Surtees 2

ROBERT SURTEES (1803 - 1864)

Surtees attended school in Ovingham and Durham before being articled in 1822 to Robert Purvis, a solicitor in Market Street, Newcastle. At that time, Market Street was next to the Old Theatre Royal and is now submerged by Grey Street.

He left for London 'in the genial spring of 1825' by the old Highflyer coach at eight in the morning from Newcastle, having risen at Hamsterley Hall between five and six. Surtees had intended to practise law in the capital but had difficulty making his way, and began contributing to the Sporting Magazine. He launched out on his own with the New Sporting Magazine in 1831, contributing the comic papers which appeared as Jorrocks' Jaunts and Jollities in 1838. Jorrocks, the sporting cockney grocer, with his vulgarity and good-natured artfulness, was a great success with the public, and Surtees produced more Jorrocks novels in the same vein, notably Handley Cross and Hillingdon Hall, where the description of the house is very reminiscent of Hamsterley. Another hero, Soapey Sponge, appears in Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour, possibly Surtees best work. All Surtees' novels were composed at Hamsterley Hall, where he wrote standing up at a desk, like Victor Hugo.

In 1835, Surtees abandoned his legal practice and after inheriting Hamsterley Hall in 1838, devoted himself to hunting and shooting, meanwhile writing anonymously for his own pleasure. He was a friend and admirer of the great hunting man Ralph Lambton, who had his headquarters at Sedgefield, the 'Melton of the North'. On 23 February 1815, while Byron (q.v.) was moping and grumbling at Seaham a few miles away, 'Mr Ralph Lambton was out with some gentlemen from Sedgefield, and a most immense field,' as Lord Darlington writes. Surtees became Lord High Sheriff of Durham in 1856. He died in Brighton in 1864 and was buried in Ebchester church.

Though Surtees did not set his novels in any readily identifiable locality, he uses North east place-names like Sheepwash, Howell (How) Burn, and Winford Rig. His memorable Geordie, James Pigg in Handley Cross is based on Joe Kirk, a Slaley huntsman. The famous incident, illustrated by Leech, when Pigg jumps into the melon frame was inspired by a similar episode involving Joe Kirk in Corbridge. Pigg's portrayal bespeaks a knowledge of North east speech and manners which will raise a smile:

' Vere d'ye come from?'
'Canny Newcassel', replied Pigg. 'Ar's a native of Paradise aside Cannynewcassel -ye'll ken Cannynewcassel, nae doubt,' observed he, running the words together... 'Ye see, John Pigg willed away arl wore brass to the Formory, ye see and left me wi' fairly nout. Gin ye gan to the Newcastle Formory, ye'll see arle aboot it, in great goud letters, clagged against the walls'

As a creator of comic personalities, Surtees is still very readable today. Thackeray envied him his powers of observation, while William Morris considered him 'a master of life' and ranked him with Dickens. The novels are engaging and vigorous, and abound with sharp social observation, with a keener eye than Dickens for the natural world. Perhaps Surtees most resembles the Dickens of Pickwick Papers, which, we recall, was originally intended as mere supporting matter for a series of sporting illustrations to rival Jorrocks.

Myers Literary Guide:	The North-East
ROBERT SURTEES (1803 - 1864) Surtees attended school in Ovingham and Durham before being articled in 1822 to Robert Purvis, a solicitor in Market Street, Newcastle. At that time, Market Street was next to the Old Theatre Royal and is now submerged by Grey Street. He left for London 'in the genial spring of 1825' by the old Highflyer coach at eight in the morning from Newcastle, having risen at Hamsterley Hall between five and six. Surtees had intended to practise law in the capital but had difficulty making his way, and began contributing to the Sporting Magazine. He launched out on his own with the New Sporting Magazine in 1831, contributing the comic papers which appeared as Jorrocks' Jaunts and Jollities in 1838. Jorrocks, the sporting cockney grocer, with his vulgarity and good-natured artfulness, was a great success with the public, and Surtees produced more Jorrocks novels in the same vein, notably Handley Cross and Hillingdon Hall, where the description of the house is very reminiscent of Hamsterley. Another hero, Soapey Sponge, appears in Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour, possibly Surtees best work. All Surtees' novels were composed at Hamsterley Hall, where he wrote standing up at a desk, like Victor Hugo. In 1835, Surtees abandoned his legal practice and after inheriting Hamsterley Hall in 1838, devoted himself to hunting and shooting, meanwhile writing anonymously for his own pleasure. He was a friend and admirer of the great hunting man Ralph Lambton, who had his headquarters at Sedgefield, the 'Melton of the North'. On 23 February 1815, while Byron (q.v.) was moping and grumbling at Seaham a few miles away, 'Mr Ralph Lambton was out with some gentlemen from Sedgefield, and a most immense field,' as Lord Darlington writes. Surtees became Lord High Sheriff of Durham in 1856. He died in Brighton in 1864 and was buried in Ebchester church. Though Surtees did not set his novels in any readily identifiable locality, he uses North east place-names like Sheepwash, Howell (How) Burn, and Winford Rig. His memorable Geordie, James Pigg in Handley Cross is based on Joe Kirk, a Slaley huntsman. The famous incident, illustrated by Leech, when Pigg jumps into the melon frame was inspired by a similar episode involving Joe Kirk in Corbridge. Pigg's portrayal bespeaks a knowledge of North east speech and manners which will raise a smile: ' Vere d'ye come from?' 'Canny Newcassel', replied Pigg. 'Ar's a native of Paradise aside Cannynewcassel -ye'll ken Cannynewcassel, nae doubt,' observed he, running the words together... 'Ye see, John Pigg willed away arl wore brass to the Formory, ye see and left me wi' fairly nout. Gin ye gan to the Newcastle Formory, ye'll see arle aboot it, in great goud letters, clagged against the walls' As a creator of comic personalities, Surtees is still very readable today. Thackeray envied him his powers of observation, while William Morris considered him 'a master of life' and ranked him with Dickens. The novels are engaging and vigorous, and abound with sharp social observation, with a keener eye than Dickens for the natural world. Perhaps Surtees most resembles the Dickens of Pickwick Papers, which, we recall, was originally intended as mere supporting matter for a series of sporting illustrations to rival Jorrocks.
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