William Layton Sammons

(1801-1882) Author, journalist, columnist and editor. Best known in South Africa by his nom-de-plume Sam Sly. Born in England, he was trained **. Came to Cape Town in 18** He was a decided champion of the theatre against the strict Methodism of the times (while himself being a convinced Christian), as well as one of the earliest regular theatre critics in South Africa. Aside from regularly publishing in the more established newspapers, Sammons soon started his own weekly review, Sam Sly's African Journal to promote culture and entertainment in general in the Cape. The first issue appeared in Cape Town on 1 June 1843, and appeared weekly thereafter, with brief intermissions, until 1851. It gave a humerous and lively picture of literature and public entertainment, particularly the sport, music and theatre of the time. It was often also polemical and took up specific issues. For example, in 1845 he took the lead in campaigning for a new theatre for Cape Town, which resulted in 1846 in the building of the Drury Lane Theatre.

Sources

Fletcher, 1994*?; Bosman, 1928 [TH, JH]

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