Laurence Housman

Laurence Housman (1865–1959) was an English playwright, writer, and illustrator born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. He studied art in London and began his career primarily as an illustrator before turning increasingly to writing. His work included plays, fiction, poetry, biography, and writing for children.

He was the younger brother of the poet and classical scholar A. E. Housman, and the brother of writer, illustrator, and women’s suffrage activist Clemence Housman. Laurence also took an active role in political and social causes, including women’s suffrage, pacifism, and campaigns for greater understanding of sexuality.

In 1945, the Peace Pledge Union opened Housmans Bookshop in London in his honour. He died in Street, Somerset, on February 20, 1959, leaving behind a diverse body of work spanning literature, illustration, and public activism.