Samuel Derrick - the king of Bath
Biography
Birth: 1724 in Dublin
Death: 1769
Originally an apprentice to a linen-maker he became an actor and playwright, before, in the early 1760s becoming Master of Ceremonies at Bath.
According to some sources, Derrick was the actual author behind the infamous but bestselling publication Harris's List of Covent Garden Ladies.1
Life with James Boswell
Boswell met him during his first stay in London in 1760, and Derrick showed him the shabbier aspects of London "in all its variety of departments, both literary and sportive", (LJ, p. 7) before he was "saved" by Lord Eglinton and introduced to the higher social circles. When they met again, accidentally, on March 27, 1763, Boswell was not at all interested in renewing their friendship, referring (in his journal) to Derrick as "a little blackguard pimping dog".
Notes
Note 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris's_List_of_Covent_Garden_Ladies
Recommended literature
A few books written or compiled by Derrick are available via AbeBooks.
Mentioned in
Samuel Derrick is mentioned in:
- London Journal 1762-1763
