Talk:London Figaro

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Notes[edit]

I made a bunch of notes when putting this article together. Here they are...

Figaro in London (Dec 10, 1831 -> Aug 10, 1839) Also 1851 for four issues, weekly comic paper, forerunner to Punch, 4 quarto pages for a penny, good-humoured squibs on passing events of primary popular interest, witty brevitised and funny paragraphs, theatrical criticism, one caricature at first, soon joined by other drawings. Publisher was William Strange, a bookseller

According to http://www.victorianweb.org/periodicals/punch/pva44.html its editors were, Gilbert Abbot a Beckett (founder, 1831-1834), Henry Mayhew (1834-1839)., Robert Seymour illustrated it at first but fell out with a Beckett in 1834 as he was owed a lot of money. Circulation dropped off when he left.He returned to illustrating it when Henry Mayhew took over the paper. After his death, W M Thackeray the author was employed as its illustrator.

The London Figaro (1868 -> 31st Dec 1897) http://www.lang.nagoya-u.ac.jp/~matsuoka/gissing/newsletter-journal/journal-27-4.pdf or possibly started May 7 1870 (from reader's question in Notes and Queries September 7, 1946 p104, http://nq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/191/5/104-d. Makes more sense because of Napoleon III's exile). Other sources note that issue 1 was the 17/18 May 1870.

"The English Stage" by Augustin Filon (translated by Frederic Whyte, published by John Milne, London, and Dodd, Mead and Co, New York) says pp199-200:

Founded by James Mortimer, editor and proprietor, an American who lived for many years in Paris. Started as a daily but after the withdrawal of financial support continued as a weekly/fortnightly publication. Known for its fearless dramatic criticism. Publisher known for backing his literary critic, Almaviva, (Clement Scott [1868-??], then William Archer [1879-81]). Published in a small shop near the Old Temple Bar (199 Strand, later 74 Strand, finally 279 Strand).

Daily until 18 March 1871 then seriocomic weekly. selling at a penny

writers -- William Archer (drama critic), Ernest Alfred Bendall (drama critic), Percy Betts ("Cherubino", musical editor), Edward Bradley ("Cuthbert Bede"), Aglen Dowty ("OPQ Philander Smiff"), John Baker Hopkins (Leader writer), Francis Albert Marshall, Edwin J Milliken (staff writer), Clement Scott (drama critic), Edward Leman Blanchard (drama critic), Ambrose Bierce (The Passing Showman).

According to Mark Twains Letters: 1872-3 (U of California Press) founded in 1868 by James Mortimer of Virginia with financing from Napoleon III (deposed in 1870 and settled in England)

Mortimer lost Figaro in 1879 as a result of a libel case brought against him by Henry Weldon because of the paper however it must have continued under new management Steinitz, chess column 1876 -> 1882

The London Gazette, Jan 11, 1898 p188 reported that a resolution was passed at an EGM of the London Figaro Ltd in Sheffield on 28 December 1897 winding the company up. It may have continued publishing during 1898 under administration.

The New International Year book of 1912 [1] says Mortimer founded Figaro in May 1870 with money from Napoleon III and owned and edited it for thirteen years.

The Empress Eugénie and her son By Edward Legge says that he owned the paper for 14 years selling it in 1884. It also notes that a friend re-purchased the copyright for him many years later but that it folded within 6 months could this be after the winding up in 1897? It would explain the 1897/98 discrepancy. Its motto - "Now step I forth to whip hypocrisy". Very informative reference.

Journalistic London by Joseph Hatton, London: 1882

The pioneers of some of the features of to-day's high-priced gossiping journals were The Figaro and The Hornet, which in their turn had their prototypes' in both French and English journalism, past and present. It was upon these two papers that some of the smartest of the " light horsemen " of the new weeklies were trained.

The Figaro once prospered exceedingly. Its founder, Mr. James Mortimer, an American with a French training in journalism, first introduced it to London as a daily paper. He was unfortunate in challenging attention for a light, chatty, and serio-comic treatment of current news and literature at a time when the public mind was excited with the tragedies of a great war. Otherwise the daily Figaro might possibly have been alive now. A weekly edition reached an enormous circulation. Its chief leader-writer was Mr. John Baker Hopkins, a journalist who for many years was associated with The Law Journal. Mr. Hopkins is the author of " Nihilism ; or, The Terror Unmasked," and several works of fiction. "The Smiff Papers " did much to extend the circulation of The Figaro, as did also the dramatic criticisms signed "Alma Viva." Mr. Doughty was the author of the first mentioned feature, Mr. Clement Scott of the second. Recently the paper has been taken over by a limited liability company, and Mr. Mortimer appears to be giving more attention to play-writing than to journalism.

Derek Ross | Talk 19:46, 27 May 2013 (UTC)[reply]