Edward Lanzer Joseph facts for kids

Edward Lanza Joseph (born around 1792, died 1838) was a talented writer from Trinidad. He was a journalist, playwright, and author. He was one of the first poets in British Trinidad to write in English. He also wrote in Trinidadian Creole, which is a local language. Joseph briefly worked as an editor for the Port of Spain Gazette. He also published one of the first books about the history of Trinidad.

Edward Lanza Joseph: A Trinidadian Writer

Early Years

Joseph was born in London to a Jewish family. This was around 1792 or 1793. He learned English and Hebrew. From a young age, he enjoyed writing. He created poetry, plays, essays, and even translated texts.

Moving to Trinidad

In 1815, Joseph left England. He traveled with a group of Londoners. They hoped to join the fight against the Spanish in the South American wars of independence. However, he settled in Trinidad instead. The island's governors warned him against joining the rebels.

In Trinidad, he first worked on plantations. He was an overseer of slaves on sugar, coffee, and cocoa farms. Later, he became a bailiff and collected debts.

His Writing Career

Joseph published his first poem in 1823. It was called "Farewell Address on the Prospect of Leaving Trinidad." At that time, he was thinking about leaving the island.

His poems were often published in the Trinidad Gazette and Port of Spain Gazette. People started calling him the "Bard of Trinidad." This was because he was one of the first English-language poets in the colony.

Famous Books and Poems

Joseph wrote a novel called Warner Arundell: The Adventures of a Creole. It was published in 1838. He also published another important book that year. It was titled History of Trinidad.

Plays and Theatre

While living in Trinidad, Joseph wrote, produced, and translated plays. These plays were performed in Port of Spain. A local group called the Brunswick Amateurs put on his shows.

"Martial Law in Trinidad"

From 1815 onwards, the Governor of Trinidad, Sir Ralph Woodford, declared martial law every year. This meant the military took control. In response, Joseph wrote a musical farce (a funny play) in 1832. It was called "Martial law in Trinidad; a musical farce in two acts."

The play made fun of the annual gathering of militia troops. These troops met every Christmas to prevent a local uprising. The play was special because it showed local dialects very well. It included Trinidadian Creole. It also realistically portrayed the African and Creole groups on the island.