, Worcester
Worcester
The City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, on April 17, 1775.
At the age of 8, he was admitted to Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
on the Presentation of Thomas Coventry on September 19, 1783. He left the school on April 30, 1790 in order to become a clerk in the treasurer's office at the school. In 1800 he founded an advertising company, which subsequently moved to 33 Fleet Street
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is a street in central London, United Kingdom, named after the River Fleet, a stream that now flows underground. It was the home of the British press until the 1980s...
, 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...
and became R F White & Son Ltd. This is considered to be where the idea of copywriting
Copywriting
Copywriting is the use of words and ideas to promote a person, business, opinion or idea. Although the word copy may be applied to any content intended for printing , the term copywriter is generally limited to promotional situations, regardless of the medium...
originated.
While at the school, White formed a close and long-lasting friendship with Charles Lamb, who was the same age as he. Charles Lamb refers to James White in many of his letters and the Essays of Elia
Essays of Elia
Essays of Elia is a collection of essays written by Charles Lamb; it was first published in book form in 1823, with a second volume, Last Essays of Elia, issued in 1833 by the publisher Edward Moxon....
(in particular the essay entitled The Praise of Chimney-Sweepers).
White developed a fascination with the character of Falstaff
Falstaff
Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare. In the two Henry IV plays, he is a companion to Prince Hal, the future King Henry V. A fat, vain, boastful, and cowardly knight, Falstaff leads the apparently wayward Prince Hal into trouble, and is...
and was even known to dress up and go about 'in character'. This led to him writing and publishing in 1796 his only known book: Original Letters, etc, of Sir John Falstaff and his friends.
White died at his house in Burton Crescent (since renamed Cartwright Gardens) in London on March 13, 1820. He was survived by his wife Margaret (daughter of Robert Faulder the bookseller) and three children. After his death, his business seems to have been initially managed by his wife, and was later taken over by his son Robert Faulder White.
James White is the great-great-grandfather of the author T. H. White
T. H. White
Terence Hanbury White was an English author best known for his sequence of Arthurian novels, The Once and Future King, first published together in 1958.-Biography:...
(1906–1964).
Further reading
- David Chandler, "White, James (bap. 1775, d. 1820)," in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison (Oxford: OUP, 2004); online ed., ed. Lawrence Goldman, January 2008, http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29247 (accessed August 4, 2010)
External links
- http://www.hatads.org.uk/hat/newsitem.php?A=138&C=22 The History of Advertising Trust
- http://www.angelfire.com/nv/mf/elia1/chimney.htm
- Index of the records of R F White and Son Ltd held by the History of Advertising Trust