by Samuel Laurence
chalk, circa 1845
NPG 4263
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Damian Boyd-Otley
12 February 2019, 10:28
James Kenney, 1780-1849, is my great-great-great-grandfather.
James was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1780. He was the son of another James Kenney (circa 1760-1800) who was the manager and co-founder of Boodle's Club in St James's Street London. James Kenney, of the portrait, began his working life at the banking house of HERRIES, FARQUAR & Co. It was at this time that his 'poetical and playwright' careers began to take shape. James invented the verb 'To Diddle'. James is recognised as such by the OXFORD DICTIONARY; this came from the character 'Jeremy Diddler' a main character in the farce 'Raising the Wind,' produced at Covent Garden on 5.X.1803. James married Louisa, widow of Thomas Holcroft. Louisa was the daughter of Louis Sebastian Mercier - the French writer and 'father' of science-fiction. When James died in poverty in 1849, Louisa was granted a civil list pension by Queen Victoria of 40 pounds per annum.