W. O. G. Lofts

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W. O. G. Lofts
Born(1923-09-02)2 September 1923
Marylebone, London, England
Died27 June 1997(1997-06-27) (aged 73)
Kensington and Chelsea, London
NationalityBritish
OccupationResearcher and author
Years active1942 – 1994
Known forCataloging British Juvenile Fiction
Notable work
The Men Behind Boys' Fiction

William Oliver Guillemont Lofts (2 September 1923 – 27 June 1997) was a British researcher and author.

Lofts was born in Marylebone, London in 1923, and attended Barrow Hill Road Elementary School. At sixteen he was working as an office boy, and still living at home at 146 Ashbridge Street in Marylebone.[1] During the Second World War, he enlisted in the Royal Artillery on 6 August 1942 and served in India and Myanmar for almost all of his service.[2] It was during his military service that he first became avidly interested in juvenile fiction, after coming across a "Sexton Blake" paperback in a deserted hut in 1944.[3]

From the 1960s to the 1980s he worked for the legal department of IPC Magazines, mostly researching issues related to copyright. He was deeply interested in boys' fiction, and spent years researching the topic, collaborating with another researcher Derek John Adley, on many bibliographic works.[3]

Lofts' writings include The Saint and Leslie Charteris (1970) and The World of Frank Richards (1975).

Works[]

Writing by W. O. G. Lofts (BL refers to British Library)
No Year Title Other Author Pages Publisher ISBN BL Source, if other than BL On-line link
1 1969 The British Bibliography of Edgar Wallace Derek John Adley 246 Howard Baker, London 0093047606 Yes Internet archive
2 1969 Old Boys Books: A Complete Catalogue Derek John Adley 93 Authors, York Yes Friardale
3 1970 The Men Behind Boys' Fiction Derek John Adley 361 Howard Baker, London 0093047703 Yes Internet archive
4 1971 The Saint and Leslie Charteris Derek John Adley 135 Hutchinson Library Services, London 0093048009 Yes
5 1975 World Of Frank Richards Derek John Adley 206 Howard Baker, London 0703000683 No Amazon.co.uk Friardale
6 c. 1978 The Rupert Index: A Bibliography of Rupert Bear Derek John Adley 74 Norman Shaw, London Yes
7 c. 1980 William: A Bibliography Derek John Adley 51 Norman Shaw, London Yes
8 c. 1981 The Gem Index: A Catalogue of St. Jim's Stories Derek John Adley 94 Authors, South Harrow? Yes Page count from AbeBooks-Peakirk Books
9 1982 Catalogue of Boys & Girls Annuals Derek John Adley 143 Authors, South Harrow Yes
10 1982 The Hotspur, A Catalogue 1933-1959 Derek John Adley 67 Authors, South Harrow No Abe Books-Burwood Books, Wickham Market
11 c. 1983 Greyfriars Since The Magnet : A Bibliography Derek John Adley 19 Authors, South Harrow Yes Friardale
12 1983 The Thriller Derek John Adley 20 A Cadwallender, Manchester No Abe Books-Burwood Books, Wickham Market
13 1986 Identification Guide To The D. C. Thomson And John Leng Children's Annuals 1921-1964. Derek John Adley 38 Yesterday's Paper, Wellington No Abe Books-Any Amount of Books, London
14 1986 The Concise Magnet Companion '86, Edited by George Beal George Beal 97 No
15 1987 The Detective Weekly: A Bibliography Derek John Adley 21 Authors No AbeBooks-Any Amount of Books, London
16 1987 Origins of the Boys Friend Library Derek John Adley Howard Baker, London No Amazon.co.uk
17 1990 The Thriller : The Paper with a Thousand Thrills Derek John Adley 48 C.J. Publications/A.B. Whitworth No Abe Books-Any Amount of Books, London
18 1991 The New Rupert Index: Revised and Updated by John Beck Derek John Adley, John Beck 117 John Beck No Abe Books-D2D Books, