George Walter Thornbury
Illustration — George Walter Thornbury George Walter Thornbury (13 November 1828 – 11 June 1876) was an English author. He was the first biographer of J.
George Walter Thornbury
- Born
- 1828 · London.
- Died
- 1876 · London.
- Nationality
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
- Occupation
- art historian · poet · journalist · novelist · writer
- Languages
- English
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Illustration — George Walter Thornbury George Walter Thornbury (13 November 1828 – 11 June 1876) was an English author. He was the first biographer of J.
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George Walter Thornbury (1828–1876) was an art historian, journalist and novelist, among other activities, of British nationality. The art historian was born and died in London. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 01 October 2026
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wikidata · Q5545857 · wikipedia · George Walter Thornbury
In this article
Early life
Early life
George Thornbury was born on 13 November 1828, the son of a London solicitor, reared by his aunt and educated by her husband, Reverend Barton Bouchier.
Career
Career
A journalist by profession, he also wrote verse, novels, art criticism and popular historical and topographical sketches. He began his career in 1845 with contributions to Bristol Journal and wrote later mainly for the Athenaeum. His first major work was Lays and Legends; or, Ballads of the New World (1851). It followed a history of the Buccaneers, Monarchs of the Main, (1855), Shakespeare's England; or, Sketches of our Social History in the reign of Elizabeth (1856, 2 Vols.) and Art and nature at home and abroad (1856, 2 Vols.). His Old and New London: a Narrative of its History, its People, and its Places was first published in 2 volumes in 1872, and in an undated edition of 1878 in 6 volumes, the last four being by Edward Walford.
Death
Death
Thornbury died of overwork at Camberwell House Asylum, London, at the early age of 47, and was buried in Nunhead Cemetery. He was survived by a young wife and three young sons.
Poetry
Poetry
• Lays and Legends; or, Ballads of the New World (1851) • Songs of Cavaliers and Roundheads (1857) • Two centuries of song (1867) • Historical and legendary ballads and songs (1875) • The Fables of La Fontaine (translator, c. 1870)
Novels and stories
Novels and stories
• Every man his own trumpeter (1858) • Icebound (1861) • True as steel (1863, 3 Vols.) • Wildfire (1864) • Tales for the marines (1865) • Greatheart (1866) • The vicar's courtship (1869) • Old stories retold (1869)
Nonfiction writing
Nonfiction writing
• Shakespeare's England; or, Sketches of our Social History in the reign of Elizabeth (1856, 2 Vols.) • Life in Spain (1859) • Turkish life and character (1860) • British Artists from Hogarth to Turner (1861, 2 Vols.) • Life of J. M. W. Turner (1861) Full text from the Internet Archive Digital Library. • Haunted London (1865) Full text from the Internet Archive Digital Library. • Tour round England (1870, 2 Vols.) • Criss cross journeys (1873, 2 Vols.) • Old and New London: a Narrative of its History, its People, and its Places (1873–74, 2 Vols.) Continued in an undated edition of 1878 in 6 volumes, the last four being by Edward Walford. Full text available from the Internet Archive Digital Library
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1828
George Walter Thornbury was born on 13 November 1828.
1876
George Walter Thornbury died on 11 June 1876.
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “George Walter Thornbury”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q5545857: George Walter Thornbury
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.A book of recollections, Volume 1, John Cordy Jeaffreson, p. 89, (London 1894).
- 2.M. Clare Loughlin-Chow, 'Thornbury, (George) Walter (1828–1876)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 3 Jan 2015
- 3.Thornbury, Walter. The life of J.M.W. Turner. Hurst and Blackett. 25 August 1862.
- 4.Thornbury, Walter. Haunted London. Hurst and Blackett. 25 August 1865.
- 5.Thornbury, Walter. Old and new London : a narrative of its history, its people, and its places. Cassell, Petter & Galpin.
- 6.Thornbury, Walter. Old and new London: a narrative of its history, its people, and its places. Cassell, Petter & Galpin.
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