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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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W.S. Gilbert
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(William Schwenck Gilbert, 1836–1911, kt 1907) Librettist of the *Savoy operas. By profession a barrister, he contributed comic verse illustrated with his own drawings to the magazine Fun from 1861, using the pseudonym 'Bab'. Skilful both in rhythm and rhyme, these verses were published in book form as The Bab Ballads (1869). A moderate career as a playwright was transformed by the string of comic opera successes with *Sullivan. He died of a heart attack after saving a young woman from drowning in the 'swimming lake' which he had built in the grounds of his house.
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