George Rayleigh Vicars (1859-1936) was born in Dundrum, County Dublin, Ireland, and became an influential lawyer in England. He studied the British penal system, visited many prisons, and advocated reform. He authored the books and articles “Modern Penology”, Crime, Criminals, and Prisons, and Should Capital Punishment be Abolished? He and his wife Edith co-authored the popular romance A Torquay Marriage. He also served on the Select Committee of the House of Lords, on Poor Law Relief. He composed a number of anthems and part-songs, and authored the book Acoustical Effects of Atmospheric Pressure. He died in Aylsham, Norfolk, England.