Search the Collection

Joseph Jekyll

(1754-1837), Wit, Solicitor-General to the Prince of Wales and politician; MP for Calne

Regency Portraits Catalogue Entry

Sitter associated with 16 portraits
Jekyll practised law on the western circuit, and wrote comic pieces for Whig newspapers, in particular, the Morning Chronicle and the Evening Statesman. Jekyll entered Parliament as an MP in 1787. He served as Solicitor General and Master in Chancery, but was chiefly remembered for an embarrassing incident in 1798 in which he told the House that an expedition to Ostend had failed. In fact, it was a success as he was forced to acknowledge the following day. He was satirised by James Gillray for this faux pas, in a cartoon that named him 'the little second-sighted lawyer'. Jekyll is best remembered today for writing The Life of Ignatius Sancho, the biography of a black slave.

 Like voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Make a donation Close

List Thumbnail

Joseph Jekyll, by William Daniell, after  George Dance - NPG D12205

Joseph Jekyll

by William Daniell, after George Dance
soft-ground etching, (1796)
NPG D12205

'Nelson's Victory; - or - good-news operating upon loyal-feelings', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12659

'Nelson's Victory; - or - good-news operating upon loyal-feelings'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 3 October 1798
NPG D12659

'Harpyes defiling the feast' (George Tierney; George Shuckburgh; Joseph Jekyll), by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12688

'Harpyes defiling the feast' (George Tierney; George Shuckburgh; Joseph Jekyll)

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 7 May 1799
NPG D12688

'Exhibition of a democratic-transparency, - with its effect upon patriotic feelings', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D13096

'Exhibition of a democratic-transparency, - with its effect upon patriotic feelings'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 15 April 1799
NPG D13096

'Integrity retiring from office!', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12756

'Integrity retiring from office!'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching and aquatint, published 24 February 1801
NPG D12756

'Political dreamings! - Visions of peace! - Perspective horrors!', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12769

'Political dreamings! - Visions of peace! - Perspective horrors!'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 9 November 1801
NPG D12769

House of Commons, 1730, by Anthony Fogg, published by  Edward Harding, after  William Hogarth, and after  Sir James Thornhill - NPG D39372

House of Commons, 1730

by Anthony Fogg, published by Edward Harding, after William Hogarth, and after Sir James Thornhill
stipple engraving, published 1 November 1803
NPG D39372

House of Commons, 1730, by Anthony Fogg, published by  Edward Harding, after  William Hogarth, and after  Sir James Thornhill - NPG D14174

House of Commons, 1730

by Anthony Fogg, published by Edward Harding, after William Hogarth, and after Sir James Thornhill
stipple engraving, published 1 November 1803
NPG D14174

'The wounded lion', by James Gillray, published by  Hannah Humphrey - NPG D12847

'The wounded lion'

by James Gillray, published by Hannah Humphrey
hand-coloured etching, published 16 July 1805
NPG D12847

Joseph Jekyll, by William Say, after  Sir Thomas Lawrence - NPG D36499

Joseph Jekyll

by William Say, after Sir Thomas Lawrence
mezzotint, published 1818 (circa 1816-1817)
NPG D36499

House of Commons, 1730, after William Hogarth, and after  Sir James Thornhill - NPG D39373

House of Commons, 1730

after William Hogarth, and after Sir James Thornhill
photographic print, early 20th century (1730)
NPG D39373

House of Commons, 1730, after William Hogarth, and after  Sir James Thornhill - NPG D40331

House of Commons, 1730

after William Hogarth, and after Sir James Thornhill
photographic print, early 20th century (1730)
NPG D40331

Comments back to top

We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.

If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.