W. H. (William Henry) Ireland

Born in London and usually dated to 1775, William Henry Ireland was the son of Samuel Ireland, an engraver, author, and enthusiastic collector of Shakespeare material. As a young man he created a series of forged documents and plays that he claimed were by Shakespeare, and for a brief time they convinced parts of literary London before being exposed.

That episode made him notorious, especially after the failed staging of Vortigern and Rowena and the collapse of the forgery scheme. Later, he wrote about the affair himself and continued publishing in other forms, including Gothic fiction, verse, travel books, and historical compilations.

Because of the scandal, he is often remembered first as a forger, but his career was broader than that label suggests. He remained an active and varied writer for decades, leaving behind a body of work that reflects both the literary fashions of his time and the odd path by which he entered public notice.