Lazy Land

Lazy Land, 1st monthly part

Lazy Land, confusingly subtitled in the picture above "A Monthly Magazine for Men and Women", was a penny weekly also published in monthly parts. The first monthly part at least was priced 3d, although that may have been a loss-leader for the first number only. It was Printed by Sully & Ford, 1 & 30 Plough-court, Fetter-lane, E.C. and published by W. Lucas, at the Office, 158 Fleet-street, London, E.C.

It was edited by Thomas Harrison Roberts who was responsible for many publications over a period of many years, including Photos. The Popular Album (9 Feb-21 Sep 1895) subsequently continued as Photos and Sketches (1895) and Boys’ Stories of Adventure and Daring (26 issues, 1898), The Gainsborough Novels (1901-), My Own Novels (1902-) and many others.

Roberts made much of his long-time association with publishing in his editorial piece, "Entre Nous":

It has long been a pet project of mine to offer to the male portion of the great British reading public a weekly journal, which, while it provided matter suitable for the leisure of intelligent men, should be issued in such an attractive form and at such a price, as would render it possible that the enterprise might meet with extensive support.
Of fiction for women there is surely a sufficiency, while I know of no journal which for the popular penny, offers a supply of readable novels specially for the sterner sex.
Fifteen years ago I initiated the “complete weekly novelette” movement, which has since become so popular in this country, as is evidenced by the scores of imitations of my original venture.
During that fifteen years I have issued to the reading public nearly two hundred millions of complete novels—all by first-class authors.
I mention this fact to show I know something about popular fiction.
Now I purpose to start in a new direction, and in Lazy Land I have provided such a pennyworth as would have been impossible ten years since.
Among the authors who will from week to week cater for my readers amusement I am able to enumerate the names of
Grant Allen
B. J. Farjeon
F. W. Robinson
R. M. Ballantyne
G. A. Henty
E. Downey
F. M. White
Ouida
George R. Sims
G. Manville Fenn
John Strange Winter
Frederick Boyle
W. Clark Russell
Fitzgerald Molloy
Iza Duffus Hardy
Florence Marryat
&c., &c., &c.

Other engagements are in course of arrangement, and particulars will duly be announced. Of the artistic staff which I have gathered round me, let the present number speak for itself. Lazy Land is designed to be “A Weekly Magazine for Men,” and, occupying an unique position in that respect, I trust I may look for support from the great army of ligth literature.
As I believe in performance rather than in promises, I place this, my first number, before you, and ask you to help me by introducing Lazy Land amongst your friends. By this means the journal will become widely known, and I shall be enabled to keep it up to the high standard of excellence which alone can secure success in these days of keen competition.

T. H. Roberts.

Unfortunately for Roberts, it turned out to be a short-lived journal which lasted only 45 issues in 1893-94. It was incorporated into Good Company, also edited by T. H. Roberts, which noted “the weekly issue of “Lazy Land” is incorporated with this journal.” The first issue of Good Company appeared on March 24, 1894, described by the British Library as “a newspaper.”

Contents:

Lazy Land [Part 1 Vol.II, June 1893] (3d, typographical cover)
1 * Allen, Grant * The Governor’s Story * ss; illus. Hal Ludlow
6 * A.H.T.P. * Supreme Moments * ss; illus. G. V. Reading
8 * White, F. M. * Bluffed * ss
9 * Anon. * My First Appearance No.1: Miss Lucille Hill * ar
10 * Fitzmorris, Alan * The Parsee’s Puzzle [Part 1 of ?] * sl; illus. A. Morrow
14 * Rymer, A. * Le Monade * pm
15 * E.C.W. * The Wedding Present * ss; illus. M. B. Hewerdine
18 * Allan, E. * My Wife * ss; illus. H. Holland
20 * Roberts, T. H. * “Entre Nous” * ed
21 * Sims, G. R. * A Five Pound Note * ss; illus. G. V. Reading
27 * [Misc. Material] * At the Academy * ct; illus. A. Syd Harvey
28 * Martin, Leslie * The Tools of His Trade * ss; illus. H. Holland
30 * Anon. * My First Appearance No.2: Miss Loie Fuller * ar
31 * Fitzmorris, Alan * The Parsee’s Puzzle [Part 2 of ?] * sl; illus. A. Morrow
34 * Roberts, Morley * A Traveller’s Tales No.1: Wide Bay Bar * ss; illus. M. B. Hewerdine
37 * Trovato, Ben * The Skirt and the Dance * ar; illus. E. S. Hope
39 * Morris, J. * The Rock of Nakayama * ss; illus. G. V. Reading
41 * Gallon, T. * Mark Hedley’s Protégé * ss; illus. A. Morrow
46 * Roberts, Morley * A Traveller’s Tales No.2: Madame Morphine * ss; illus. Charles Eade
52 * Fitzmorris, Alan * The Parsee’s Puzzle [Part 3 of ?] * sl; illus. A. Morrow
54 * [Comic Strip] * Things You Meet When You Want to Catch a Train! * cs
55 * Paton, C. Jardyne * For Two Quarts of Beer * ss; illus. G. V. Reading
58 * White, F. M. * The Kissing Bonds * ss; illus. H. Holland
60 * Rymer, A. * My Surrender * pm
61 * Russell, Clark * Adventures of a Seaman * ss; illus. G. V. Reading
67 * Henriquez, A. R. * My Bargain * ss; illus. E. S. Hope
71 * Fitzmorris, Alan * The Parsee’s Puzzle [Part 4 of ?] * sl; illus. A. Morrow
74 * Roberts, Morley * A Traveller’s Tales No.3: A Modern Slave * ss; illus. Charles Eade
79 * A.H.T.P. * Colonial Experience * ss; illus. G. V. Reading