Background
Thomas Barnes was born on September 11, 1785 at Southwark, London, United Kingdom; the eldest son of John Barnes, a solicitor, and his wife Mary, née Anderson.
Thomas Barnes was born on September 11, 1785 at Southwark, London, United Kingdom; the eldest son of John Barnes, a solicitor, and his wife Mary, née Anderson.
Barnes was educated at Christ's Hospital and Pembroke College, Cambridge.
Barnes came to London and soon joined the famous literary circle of which Hunt, Lamb and Hazlitt were prominent members. Upon the retirement of Dr Stoddart in 1817 he was appointed editor of The Times, a position which he held until his death, when he was succeeded by Delane. He died on the 7 th of May 1841.
Lord Lyndhurst gave expression to a very widely-held opinion when he described him as "the most powerful man in the country. "
Though Barnes never married, he had a relationship for over two decades with Dinah Mary Mondet.