Rogues and Vagabonds: 'The ship was going down—going down in a calm sea''

George Robert Sims was born on the 2nd September 1847 in Kennington, London, the eldest of six children.

His initial forays into literature were humorous pieces in ‘Fun’ magazine and ‘The Referee’, but then he applied his skills and hard work to the plight of the poor and social reform. On these subjects he wrote seriously and extensively though perhaps his ballad ‘Christmas Day in the Workhouse’ is both his best remembered contribution and a scathing introduction of his views.

As well as a number of novels, and a short story collection featuring the female detective Dorcas Dene, he wrote poetry and over 30 plays. In the 1880’s he had the distinction of having 4 plays running simultaneously in London West End. These works brought him substantial revenues though gambling in later life shrank his fortune considerably.

Sims also bred bulldogs, played many sports and enjoyed a large circle of literary and artistic friends. In 1907 one of the causes he championed helped bring into being the Court of Criminal Appeal.

George R Sims died from liver cancer on 4th September 1922 at his home in Regents Park, London. He was 75.

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