Patterson, Robert Hogarth I Mr. R. H. Patterson, Mr. Paterson, H. Pattison l, 1821–1886, journalist, misc. writer. Born in Edinburgh; educated as civil engineer, but turned to newspaper work. Contributed to Blackwood's (more than eighty articles), Bentley's Misc., Dublin Univ. Magazine, North Brit. Rev., Edin. Rev., and other periodicals. Edited Edinburgh Advertiser, 1852–58. In 1858 became editor of the Press, London; thereafter proprietor. Later, editor of the Globe and the Glasgow News. Was long a conspicuous figure in Conservative journalism. Gained reputation as financial expert. Author of The New Revolution; or, The Napoleonic Policy in Europe, 1860; books on capital and finance, and other subjects; also a lyrical drama, Robespierre, 1877. Espinasse (Literary Recollections, p. 403) stated that some of Patterson's books "made even the currency question interesting."

      At the time that he contributed to H.W., Patterson was not acquainted with Dickens; he was later in correspondence with him. A letter from Wills to Patterson, Nov. 3, 1859 (A.Y.R. Letter-Book), concerns a "review of All the Year Round" (i.e., of the first volume), which Patterson had sent to Wills before its publication. Wills pointed out two inaccurate statements in the review. As it appeared in Patterson's Press, Nov. 12, 1859, the review had obviously been corrected in accordance with the information given in Wills's letter.
D.N.B.

Author: Anne Lohrli; © University of Toronto Press, 1971 

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography