Thomas Bellamy (writer) facts for kids
Thomas Bellamy (1745–1800) was an English writer and businessman. He lived in the 18th century and was known for starting several magazines and writing books.
Life of Thomas Bellamy
Thomas Bellamy was born in Kingston-on-Thames, a town near London. When he was young, he learned to be a hosier, which means he sold socks and stockings. He worked in Newgate Street, London, and later started his own business.
After about 20 years, Bellamy changed careers. He began working in a bookshop in Paternoster Row, a famous street for booksellers in London. However, he left this job after a disagreement.
In 1787, Bellamy decided to start his own magazine called General Magazine and Impartial Review. It was published for a few months. He also tried another magazine called Bellamy's Picturesque Magazine and Literary Museum. This magazine featured pictures of famous people and stories about their lives, but it did not make much money. Later, he created The Monthly Mirror, which focused mostly on plays and actors. He also opened a library where people could borrow books.
When his mother passed away, Thomas Bellamy inherited some property. This allowed him to stop working. Sadly, he became very ill suddenly and died on August 29, 1800, after four days of suffering.
Books and Writings
Thomas Bellamy wrote many different things, including poems, stories, and plays. Some of his poems were written as early as 1763.
Here are some of his works:
- The Benevolent Planters: This was a play performed at the Haymarket Theatre in 1789. It was also printed as a book that same year.
- Sadaski, or the Wandering Penitent: This was a two-volume novel published in 1798.
- Lessons from Life, or Home Scenes: This book offered moral lessons.
- The Beggar Boy: This was a novel in three volumes. It was published in 1801, after Bellamy had died. A friend named Villa-Real Gooch wrote a short story about Bellamy's life for this book.
In 1794, Bellamy gathered many of his moral tales that he had written for the General Magazine. He put them into two books, adding new poems and stories that had not been published before. He also included a story about the life of William Parsons, a famous comedian. These books were called Miscellanies in Prose and Verse. He dedicated them to Charles Dibdin, another writer, though they later had a disagreement.
