Author: James, George Payne Rainsford
Biography:
JAMES, George Payne Rainsford (1801-1860: ODNB)
A prolific and exceptionally popular author of historical novels (now entirely overlooked), James was born on 9 Aug. 1801 in George Street, Hanover Square, the son of a physician, Pinkston James, and his wife, Jean Churnside. He was educated at the Rev. William Carmalt’s school in Putney. In Dec. 1813, he entered the army as second lieutenant. On 3 Dec. 1828 at St George, Hanover Square, he married Frances Thomas (1800-1891), the third daughter of Honoratus Leigh Thomas, a surgeon, of Leicester Place, and his wife Ann (Cruikshank) Thomas. There were four children by the marriage. From his first publication in 1832 to the time of his death he produced approximately one novel every nine months, a total of over 90 books. In May 1837 he was appointed historiographer royal to William IV. In 1850, he was ruined when he lost a suit brought against him by an engraver of his collected works. He then emigrated to the United States, in July 1850, where he lived for the next eight years. In Oct 1852, he was appointed British Consul to Norfolk, Virginia. His house was attacked when he defended slaves that had been kidnapped from the West Indies. In July 1858, when he was appointed Consul General for the Coast of the Adriatic, he and his family moved to Venice, Italy. There he died on 9 June 1860. His body, originally entombed in Venice, was moved to the island of San Michele. James was the acquaintance of many notables, Lord Byron, Thomas Campbell, Allan Cunningham, Leigh Hunt (qq.v.), the Dukes of Northumberland and Wellington, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Washington Irving, and many others. His close friend Walter Savage Landor (q.v.) wrote the epitaph on his monument: “His merits as a writer are known wherever the English language is.” Despite the income he earned from his civil appointments and the £500 or more he received for each of his novels, he habitually struggled to match his expenses and income. Upon his death, a creditor obtained the entirety of his estate, valued at probate under £800. (ODNB 15 June 2023; A. H. Joline, George Payne Rainsford James [1906]; S. M. Ellis, The Solitary Horseman; or the Life and Adventures of G. P. R. James [1927]; E. Nash, Uncensored Recollections [1924]) JC
Other Names:
- G. P. R. James