Walley Chamberlain Oulton (1770?–1820?) was an Irish playwright, theatre historian and man of letters.

Life

Born in Dublin, he was educated there in a private school. While a schoolboy he achieved some reputation as a writer of farces and musical extravaganzas, and his dramatic essays were performed at the Dublin theatres in Smock Alley, Crow Street, Capel Street, and Fishamble Street. Most of these pieces were published.

About 1786 Oulton left Dublin, still a youth, to try his fortunes in London. John Palmer

John Palmer (actor)

John Palmer was one of the most highly-regarded actors on the English stage in the eighteenth century.-Birth and youth:He was born in the parish of St Luke's, Old Street, London, about 1742, was son of a private soldier...

, the lessee of the Royalty Theatre in Wellclose Square

Wellclose Square

Wellclose Square lies in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, between Cable Street to the north and The Highway to the south.The western edge, now called Ensign Street, was previously called Well Street. The southern edge was called Neptune street. On the north side is Graces Alley, home to...

, accepted the offer of his services, and in 1787 he produced Oulton's ‘Hobson's Choice, or Thespis in Distress,’ a satire on contemporary theatrical enterprise. Its boldness annoyed the managers of the patent-houses, who were engaged in a fierce struggle with Palmer. Oulton then induced an acquaintance to offer in her name his next piece, ‘As it should be,’ to George Colman the younger

George Colman the Younger

George Colman , known as "the Younger", English dramatist and miscellaneous writer, was the son of George Colman "the Elder".-Life:...

 of the Haymarket, where it was produced on 3 June 1789. The piece was published anonymously; but Colman discovered its author, and gave Oulton much encouragement. On 7 July 1792 he produced a short piece by Oulton, ‘All in Good Humour’ (London, 1792); there followed at the same house ‘Irish Tar,’ a musical piece, 24 Aug. 1797; ‘The Sixty-third Letter,’ a musical farce, 28 July 1802; ‘The Sleep-walker, or which is the Lady?’ 15 June 1812; and ‘My Landlady's Gown,’ 10 Augusr 1816. Meanwhile, at Covent Garden, Oulton secured the production of two similar pieces, ‘Perseverance,’ 2 June 1789, and ‘Botheration,’ on 2 May 1798. David Erskine Baker

David Erskine Baker

-Life:David Erskine Baker was the son of Henry Baker, F.R.S., and his wife, the youngest daughter of Daniel Defoe. Baker was born in the parish of St Dunstan-in-the-West in the City of London, on 30 January 1730, and named after his godfather, David Erskine, 9th Earl of Buchan...

 credited him with the choruses in Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan was an Irish-born playwright and poet and long-term owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. For thirty-two years he was also a Whig Member of the British House of Commons for Stafford , Westminster and Ilchester...

's ‘Pizarro,’ which was produced in 1799. In 1798 he provided two pantomimes, ‘Pyramus and Thisbe’ and the ‘Two Apprentices,’ for the Birmingham theatre.

His last connection with the stage was on 27 February 1817, when his farce ‘Frighten'd to Death’ was produced at Drury Lane.

Works

In 1784 there appeared the ‘Haunted Castle,’ the ‘Happy Disguise,’ and the ‘New Wonder;’ in 1785 the ‘Madhouse,’ ‘New Way to keep a Wife at Home,’ ‘Poor Maria,’ the ‘Recruiting Manager,’ and ‘Curiosity.’ The ‘Haunted Castle’ and the ‘Madhouse’ are said to have held the stage for some years.

Oulton was acquainted with the work of Kotzebue

Kotzebue

Kotzebue is the name of the following people:*August von Kotzebue, dramatist*Otto von Kotzebue, navigatorKotzebue is also the name of a place:*Kotzebue, Alaska*Kotzebue Sound...

 on which Sheridan's play Pizarro was based, and produced in 1800 a volume called ‘The Beauties of Kotzebue.’

Between 2 January and 26 February 1787 he produced a tri-weekly sheet, called The Busybody, on the model of The Spectator

The Spectator

The Spectator is a weekly British magazine first published on 6 July 1828. It is currently owned by David and Frederick Barclay, who also owns The Daily Telegraph. Its principal subject areas are politics and culture...

; at the twenty-fifth number it ceased. The whole work was issued in two volumes in 1789 In 1795 he published, under the pseudonym of ‘George Horne, D.D.,’ two tracts attacking the pretensions of Richard Brothers

Richard Brothers

Richard Brothers was born in Port Kirwan, Newfoundland and Labrador and became well known as both an early believer and teacher of Anglo-Israelism...

 the prophet and of his disciple Nathaniel Brassey Halhed

Nathaniel Brassey Halhed

Nathaniel Brassey Halhed was an English Orientalist and philologist. Halhed was born at Westminster. He was educated at Harrow, where he began his intimacy with Richard Brinsley Sheridan, which continued after he entered Christ Church, Oxford...

. The first was entitled ‘Sound Argument, dictated by Common-sense’ (Oxford, 1795); the second, ‘Occasional Remarks addressed to N. B. Halhed, Esq.’ (London, 1795).

Oulton argued for the authenticity of Vortigern, one of the Ireland Shakespeare forgeries

Ireland Shakespeare Forgeries

The Ireland Shakespeare forgeries were a cause célèbre in 1790s London, when author and engraver Samuel Ireland announced the discovery of a treasure-trove of Shakespearean manuscripts by his son William Henry Ireland. Among them were the manuscripts of four plays, two of them previously unknown...

. He issued an anonymous pamphlet, ‘Vortigern under Consideration’ (1796), on Samuel Ireland

Samuel Ireland

Samuel Ireland , British author and engraver, is best remembered today as the chief victim of the Ireland Shakespeare forgeries created by his son, William Henry Ireland.-Early life:...

's behalf.

On recent theatrical history, he wrote ‘The History of the Theatres of London from 1771 to 1795,’ which appeared in 1796 in two volumes, a continuation of Benjamin Victor

Benjamin Victor (theatre manager)

-Life:He began life as a barber near Drury Lane. In 1722 he was at Norwich, perhaps to establish a textile business. Later he dealt in Irish linen, and established a business at a large house on Pall Mall. Between 1734 and 1746 he made visits to Ireland in order to extend his connections; but the...

's ‘History.’ For James Barker, the theatrical publisher, he prepared in 1802, mainly ‘from the manuscripts of Mr. Henderson,’ ‘Barker's Continuation of Egerton's Theatrical Remembrancer … from 1787 to 1801.’ Finally he produced ‘A History of the Theatres of London from 1795 to 1817,’ London, 3 vols. 1818.

Other publications were:

• ‘Shakespeare's Poems,’ with a memoir, 1804.
• ‘The Traveller's Guide, or an English Itinerary,’ a gazetteer with sixty-six maps or views, London, 1805, 2 vols.
• ‘S. Gessner's Death of Abel,’ a translation, London, 1811.
• ‘The Beauties of Anne Seward,’ 1813.
• ‘Authentic and Impartial Memoirs of her late Majesty Charlotte, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland … assisted by eminent literary Characters,’ 1819.
• ‘Picture of Margate and its Vicinity, with a Map and Twenty Views,’ 1820.

After 1820 Oulton disappears.