author
William Davenport Adams
1851–1904
A busy man of letters in late Victorian Britain, he moved easily between journalism, theater criticism, and reference writing. His best-known books helped readers navigate English literature and the stage with a practical, enthusiastic touch.
1 Audiobook
A Book of Burlesque: Sketches of English Stage Travestie and Parody
by William Davenport Adams
About the author
Born in Brixton in late 1851, William Davenport Adams was an English journalist, drama critic, and author. He came from a notably literary family: his father, William Henry Davenport Adams, was also a well-known writer, and writing ran through the household.
He studied at the University of Edinburgh and began newspaper work around 1870. Over the years he worked on provincial papers, became known as a dramatic critic, and later served as literary editor of the London Globe. Alongside journalism, he produced a large body of books and compilations, especially works about English authors, literature, and the theater.
Adams is remembered in particular for reference works such as A Dictionary of English Literature and for his connection to A Dictionary of the Drama, an ambitious project associated with his final years. He died in 1904, leaving behind the picture of a versatile Victorian writer whose career joined criticism, editing, and literary scholarship.