Edward Heron-Allen
Encyclopedia
Edward Heron-Allen (17 December 1861 – 28 March 1943) was an English
polymath, writer, scientist and Persian scholar who translated the works of Omar Khayyam
.
In 1885 he studied the Turkish language with Garabet Hagopian, the Armenian envoy in London. In addition to Hagopian, Heron-Allen sought the guidance of Charles Wells, a Turkish lexicographer.
He was an expert on the art of chiromancy or palmistry, having read palms and analysed the handwriting of luminaries of the period, he wrote several books on the subject and in 1886 went on a lecture tour of the United States.
On his return from the USA he returned to his legal practice in London, but found time to develop his other interests, including the study of Persian.
He made friends with Mirza Malkom Khan (Nāẓem-al-Molk), the famous Persian Minister in London and in 1896 he studied colloquial Persian with Mirza ʿAlinaqi of the Persian Legation. In 1897 he began studying with Edward Denison Ross
, Professor of Persian at University College, London.
He published a literal translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
(1898) from the then earliest manuscript in the Bodleian Library
, followed by other studies of various versions up to 1908. He also published a translation entitled The Lament of Baba Tahir (1901) from a little-known Persian dialect, Luri.
When Heron-Allen's father died in 1911, Heron-Allen retired from practising the law and permanently moved to Selsey
in West Sussex
. There he produced a book on the history and prehistory of Selsey. He compiled a library of 12,000 books, including a collection of rare books on the violin, which he bequeathed to the Royal School of Music.
A supporter of his local parish church in Selsey, he donated a Church organ to them. It was built and supplied by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
in 1912, and dedicated to the memory of Heron-Allen's late father.
Heron-Allen also served in World War I
and his journal was eventually published in 2002.
He spent many years studying foraminifera
, for this work he was eventually elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in May, 1919."
Heron-Allen’s foraminiferal collections and associated library were bequeathed to The Natural History Museum, London and are now housed in a special room on the second floor of the Department of Palaeontology named The Heron-Allen Library, in his honour. The collection is not just of Heron-Allens books, but also contains the reprints and manuscripts, as well as the ephemera which Heron-Allen bound with them, including the associated correspondence, photographs, field-notes, the various proof stages, miscellaneous invoices, artwork, as well as postcards and letters from recipients of his reprints.
Heron-Allen also wrote on archaeology, Buddhist philosophy, the cultivation, gourmet appreciation of and culture of the asparagus, as well as a number of novels and short stories of science fiction and horror written under his pseudonym of "Christopher Blayre.
.
.
*ʿOmar Ḵayyām, Edward FitzGerald’s Rubâ’iyât of Omar Khayyâm with Their Original Persian Sources, Collated from his Own MSS., London, 1899.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
polymath, writer, scientist and Persian scholar who translated the works of Omar Khayyam
Omar Khayyám
Omar Khayyám was aPersian polymath: philosopher, mathematician, astronomer and poet. He also wrote treatises on mechanics, geography, mineralogy, music, climatology and theology....
.
Life
Heron-Allen was born in London, the youngest of four children of George Allen and Catherine Herring. He was educated at Elstree and Harrow School from 1876, where he developed an interest in classics, science and music (particularly in violin playing), however he did not attend university. In 1879 he joined the family firm of Allen and Son, solicitors, in Soho, London. The practice office was located close to the violin making district and Heron-Allen made the aquaintenance of George Chanot, a distinguished violin maker, and learnt how to make violins making some himself. He subsequently produced a book on violin making that was still in print over a hundred years later.In 1885 he studied the Turkish language with Garabet Hagopian, the Armenian envoy in London. In addition to Hagopian, Heron-Allen sought the guidance of Charles Wells, a Turkish lexicographer.
He was an expert on the art of chiromancy or palmistry, having read palms and analysed the handwriting of luminaries of the period, he wrote several books on the subject and in 1886 went on a lecture tour of the United States.
On his return from the USA he returned to his legal practice in London, but found time to develop his other interests, including the study of Persian.
