James Rice

Born in Northampton on September 26, 1843, James Rice studied at Queens' College, Cambridge, took a law degree, and was later called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn. Before long, though, he moved toward literary and publishing work, including ownership of the magazine Once a Week.

Rice is most often remembered for his partnership with Walter Besant. Together they wrote popular novels such as Ready-Money Mortiboy and a string of other Victorian stories that blended humor, social observation, and energetic plotting. Their work found a large audience and helped establish Rice as a recognizable literary figure of his day.

He died on April 26, 1882, at just 38 years old. Although his life was brief, his collaboration with Besant left a lasting mark on Victorian popular fiction, especially for readers interested in the everyday life and atmosphere of London.