William Stanley Houghton
Encyclopedia
Stanley Houghton (22 February 1881–10 December 1913) was an English playwright
. He was a prominent member, together with Allan Monkhouse
and Harold Brighouse
, of a group known as the Manchester School
of dramatists. His best known play is Hindle Wakes.
, which was then in Cheshire
, the only son of John Hartley Houghton, a cotton merchant, and Lucy Mary née Darbyshire. In 1896, the family moved to 2 Athol Road, Alexandra Park, Manchester
, some two miles from the city centre. Houghton was educated at Bowdon College and at Manchester Grammar School
. On leaving school in 1897, he started working full time in his father's office and continued to do this until 1912. During this time he was an amateur actor and writer. In 1905–06 he was an unpaid drama critic for the Manchester City News and between 1905 and 1913 he contributed articles, theatrical notices and literary reviews to the Manchester Guardian. He also wrote a number of unpublished plays.
on 2 November 1908. The last of these plays was the first of many to be produced at the Gaiety Theatre, Britain's first regional repertory
theatre. This theatre was owned and managed by Annie Horniman
who encouraged local writers. Other plays to receive their premières at the Gaiety were Independent Means
on 30 August 1909, The Younger Generation on 21 November 1910, The Master of the House on 26 September 1910, and Fancy-Free on 6 November 1911. For a time, Houghton was the honorary secretary of the Manchester Athenaeum Dramatic Society, and frequently gave his services as a producer.
Houghton's greatest success came with his play Hindle Wakes, which was first performed by Horniman's company at the Aldwych Theatre
, London, on 16 June 1912. It had a long run in London, and remains his best known work. Later in the same year The Younger Generation was successfully produced at the Haymarket Theatre
, London, with Trust the People the following year at the Garrick Theatre
and The Perfect Cure at the Apollo Theatre
.
Following the success of Hindle Wakes, Houghton left his office job in 1912 to become a full-time dramatist and moved to London. Here he became part of the city's dramatic and literary culture. The following year he moved to Paris
where he started to write a novel entitled Life. During the summer of that year he developed viral pneumonia
in Venice
and moved back to Manchester where he died in December from meningitis
. He was cremated in Manchester crematorium, leaving an estate
of £5,488. He was unmarried. In 1915 a memorial tablet was unveiled in the Manchester Reference Library.
, yet he wrote no propagandist plays other than Independent Needs. His plays are set locally in Northern England, but represent universal aspects of human nature. Other writers to have had an influence on him were George Bernard Shaw
, Oscar Wilde
and St John Hankin. A collection of material relating to Houghton, including unpublished plays and photographs, is held in the University of Salford
.
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
. He was a prominent member, together with Allan Monkhouse
Allan Monkhouse
Allan Noble Monkhouse was an English playwright, critic, essayist and novelist.He was born in Barnard Castle, County Durham. He worked in the cotton trade, in Manchester, and settled in Disley, Cheshire...
and Harold Brighouse
Harold Brighouse
Harold Brighouse was an English playwright and author whose best known play is Hobson's Choice. He was a prominent member, together with Allan Monkhouse and Stanley Houghton, of a group known as the Manchester School of dramatists.-Early life:Harold Brighouse was born in Eccles, Salford, the...
, of a group known as the Manchester School
Manchester School (writers)
The "Manchester School" is a term applied to a number of playwrights from Manchester, England, who were active in the early 20th century. The leading figures in the group were Harold Brighouse, Stanley Houghton and Allan Monkhouse. They were championed by Annie Horniman, owner of the Gaiety...
of dramatists. His best known play is Hindle Wakes.
Early life
Stanley Houghton was born at 1 Amy Villas, Doveston Road, Ashton-upon-Mersey, SaleSale, Greater Manchester
Sale is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Cheshire, the town lies on flat ground on the south bank of the River Mersey, south of Stretford, northeast of Altrincham, and southwest of the city of Manchester...
, which was then in Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, the only son of John Hartley Houghton, a cotton merchant, and Lucy Mary née Darbyshire. In 1896, the family moved to 2 Athol Road, Alexandra Park, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, some two miles from the city centre. Houghton was educated at Bowdon College and at Manchester Grammar School
Manchester Grammar School
The Manchester Grammar School is the largest independent day school for boys in the UK . It is based in Manchester, England...
