SIR WALTER BESANT was a British novelist and historian born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England in 1836. Besant was a prominent author and philanthropist, whose best work describing social evils in East London, helped set in motion movements to aid the poor. He influenced, and protected the rights of the authors becoming one of the founders, and first chair, of the Society of Authors, in United Kindom in 1884. After reading Besant's All in a Garden Fair (1883), Rudyard Kipling decided to leave India and make a career as a writer. While living in London, he began a literary collaboration with James Rice, editor of Once a Week. Together they produced several best-selling novels, including Ready-Money Mortiboy (1872), The Golden Butterfly (1876), and The Chaplain of the Fleet (1881). In 1882 Besant published his first independent novel, All Sorts and Conditions of Men, based on stories about East London slums and the terrible social conditions of industrial workers, and collaborated actively with charities to provide education and a better condition of life to the slums of the area with the foundation of the People's Palace, Mile End (1887). Another book Children of Gibeon (1886), draws attention to the slum life. Besant was knighted in 1895 for his tirelessly work for charities. His many works include Dorothy Forster (1884), Armorel of Lyonesse (1890), and The Inner House (1887). He died in 1901.
