J D Beresford - The Jervaise Comedy

John Davys Beresford was born on 17th March 1873. His life was blighted by infantile paralysis which left him partially disabled.

After an education at Oundle school he trained to be an architect. However, he quickly decided that his life was to be centred on a literary career. His first offerings were in drama and as a journalist.

As well as being a book reviewer for the Manchester Guardian he contributed to New Statesman, The Spectator, Westminster Gazette, and the Theosophist magazine The Aryan Path.

His spiritual journey in early adulthood had claimed him as an agnostic, in defiance of his clergyman father. This view he later abandoned in preference to describing himself as a Theosophist and a pacifist.

As well as many novels, many themed with spiritual and philosophical elements Beresford was also a gifted short story writer particularly across the science-fiction, horror and ghost genres.

All of these elements helped him to obtain a prominent place in Edwardian Literary London.

J D Beresford died on the 2nd February 1947. He was 73.