Gerald Griffin was born in Limerick, Ireland, in1803. The son of a brewer, he went to London in 1823 and became a reporter for one of the daily papers, and later turned to writing fiction. In 1838 he burned all of his unpublished manuscripts and joined the Catholic religious order, Congregation of Christian Brothers, in Cork. He later died at their monastery. Gerald Griffin has a street named after him in Limerick City and Cork City, Ireland.
Robert Giddings is a literary critic and broadcaster who regularly writes for publications including the Tribune and the Dickensian. He is the author of A Student's Guide to Charles Dickens, and co-author with Keith Selby of The Classic Serial on Television and Radio.