From 1890 until his death in 1928 Courtney had a successful career as a journalist, editor and drama and literary critic, working principally for The Daily Telegraph and The Fortnightly Review.

[2] The prestigious Somersetshire College was located at The Circus, a circle of townhouses in Bath, and had been founded in 1858 when a private home was converted to school rooms and offices.

After a successful undergraduate career in which he achieved a first-class grade in the classics course Literae Humaniores, Courtney was elected to a fellowship at Oxford's Merton College.

The older staff-members resented his youthfulness and his plan to increase pupil numbers by accepting the sons of local tradesmen was opposed by the school governors and parents of the existing students.

[5] The terms of his appointment stipulated that after a specified period of service he had the option of retiring but nevertheless retaining the rights and emoluments of a fellow of New College.

[6] William and Cordelia Courtney and their growing family made their home in Park Town, in North Oxford.

[2] He wrote three books during his Oxford years: The Metaphysics of John Stuart Mill (1879), Studies in Philosophy: Ancient and Modern (1882), and Constructive Ethics (1886).

[6] In April 1882 the professorial chair of Moral Philosophy became vacant after the death of Thomas Hill Green at the age of forty-five.

Green had been Courtney's mentor in philosophy and he and William Wallace (of Merton College) vied for the vacant position.

When Wallace was appointed to the professorship, Courtney reacted by becoming a candidate for the headmastership of Dulwich College, but was unsuccessful and opted to remain at Oxford.

He was involved in the production of Stafford, King John and other plays performed by the OUDS in the early days of the New Theatre.

[8][6][2] Courtney was described as "a leading figure in the social world of the University, the life of the Senior Common Room of New College, ... hail-fellow-well-met with the undergraduates, but at the same time a philosopher of no mean merit".

[5] In January 1890 a short play written by Courtney called Kit Marlowe's Death was published in the journal The Universal Review.

[12][13] In 1890 Courtney left Oxford to join The Daily Telegraph newspaper, beginning a 38-year career on Fleet Street, writing general articles as well as drama and literary criticism.

As well as Courtney, his wife and five of his children, the household was made up of six servants, a nurse and an under-nurse, a housemaid and an under-housemaid, a parlour maid and a cook.