. On leaving school in 1897, he started working full time in his father's office and continued to do this until 1912. During this time he was an amateur actor and writer. In 1905–06 he was an unpaid drama critic for the Manchester City News and between 1905 and 1913 he contributed articles, theatrical notices and literary reviews to the Manchester Guardian. He also wrote a number of unpublished plays.
Career
Houghton's first productions were The Intrigues at the Athenaeum Society, Manchester on 19 October 1906, The Reckoning at the Queen's Theatre, London on 22 July 1907, and The Dear Departed at the Gaiety Theatre, ManchesterGaiety Theatre, Manchester
The Gaiety Theatre, Manchester was a theatre in Manchester, England. It was opened in 1884 and demolished in 1959. It replaced a previous Gaiety Theatre on the site which had been destroyed by fire....
on 2 November 1908. The last of these plays was the first of many to be produced at the Gaiety Theatre, Britain's first regional repertory
Repertory
Repertory or rep, also called stock in the United States, is a term used in Western theatre and opera.A repertory theatre can be a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation...
theatre. This theatre was owned and managed by Annie Horniman
Annie Horniman
Annie Elizabeth Fredericka Horniman CH was an English theatre patron and manager. She established the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and founded the first regional repertory theatre company in Britain at the Gaiety Theatre in Manchester. She encouraged the work of new writers and playwrights, including...
who encouraged local writers. Other plays to receive their premières at the Gaiety were Independent Means
Independent Means
Independent Means is a stage play written by Stanley Houghton, a leading member of the Manchester School of dramatists.The play was Houghton's first professional full length play which was written in 1908. Its first title was The Unemployed, but this was changed to avoid confusion with a one-act...
on 30 August 1909, The Younger Generation on 21 November 1910, The Master of the House on 26 September 1910, and Fancy-Free on 6 November 1911. For a time, Houghton was the honorary secretary of the Manchester Athenaeum Dramatic Society, and frequently gave his services as a producer.
Houghton's greatest success came with his play Hindle Wakes, which was first performed by Horniman's company at the Aldwych Theatre
Aldwych Theatre
The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Aldwych in the City of Westminster. The theatre was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200.-Origins:...
, London, on 16 June 1912. It had a long run in London, and remains his best known work. Later in the same year The Younger Generation was successfully produced at the Haymarket Theatre
Haymarket Theatre
The Theatre Royal Haymarket is a West End theatre in the Haymarket in the City of Westminster which dates back to 1720, making it the third-oldest London playhouse still in use...
, London, with Trust the People the following year at the Garrick Theatre
Garrick Theatre
The Garrick Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Charing Cross Road, in the City of Westminster. It opened on 24 April 1889 with The Profligate, a play by Arthur Wing Pinero. In its early years, it appears to have specialised in the performance of melodrama, and today the theatre is a...
and The Perfect Cure at the Apollo Theatre
Apollo Theatre
The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster. Designed by architect Lewin Sharp for owner Henry Lowenfield, and the fourth legitimate theatre to be constructed on the street, its doors opened on 21 February 1901 with the American...
.
Following the success of Hindle Wakes, Houghton left his office job in 1912 to become a full-time dramatist and moved to London. Here he became part of the city's dramatic and literary culture. The following year he moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where he started to write a novel entitled Life. During the summer of that year he developed viral pneumonia
Viral pneumonia
Viral pneumonia is a pneumonia caused by a virus.Viruses are one of the two major causes of pneumonia, the other being bacteria; less common causes are fungi and parasites...
in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and moved back to Manchester where he died in December from meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
. He was cremated in Manchester crematorium, leaving an estate
Estate (law)
An estate is the net worth of a person at any point in time. It is the sum of a person's assets - legal rights, interests and entitlements to property of any kind - less all liabilities at that time. The issue is of special legal significance on a question of bankruptcy and death of the person...
of £5,488. He was unmarried. In 1915 a memorial tablet was unveiled in the Manchester Reference Library.
Influences and works
Houghton was influenced strongly by IbsenHenrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
, yet he wrote no propagandist plays other than Independent Needs. His plays are set locally in Northern England, but represent universal aspects of human nature. Other writers to have had an influence on him were George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
, Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
and St John Hankin. A collection of material relating to Houghton, including unpublished plays and photographs, is held in the University of Salford
University of Salford
The University of Salford is a campus university based in Salford, Greater Manchester, England with approximately 20,000 registered students. The main campus is about west of Manchester city centre, on the A6, opposite the former home of the physicist, James Prescott Joule and the Working Class...
.