Henry Lucy

Sir Henry William Lucy JP, (5 December 1842– 20 February 1924) was one of the most famous English political journalists of the Victorian era. He was widely known on both sides of the pond. Known as serious commentator of parliamentary affairs, he was also an accomplished humorist, and a parliamentary sketch-writer; acknowledged as the first great lobby correspondent. To the British and men like Ernest Shackleton, who named a mountain after him in Antarctica, he was a hero. But to New York journalists the Americans swa the Englishmen as a mild joke. The mixed perceptions of his real personality has been left to modern biographers to decipher in more depth.

Henry Lucy was born in Crosby, near Liverpool in 1842, the son of Robert Lucy, a rose-engine turner in the watch trade, and his wife, Margaret Ellen Kemp. He was baptised, William Henry on 23 April 1843 at St. Michael's Church, Crosby. While he was still an infant the family removed to Everton, Liverpool, where he attended the private Crescent School until August 1856; thereafter until 1864 he was junior clerk to Robert Smith, hide merchant, of Redcross Street, Liverpool.

He worked as a clerk, and had poetry published in the Liverpool Mercury; taught himself shorthand. Worked for the Shrewsbury Chronicle as chief reporter (1864),Bi-centenary souvenir.Shrewsbury's local Observer, and the Shropshire News. Before giving notice to the Chronicle he wrote leader articles for the other Shrewsbury papers which mostly replied to his own leaders in the Chronicle the week before, besides writing 'penny-a-liners' of Shropshire news for London newspapers.

Lucy married on 29 October 1873 Emily Anne (1847–1937), daughter of his old schoolmaster at Liverpool, John White. There were no children of the marriage.

He lived in Paris during 1869, and learned French. After returning to England he wrote for Pall Mall Gazette from 1870, and Parliamentary reporter for Daily News from 1873. He stayed with the Liberal newspaper for which he was promoted the editor: and Parliamentary sketch writer for Punch from 1881. Used the nom-de-plume "Toby, M.P." from 1881 to 1916. Wrote the weekly column "The Essence of Parliament" in Punch magazine for 35 years. When not writing under one of his pseudonyms, he was usually styled Henry W. Lucy.

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