Jerrold was born in Liverpool, the son of Thomas Serle Jerrold and Jane Matilda Copeland (who were first cousins), and one of 11 children.^[2] His family had strong theatrical connections: Both his grandfather Douglas William Jerrold and uncle William Blanchard Jerrold were notable dramatists, and his great grandfather Samuel Jerrold was an actor and theater manager.^[3]

Jerrold spent most of his life in London, starting work as a clerk in a newspaper counting-house, and going on to become deputy editor of The Observer. He edited many classic texts for the newly founded Everyman's Library, wrote biographies, travel books (for the "Beautiful England" series - published by Blackie and Son Limited),^[4] edited children's books, and produced stories for children under the name of Walter Copeland.

On 23 July 1895 he married Clare Armstrong Bridgman (2 December 1861 – 1937) at Kensington Register Office.^[2][5] Clara was also a published author writing under the name Clare Jerrold, which included a three-volume set on the life of Queen Victoria.^[6][7][8] Together they had one son and five daughters all named after Greek mythological characters.^[9] Oliver (27 September 1896 – 3 June 1897), their first born, died in infancy.^[5] Ianthe (1898–1977), the oldest daughter, became a renowned fiction writer of twenty-one novels.^[10][11][5] Twins, Daphne (1899–1972) and Phyllis (1899–1975), attended the Slade School of Art and became painters and book illustrators.^[12][5] Hebe (1900–1987) was a poet and book illustrator.^[13][14][5] The youngest daughter, Althea (1902–1973) was also a talented writer and poet whose talent was overshadowed by her equally talented older siblings.^[11][5][15]

Biographical

• Thomas Hood: His Life and Times (London: Alston Rivers, 1907)
• Michael Faraday: Man of Science (London: S.W. Partridge & Co, 1891)
• Charles Lamb (London: George Bell & sons, 1905)
• Douglas Jerrold, Dramatist And Wit (Hodder and Stoughton, 1914)
• Earl Kitchener of Khartoum ( W.A. Hammond, 1916)

Children

• The Big Book of Fables (Lamboll, London 1987) ISBN 1851701060

Travel

• Surrey (J. M. Dent and E. P. Dutton, 1901)
• Highways and Byways in Kent (Macmillan & Co., 1907)
• Shakespeare Land (Dana Estes & Co. Boston)
• Norwich and the Broads (Blackie & Son, 1910)
• The Thames (Blackie & Son, 1910)
• Hampton Court (Blackie & Son, 1912)
• Folkestone and Dover (Blackie & Son, 1920)
• The Heart of London (Blackie and Son, Ltd, 1924)
• Through London's highways (Blackie and Son, Ltd, 1924)
• In London's by-ways (Blackie and Son, Ltd, 1925)
• Rambles in Greater London (Blackie and Son, Ltd, 1925)

• A Century of Parody and Imitation, ed. with Robert Maynard Leonard (H. Milford, Oxford University Press, 1913; reprinted by Ulan Press, 2012)

• Walter Jerrold (Randomhouse.com listing).
• Works by Walter Jerrold at Project Gutenberg
• Works by Walter Jerrold at Faded Page (Canada)
• Works by or about Walter Jerrold at Internet Archive