J. E. Macmanus

'J. E. Macmanus' is how newspapers gave the name of the author of various literary works, including 'The Man Who Wouldn't' and 'In Her White Innocence' which are in the Great War Theatre database. 'J. E. Macmanus' was also the name of the editor of the magazine 'Blighty' which was launched in 1916 as a humorous men’s magazine aimed at troops. A later mention of 'Blighty' gave its editor's full name as Joseph Edward Macmanus (Truth, 10 September 1919). That the J. E. Macmanus who wrote the plays was the Joseph Edward Macmanus who edited 'Blighty' is confirmed by obituaries of Joseph Edward Macmanus in June 1921. The Worthing Herald, Saturday 25 June 1921, reported, ‘Mr. Joseph Edward Macmanus, the author and journalist, died at his residence at Hove on Friday [17 June], aged 59. He was a member of the editorial staff of the “Daily Mail” and has been chief leader writer on the “Daily Express,” editor of “Blighty,” and assistant editor for Great Britain of “Le Figaro,” Paris. Mr. Macmanus, who qualified as a solicitor, but never practised, was the author of many short plays, verses and songs’. Similar obituaries were published in the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 20 June 1921, and in the Sussex Agricultural Express, 24 June 1921. The National Probate Calendar records that Edward Joseph McManus of 43 Highdown Road, Hove, Sussex died on 17 June 1921 and that probate in respect of his estate (effects £1323 5s 2d) was granted at London on 30 December 1921 to James Clive McManus, journalist, and Edward Herbert McManus, writer, who were his sons.