Percy Edward Pinkerton was an English translator and poet. His translations included two novels by Émile Zola and a Puccini libretto.
Biography
Percy Edward Pinkerton was born on 19 June 1855, at Manor Road, Stamford Hill, Middlesex, as the third child of George Pinkerton and Mary Easum. His siblings were Eustace, a member of the London Stock Exchange, Algernon Robert, and Mary, who married the solicitor Gilbert Mainwaring Robinson. Percy's paternal grandparents were Rev. Robert Pinkerton D. D., and Dorothea, née Theakston, born about 1786 at Sarepta, Volgograd, Russia, as a British subject, died 1869 at Kingston, Surrey. Percy had further Russian connections. All but the last two of his father's many siblings were also born there. His maternal grandparents were Robert Hayes Easum and Elizabeth née Edlin. In 1909, Percy married Emily Harriet Woodgates at Kensington. In 1911 they were living at Red Lodge, Happisburgh, Norfolk. In fact Emily Woodgates was born at Putley, Herefordshire, in the December quarter of 1868, the daughter of the Rector, James Richard Woodgates and Elizabeth, née Moor daughter of Canon E. J. Moor. Emily died at St Michael's Hospital, Hayle, Cornwall on 27 November 1938 and was buried at Porthleven Cemetery, Cornwall, on 30 November. Percy died on 31 August 1946, aged 91, at Ealing House, Porthleven, Cornwall. and was buried at Porthleven Cemetery alongside Emily. They had no issue.
Writing
Pinkerton published some volumes of poetry: Galeazzo, a Venetian Episode: with other Poems, which was praised by John Addington Symonds, Adriatica, At Hazebro', and Nerina, a lyrical drama in three acts. He also wrote for the Magazine of Art, and in 1889 edited Christopher Marlowe's plays. However most of his literary work consisted of English translations of European songs and literature. He was a member of the late Victorian Lutetian Society, dedicated to unexpurgated translations of the works of Émile Zola. The Society included Ernest Dowson, Havelock Ellis, Arthur Symons, Victor Plarr and Alexander Teixeira de Mattos. He translated other works from German, Italian, French and Russian.
Translations
From German
William Müller, Field-Marshal Count Moltke, 1800–1878, 1879