He made friends with Mirza Malkom Khan (Nāẓem-al-Molk), the famous Persian Minister in London and in 1896 he studied colloquial Persian with Mirza ʿAlinaqi of the Persian Legation. In 1897 he began studying with Edward Denison Ross
Edward Denison Ross
Sir Edward Denison Ross was an Orientalist and one of the world's foremost linguists, specializing in languages of the Far East. He could read 49 languages, and speak 30 of them. He was director of the British Information Bureau for the Near East. Along with Eileen Power, he wrote and edited a...
, Professor of Persian at University College, London.
He published a literal translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám is the title that Edward FitzGerald gave to his translation of a selection of poems, originally written in Persian and of which there are about a thousand, attributed to Omar Khayyám , a Persian poet, mathematician and astronomer...
(1898) from the then earliest manuscript in the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, followed by other studies of various versions up to 1908. He also published a translation entitled The Lament of Baba Tahir (1901) from a little-known Persian dialect, Luri.
When Heron-Allen's father died in 1911, Heron-Allen retired from practising the law and permanently moved to Selsey
Selsey
Selsey is a seaside town and civil parish, about seven miles south of Chichester, in the Chichester District of West Sussex, England. Selsey lies at the southernmost point of the Manhood Peninsula, almost cut off from mainland Sussex by the sea...
in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
. There he produced a book on the history and prehistory of Selsey. He compiled a library of 12,000 books, including a collection of rare books on the violin, which he bequeathed to the Royal School of Music.
A supporter of his local parish church in Selsey, he donated a Church organ to them. It was built and supplied by J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd
J. W. Walker & Sons Ltd is a British firm of organ builders established in 1828 by Joseph William Walker in London. Walker organs were popular additions to churches during the Gothic Revival era of church building and restoration in Victorian Britain, and instruments built by Walker are found in...
in 1912, and dedicated to the memory of Heron-Allen's late father.
Heron-Allen also served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and his journal was eventually published in 2002.
He spent many years studying foraminifera
Foraminifera
The Foraminifera , or forams for short, are a large group of amoeboid protists which are among the commonest plankton species. They have reticulating pseudopods, fine strands of cytoplasm that branch and merge to form a dynamic net...
, for this work he was eventually elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in May, 1919."
Heron-Allen’s foraminiferal collections and associated library were bequeathed to The Natural History Museum, London and are now housed in a special room on the second floor of the Department of Palaeontology named The Heron-Allen Library, in his honour. The collection is not just of Heron-Allens books, but also contains the reprints and manuscripts, as well as the ephemera which Heron-Allen bound with them, including the associated correspondence, photographs, field-notes, the various proof stages, miscellaneous invoices, artwork, as well as postcards and letters from recipients of his reprints.
Heron-Allen also wrote on archaeology, Buddhist philosophy, the cultivation, gourmet appreciation of and culture of the asparagus, as well as a number of novels and short stories of science fiction and horror written under his pseudonym of "Christopher Blayre.
Titles and accolades
Following list taken from Who, Was WhoWho's Who (UK)
Who's Who is an annual British publication of biographies which vary in length of about 30,000 living notable Britons.-History:...
.
- FRS 1919Royal SocietyThe Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
- Fellow of the Royal Society. - FLSLinnean Society of LondonThe Linnean Society of London is the world's premier society for the study and dissemination of taxonomy and natural history. It publishes a zoological journal, as well as botanical and biological journals...
- Fellow of the Linnean Society. - FGSGeological Society of LondonThe Geological Society of London is a learned society based in the United Kingdom with the aim of "investigating the mineral structure of the Earth"...
- Fellow of the Geological Society. - FZSZoological Society of LondonThe Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...
- Fellow of the Zoological Society. - FRMSRoyal Microscopical SocietyThe Royal Microscopical Society is an international scientific society for the promotion of microscopy. RMS draws members from all over the world and is dedicated to advancing science, developing careers and supporting wider understanding of science and microscopy through its Science and Society...
- Fellow of the Royal Microscopical Society. - MRIrish Academy(Hon)Royal Irish AcademyThe Royal Irish Academy , based in Dublin, is an all-Ireland, independent, academic body that promotes study and excellence in the sciences, humanities and social sciences. It is one of Ireland's premier learned societies and cultural institutions and currently has around 420 Members, elected in...
