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Charles James Apperley (1777 – 19 May 1843), Welsh sportsman and sporting writer from an English family, and often resident in both countries, better known asNimrod, the pseudonym under which he published his works on the chase and on the turf, was born atPlasgronow, nearWrexham, inDenbighshire, Wales in 1777.
Charles James Apperley was the second son of Thomas Apperley, of Wootton House,Gloucestershire, but is stated to have been born near Wrexham during 1778.[1] Apperley was educated atRugby School before joining the Ancient British Light Dragoons in 1798. He served with the regiment in Ireland during therebellion that year, and in 1801 married Winifred Wynn of Peniarth, daughter of aCaernarvonshire landowner.[2] He settled inWarwickshire, where he devoted himself to the pleasures of the Chase.[3]
Between the years 1805 and 1820 Apperley devoted himself tofox-hunting. From 1813 to 1819 he was the agent for his brother-in-law's estates and lived at Tŷ Gwyn, Llanbeblig. Around 1821, under the pseudonym of "Nimrod", Apperley began to contribute a series of articles toThe Sporting Magazine that covered horse races, hunt meets and other sporting events. His references to the personalities of the people he knew or met at such events helped to double the circulation of the magazine within a few years. Mr. Pittman, the proprietor ofThe Sporting Magazine, gave Nimrod a handsome salary and defrayed all the expenses of his tours. He also gave Nimrod a stud of hunters. After Pittman's death, the proprietors of the magazine sued Apperley for the money that had been advanced. To avoid imprisonment, Apperley moved toCalais in 1830, where he supported himself by writing.[4][2] Apperley is best known for the two books,The Life of a Sportsman, andMemoirs of the Life ofJohn Mytton, both of which were illustrated with coloured engravings byHenry Thomas Alken.[5]
Apperley eventually returned to England and died in Upper Belgrave Place, London, on 19 May 1843.[6]
Attribution:
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Apperley, Charles James".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 221.
