George Robert Sims (1847-1922) was an English journalist, poet, dramatist, novelist and bon vivant. He began writing lively humour and satiric pieces for Fun magazine and The Referee, but he was soon concentrating on social reform, particularly the plight of the poor in London's slums. A prolific journalist and writer, he also produced a number of novels. Sims is bestremembered for his dramatic monologue from The Dagonet Ballads. He also contributed numerous articles from 1879 to 1883 about the bad condition of the poor in London's slums in the Sunday Dispatch, Daily News and other papers. Many of these were later published in book form. He wrote many popular ballads attempting to draw attention to the predicament of the poor. These efforts were important in raising public opinion on the subject and led to reform legislation in the Act of 1885. Sims also raised public awareness of other issues, including white slave traffic in a series articles published in the Daily Telegraph. His other works How the Poor Live (1883) and Anna of the Underworld (1916).
George Robert Sims was an English journalist, poet, dramatist, novelist and bon vivant.
Sims began writing lively humour and satiric pieces for Fun magazine and The Referee, but he was soon concentrating on social reform, particularly the plight of the poor in London's slums. A prolific journalist and writer he also produced a number of novels.
Sims was also a very successful dramatist, writing numerous plays, often in collaboration, several of which had long runs and international success. He also bred bulldogs, was an avid sportsman and lived richly among a large circle of literary and artistic friends. Sims earned a fortune from his productive endeavours but had gambled most of it away by the time of his death.