H. W. (Herbert Wetton) Westbrook

Born Herbert Wetton Westbrook, he worked in journalism before becoming known in London's theatre world as a lyricist and writer. He collaborated with P. G. Wodehouse in the early 1900s, contributing to songs and stage pieces as well as fiction.

Westbrook is closely associated with Not George Washington, an autobiographical novel written with Wodehouse, and with other early projects from the period when Wodehouse was finding his comic voice. That connection has kept Westbrook's name alive for modern readers, even though he is much less widely known today than his famous collaborator.

What makes Westbrook interesting is the range of his work: he was part of the lively overlap between Edwardian journalism, musical comedy, and popular fiction. For listeners exploring older humorous writing, he offers a glimpse of the creative circle around Wodehouse and the entertainment world that shaped it.