Barnard Gregory
Encyclopedia
Barnard Gregory was a British journalist, publisher and actor. He published The Satirist
from 1831 to 1849. He used this paper to publish the scandals of residents of London and often blackmailed his targets. Several articles that were published in the paper led to high profile libel suits. As a result of these cases, he was imprisoned multiple times. Gregory was also a gifted Shakespearian actor, although his acting career was hindered by his poor reputation.
politicians and lamenting the mistreatment of the poor. One topic that it frequently covered was affairs between wealthy men and their female servants.
The paper was often used as a means to blackmail
wealthy individuals. After Gregory identified a scandal, he often notified the individual that he intended to write about. He frequently requested a bribe in return for the suppression of the article, and many people were willing to pay. Although some subjects filed lawsuits against him, the legal system of the time made it difficult for them to force the courts to penalise him.
The Marquis of Blandford
pressed libel charges against him in 1838. He filed the charges after The Satirist ran articles criticising him and his son, the Earl of Sunderland. During the case, Lord Denman
described Gregory as "a trafficker in character".
That year Gregory also became embroiled in a public dispute with Renton Nicholson
. Nicholson was the editor of The Town, a rival publication. The dispute began when The Satirist ran articles critical of the man who printed The Town. Nicholson retaliated with a series of scathing articles directed at Barnard Gregory. Gregory then pressed charges against Nicholson because of the content of the articles. Gregory's attempt to press charges against Nicholson was unsuccessful because he was imprisoned after a failed blackmail attempt. Gregory had attempted to blackmail Sir James Hogg, a Member of Parliament
for Beverly
. The legal husband of Jane Williams
, who had left him for another man, had provided Gregory with the details of her marital status. Though Williams was legally married to John Edward Johnson, she had been living with Thomas Jefferson Hogg
and purported to be his wife. The article that Gregory published incorrectly claimed that the wife of James Hogg was legally married to another man. James Hogg responded by filing a libel suit against Gregory. In February 1839 Gregory was convicted in the court of queen's bench of libel and imprisoned for three months. Although Gregory later learned that Thomas Jefferson Hogg was the intended subject of the scandal, he withheld the information at the request of Leigh Hunt.
. After he arrived in London, Charles received a great deal of negative press in England. The Satirist ran particularly cutting articles about him, one of which alleged that the Duke murdered a young woman. This article provoked the Duke to press charges. The case was first brought to court in November 1841 and the Duke won the case in 1843. Gregory was sentenced to spend six months in Newgate Prison
. They were involved in litigation and appeals for over seven years. After the verdict was affirmed Gregory was briefly a fugitive from justice and the Duke offered a significant reward for his arrest. Gregory was soon apprehended and began his sentence. While he was in prison, Gregory handed over nominal control of his paper to a friend. During his term in Newgate, Gregory and his friends frequently complained that he was being poorly treated and had become ill as a result. In response, Punch
ran an article arguing Gregory and other prisoners in his situation should be released early on health grounds. The Duke also filed suit against the printer of The Satirist. Though he won that suit, he was never able to recover the damages that he was awarded.
characters. His acting career was thwarted by the disdain the public held for him. In February 1843 he was performing as Prince Hamlet
in a production at Covent Garden
when members of the audience began loudly whistling, catcalling and shouting at the stage. The group was led by the Duke of Brunswick, who signalled the crowd to begin their disruption from his private box. Gregory then filed conspiracy charges against the Duke in court. He alleged that the Duke had paid members of the crowd to disrupt the performance. During the trial, Gregory produced witnesses who admitted being paid by the Duke. The Duke's defence was that his actions were justified because of a man of Gregory's character should not be permitted to appear on the stage. His defence was successful and he was found not guilty.
In August 1846 Gregory was able to appear in several performances of Hamlet
before crowds again began to disrupt his appearances. He also successfully appeared in Richard III
at the Strand Theatre
. In addition to acting, he wrote four plays, two of which were performed successfully.
Gregory began suffering from a lung illness in 1849. He died three years later on 24 November 1852, St John's Wood
. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
.
