author
Charles Kent
1823–1902
A Victorian man of letters who moved easily between journalism, poetry, and biography, he spent decades shaping London newspaper culture while building a steady literary career of his own. His life also linked the worlds of law, politics, and Catholic journalism in 19th-century England.
1 Audiobook
Charles Dickens as a Reader
by Charles Kent
About the author
Born in London in 1823, Charles Kent — whose full name was William Charles Mark Kent — was educated at Prior Park and St. Mary's College, Oscott. He became editor of The Sun in 1845, later bought the paper, and remained closely associated with journalism for much of his life.
Although he studied law and was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1859, he seems to have devoted himself chiefly to writing and editing rather than legal practice. Sources describe him as a poet, biographer, journalist, and miscellaneous writer, and they also note later editorial work on the Weekly Register and the Catholic Standard.
Kent published poetry, essays, sketches, and biographical writing, and he also wrote under the pseudonym Mark Rochester. He died in 1902, leaving behind the profile of a distinctly Victorian literary professional: part newspaperman, part critic, and part poet.