Wilfrid Meynell
Encyclopedia
Wilfrid Meynell who sometimes wrote under the pseudonym
John Oldcastle, was a British
newspaper publisher and editor.
Born of an old Yorkshire
family on his father's side, he was related to a family of distinguished Quakers on his mother's side: his grandfather was Samuel Tuke, and James Hack Tuke
and Daniel Hack Tuke
were uncles.
In 1870, aged 18, Meynell became a convert
to Roman Catholicism. He married the writer Alice Thompson
in 1877.The pair's first effort at periodical publishing was The Pen, a short-lived critical monthly review. In 1881 he accepted Cardinal Manning's invitation to edit the Catholic Weekly Register, and continued to do so until 1899. Meynell later founded and edited (1883-94) the magazine Merry England
, in which he discovered and sponsored the poet Francis Thompson
.
Meynell wrote biographies of Manning, John Henry Newman and Pope Leo XIII
. He contributed to a wide range of periodicals including the Contemporary Review
, The Art Journal
, the Magazine of Art, the Athenaeum
, the Academy, the Saturday Review
, the Pall Mall Budget
, the Illustrated London News
, the Daily Chronicle
and the Nineteenth Century. During March 1906, The Windsor Magazine published an article entitled Politics - Second Series that was coauthored by Meynell and Bertram Fletcher Robinson
. This article was recently republished in a book entitled The World of Vanity Fair that was edited by Paul Spiring.
By the 1920s, Meynell principally wrote for the Dublin Review
and The Tablet
.
Wilfrid and Alice Meynell had nine children, including the founder of The Nonesuch Press, Francis Meynell
.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
John Oldcastle, was a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
newspaper publisher and editor.
Born of an old Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
family on his father's side, he was related to a family of distinguished Quakers on his mother's side: his grandfather was Samuel Tuke, and James Hack Tuke
James Hack Tuke
James Hack Tuke was born at York, England, the son of Samuel Tuke.He was educated at the Religious Society of Friends school there, and after working for a time in his father's wholesale tea business, became in 1852 a partner in the banking firm of Sharples and Co., and went to live at Hitchin in...
and Daniel Hack Tuke
Daniel Hack Tuke
Daniel Hack Tuke was an English physician and expert on mental illness.-Family:Tuke came from a long line of Quakers from York who were interested in mental illness and concerned with those afflicted...
were uncles.
In 1870, aged 18, Meynell became a convert
Religious conversion
Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...
to Roman Catholicism. He married the writer Alice Thompson
Alice Meynell
Alice Christiana Gertrude Thompson Meynell was an English writer, editor, critic, and suffragist, now remembered mainly as a poet.-Biography:...
in 1877.The pair's first effort at periodical publishing was The Pen, a short-lived critical monthly review. In 1881 he accepted Cardinal Manning's invitation to edit the Catholic Weekly Register, and continued to do so until 1899. Meynell later founded and edited (1883-94) the magazine Merry England
Merry England
"Merry England", or in more jocular, archaic spelling "Merrie England", refers to an English autostereotype, a utopian conception of English society and culture based on an idyllic pastoral way of life that was allegedly prevalent at some time between the Middle Ages and the onset of the Industrial...
, in which he discovered and sponsored the poet Francis Thompson
Francis Thompson
Francis Thompson was an English poet and ascetic. After attending college, he moved to London to become a writer, but in menial work, became addicted to opium, and was a street vagrant for years. A married couple read his poetry and rescued him, publishing his first book, Poems in 1893...
.
Meynell wrote biographies of Manning, John Henry Newman and Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII
Pope Leo XIII , born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci to an Italian comital family, was the 256th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reigning from 1878 to 1903...
. He contributed to a wide range of periodicals including the Contemporary Review
Contemporary Review
-Foundation:It was founded in 1866 by Alexander Strahan and a group of intellectuals anxious to promote intelligent and independent opinion about the great issues of their day. They intended it to be the church-minded counterpart of the resolutely secular Fortnightly Review, which was founded by...
, The Art Journal
The Art Journal
The Art Journal, published in London, was the most important Victorian magazine on art. It was founded in 1839 by Hodgson & Graves, print publishers, 6 Pall Mall, with the title the Art Union Monthly Journal, the first issue of 750 copies appearing 15 February 1839.Hodgson & Graves hired Samuel...
, the Magazine of Art, the Athenaeum
Athenaeum (magazine)
The Athenaeum was a literary magazine published in London from 1828 to 1921. It had a reputation for publishing the very best writers of the age....
, the Academy, the Saturday Review
Saturday Review (London)
The Saturday Review of politics, literature, science, and art was a London weekly newspaper established by A. J. B. Beresford Hope in 1855....
, the Pall Mall Budget
Pall Mall Gazette
The Pall Mall Gazette was an evening newspaper founded in London on 7 February 1865 by George Murray Smith; its first editor was Frederick Greenwood...
, 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:...
, the Daily Chronicle
Daily Chronicle
The Daily Chronicle was a British newspaper that was published from 1872 to 1930 when it merged with the Daily News to become the News Chronicle.-History:...
and the Nineteenth Century. During March 1906, The Windsor Magazine published an article entitled Politics - Second Series that was coauthored by Meynell and Bertram Fletcher Robinson
Bertram Fletcher Robinson
Bertram Fletcher Robinson was an English sportsman, journalist, author and Liberal Unionist Party campaigner. Between 1893 and 1907, he wrote nearly 300 published items including a series of short stories that feature a detective called Addington Peace. However, Robinson is perhaps best remembered...
. This article was recently republished in a book entitled The World of Vanity Fair that was edited by Paul Spiring.
By the 1920s, Meynell principally wrote for the Dublin Review
Dublin Review
The Dublin Review may mean either of these journals:*Dublin Review , a Catholic publication*The Dublin Review , a literary magazine...
and The Tablet
The Tablet
The Tablet is a Catholic international weekly review published in London. Contributors to its pages have included Evelyn Waugh, Graham Greene, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Paul VI ....
.
Wilfrid and Alice Meynell had nine children, including the founder of The Nonesuch Press, Francis Meynell
Francis Meynell
Sir Francis Meredith Wilfrid Meynell was a British poet and printer at The Nonesuch Press.He was son of the writer Alice Meynell, a suffragist and prominent Roman Catholic convert. Francis Meynell was brought in by George Lansbury to be business manager of the Daily Herald in 1913. He was...
.