Biography
Douglas William Jerrold (1803–1857) was a prolific English dramatist and journalist, celebrated for his wit, keen social commentary, and vivid storytelling. Born in London into a theatrical family, Jerrold's literary genius blossomed early, but it was his varied experiences that shaped his voice.
In his youth, Jerrold spent time aboard naval vessels, serving as a midshipman under the command of Charles Austen, the younger brother of renowned novelist Jane Austen. At the age of 10, Douglas went to sea on 22nd December 1813, joining the guardship, Namur as volunteer of the first class, under the captaincy of Charles Austen, Jane's brother. He had been a patron of Samuel's Southend Theatre. After Napoleon's escape from Elba, Douglas was drafted onto the Ernest, which was used to return injured troops after the Battle of Waterloo. This affected Douglas significantly and he realised he was not cut out for naval life and he returned home on 21st October 1815. This formative period at sea informed his nautical dramas, lending authenticity to his vivid depictions of maritime life.
Jerrold later worked as editor of the Sheerness Times while residing in Sheerness, a naval dockyard town on the Isle of Sheppey. This experience deepened his understanding of working-class and naval communities.
His editorial career continued with his stewardship of important Victorian newspapers such as The Era and The Sun, where his sharp wit and social criticism found wider audiences.
In 1836, Douglas went into partnership with his brother-in-law, William John Hammond, in taking over the lease of the New Strand Theatre (see under William John Hammond). Later that year, he became involved with Thackeray and Laman Blanchard in starting a new radical newspaper. It would seem that he was involved in the start-up of several papers and magazines.
In 1837, Charles Dickens visited Douglas in Chelsea, thus starting their close friendship. They both had similar political and socialist views. Together with Thackeray, they were seen by contemporary readers and critics as forming the supreme triad of English comic and satiric writing. Dickens and Douglas were a little uneasy with Thackeray, however, possibly due to his having been born ‘a gentleman’. Dickens described his first meeting:
“I remember very well that when I first saw him….when I went into his sick room….and found him propped up in a great chair, bright-eyed, and quick, and eager in spirit, but very lame in body; he gave me an impression of tenderness. It never became dissociated from him. There was nothing cynical or sour in his heart, as I knew it.”
Jerrold was also a founding contributor to the satirical magazine Punch, where his observations and essays played a major role in shaping Victorian satire. His works deftly combined humor and pathos, often championing the common man against societal injustices, and capturing the spirit of his age with both affection and critique.
Jerrold and Dickens shared the same general outlook on life but were to fall out in November 1849 over the issue of public hanging. Douglas was passionately opposed to capital punishment in any form but Dickens was prepared to compromise by opposing only public executions. This was to lead to a temporary estrangement between the two friends. They were friends again by 1855 after Douglas pleaded for an end to hostilities.
His relationship with Thackeray was more complex with differences in temperament and social background, artistic beliefs and outlook on life. Wilkie Collins was also a friend of Douglas describing him as ‘one of the dearest of my literary friends’.
Jerrold's legacy endures in his memorable plays, essays, and poems, which remain valuable windows into 19th-century British culture and the lives of its people.
