author
Alexander Somerville
1811–1885
A self-taught working-class writer who turned hard experience into vivid memoir and sharp political journalism, he is best remembered for writing with unusual honesty about labor, poverty, and reform in 19th-century Britain and Canada.
1 Audiobook
Narrative of the Fenian invasion of Canada
by Alexander Somerville
About the author
Born in Oldhamstocks, Scotland, in 1811, Alexander Somerville worked from a young age in demanding manual jobs before becoming a soldier, journalist, and author. That background gave his writing its direct, grounded voice and helped make him an important witness to the lives of ordinary working people.
He is especially known for The Autobiography of a Working Man, a lively account of his early life that draws on his experiences as a farm worker, laborer, and soldier. Sources also describe him as a radical journalist, and his career connected him with major reform debates of his time, including public questions around labor and free trade.
Later in life, Somerville settled in Canada, where he continued his literary and journalistic work. He died in Toronto in 1885. A suitable verified portrait image was not clearly available from the sources checked, so no profile image is included.