The Satirist
The Satirist, or the Censor of the Times was a controversial 19th century British newspaper which featured reports of scandals involving well known residents of London. It was published by Barnard Gregory, who faced multiple libel charges and was later imprisoned due to its articles...
from 1831 to 1849. He used this paper to publish the scandals of residents of London and often blackmailed his targets. Several articles that were published in the paper led to high profile libel suits. As a result of these cases, he was imprisoned multiple times. Gregory was also a gifted Shakespearian actor, although his acting career was hindered by his poor reputation.
The Satirist
Gregory was born in London in 1796 but did not receive public attention until he was in his thirties. In April 1831 he began publishing a weekly paper known as The Satirist, or the Censor of the Times. The paper focused on reporting scandals about of well known citizens of London. He also founded the Penny Satirist to cover scandals of less notable citizens. The Satirist often covered scandals such as infidelity and cheating in card games. Gregory also wrote editorials criticising ToryTory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
politicians and lamenting the mistreatment of the poor. One topic that it frequently covered was affairs between wealthy men and their female servants.
The paper was often used as a means to blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
wealthy individuals. After Gregory identified a scandal, he often notified the individual that he intended to write about. He frequently requested a bribe in return for the suppression of the article, and many people were willing to pay. Although some subjects filed lawsuits against him, the legal system of the time made it difficult for them to force the courts to penalise him.
Litigation
During the eighteen years that he published The Satirist, Gregory was almost continually engaged in litigation. Though he was skilled in navigating the justice system, he was convicted of libel in 1832 and 1833 and was fined over £300 in damages.The Marquis of Blandford
George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough
George Spencer-Churchill, 5th Duke of Marlborough FSA , styled Marquess of Blandford until 1817, was a British peer and collector of antiquities and books.-Background and education:...
pressed libel charges against him in 1838. He filed the charges after The Satirist ran articles criticising him and his son, the Earl of Sunderland. During the case, Lord Denman
Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman
Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman PC KC was a British lawyer, judge and politician. He served as Lord Chief Justice between 1832 and 1850.-Background and education:Denman was born in London, the son of Dr Thomas Denman...
described Gregory as "a trafficker in character".
That year Gregory also became embroiled in a public dispute with Renton Nicholson
Renton Nicholson
Renton Nicholson was an English impresario, businessman, actor, and writer. He is best known for his Judge and Jury Society performances and for his ownership of the newspaper The Town....
. Nicholson was the editor of The Town, a rival publication. The dispute began when The Satirist ran articles critical of the man who printed The Town. Nicholson retaliated with a series of scathing articles directed at Barnard Gregory. Gregory then pressed charges against Nicholson because of the content of the articles. Gregory's attempt to press charges against Nicholson was unsuccessful because he was imprisoned after a failed blackmail attempt. Gregory had attempted to blackmail Sir James Hogg, a Member of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
for Beverly
Beverley (UK Parliament constituency)
Beverley has been the name of a parliamentary constituency in the East Riding of Yorkshire for three separate periods. From medieval times until 1869, it was a parliamentary borough, consisting solely of the market town of Beverley, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons...
. The legal husband of Jane Williams
Jane Williams
Jane Williams may refer to:*Jane Williams *Jane Williams Subject of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley*Jane Williams , Welsh writer*Jane Williams, Baroness Williams of Elvel...
, who had left him for another man, had provided Gregory with the details of her marital status. Though Williams was legally married to John Edward Johnson, she had been living with Thomas Jefferson Hogg
Thomas Jefferson Hogg
Thomas Jefferson Hogg was a British barrister and writer best known for his friendship with the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Hogg was raised in County Durham, but spent most of his life in London. He and Shelley became friends while studying at University College, Oxford, and remained close...
and purported to be his wife. The article that Gregory published incorrectly claimed that the wife of James Hogg was legally married to another man. James Hogg responded by filing a libel suit against Gregory. In February 1839 Gregory was convicted in the court of queen's bench of libel and imprisoned for three months. Although Gregory later learned that Thomas Jefferson Hogg was the intended subject of the scandal, he withheld the information at the request of Leigh Hunt.
