Walter Besant
Sir Walter Besant ( born August 14, 1836 in Portsmouth, England, † June 9, 1901 in Hamstead / London, England ) was an English social reformer and writer who drew attention in particular to the urban mass misery. In addition to essays and historical essays, he wrote numerous novels. His brother Frank was married to Annie Besant.
Life and effect
After the visit of King's College London, and Christ's College, Cambridge (graduation 1859) Besant has worked as a mathematics teacher.
In 1861 he takes up a chair at the Royal College in Mauritius, but the island in the Indian Ocean returns after six years because of health problems the back. From 1868 to 1885 he is secretary of the London-based Palestine Exploration Fund. His first release in 1868 he puts studies on French poetry before. 1871 Besant is approved by the Law Society of Lincoln's Inn as a lawyer. That same year, his collaboration begins with the writer James Rice, spring some light-hearted entertainment novels that are surprisingly successful. With Rice's death in 1882 this collaboration ends. Below Besant wrote socially critical novels under its own flag, which cause a lot. From All in the garden fair ( 1883) as it is, Rudyard Kipling have certified this book in Something of Myself, it had induced him to leave India and to become a writer. With novels such as All Sorts of Conditions of Men ( 1882) or Children of Gibeon (1886 ) investigated Bresant avowedly the conscience of the public face of the misery in the poor neighborhoods of British cities shake. A practical example of success is the opening of a People's Palace in East London. In other publications, Besant devoted to the history and topography of the British capital. Since 1873, understands and he is also active as a freemason.
In 1886, he stimulates the formation of the Lodge Quatuor Coronati Lodge scientifically oriented, in which he serves as treasurer. He is also treasurer of the Atlantic Union, an association that can be be concerned about the actual improvement of the social relations between the British and North Americans.