Besant, Sir Walter

From Encyclopediak

Besant, Sir Walter (1836-1901) an English novelist and critic, born in Portsmouth. From 1861 to 1867 he was senior professor of mathematics in the Royal College of Mauritius, and from 1868 to 1885 secretary to the Palestine Exploration Fund. His novels are widely known, some of them written in collaboration with James Rice. Interest in problems of social reform in East London led to his writing All Sorts and Conditions of Men, which in its turn brought about the establishment of the People's Palace in the Mile End Road. He also wiote critical, historical and biographical works. With Rice he produced Ready-Money Mortiboy, This Son of Vulcan and The Golden Butterfly. Other of his writings are Dorothy Foster, The Alabaster Box, The Orange Girl, The French Humorists and History of London.