Drinkwater, John

John Drinkwater was born at Leytonstone, Essex, on 1 June 1882 and was educated at Oxford High School. His father tried to discourage him from going on stage despite being an actor himself. However, Drinkwater met Barry Jackson, a fellow theatrical enthusiast, and in 1907 they formed the Pilgrim Players. Success encouraged the pair, and Drinkwater became theatre manager of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 1909, which became a professional outfit in 1913. In 1918 Drinkwater completed his own first play, about Abraham Lincoln, which was a success, and continued in the historical genre thereafter, although his output as a writer encompassed a wide range. He died in London on 25 March 1937.

From the guide to the Sonnet by John Drinkwater, 1922, (University of Dundee)

John Drinkwater, 1882-1937, playwright, poet and actor.

Reference: Finding aid to The Drinkwater Collection

From the guide to the The Drinkwater Collection, [1900s]-1957, (University of Birmingham Information Services, Special Collections Department)