Talbot Baines Reed
Talbot Baines Reed was an English author born on April 3, 1852, in Hackney, to a family deeply involved in social reform and charity. After studying at Priory House School and the City of London School, he took over the family typefounding business, Sir Charles Reed & Sons Ltd., eventually becoming its managing director. Reed's literary contributions began in the mid-1870s, focusing on fiction for boys, often set in school environments and emphasizing sports. Notably, his story "My First Football Match" was featured in the inaugural issue of the Boy's Own Paper in 1879, leading to a series of popular works including "The Adventures of a Three Guinea Watch" and the "Boys of English History." His writing received acclaim for its realistic portrayal of boyhood experiences and school life, influencing later authors in the genre. Reed was also active in bibliographic and historical societies, and he was recognized for his contributions to literature and education. He passed away from tuberculosis on November 28, 1893, but his works continued to resonate, remaining in print into the 1950s.
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Talbot Baines Reed
Writer
- Born: April 3, 1852
- Birthplace: Hackney, England
- Died: November 28, 1893
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
Talbot Baines Reed was born on April 3, 1852, in Hackney, England, to Sir Charles Reed and Margaret Baines Reed. His father owned a typefounding company, was a member of Parliament, and chaired the London school board. Reed and his four brothers grew up in a family which emphasized social reforms, charity, and the Congregational church. Called Tibi by family and friends, Reed studied at Priory House School in Clapton, and then started day courses at the City of London School in 1864, excelling at athletics, particularly football and cricket. When he was seventeen years old, Reed rescued his drowning cousin, an act that earned him the Royal Humane Society’s medal.
After completing his studies in 1868, Reed started working at Sir Charles Reed & Sons Ltd. and ultimately became its managing director after 1881. On June 15, 1876, Reed married Elizabeth Jane Greer, an Ireland native whose father had served as Londonderry’s parliamentary representative. The couple had two daughters and two sons and lived in London. Throughout his life, Reed continued his family’s altruistic and religious endeavors, serving as a church deacon. In 1892, Reed helped establish the Bibliographical Society and served as its secretary. The Society of Antiquaries named Reed a fellow in 1893. Reed’s intense working habits weakened him. He died at home from tuberculosis on November 28, 1893.
Interested in writing, by the mid 1870’s Reed created fiction, often set at schools and highlighting sports, primarily for boy readers. Initially, he contributed stories to Morning of Life, a periodical. George Andrew Hutchison, editor of the Religious Tract Society’s Boy’s Own Paper, invited Reed to write a story for that periodical’s premiere issue. Reed’s tale, “My First Football Match,” attributed to “An Old Boy,” was featured in the January 18, 1879, issue. Starting with The Adventures of a Three Guinea Watch in 1880 and 1881, Reed’s work was serialized in Boy’s Own Paper, and then distributed in individual volumes. In addition to his Parkhurst School stories, Reed also wrote the series Boys of English History and covered university boat races for Boy’s Own Paper. His widow gave many of Reed’s copyrights to the Religious Tract Society to permit reprinting. The society published two anthologies of Reed’s short stories after his death.
Reed traveled often to Ireland which inspired two of his novels, Kilgorman and Sir Ludar. He contributed weekly columns to the Leeds Mercury. Intrigued by the history of English printing, Reed researched and wrote a book addressing that topic and delivered speeches discussing printers to groups.
Critics considered Reed’s writing didactic yet described his dialogue and characterization as believable, emphasizing how Reed’s memories and comprehension of boyhood and sports enhanced his stories. Scholars praised Reed’s truthful depiction of boarding situations at English public schools. They regarded Reed’s stories as more appealing and realistic than those of other school fiction authors, including Thomas Hughes. Reed’s novels were enduring, being printed into the 1950’s. His writing inspired other authors contributing to the school genre.