Oswald Barron
Encyclopedia
Arthur Oswald Barron always known as Oswald Barron, was a journalist and scholar on heraldic and genealogical subjects.
He was born at West Ham
, Essex
, and educated at Merchant Taylors School
, London. Most of his career was spent on the staff of the London Evening News, where he had a daily column which he signed as "The Londoner". He was a friend of Edith Nesbit and co-wrote The Butler in Bohemia with her. He also suggested the plot of The Railway Children
, and her book The Story of the Treasure Seekers
(1899) is dedicated to him, 'in memory of childhoods identical but for the accidents of time and space'.
He founded and edited a profusely-illustrated quarterly scholarly periodical on genealogical subjects, called The Ancestor (1902-1905), which attempted to debunk many popular myths of the Victorian era and to replace them with properly referenced facts, concentrating especially on the medieval period. The Ancestor discontinued publication with its twelfth issue.
From this venture, he moved to the Victoria County History, where he contributed on matters on heraldry and genealogy. He also contributed a major article on heraldry to the 1911 edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is said in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography to remain "one of the best and most erudite introductions to the subject."
His interest in medieval rather than contemporary heraldry, and his opinion (based on medieval practice) that assumption of arms was not prohibited by the Law of Arms
, pitted him against the more prolific and popular heraldic author, Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
. It did not, however, deprive him of friends in the College of Arms
, and he was, towards the end of his life in 1937, appointed Maltravers Herald Extraordinary at the College. However, the demands of his daily column for the Evening News, on which he depended for his living, kept him away from any sustained work of scholastic endeavour, despite the high quality of his periodical contributions.
He married Hilda Leonora Florence Sanders in 1899 and had one daughter.
He was elected as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1901, was appointed gold staff officer at the coronation of George V
in 1911, served as Lieutenant in the Inns of Court
reserve regiment 1916-1919, and attended at the coronation of George VI in 1937 by virtue of his appointment as Maltravers Herald Extraordinary.
He was born at West Ham
West Ham
West Ham is in the London Borough of Newham in London, England. In the west it is a post-industrial neighbourhood abutting the site of the London Olympic Park and in the east it is mostly residential, consisting of Victorian terraced housing interspersed with higher density post-War social housing...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, and educated at Merchant Taylors School
Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
Merchant Taylors' School is a British independent day school for boys, originally located in the City of London. Since 1933 it has been located at Sandy Lodge in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire ....
, London. Most of his career was spent on the staff of the London Evening News, where he had a daily column which he signed as "The Londoner". He was a friend of Edith Nesbit and co-wrote The Butler in Bohemia with her. He also suggested the plot of The Railway Children
The Railway Children
The Railway Children is a children's book by Edith Nesbit, originally serialised in The London Magazine during 1905 and first published in book form in 1906...
, and her book The Story of the Treasure Seekers
The Story of the Treasure Seekers
The Story of the Treasure Seekers is a novel by E. Nesbit. First published in 1899, it tells the story of Dora, Oswald, Dicky, Alice, Noel, and Horace Octavius Bastable, and their attempts to assist their widowed father and recover the fortunes of their family; its sequels are the The...
(1899) is dedicated to him, 'in memory of childhoods identical but for the accidents of time and space'.
He founded and edited a profusely-illustrated quarterly scholarly periodical on genealogical subjects, called The Ancestor (1902-1905), which attempted to debunk many popular myths of the Victorian era and to replace them with properly referenced facts, concentrating especially on the medieval period. The Ancestor discontinued publication with its twelfth issue.
From this venture, he moved to the Victoria County History, where he contributed on matters on heraldry and genealogy. He also contributed a major article on heraldry to the 1911 edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which is said in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography to remain "one of the best and most erudite introductions to the subject."
His interest in medieval rather than contemporary heraldry, and his opinion (based on medieval practice) that assumption of arms was not prohibited by the Law of Arms
Law of Arms
The law of heraldic arms governs the "bearing of arms", that is, the possession, use or display of arms, also called coats of arms, coat armour or armorial bearings. Although it is believed that the original function of coats of arms was to enable knights to identify each other on the battlefield,...
, pitted him against the more prolific and popular heraldic author, Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
Arthur Charles Fox-Davies was a British author on heraldry. By profession, he was a barrister but he also worked as a journalist and novelist.Born in Bristol, he was the second son of T...
. It did not, however, deprive him of friends in the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, and he was, towards the end of his life in 1937, appointed Maltravers Herald Extraordinary at the College. However, the demands of his daily column for the Evening News, on which he depended for his living, kept him away from any sustained work of scholastic endeavour, despite the high quality of his periodical contributions.
He married Hilda Leonora Florence Sanders in 1899 and had one daughter.
He was elected as a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in 1901, was appointed gold staff officer at the coronation of George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
in 1911, served as Lieutenant in the Inns of Court
Inns of Court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. All such barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional...
reserve regiment 1916-1919, and attended at the coronation of George VI in 1937 by virtue of his appointment as Maltravers Herald Extraordinary.