Beverley Baxter

Born in Toronto on January 8, 1891, Beverley Baxter built his career in Britain, where he became known first as a journalist and newspaper editor. He worked for the Daily Express, later wrote theatre criticism for the Evening Standard, and earned a reputation as a lively, polished man of letters.

Writing ran alongside his public career. Baxter published novels, short stories, plays, and memoir, bringing to them the sharp observation and conversational ease of an experienced columnist. His autobiography Strange Street is among the works most often linked with his name.

He also served for many years as a Conservative Member of Parliament, remaining in office from 1935 until his death on April 26, 1964. That unusual mix of reporter, critic, author, and politician gives his work a distinctive flavor: worldly, theatrical, and closely connected to the events and personalities of his time.