J. (John) Church

Born in London in 1829, Alfred John Church was educated at King's College London and Lincoln College, Oxford. He took holy orders and worked as a schoolmaster before becoming headmaster at Henley-on-Thames Royal Grammar School and later King Edward VI School, Retford. From 1880 to 1888, he was professor of Latin at University College London.

Alongside his academic work, he wrote and translated widely. With William Jackson Brodribb, he translated Tacitus and edited Pliny's letters, but he became especially well known for books that retold classical literature and history in clear, engaging English. Works such as Stories from Virgil, Stories from Homer, The Story of the Iliad, and The Story of the Odyssey introduced ancient worlds to general readers and young audiences.

His writing has lasted because it is both learned and approachable: he knew the classics deeply, but he wrote to spark curiosity rather than to show off. He died in 1912, leaving behind a large body of work that still serves as a welcoming doorway into Greek and Roman literature.