Author: Hervey, Thomas Kibble
Biography:
HERVEY, Thomas Kibble (1799-1859: ODNB)
A journalist and poet, his surname was originally spelled Hervie. He was born on 4 Feb. 1799 at Paisley, Renfrewshire, to James Hervie, a drysalter, and Isobella (Kibble) Hervie, and attended Manchester Free Grammar School. He was articled to firms of solicitors in Manchester and London before reading law at Trinity College, Cambridge (1818-20) where he met Edward Lytton Bulwer (q.v.) who later supported Hervey's application to the RLF. Although his knowledge of Australia was limited to reading newspaper reports, his Australia, composed as a prize poem, proved so popular that Hervey decided to abandon his degree for a London literary life. For at least a time, he did not fare well financially and was imprisoned several times for debt. With the support of William Jerdan (q.v.) and others, he applied to the RLF in 1834, 1838, and 1854; he was awarded a total of £65. He edited and contributed to various literary annuals and contributed prolifically to The Athenaeum before being appointed editor. Sales of the periodical increased during his editorship (1846-53) but Hervey’s own reviews were considered to be heavy on praise and light on criticism. An account of his life by his brother, Robert Hervey, included with the “Memoir” in The Poems of T. K. Hervey (1866) suggests that he was spoiled by early success and became incapable of hard work and sustained application. This may be overly harsh: Hervey suffered from asthma and eventually died of the disease at London on 27 Feb. 1859. His wife, Eleanor Louisa Montagu, whom he had married on 17 Oct 1843, completed the work of editing and publishing his collected poems. He was also survived by one son, Frederick Robert James Hervey. (ODNB 18 Mar. 2019; Poems of T. K. Hervey [1866]; RLF file 793) SR
Other Names:
- T. K. Hervey
- Thomas K. Hervey