Mr Punch's History Of Modern England
Complete 4 Volume Set
By Charles L. Graves
Published by Cassell And Company Ltd: London, New York etc 1921
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Mr. Punch's History of Modern England by Charles L. Graves, published by Cassell and Company Ltd in 1921, is a witty and insightful four-volume chronicle of British social and political life from the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth century, as seen through the pages of Punch magazine. Drawing on decades of satirical cartoons, commentary, and verse, Graves traces the evolution of Victorian and Edwardian society — from the reign of Queen Victoria to the aftermath of World War I — capturing the humour, hypocrisies, and shifting attitudes of the age. With a deft balance of scholarship and levity, he transforms Punch's biting satire into a lively narrative history, illustrating how the magazine both reflected and shaped public opinion on politics, empire, art, and manners.
The work stands as a cultural history as much as a chronicle of events, offering an unparalleled window into Britain's moral and intellectual climate through its humour. Richly illustrated and meticulously annotated, the four-volume set preserves the spirit of Punch while contextualizing its influence on generations of readers. This complete 1921 edition remains a valuable resource for students of British history, lovers of political satire, and collectors of illustrated and literary period histories.
Charles Larcom Graves (1856-1944) was a distinguished English journalist and author, renowned for his wit and literary contributions. Born into an intellectually prosperous family—his father was an Irish bishop, and his brother, Alfred Perceval Graves, was a noted poet and songwriter—he was well-positioned for a life among the literati. Educated at Marlborough and Balliol College, Oxford, Graves went on to carve out a career in the realm of journalism, becoming an editor at the Pall Mall Gazette and later contributing to
Punch
, a revered magazine famed for its humor and satire."
