author
W. H. (Wilfrid Hugh) Chesson
1870–1953
A literary journalist and critic with a sharp eye for books and art, he moved through London’s publishing world while also leaving behind diaries, essays, and biographical writing. He is especially remembered for his work on George Cruikshank and for helping bring attention to Joseph Conrad.
1 Audiobook
George Cruikshank
by W. H. (Wilfrid Hugh) Chesson
About the author
Born in Lambeth, Wilfrid Hugh Chesson was the son of journalist Frederick William Chesson. He worked as a journalist and as a publisher's reader for T. Fisher Unwin, building a career close to the literary life of late Victorian and early 20th-century London.
Library and archival records describe him as an author, critic, book collector, and freelance literary journalist. He is often noted for his biography of George Cruikshank, and some archival descriptions credit him with an early role in recognizing Joseph Conrad's talent.
Chesson also left a substantial paper trail of diaries and manuscripts, which helps preserve a picture of his personal and professional world. Sources differ slightly on his death year, with some listing 1952 and others 1953, so that detail is best treated with caution.