author
Richard Bird
1881–1965
Best remembered for brisk, entertaining adventure fiction, this early 20th-century British writer published as Richard Bird, the pen name of William Barradale-Smith. His stories often draw on school life, sports, and lively twists of plot that made them appealing popular reading in their day.
1 Audiobook
The Gay Adventure: A Romance
by Richard Bird
About the author
Writing under the name Richard Bird, William Barradale-Smith (1881–1965) produced novels and stories that were aimed at a broad popular audience. Surviving catalog and bookseller records link the Richard Bird name to Barradale-Smith and show that he published across the first half of the 20th century.
His work included adventure fiction and school stories such as The Ripswayd Ring, School House v. The Rest, and The Liveliest Term at Templeton. Descriptions of his books consistently point to themes of competition, teamwork, honor, and the small dramas of school and sporting life.
He is also associated with The Gay Adventure: A Romance, which remains one of the easier titles to find today through digital libraries. Even where biographical details are scarce, the books themselves suggest a writer interested in pace, character, and the kind of spirited storytelling that keeps readers turning pages.