At age 21, William Makepeace Thackeray was given access to his inheritance from his father however he wasted the majority of it on gambling and funding two newspapers which failed. [1]
On 23 December 1863, after returning from dining out and before dressing for bed, William Makepeace Thackeray suffered a stroke and was found dead in his bed the following morning.
Thackeray was a pleasant and modest man who was fond of good food and wine and openly took pleasure in the society that he portrayed so critically in his novels. A British novelist, author and illustrator, he is best known for his satirical works, particularly his novels, Vanity Fair (1848), and The Luck of Barry Lyndon (1844).
Born in India in July 1811, Thackeray was raised in England from the age of five. As a young man, he squandered an inheritance before marrying Isabella Shawe in 1836 and becoming the father of three daughters. He turned to journalism to earn a living writing satirical columns, art criticism and short fictional pieces. In the 1840s he started to make his name as a writer and Vanity Fair established his reputation.
Due to his indolence and gluttony, Thackeray’s health began to worsen by the time he was 40. He lost much of his creative impetus and described his chief activities as “guttling and gorging.” His death at the age of 52 was unexpected and shocked his family, friends, and the public.
An estimated 7,000 people attended his funeral at Kensington Gardens. He was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery, and a memorial bust sculpted by Marochetti is in Westminster Abbey.
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