Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/St. John, Horace Stebbing Roscoe

by George Clement Boase

ST. JOHN, HORACE STEBBING ROSCOE (1832–1888), journalist, youngest son of James Augustus St. John [q. v.], was born in Normandy in 1832 and educated under his father. He began his journalistic career as a boy, and while ‘in a round jacket and turn-down collar’ wrote a leading article for the ‘Sunday Times.’ With his brothers Bayle and Percy Bolingbroke St. John, both of whom are separately noticed, he edited in 1854 ‘Utopia: a political, literary, and industrial journal,’ which only ran to six numbers. For many years he was a leader-writer on political topics on the ‘Daily Telegraph,’ and frequently acted as special correspondent of the ‘Times,’ the ‘Standard,’ and other newspapers. During 1862 and 1863 he was a contributor to the ‘Athenæum,’ to the ‘Seven Days' Journal,’ and to the ‘Leader.’ Falling into pecuniary difficulties, he was, on his own petition, made a bankrupt on 9 Jan. 1862, and received a conditional order of discharge on 11 April 1862. He died at 49 Sydenham Place, Anerley, Surrey, on 29 Feb. 1888.

He was the author of:

1. ‘A Life of Christopher Columbus,’ 1850.
2. ‘History of the British Conquests in India,’ 1852, 2 vols.
3. ‘The Indian Archipelago: its History and Present State,’ 1853, 2 vols.

His wife, a daughter of Thomas Roscoe [q. v.], was author of:

1. ‘Audubon the Naturalist in the New World: his Adventures and Discoveries,’ 1856; new edit., revised, Boston, 1856.
2. ‘Englishwomen and the Age,’ 1860.
3. ‘Masaniello of Naples: the Record of a Nine Days' Revolution,’ 1865.
4. ‘The Court of Anna Carafa: an historical narrative,’ 1872.

[Allibone's Dictionary, 1871, ii. 913; Athenæum, 10 March 1888, p. 310; Times, 8 March 1888, p. 7; Sala's Life and Adventures, i. 397–398.]

G. C. B.