Walsh, J. H. 1810-1888

John Henry Walsh FRCS (21 October 1810 – 12 February 1888) was an English sports writer born in Hackney, London who wrote under the pseudonym "Stonehenge." Walsh was educated in private schools and became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1844. He worked as a surgeon for several years, but gradually changed his profession after his written works on rural sports became successful. He relocated from the country to London in 1852. The following year he published his first important book, The Greyhound (3rd ed. 1875), a collection of papers originally contributed to Bell's Life. In November 1855, his comprehensive and illustrated Manual of British Rural Sports was published and was enthusiastically received. This was the first of many editions. In April 1856 the second edition was published which corrected minor errors. In the same year he joined the staff of The Field, and became its editor at the close of 1857. Among his numerous books published under the name of "Stonehenge" are: The Shot-Gun and Sporting Rifle (1859) The Dog in Health and Disease (1859; 4th ed. 1887) The Horse in the Stable and in the Field (1861; 13th ed. 1890) Dogs of the British Isles (1867; 3rd ed. 1885) The Modern Sportsman's Gun and Rifle (1882–1884) He was editor of The Field, a magazine whose target audience was the upper class of English society, and those who loved to shoot, fish, and hunt. It was never a pure hunting magazine, but was always concerned with social status; its influence led to the creation of the Kennel Club. Walsh instituted a series of trials of guns, rifles, and sporting gunpowders. These extended over many years, and contributed to the development of sporting firearms. His influence upon all branches of sport was stimulating and beneficial.