Cuthbert Bede

Born Edward Bradley in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, on March 25, 1827, he studied at Durham University and took the pen name Cuthbert Bede from the names of Durham’s patron saints. He was ordained in 1850 and served in a series of church posts, including Glatton-with-Holme, Donington, Denton-with-Caldecote, and later Stretton in Rutland.

He is remembered chiefly as the author of The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green, a lively comic novel about the misadventures of a young Oxford undergraduate. The book became his most popular work, and he followed it with related stories including Little Mr Bouncer and his friend Verdant Green. A notable part of his appeal is that he also created the illustrations for the Verdant Green books himself.

Alongside his parish work, he wrote for the press and became known as a popular lecturer on humor and light literature. He moved in literary circles that included figures such as George Cruikshank and Mark Lemon. Bradley died on December 12, 1889, leaving behind a body of writing that captures a playful side of Victorian life.