William Henry Hurlbert

Identity:

William Henry Hurlbert was a journalist, editor and author. He married Katherine P. Tracy in 1884.

Life:

Hurlbert was an American author and editor in chief of the New York World, 1876-83. During the American Civil War, he was known for his anti-slavery views and arrested and imprisoned in Richmond, VA in 1861. A long-term resident in London, he lived at 121 Queen's Gate, S.W. in 1887, and 12 Southwell Gardens, Cromwell Road, S.W. in 1888. Swinburne wrote an appreciation of Hurlbert's review of his work in the New York World, 27 November 1865. Hurlbert smoothed the way for the SBA to become a 'Royal' society, with a Memorial to Queen Victoria (see #05973) after Whistler sent a specially bound copy of 'Naval Review set', 1887 (K. 316-331) ec0007 to her in August 1887. Whistler also gave Mrs Hurlbert a copy of the Naval Review in November 1887. Whistler flattered Hurlbert's diplomatic abilities: 'who so cunning council as yourself & to whom all councils are open - and who hold all the situations of Europe & America in the palm of your hand!' (#02209). They became on ever more friendly terms (see #02234), and Hurlbert was involved with the first American publication of the Ten O'clock Lecture. He also wrote a rude ditty about Stott of Oldham in 1889, in support of Whistler (#02235).

His publications include Ireland under Coercion (1888) and England under Coercion (1893).

Bibliography:

Who was Who in America 1607-1896, Chicago, 1962-63; Holland, Merlin, and Rupert Hart-Davis (eds), The Complete Letters of Oscar Wilde, London, 2000 ; Lang, Cecil Y. (ed.), The Swinburne Letters, 6 vols, New Haven, 1959-1962 , p. 136.