author
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.
4 Audiobooks
The Comic History of Rome
by Gilbert Abbott À Beckett
The Comic Almanack, Volume 1 An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities
by William Makepeace Thackeray, Gilbert Abbott À Beckett, Henry Mayhew, Horace Mayhew, Albert Smith
The Comic Almanack, Volume 2 An Ephemeris in Jest and Earnest, Containing Merry Tales, Humerous Poetry, Quips, and Oddities
by William Makepeace Thackeray, Gilbert Abbott À Beckett, Henry Mayhew, Horace Mayhew, Albert Smith
The Comic History of England
by Gilbert Abbott À Beckett
About the author
Born in London in 1811, Gilbert Abbott à Beckett was educated at Westminster School and later called to the bar at Gray’s Inn in 1841. Even while training for the law, he was already writing comic pieces, and he went on to become one of the original staff writers for Punch, contributing to the magazine throughout his life.
He also edited Figaro in London, worked as a journalist for papers including The Times and the Morning Herald, and wrote a large number of plays and light dramatic works. His reputation rests on his wit and versatility: he moved easily between journalism, theater, and comic history, bringing a brisk, entertaining style to each.
À Beckett later served as a metropolitan police magistrate, adding public service to an already busy literary career. He died in 1856, but he remains closely associated with the early Victorian world of satire and humorous writing, especially through his long connection with Punch.