_i_, 136–55 (1882) _portrait_; _Maclise portrait gallery_ (1883)
256–62, _portrait_; _J. H. Friswell’s Modern men of letters_
(1870) 257–72; _Illustrated Review_, _ii_, 321–23 (1872)
_portrait_; _Horne’s New spirit of the age_, _ii_, 215–22 (1844).
NOTE.—His novel _Mervyn Clitheroe_ is autobiographical; in
March 1878 he presented a life size portrait of himself,
painted by H. W. Pickersgill, about 1841 to the Chetham
Library Manchester; the best portrait of him is the figure in
the vignette by Cruikshank, which forms the standing title to
monthly editorial gossip in early numbers of Ainsworth’s
magazine. He was caricatured unmercifully by Thackeray in
Punch. His books and the MSS. of 18 of his novels were sold by
Sotheby in London for £463, 21–22 Aug. 1882. He was the author
of upwards of 40 works of fiction.
AIRD, DAVID MITCHELL. Compositor at The Sun newspaper office,
London; started a bimonthly magazine called _The Student_ which
lasted 6 months; edited _The Mirror_ 1843; printed for the
Countess de Brunetiere Tallien the first daily French paper
published in England 1851 which failed; barrister M.T. 11 June
1867; wrote several books under pseudonym of Pamphilius. _d._ 2
Sussex gardens, Hyde park, London 15 June 1876. _Head and Heart
legacy by Pamphilius_ 1861, _portrait_.
AIRD, THOMAS (_2 child of James Aird of Bowden, Roxburghshire,
portioner or farmer who d. aged 86, by Isabella Paisley, she d.
aged 86_) _b._ Bowden 28 Aug. 1802; ed. there, at Melrose and at
Univ. of Edinburgh; edited _Edinburgh Weekly Journal_ 1833;
_Dumfriesshire and Galloway herald_ at Dumfries 1835–63; presided
at Scott centenary at Dumfries 9 Aug. 1871; author of _The old
bachelor in the Scottish village_ 1845; _Poetical works_ 1848, _5
ed._ 1878; contributed poetry and prose to _Blackwood’s Magazine_,
_d._ Dumfries 25 April 1876. _bur._ near Robert Burns in St.
Michael’s churchyard 1 May. _Poetical works of T. Aird with a
memoir by Rev. J. Wallace_, _5 ed._ 1878, _portrait_.
AIREY, RICHARD AIREY, 1 Baron, _b._ Newcastle April 1803; ed. at
Sandhurst; ensign 34 foot 15 March 1821; lieut. col. 10 Feb. 1838
to 12 Feb. 1847 when placed on half pay; military sec. to
commander in chief 1 Oct. 1852 to 17 April 1854; quartermaster
general in the Crimea 1 Sep. 1854 to Nov. 1855; quartermaster
general of the forces 26 Dec. 1855 to 31 Oct. 1865; governor and
commander in chief at Gibraltar 10 Nov. 1856 to 4 Sep. 1870; col.
17 foot 20 July 1860 to 1 May 1868; col. 7 foot 1 May 1868 to
death; adjutant general 1 Oct. 1870 to 31 Oct. 1876; general 9
April 1871; pres. of commission of inquiry into results of new
short service system 1879; K.C.B. 5 July 1855, G.C.B. 13 March
1867; created Baron Airey of Killingworth, Northumberland 29 Nov.