William Canton was a British poet, journalist and writer, now best known for his contributions to children's literature. These include his series of three books, beginning with The Invisible Playmate, written for his daughter Winifred Vida (1891-1901). The book was read by the late nineteenth century English novelist George Gissing on New Year's Eve 1895. In his lifetime Canton was known for his use of recent archeological evidence of prehistory in his poetry.
William Carew Hazlitt, known professionally as W. Carew Hazlitt, was an English lawyer, bibliographer, editor and writer. He was the son of the barrister and registrar William Hazlitt, a grandson of the essayist and critic William Hazlitt, and a great-grandson of the Unitarian minister and author William Hazlitt. William Carew Hazlitt was educated at the Merchant Taylors' School and was called to the bar of the Inner Temple in 1861.
William Carleton was an Irish writer and novelist. He is best known for his Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, a collection of ethnic sketches of the stereotypical Irishman.
William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne, KG, KB, PC, who after 1665 styled himself as Prince William Cavendish, was an English courtier and supporter of the arts. He was a renowned horse breeder, as well as being patron of the playwright Ben Jonson, and the intellectual group known as the Welbeck Circle.
William Chaffers was an English antiquary and writer of reference works on hallmarks, and marks on ceramics. His Marks and Monograms on Pottery and Porcelain, first published in 1863, has appeared in many later editions.
William Charles Henry Wood, was a Canadian historian, Scout leader and naturalist. He was born in Quebec City and served in the Royal Rifles of Canada from 1887 to the end of the World War I achieving the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He was active in literary and history circles and served as President of the Quebec Literary and Historical Society. He was interested in nature conservation and advocated for bird sanctuaries in Labrador. He was also president of the scouts in Quebec in 1909. He was a prolific chronicler of Canadian history and wrote several books on the subject, most notably a five volume set on the history of Quebec entitled, The Storied Province of Quebec. He died in Quebec City in 1947 at the age of 83. Wood was buried in Mount Hermon Cemetery in Sillery.
William Charles Scully is one of South Africa's best-known authors, although little known outside South Africa. In addition to his work as an author, his paid work was principally as a magistrate in Springfontein, South Africa, as well as in Namaqualand and the Transkei. His last position before retirement was as Chief Magistrate of Port Elizabeth, one of South Africa's larger cities. He organised the building of "New Brighton", a township for aboriginal African people in Port Elizabeth. At the time it was regarded as very progressive—a pleasant place to live.
