Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Sergeant, Lewis
SERGEANT, LEWIS (1841–1902), journalist and author, son of John Sergeant, who was at one time a schoolmaster at Cheltenham, by his wife Mary Anne, daughter of George Lewis, was born at Barrow-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, on 10 Nov. 1841. Adeline Sergeant [q. v. Suppl. II.] was Lewis's first cousin, being daughter of Richard Sergeant, his father's brother.
Lewis, after education under a private tutor, matriculated at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, in 1861, graduating B.A. with mathematical honours in 1865. At the union he distinguished himself as an ardent liberal and supporter of Mr. Gladstone. On leaving college, after a period as assistant master under Dr. Hayman at Cheltenham grammar school, he took to journalism, becoming editor, in succesion, of 'An anti-Game Law Journal,' of the 'Examiner,' and of the 'Hereford Times.' He was afterwards long connected with the 'Athenæum' and with the London 'Daily Chronicle' as leader writer. He became meanwhile a recognised authority on education, was elected to the council of the College of Preceptors, and edited the 'Educational Times' from 1895 to 1902.
Deeply interested in modern Greece, he worked zealously in Greek interests. From 1878 onwards he acted as hon. secretary of the Greek committee in London. He published 'New Greece' in the same year (republished 1879), and ’Greece' in 1880. There followed 'Greece in the Nineteenth Century: a Record of Hellenic Emancipation and Progress, 1821–1897,' with illustrations, in 1897. King George of Greece bestowed on him the Order of the Redeemer in October 1878.
Sergeant's historical writings covered a wide ground, and include:
- 'England's Policy: its Traditions and Problems,' Edinburgh, 1881.
- 'William Pitt,' in 'English Political Leaders ' series, 1882.
- 'John Wyclif,' in 'Heroes of the Nations' series, 1893.
- 'The Franks' in 'Story of the Nations' series, 1898.
He also wrote a volume of verse; a novel, ’The Caprice of Julia' (1898); and other fiction pseudonymously. Sergeant died at Bournemouth on 3 Feb. 1902. He married on 12 April 1871 Emma Louisa, daughter of James Robertson of Cheltenham, and left, with other children, an elder son, Philip Walsingham Sergeant, author of historical biographies.
[The Times, 4 Feb. 1902; Athenæum, 8 Feb. 1902; Sphere (with portrait), 8 Feb. 1902; Who's Who, 1901; Hatton's Journalistic London, 1882; private information.]