Charles mackay biography

Charles Mackay, the son of a navy lieutenant was born in Scotland in 1814. His mother died when he was young and so he was brought up by foster parents.

At the age of sixteen he was employed as the private secretary to William Cockerill, an ironmaster based in Belgium.

In his spare-time he wrote articles for the local newspaper.

Mackay returned to Britain in 1832 and for the next three years contributed to several newspapers. In 1835 he obtained his first permanent post in journalism when he was appointed as an assistant to George Hogarth, the sub-editor of the Morning Chronicle.

Poet charles mackay biography

Other journalists working for the newspaper at the time included Charles Dickens and William Hazlitt. Mackay eventually was promoted to the post of assistant editor.

In 1844 Mackay left the Morning Chronicle and became editor of the Glasgow Argus.

While in Scotland he also contributed articles and poetry to the Daily News, a newspaper established by Charles Dickens in 1846.