Surname: Besant Forename(s): Walter b. 14 August 1836. d. 9 June 1901. Nationality: English. VIAF.
Translator and novelist. Born in Portsea. Son of William Besant and Sarah Ediss. Affiliated
with many clubs in London, including as a founding member of the Society of Authors,
where he instated Tennyson as president. Educated at King’s College, London. Worked
as the secretary to the Palestine Exploration Fund while launching a literary career.
Married Mary Garrat Foster Barham in 1874. Author of many novels, his most successful
of which being The Golden Butterfly (1876). Biographical infotmation: ODNB. (BGL)