The Duke of Brunswick
Gregory's most well known dispute was with Charles, Duke of Brunswick and LüneburgCharles II, Duke of Brunswick
Charles II , Duke of Brunswick, ruled the Duchy of Brunswick from 1815 until 1830.-Biography:Charles was the eldest son of Frederick William, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
. After he arrived in London, Charles received a great deal of negative press in England. The Satirist ran particularly cutting articles about him, one of which alleged that the Duke murdered a young woman. This article provoked the Duke to press charges. The case was first brought to court in November 1841 and the Duke won the case in 1843. Gregory was sentenced to spend six months in Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison was a prison in London, at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey just inside the City of London. It was originally located at the site of a gate in the Roman London Wall. The gate/prison was rebuilt in the 12th century, and demolished in 1777...
. They were involved in litigation and appeals for over seven years. After the verdict was affirmed Gregory was briefly a fugitive from justice and the Duke offered a significant reward for his arrest. Gregory was soon apprehended and began his sentence. While he was in prison, Gregory handed over nominal control of his paper to a friend. During his term in Newgate, Gregory and his friends frequently complained that he was being poorly treated and had become ill as a result. In response, Punch
Punch (magazine)
Punch, or the London Charivari was a British weekly magazine of humour and satire established in 1841 by Henry Mayhew and engraver Ebenezer Landells. Historically, it was most influential in the 1840s and 50s, when it helped to coin the term "cartoon" in its modern sense as a humorous illustration...
ran an article arguing Gregory and other prisoners in his situation should be released early on health grounds. The Duke also filed suit against the printer of The Satirist. Though he won that suit, he was never able to recover the damages that he was awarded.
Acting
In addition to his literary career, Gregory was a skilled actor and was an expert in the portrayal of ShakespeareanWilliam Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
characters. His acting career was thwarted by the disdain the public held for him. In February 1843 he was performing as Prince Hamlet
Prince Hamlet
Prince Hamlet is a fictional character, the protagonist in Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. He is the Prince of Denmark, nephew to the usurping Claudius and son of the previous King of Denmark, Old Hamlet. Throughout the play he struggles with whether, and how, to avenge the murder of his father, and...
in a production at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
when members of the audience began loudly whistling, catcalling and shouting at the stage. The group was led by the Duke of Brunswick, who signalled the crowd to begin their disruption from his private box. Gregory then filed conspiracy charges against the Duke in court. He alleged that the Duke had paid members of the crowd to disrupt the performance. During the trial, Gregory produced witnesses who admitted being paid by the Duke. The Duke's defence was that his actions were justified because of a man of Gregory's character should not be permitted to appear on the stage. His defence was successful and he was found not guilty.
In August 1846 Gregory was able to appear in several performances of Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
before crowds again began to disrupt his appearances. He also successfully appeared in Richard III
Richard III (play)
Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
at the Strand Theatre
Royal Strand Theatre
The Royal Strand Theatre was located in Strand in the City of Westminster. The theatre was built on the site of a panorama in 1832, and in 1882 was rebuilt by the prolific theatre architect Charles J. Phipps...
. In addition to acting, he wrote four plays, two of which were performed successfully.
Personal life
In March 1847 Gregory married Margaret Thompson. He had previously been married and had a daughter with his first wife. Shortly before his wedding with Margaret, she inherited a large sum of money from an uncle. The combination of her inheritance and his savings made them fairly wealthy. Though he was notorious for the spiteful attacks he published in his paper, Gregory was generally very friendly and polite in his personal life. His friends described him as being amusing and clever. He often hosted well attended dinners at his house.Gregory began suffering from a lung illness in 1849. He died three years later on 24 November 1852, St John's Wood
St John's Wood
St John's Wood is a district of north-west London, England, in the City of Westminster, and at the north-west end of Regent's Park. It is approximately 2.5 miles north-west of Charing Cross. Once part of the Great Middlesex Forest, it was later owned by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem...
. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery
Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in Kensal Green, in the west of London, England. It was immortalised in the lines of G. K. Chesterton's poem The Rolling English Road from his book The Flying Inn: "For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen; Before we go to Paradise by way of...
.