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Frederic George Kitton was born in Norwich on 5 May, 1856, the son of a tobacconist and honorary Member of the Microscopical Society, Frederick Kitton, and his wife Mary Spence.
He was educated at a private school in Norwich and went to London at the age of 17 when he was trained as a draughtsman and wood engraver by Mr W L Thomas of 'The Graphic'. During his life many of his engravings appeared in newspapers, artistic journals and books.
He adopted literature as a profession, more especially that branch of literature concerned with the illustration of books. One of his earliest publications of this nature was a memoir of Hablot Knight Browne entitled 'Phiz' (1882). 'John Leech Artist and Humourist' followed in 1883.
But the most important work of his life was a study of Charles Dickens and he edited the Autograph edition of his works. Among his most important works on the author were 'Dickensiana' (1886), 'Charles Dickens By Pen and Pencil' (1889), 'Dickens and His Illustrators' (1893), and 'Charles Dickens His Life, Writings and Personality' (1902). And after reading a paper at the Inaugural Meeting of the Dickens Fellowship held in London on 5 November 1902, his paper was subsequently published as The Dickens Fellowship Publications No 2 entitled 'Dickens and His Illustrators' in 1903.
He also published a memoir of his father, Mr Frederic Kitton in 1895 and a centenary memoir of the musician Zechariah Buck in 1899. In addition he was a frequent contributor of both articles and drawings to the Art Journal and the Magazine of Art. He was also Honorary Secretary to the Hertfordshire Art Society from 1900 to his death and one of the honorary secretaries of the Hertfordshire County Museum.
He moved to St Albans in about 1883 living in Richmond Lodge, Church Crescent, but moving to Pre Mill House at some date after marrying Emily Eliza Lawford in 1890.
He died in London on Saturday 10 September 1904 following an operation.