author
Richard Penn
1784–1863
A British colonial official with a wide range of interests, he wrote practical, lively books on country sports and everyday pursuits. His work is best remembered for mixing instruction with observation, giving modern readers a glimpse of Victorian habits and hobbies.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in 1784, he was an English official in the Colonial Office and the younger son of Richard Penn, a Member of Parliament. Alongside his public career, he built a reputation as a writer, and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1824.
His books show an unusually broad curiosity. He wrote on angling, shooting, and chess, often in a practical, conversational style that suggests he wanted to be useful as much as learned. Maxims and Hints on Angling, Chess, Shooting, and Other Matters is a good example of the range that made his work distinctive.
He died unmarried at Richmond, Surrey, in 1863. Though not among the most famous writers of his century, his books still appeal to readers interested in sporting life, recreation, and the everyday culture of nineteenth-century Britain.