The Comic Almanack, Volume 1 An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities

Gilbert Abbott À Beckett

1811–1856

A lively Victorian humorist and dramatist, he helped shape the sharp, playful tone of early Punch while also building a career in journalism and law. His writing mixed satire, stagecraft, and a keen eye for public life.

Henry Mayhew

1812–1887

Best known for bringing Victorian London’s streets vividly to life, this pioneering journalist listened closely to the people most writers ignored. His work helped turn everyday lives, hard jobs, and urban poverty into unforgettable social history.

Horace Mayhew

1816–1872

A lively Victorian journalist and humorist, he helped shape the sharp, comic voice of Punch while writing farces, tales, and witty sketches of everyday life. His work carries the brisk, playful energy of 19th-century popular print.

Albert Smith

1816–1860

Best known for lively comic writing and for turning his climb of Mont Blanc into a hugely popular stage entertainment, he brought travel, satire, and showmanship together in a very Victorian way. Trained as a doctor, he left medicine behind for journalism, fiction, and public performance.