author
L. Cope (Leslie Cope) Cornford
1867–1927
Best known as a journalist, novelist, and essayist, he moved from architecture into writing and built a career that ranged from historical fiction to literary criticism and naval history. His work drew the notice of Rudyard Kipling, who became a lifelong friend.
1 Audiobook
The last buccaneer : or, The trustees of Mrs A.
by L. Cope (Leslie Cope) Cornford
About the author
Born in 1867, Leslie Cope Cornford wrote under the name L. Cope Cornford. Records describe him as a journalist, and some also note his strong classical background. He published fiction in the late Victorian period, including historical novels such as Captain Jacobus, The Master-Beggars, Sons of Adversity, and Northborough Cross.
Cornford did not begin as a full-time man of letters. Archival material says he first trained and worked as an architect before turning to writing. His contributions to the National Observer brought him to the attention of Rudyard Kipling, and the two remained close for many years.
His interests were wide. Alongside fiction and essays, he wrote a study of Robert Louis Stevenson and later became closely associated with naval subjects; in 1905 he traveled to Berlin to gather material on the Imperial German Navy. He died in 1927, leaving behind a body of work that mixes storytelling, criticism, and sharp-eyed commentary on public affairs.