Claude Blair

Claude Blair, (30 November 1922 – 21 February 2010) was a British museum curator and scholar, who specialised in European arms and armour. He is particularly known for his book European Armour: circa 1066 to circa 1700. He worked in the Royal Armouries at the Tower of London from 1951 to 1956, before moving to the Department of Metalwork at the Victoria and Albert Museum, where he remained until his retirement as Keeper of Metalwork in 1982. He was active in church conservation, and served as a Vice-President of the Society of Antiquaries of London from 1990 to 1993.

Early life and education Blair was born on 30 November 1922 in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Lancashire, England. He was the only child born to William Henry Murray Blair (1875–1945), cotton-goods merchant, and Lilian Blair (née Wearing; 1891–1983). He was educated at William Hulme's Grammar School, a grammar school in Manchester.

Following military service in World War II, Blair matriculated into the University of Manchester in 1946. he was commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery as a second lieutenant on 24 April 1943. While serving in Northern Ireland, he was injured in a vehicle accident. He was riding in the back of a truck that was picking up his regiment's beer supply when the truck braked sharply. The beer barrels shifted; his leg was trapped between two of them and was broken. This ended his active service but he remained in the army as part of the team that tested new small arms. He retired from the V&A in 1982.

Honours In the 1994 Queen's Birthday Honours, Blair was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) "for services to Church Conservation". In the 2005 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) "for services to the Royal Collection".

In 1956, he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA). this is awarded "for distinguished services to archaeology" and is the Society's highest award.

Selected works