Glasgow Herald/1900/Death of Mr Beatty Kingston

Death of Mr Beatty Kingston

News was received by his family in London yesterday of the death at sea, at the age of 63, of Mr William Beatty Kingston, the journalist, and also well known as a writer of libretti and other musical works, Mr Kingston had for some time past suffered from diabetes, and he went a short sea voyage a fortnight ago hoping to recuperate. Mr Kingston who was born in London in 1837, was like his father, originally in the Public Record Office, but in 1856 he quitted official life and became attached to the Austrian Consular service. hen then passed to the staff of the "Daily Telegraph," and became their correspondent at Vienna, afterwards moving to Berlin, and thence coming to London as foreign editor. It was in Germany and Austria that Mr Beatty Keating developed his love of music, and although 30 years ago he was one of the strangest opponents of the operas of Wagner, he was afterwards converted to the Wagner cult. He was also one of the special correspondents of the "Daily Telegraph" in the Russian-Crimean war. In 1884 he wrote the English version of the "Beggar Student" for Carl Rosa, and later on he was librettist of "Frivoli" at Drury Lane, the adapter for the English stage of Verdi's "Falstaff," and the writer of many other librettos and books A biography of Mr Sims Reeves from his pen still awaits publication; and he also in 1887 write two volumes on "Music ad Manners," and a year of two later another volume entitled "Wanderer's Notes." His volume bearing the bold title "Monarchs I Have Met" was published in the Jubilee year, 1887. Mr Kingston was a bon viveur, and indeed was one of the best-known men about town. His daughter the Baroness von Zedlitz, is a well-known song composer, and she is likewise the editor of Signor Arditi's volume entitled "My Reminiscences."