William Harrison Ainsworth

Stephen Carver (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.07: English Writing and Culture of the Victorian Period, 1837-1901.
Vol. editors: Gillian Fenwick (University of Toronto), Jessica Gossling (Goldsmiths College, University of London)

Dates

Born 4 Feb 1805
Died 5 Jan 1882
Activity 1821-1882

Places

Born in England
Active in England

Genres and Modes

Romance

Activities

Primary

Essayist
Journalist
Novelist

Other

Antiquarian/ Collector
Playwright / Dramatist
Poet
Story-writer

Resources

Ainsworth's Works

Save to Bookshelf

William Harrison Ainsworth was born in Manchester on February 4 1805, the first child of Thomas Ainsworth, a prominent local solicitor, and Ann Harrison, the daughter of a Unitarian minister. The family had one other child the following year, Thomas Gilbert, who was destined for a long life of mental illness. Ainsworth attended the Manchester Free Grammar School, and was contributing literary articles, short fiction and poetry to national periodicals from the age of sixteen. His first published book was a collection of poems under the pseudonym of “Cheviot Ticheburn” (dedicated to Charles Lamb) in 1822, followed in 1823 by the anonymous collection of short stories and literary essays,

December Tales

. He moved to London to study law in 1824, where he met Lamb, and through him J. G.…

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996 words

Citation: Carver, Stephen. "William Harrison Ainsworth". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 18 July 2001 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=54, accessed 27 November 2024.]