William Harrison Ainsworth

Rookwood (Dodo Press) William Harrison Ainsworth

William Harrison Ainsworth (1805-1882) who also wrote under the pseudonyms Will Brown and Cheviot Tichburn, was an English historical novelist. He went to the Manchester Grammar School before becoming trained in the law. However the legal profession had no attraction for him, and going to London to complete his studies he made the acquaintance of John Ebers, publisher, and at that time manager of the King's Theatre, Haymarket, by whom he was introduced to literary and dramatic circles. For a short time he tried the publishing business, but soon gave it up and devoted himself to journalism and literature, his first success as a writer of romance being scored with Rookwood in 1834, of which Dick Turpin is the leading character; and thenceforward he continued to pour forth till 1881 a stream of novels, to the number of 39. Amongst his other works are: Poems (1822), December Tales (1823), Jack Sheppard (1839), The Tower of London (1840), Old St. Paul's (1841), Windsor Castle (1843), The Lancashire Witches (1849) and Auriol; or, The Elixir of Life (1865).