- Member of the Royal Irish Academy. - Accademia Nazionale di Santa CeciliaAccademia Nazionale di Santa CeciliaThe Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one of the oldest musical institutions in the world, based in Italy.It is based at the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome, and was founded by the papal bull, Ratione congruit, issued by Sixtus V in 1585, which invoked two saints prominent in Western...
- Member of the Academy of St Cecilia, Rome. One of the oldest musical institutions in the world.
Career
Following list taken from Who, Was WhoWho's Who (UK)
Who's Who is an annual British publication of biographies which vary in length of about 30,000 living notable Britons.-History:...
.
- Admitted Solicitor of Supreme Court, 1884;
- Special Commissioner of Music Section of Colonial Exhibition to Italy, 1885;
- Lecturing and writing in United States, 1886–89;
- Student of, and Lecturer upon, ProtozoologyProtozoologyProtozoology is the study of protozoa, the "animal-like" protists. This term has become dated as our understanding of the evolutionary relationships of the eukaryota has improved....
; - District Commissioner of Boy Scouts for S.W. Sussex, 1910–19;
- District Commissioner S.W. Sussex for National ServiceNational serviceNational service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, 1916–17; - Lieut 6th Volunteer Battalian Royal Sussex RegimentRoyal Sussex RegimentThe Royal Sussex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th Regiment of Foot and the 107th Regiment of Foot...
, 1917 (France, 1918) - Attached to Staff Intelligence Dept War Office, 1918;
- President of the Royal Microscopical Society, 1916–18;
- Honorary Member Manchester Microscopical Society;
- Marine Biologist and Zoologist;
- President of the Sette of Odd Volumes, 1927–28;
- President of the National Auricula Society, 1928
Select bibliography
- Bābā Ṭāhir ʿOryān, The Lament of Bābā Tāhir: Being the Rubā’iyāt of Bābā Tāhir, Hamandāni (`Uryān). Translated by Edward Heron-Allen and Rendered into English Verse by Elizabeth Curtis Brenton, London, 1902.
*ʿOmar Ḵayyām, Edward FitzGerald’s Rubâ’iyât of Omar Khayyâm with Their Original Persian Sources, Collated from his Own MSS., London, 1899.
- “The Philosophy of žUmar Khayyám,” Edward Fitzgerald, 1809-1909: Centenary Celebrations Souvenir, Ipswich, 1909, pp. 17–20.
- “On the Place of the Rubá’i in Persian Poetry with especial reference to the Rubá’iyyát of Omar Khayyám,” ThePoetry Review II/5, May 1913, pp. 205–20.
- “Presidential Inaugural Address,” The Year-Boke of the Sette of Odd Volumes: Fiftieth Year, 1927–1928, Oxford, 1929, pp. 2–29.
- Some Sidelights Upon Edward FitzGerald’s Poem, “The Ruba’iyat of Omar Khayyām”: Being the Substance of a Lecture Delivered at the Grosvenor Crescent Club and Women’s Institute on the 22nd March, 1898, London, 1898b.
- ʿOmar Ḵayyām, Edward FitzGerald’s Rubâ’iyât of Omar Khayyâm with Their Original Persian Sources, Collated from his Own MSS., and Literally Translated by Edward Heron-Allen, London, 1899.
- The Ruba’iyat: Being a Facsimile of the Manuscript in the Bodleian
- Library at Oxford, with a Transcript into Modern Persian Characters, Translated, with an Introduction and Notes, and a Bibliography, by Edward Heron-Allen, London, 1898a.
- The Ruba’iyat of Omar Khayyam: Being a Facsimile of the Manuscript in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, with a Transcript into Modern Persian Characters, Translated, with an Introduction and Notes, and a Bibliography, and Some Sidelights upon Edward FitzGerald’s Poem by Edward Heron-Allen. Second edition, carefully revised and considerably enlarged, London, 1898c.
- The Second Edition of Edward FitzGerald’s Rubá’iyyát of žUmar Khayyám,London, 1908.