MAYHEW

mayhew, henry (1812-1887), english author and journalist, son of a london solicitor, was born in 1812. he was sent to westminster school, but ran away to sea. he sailed to india, and on his return studied law for a short time under his father. he began his journalistic career by founding, with gilbert a beckett, in 1831, a weekly paper, _figaro in london_. this was followed in 1832 by a short-lived paper called _the thief_; and he produced one or two successful farces. his brothers horace (1816-1872) and augustus septimus (1826-1875) were also journalists, and with them henry occasionally collaborated, notably with the younger in _the greatest plague of life_ (1847) and in _acting charades_ (1850). in 1841 henry mayhew was one of the leading spirits in the foundation of _punch_, of which he was for the first two years joint-editor with mark lemon. he afterwards wrote on all kinds of subjects, and published a number of volumes of no permanent reputation--humorous stories, travel and practical handbooks. he is credited with being the first to "write up" the poverty side of london life from a philanthropic point of view; with the collaboration of john binny and others he published _london labour and london poor_ (1851; completed 1864) and other works on social and economic questions. he died in london, on the 25th of july 1887. horace mayhew was for some years sub-editor of _punch_, and was the author of several humorous publications and plays. the books of horace and augustus mayhew owe their survival chiefly to cruikshank's illustrations.