Life J. Thomas Looney

a carte-de-visite photograph of looney young man

looney born in south shields john thomas , annie looney. father had shoe-making shop @ 91 west holborn in centre of town. both parents methodists. family came isle of man , claimed descent earls of derby. grew in strong evangelical environment, , determined become minister @ age of 16. while studying @ chester diocesan college, lost faith. later embraced theories of positivist philosopher auguste comte, becoming proponent of comtean religion of humanity , leader in short-lived church of humanity, independent british branch of religion, in pioneered outdoor preaching. church of humanity gave special prominence shakespeare, naming month after him in positivist calendar, , placing bust of him in place of worship.

looney worked school teacher in gateshead. listed in ward s directory 1899–1900 teacher living @ 119 rodsley avenue, gateshead. later resided @ 15 laburnum gardens, low fell.

after failure of comtean church, looney devoted himself research authorship of shakespeare s plays. developed theory during world war i, depositing claim priority in sealed document @ british museum in 1918. in 1920 published work, short title shakespeare identified, through cecil palmer in london. looney, resisted publisher s suggestion use pseudonym, argued real author of shakespeare s plays edward de vere, earl of oxford, fitted looney s deductions shakespeare was, among else, nobleman of lancastrian sympathies, fondness italy , leaning towards catholicism. looney believed argument followed systematic methods prescribed positivism.

in 1922 joined george greenwood establish shakespeare fellowship, organisation subsequently carried forward public discussion of authorship question 1940s. looney acquired number of followers , supporters, notably sigmund freud, read looney s book in 1923. @ end of life, in 1939, freud repeats view in final revision of outline of psychoanalysis.

two of followers, percy allen , b. m. ward, developed prince tudor theory, claimed oxford , queen elizabeth lovers , had son together. looney opposed theory, writing extravagant & improbable , bring whole cause ridicule.

looney member of literary , philosophical society of newcastle upon tyne after 1911 , paid handsome tribute library; unique system of operation, said, ensured ease , rapidity of work impossible in other institution in country . looney presented lit , phil edition of edward de vere s poems in december 1927.

he died @ swadlincote, near burton-on-trent, lodged after being forced abandon home in gateshead because of heavy german bombing of area. survived daughters evelyn , gladys. evelyn had son given middle name of de vere.