Lionel Barnett
Person Male Born 21/10/1871 Died 28/1/1960
When we first listed these memorials in 2014 we could find no information about "Mrs" but the Encyclopaedia Judaica listed a Lionel Barnett that could be our Lionel and Wikipedia adds some details: Orientalist. Born Liverpool. Joined the British Museum in 1899 and was keeper there of Oriental printed books and manuscripts 1908 – 36, and worked there again 1948 till his death. Also lecturer at UCL and SOAS.
We could find nothing at the time to connect him with Hampstead or Waterloo or the House of Commons but his interests would not be inconsistent with the urge to preserve the fabric of old London. It's possible that the stonework was offered to the BM and when they rejected it he took it in charge. Our colleague, Andrew Behan, researched the Barnett's (in 2021) and found a connection to the NW11 area where they lived in the 1950's and we believe these are our couple.
Lionel David Barnett CB, FBA, was born on 21 October 1871 in Liverpool, Lancashire, the eldest of the three children of Barron Lewis Barnett (1843-1914) and Adelaide Barnett née Cowen (1851-1911). His father was a banker and is sometimes recorded as Baron Lewis Barnett.
The 1881 census shows him living at 10 Wellesley Terrace, Princes Park, Toxteth, Liverpool, with his parents, his brothers Ernest Emmanuel Barnett (1873-1946) and Francis Samuel Barnett (1879-1962), his uncle Philip Eliezer Barnett (1831-1901), a nursery governess, a cook and a housemaid. In the 1891 census he is recorded as an undergraduate at Victoria University living at 105 Bedford Street, Liverpool, with his parents, both brothers and two female domestic servants.
When the 1901 census was carried out on 31 March 1901, he is shown as a civil servant at The British Museum, boarding at the home of a Sarah H. Knight at 25 Gordon Street, St Pancras. Later that year he is recorded in the 2nd quarter as marrying Blanche Esther Berliner (1876-1955) in the Marylebone registration district. They had two children: Helen Angela Barnett (1906-2004) and Dr Richard David Barnett CBE (1909-1986).
The 1911 census shows him as a keeper at The British Museum, residing at 15 Avenue Cresent, Acton, with his wife, their two children, a nurse, a cook and a housemaid. Local directories show that from 1925 to 1934 he was listed at 8 Royal Crescent, London, W11 and from 1935 to 1938 at 19 Prince Edward Mansions, Pembridge Square, London, W2. In the 1939 England and Wales Register both he and his wife are recorded at 20c Holland Villas Road, London, W14 and his occupation was given as a retired civil servant. Local directories confirm that they remained at this address until 1950. When his wife died on 5 April 1955 her probate records show that their address was by now 33 West Heath Drive, London, NW11.
He died, aged 88 years, on 28 January 1960 at home at 33 West Heath Drive, London, NW11. Probate was granted jointly to his son and his solicitor on 22 March 1960 and his effects totalled £4,944-19s-10d.
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