At the age of twelve, he entered a printing office in London, and became successively a compositor and proof-reader.
From youth he was devoted to sport, and excelled as a boxer, runner, and sculler until he was twenty-three, when he was disabled by an accident to his left foot.
Afterwards he joined the staff of the Illustrated Sporting News and Theatrical Review, and early in 1869, was appointed editor of that journal.
Early in 1872, he started sending to the Weekly Dispatch, under the pseudonym of "Pendragon", letters of general criticism on sport.
Developing the scheme, on 19 August 1877, as part proprietor and editor, under the same pen name, started a weekly sporting paper, The Referee.