OBITUARY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18642, 25 February 1924, Page 7

OBITUARY.

SIR HENRY LUCY. , ; "TOBY, M.P.," OP PUNCH. A. and N.J!. \ LONDON, Feb. 22. Sir Henry Lucy, a journalist famous throughout the English-speaking world as "Toby, M.P.," is dead, aged 79. The late Sir Henry Lucy -was born in 1845. He was first apprenticed to a Liverpool merchant. In 1864 he took up newspaper work, and five years later went to Paris to study literature and languages. In the following year he returned to London, and was associated with a number, of newspapers as Parliamentary writer. Success came to him early, and he became editor of the Daily News, only to resign the following year in order .to return to what was to him more congenial work in the Press Gallery. In 1881 he joined the staff of Punch, creating the character of "Toby, M.P." His work on Punch gained him world-wide fame, and he was knighted in 1909. '

Sir Henry published a number of works, including many dealing with the life and mon of the Parliament of the day. Among these were "A Diary of the Home Rule Parliament," "Faces and' Places," 1895, "Mr. Gladstone, a Study from Life," 1896, "The Miller's Niece." 1896, "Peeps at Parliament," 1903, "Later Peeps at Parliament," 1905, "Memories of Eight Parliaments," 1908, "Sixty Years in the Wilderness," 1909, and second series, 1912, "Nearing Jordan," "The Diary of a Journalist," and "Lords and Commoners," 1921.

Sir Henry Lucy had a keen appreciation of travel. In 1883 and 1884 he made a journey round the world. In later years he visited tho West Indies and the United States.

The late Sir Henry has told how he came to forsake his intended career as a clerk for that of journalism. "I hope it will not lead many young men to imitate my.example in this respect/'. he said, "but it was poetry that I began ,to contribute to one of the Liverpool papers, in the intervals of clerical work. Some of it attracted the attention of Sir Edward (then Mr.) Russell, and when I told him I wished to desert the world of commerce for thai of journalism, he very kindlv gave me''a letter of recommendation with regard to a post for which I -was applying as chief reporter on a Shropshire paper, and I obtained the appointment. ' When I arrived on the scene, I am afraid the proprietor of the paper was somewhat shocked to see such a young-looking ! boy installed as his chief reporter, and I thought I saw a month's notice in his eye, but it did not come." | So far from a dismissal overtaking the young reporter, Mr. Lucy went on with the work, and began contributing articles of a quite weighty character to another paper, and also worked up a kind of news agency for the district, supplying the London papers with news items, which alone brought him in about £500 a year, so that he could be fairly described as having made a good start in the career in which he was destined to \ become celebrated.

After this came the visit to Paris. It was in 1870 that Mr. ■ Lucy returned to London, and two years later, contributed hie a first article to the Daily News concerning the ' Prince Consort's memorial, which had then only just been erected. This first article led to .:; his engagement by Sir John, Robinson. "I first went into the Gallery of the House of Commons," he remarked, "on behalf of the ' Pall Mall Gazette, then under the editorship of Frederick Greenwood. '■ I did this in place of a representative who had fallen iIL" His long and honourable association with' Parliament foSewrecUtt* matter, <A ixms%