John Davys Beresford (17 March 1873 - 1 February 1947) was an English writer, now remembered for his early science fiction and some short stories in the horror story and ghost story genres. His Hampdenshire Wonder was a major influence on Olaf Stapledon.

His father was a clergyman in Castor, now in Cambridgeshire near Peterborough. He was affected by infantile paralysis, which left him partially disabled. He was educated at Oundle.

After training to become an architect, he became a professional writer, first as a dramatist, and journalist. He combined a prominent place in Edwardian literary London, with some of his time spent in the provinces, in particular Cornwall where D. H. Lawrence had an extended stay in his Porthcothan cottage.

Elisabeth Beresford , children's writer and creator of The Wombles, is his daughter.

Works

• The Early History of Jacob Stahl (1911) trilogy of novels includes A Candidate for Truth and The Invisible Event
• The Hampdenshire Wonder (1911) novel
• A Candidate for Truth (1912)
• Goslings (1913) novel
• The House in Demetrius Road (1914) novel
• The Invisible Event (1915) novel
• H. G. Wells (1915) criticism
• William Elphinstone Ford (1917) biography, with Kenneth Richmond
• Nineteen Impressions (1918) stories
• Signs and Wonders (1921, Golden Cockerel Press) stories
• Revolution (1921) novel
• The Imperturbable Duchess and Other Stories (1923)
• The Instrument of Destiny (1928) novel
• All or Nothing (1928) novel
• Real People (1929) novel
• The Meeting Place and Other Stories (1929)
• Love's Illusion (1930)
• The Next Generation (1932) novel
• The Camberwell Miracle (1933) novel
• Peckover (1934) novel
• Blackthorn Winter and other stories (1936)
• What Dreams May Come (1941) novel
• A Common Enemy (1941) novel
• Men in the Same Boat (1943) (with Esme Wynne-Tyson)
• The Riddle of the Tower (1944) (with Esme Wynne-Tyson)
• The Gift (1947) (with Esme Wynne-Tyson)
• The Prisoner
• Love's Pilgrim

Reference

• J. D. Beresford (1998) George M. Johnson