Walker, Thomas, prob. I Mr. Walker l, 1822–1898, journalist. Attended school from age six to ten; apprenticed to carpenter. Determined to become journalist. Learned shorthand; educated himself by reading and study; received some instruction in languages from Gustave Strauss (Reminiscences of an Old Bohemian, pp. 277–78); learned German in order to read Kant in the original. Reporter for Medical Times; contributed to Eliza Cook's Journal and Daily News. Obtained subordinate post on staff of Daily News; in 1851 became foreign and general subeditor; editor, 1858–69. Thereafter editor of London Gazette. Devoted his later years to philanthropic work.

      A memorandum in the Office Book states that "German Advertisements" [II, 33–35. Oct. 5, 1850] was written by Wills, with Murray furnishing the "idea & some ads" and Walker furnishing "the other ads." Thomas Walker, at the time that the item appeared in H.W., was working for the Daily News under the foreign subeditor J. A. Crowe. His work, stated Walker, was to translate and condense news from European and South American journals. Crowe (Reminiscences, p. 72) specifically mentioned Walker's work as translating material from German periodicals.
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Author: Anne Lohrli; © University of Toronto Press, 1971

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography