Belloc, (Joseph) Hilaire P(ierre) 1870-1953
British writer and poet

He was born in St Cloud, near Paris. His family moved to England during the Franco-Prussian War, and settled there in 1872. He was educated at the Oratory School, Birmingham, under John Newman, and Balliol College, Oxford, but did military service in the French army. He became a naturalized British subject (1902) and a Liberal MP (1906-10). Disapproving of modern industrial society and socialism, he wrote The Servile State (1912), advocating a return to the system of medieval guilds. He was a close friend of G K Chesterton, who illustrated many of his books. He is best known for his nonsensical verse for children, The Bad Child's Book of Beasts (1896) and the Cautionary Tales (1907); his numerous travel books, including The Path to Rome (1902) and The Old Road (1910); his historical studies, including Robespierre (1901), Richelieu (1929) and Napoleon (1932); and his religious books, including Europe and the Faith (1920) and The Great Heresies (1938). He was an energetic Roman Catholic apologist. His sister Marie Belloc (1868-1947) was a novelist and playwright.

Bibliography: A N Wilson, Hilaire Belloc (1984)