John Walter

Who was John Walter?

John Walter was the son of John Walter, the founder of The Times, and the newspaper's second editor.

He was educated at Merchant Taylors' School and Trinity College, Oxford. About 1798 he was associated with his elder brother in the management of his father's business, and in 1803 became not only sole manager, but also editor of The Times.

In the same year he signalled the new spirit of his stewardship by expressing his opposition to Pitt, which cost him government advertisements and the loss of his appointment as printer to the Customs, besides exposing him to the unscrupulous hostility of officials. When the King of Portugal sent him, via the Portuguese ambassador, a service of gold plate, he returned it.

It was the same jealous regard for the complete independence of The Times that led him to insist upon the strict anonymity of the able men whom he hired. From about 1810, he delegated to others editorial supervision, first to Sir John Stoddart, then to Thomas Barnes, and in 1841 to John Thadeus Delane, though never the ultimate direction of policy.

In 1830, Walter purchased an estate called Bearwood at Sindlesham in Berkshire where he built a house, afterwards rebuilt by his son to form the present mansion. He was appointed High Sheriff of Berkshire the same year. Two years later, he was elected to Parliament for that county, and retained his seat till 1837. In 1841 he was returned to Parliament for Nottingham, but was unseated the following year on petition. He was twice married, and by his second wife, Mary Smythe, had a family. His eldest son, John, also worked in the newspaper. He died in London on 28 July 1847.