Joseph Clayton (1867–1943) was an English freelance journalist and biographer. A writer of numerous books, he covered areas of trade union and socialist history, but also religious figures and history.

Life

Joseph Clayton was born in London 28 April 1867 and attended the North London Collegiate School. He was a

Christian socialist A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words ''Christ'' and ''Chr ...

as an undergraduate at

Worcester College, Oxford Worcester College ( ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in 1714 by the benefaction of Sir Thomas Cookes, 2nd Baronet (1648–1701) of Norgrove, Worcestershire, whose coat of arms was ad ...

, where he was a classmate of

Richard Runciman Terry Sir Richard Runciman Terry (3 January 1864 – 18 April 1938) was an English organist, choir director, composer and musicologist. He is noted for his pioneering revival of Tudor liturgical music. Early years Richard Terry was born in 1864 in ...

. He became an organiser of the

Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberal Party (UK), Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse work ...

(ILP), and supported socialist causes. In 1896 he was an ILP member in Leeds. He edited ''

The New Age ''The New Age'' was a British weekly magazine (1894–1938),credited as a major influence on literature and the arts during its heyday from 1907 to 1922, when it was edited by Alfred Richard Orage. It published work by many of the chief politi ...

'' in 1907, successor to Arthur Compton-Rickett, before it was sold to a group backing A. R. Orage and

Holbrook Jackson George Holbrook Jackson (31 December 1874 – 16 June 1948) was a British journalist, writer and publisher. He was recognised as one of the leading bibliophiles of his time. Biography Holbrook Jackson was born in Liverpool, England. He worked a ...

; Clayton knew Orage from the ILP. He was a convert to

Roman Catholicism The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

in 1910, and was an organist at

Westminster Cathedral Westminster Cathedral, officially the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood, is the largest Catholic Church in England and Wales, Roman Catholic church in England and Wales. The shrine is dedicated to the Blood of Jesus Ch ...

. He was a Fellow of the

Royal Historical Society The Royal Historical Society (RHS), founded in 1868, is a learned society of the United Kingdom which advances scholarly studies of history. Origins The society was founded and received its royal charter in 1868. Until 1872 it was known as the H ...

. Clayton was a contributor to the ''National Review'', ''The Athenaeum'', ''The Universe'', ''The Bookman'', and the ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. He also wrote in support of women's suffrage. He died at

Chipping Campden Chipping Campden is a market town in the Cotswold (district), Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England. It is notable for its terraced High Street, dating from the 14th to the 17th centuries. A wool trading centre in the Middle Ages, Chipp ...

in November 1943.

Works

*''Father Dolling'' (1902) on Robert William Radclyffe Dolling *''Grace Marlow'' (1903) novel *''John Blankset's Business'' (1904) novel *''Bishop Westcott'' (1906) *''The Bishops as Legislators'' (1906) *''The Truth About the Lords: Our New Nobility, 1857–1907'' (1907) *''Robert Owen, Pioneer of Social Reforms'' (1908) *''Wat Tyler and the Peasant Revolt'' (1909) *''The True Story of Jack Cade'' (1910) *''Leaders of the People: Studies in Democratic History'' (1910) *''The Rise of the Democracy'' (1911) *''Robert Kett and the Norfolk Rising'' (1912) *''Co-operation and the Trade Unions'' (1912) *''Father Stanton of St Albans, Holborn'' (1913) *''Trade Unions'' (1913) *''Economics For Christians'' (1924) *''The Historic Basis of Anglicanism: A Short Survey of the Foundations of the Anglican Communion'' (1925) *''The Rise and Decline of Socialism in Great Britain, 1884–1924'' (1926) *''Continuity in the Church of England'' (1928) *''St Hugh of Lincoln'' (1931) *''Sir Thomas More: A Short Study'' (1933) *''The Protestant Reformation in Great Britain'' (1934) *''Pope Innocent III and His Times'' (1941)

References

External links

Newsletter report
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Online Books page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clayton, Joseph 1867 births 1943 deaths Catholic socialists Contributors to the Catholic Encyclopedia English Christian socialists English historians English journalists English male journalists English male non-fiction writers Independent Labour Party members Writers about trade unions