George Mogridge (writer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Mogridge
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| Born | February 17, 1787 Ashted, Birmingham |
| Died | November 2, 1854 (aged 67) Hastings |
| Resting place | All Saints Church, Hastings |
| Pen name | "Old Humphrey" |
| Occupation | Writer, poet and religious tract author |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | English |
| Education | Bromsgrove |
| Spouse |
Elizabeth Bloomer
(m. 1812; died 1822)Mary Ridsdale
(m. 1825) |
| Children | 3 sons, 1 daughter |
George Mogridge (born February 17, 1787 – died November 2, 1854) was a famous writer and poet from the 1800s. He wrote many books for children and also short religious stories called tracts.
He is best known by his pen name, Old Humphrey. Under this name, he published 46 books. He also used other names like "Jeremy Jaunt" and "Peter Parley." George Mogridge wrote about 200 books in total. Many of them are still printed today. When he passed away, people thought over 15 million copies of his writings were being read around the world!
Contents
About George Mogridge
His Early Life
George Mogridge was born in Ashted, Birmingham, on February 17, 1787. His father, Matthias Mogridge, worked for a canal company. George's family was quite religious, which later influenced his writing.
When George was a child, he loved to explore. One day, he explored a building site by himself. He fell into a deep hole and got badly hurt. This accident left a scar on his forehead for the rest of his life.
He first went to a small village school. Later, he attended Boarcote school in Bromsgrove, where he wasn't very happy. He taught himself to swim after seeing someone almost drown. He even used his swimming skills to save another student later on!
At 14, he started learning to be a japanner. This was someone who applied a special varnish to make things shiny. Eventually, he started his own japanning business with his brother in Birmingham.
His Adult Life
In 1812, George married Elizabeth Bloomer. They had two sons and one daughter. Sadly, Elizabeth died in 1822. Three years later, he married Mary Ridsdale, and they had another son. Mary also wrote books and helped edit some of George's works.
In 1826, George's business failed. He then decided to become a full-time writer. It was hard to make enough money from writing at first. He faced money problems and also became very sick in 1828.
He started writing religious pamphlets for a group called the Religious Tract Society. They agreed to give him money to help him through his tough times. Years later, Queen Victoria herself was impressed by poems George wrote about her and her husband, Prince Albert. She even helped contribute to his support!
His writing work for the Religious Tract Society meant he had to move to London. This meant being away from his wife in Birmingham for many months. But with help from friends and readers, he found a home in Kingsland, London. His wife and family soon joined him there.
By 1833, George Mogridge was already a well-known writer. That's when he picked the name "Old Humphrey" for his children's books. These books were for the Religious Tract Society. He wrote 46 books under this name. They aimed to teach children good habits and Christian values. This is why he is best remembered as "Old Humphrey."
His Final Years
In 1851, George Mogridge hurt his ankle. While recovering, he got sick again, which happened often throughout his life. His doctor told him to leave London. So, he moved to a house in Hastings, Sussex. He lived there for the rest of his life and grew to love the town. He even wrote a book called Old Humphrey at Hastings.
He passed away in Hastings on November 2, 1854, with his wife by his side. He asked to be buried near the wall in the graveyard of All Saints' Church in Hastings. His gravestone shows his strong religious beliefs. The Religious Tract Society believed they had sold over 15 million copies of his books worldwide by the time he died. Many of his stories are still in print today.
After he died, his house in Hastings became a small tourist spot. Readers of his books would visit to see the room where "Old Humphrey" had lived. There's a plaque on his house to remember him. A street in the Old Town area, close to his home, was named "Old Humphrey Avenue" in his honor.
Two books about his life were published soon after he died. One was written by his close friend, Charles Williams. The other was supported by The Religious Tract Society.
His Writing Career
George Mogridge started writing poems and short stories for fun when he was still in school. Later, during his training as a japanner, he met Samuel Jackson Pratt. Pratt was a popular poet at the time. Mogridge showed Pratt his writings, and Pratt encouraged him to try publishing them.
"Jeremy Jaunt"
In his free time, Mogridge wrote letters and articles for a newspaper called The Birmingham and Lichfield Chronicle. He used the name "Jeremy Jaunt." These articles were accepted and became a weekly column called "Local Perambulations." At first, they talked about how Birmingham could be improved. Later, they covered bigger topics, like supporting the movement against slavery.
"Thomas Brown"
While in Birmingham, Mogridge worked with a relative to fight against what he saw as bad behavior in the city. They especially disliked "obscene" songs sold on the streets. Mogridge wanted to buy all these songs and destroy them. He also tried to convince the publishers to stop printing them.
When the publishers refused, Mogridge decided to write his own song. It was in the same style as the other songs but had a good, religious message. This led to his first religious story, Thomas Brown. The song told the story of a sad, drunken man who realized his problems were because he didn't go to church on Sundays. Thomas Brown was a huge hit and sold thousands of copies. People even made a living by singing it on the streets of London!
"Old Humphrey"
In 1833, The Religious Tract Society started a weekly magazine called "The Weekly Visitor." They asked Mogridge to write articles on everyday topics in a popular way. Mogridge chose to write these under a new name: "Old Humphrey."
He only meant for "Old Humphrey" to be a pen name. But the articles became very popular. People wanted to know more about "Old Humphrey," and his identity became a big mystery in the newspapers. So, Mogridge started to give "Old Humphrey" a personality. He described him as a kind, elderly gentleman who would help people in need.
The "Old Humphrey" articles were so popular that Mogridge wrote 46 articles and books under that name over 20 years. These included Old Humphrey's Observations and Old Humphrey's Pithy Papers on Singular Subjects. Many of "Old Humphrey's" books were for children. They were often given as prizes at Sunday-Schools.
Other Writings
George Mogridge used many other pen names during his long career. Some were male, like "Uncle Adam" and "Peter Parley." Others were female, like "Aunt Newbury" and "Grandmamma Gilbert." Using the name "Peter Parley" caused a small problem with an American writer, Samuel Griswold Goodrich, who also used that name.
Mogridge also wrote 50 books under his own name. These included The Juvenile Culprits (1829) and The Churchyard Lyricist (1832). He loved to travel and walk. He wrote several travel books based on his trips, such as Wanderings in the Isle of Wight (1846).
