Samuel Laman Blanchard
Samuel Laman Blanchard (15 May 1804 – 15 February 1845) was a British author and journalist. Life. The son of a painter and glazier, he was born at Great Yarmouth. He was educated at St Olave's school, Southwark, and then became clerk to a proctor in Doctors' Commons. At an early age he developed an interest in literature, contributing dramatic sketches to a paper called "Drama". For a short time he belonged to a travelling theatre company, but then became a proof-reader in London, and wrote for the "Monthly Magazine". In 1827 he was made secretary  of the Zoological Society, a post he held for three years. Over-work broke down his strength and, after his wife died in December 1844 of a painful illness, Blanchard entered a depression from which he never recovered. He committed suicide with a razor, and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery. Works. In 1828 he published "Lyric Offerings", dedicated to Charles Lamb. He had a very varied journalistic experience, editing in succession the "Monthly Magazine", the "True Sun", the "Constitutional", the "Court Journal", the "Courier", and "George Cruikshank's Omnibus"; and from 1841 till his death he was connected with  the "Examiner". In 1846 Edward Bulwer-Lytton collected some of his prose-essays under the title "Sketches of Life", to which a memoir of the author was prefixed. His verse was collected in 1876 by William Blanchard Jerrold. Family. His eldest son was Sidney Laman Blanchard, the author of "Yesterday and To-day in India".