W. Basil (William Basil) Worsfold

Born in 1858, William Basil Worsfold was a British barrister, lecturer, and historian who published under the name W. Basil Worsfold. Alongside his legal training, he built a career as a writer and speaker, producing books that ranged across history, political thought, and literary criticism.

His subjects were broad and ambitious. He wrote about major historical figures and movements, and his books show a recurring interest in how nations, leaders, and ideas influence public life. That mix of legal background, historical curiosity, and public commentary gave his writing an informed, thoughtful tone.

Worsfold died in 1939. Today, he is remembered as one of those versatile Edwardian-era men of letters whose work moved comfortably between scholarship and public debate.