Laurence Housman

Author Code: ELHX

The younger brother of author A.E. Housman, Laurence was educated at the Lambert School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London. Initially working as an illustrator for a number of well-known authors including George Meredith, Housman became more interested in writing when his eyesight began to fail and began to publish some poetry. In 1900, he published An Englishwoman's Love Letters, which was very successful. When he turned to dramatic plays his success was even greater. In 1902, his play Bethlehem was an instant success. Housman was a prolific author and produced works of non-fiction as well as his novels and plays. As a confirmed socialist, Housman was one of the founders of the Men's League for Women's Suffrage in 1909. His works include The Field of Clover (1898), A Modern Antaeus (1901), Sabrina Warham (1904), The Blue Moon (1904), Mendicant Rhymes (1906), Stories From the Arabian Nights (1911), The Little Plays of St. Francis (1922), Timblerigg (1924), Odd Pairs (1925), The New Hangman (1930), Victoria Regina (1934), Pain and Penalties (1937), Strange Ends and Discoveries (1948) and Family Honour (1950).