Charles Whitehead

Born in London in 1804, he was the eldest son of a wine merchant and began working as a clerk before turning to literature. He became known as an English poet, novelist, and dramatist, building a career in the busy magazine and publishing world of the 1830s and 1840s.

His early poem The Solitary helped establish his reputation, and he went on to write fiction including Richard Savage and The Autobiography of Jack Ketch. He also contributed to periodicals and worked across several forms, which gives his writing a mix of energy, sentiment, and theatrical flair.

Whitehead died on July 5, 1862. Although he is not as widely read now as some of his contemporaries, he remains an interesting figure for listeners who enjoy rediscovering the broad, adventurous world of nineteenth-century English literature.