He was first employed as a call boy at Drury Lane Theatre, then made a living by reciting and singing throughout England and Scotland. He came to Longton with a wooden van which served as a travelling theatre. This was replaced by a permanent wooden structure and, in 1867 by the Royal Victoria Theatre in Berry Bank, Stafford Street (now The Strand).

He wrote at least 50 plays; a manuscript copy of his last play, 'My Little Wife or Nuts to Crack', is in the Horace Barks Library, City Public Library, Hanley.

In his early days he was a strong advocate of the temperance movement, was a Radical in politics, a Unitarian in religion and also a freemason. He served as a poor law guardian, and as mayor of Longton 1883-4. He died in 1888 and was buried in Longton Cemetery.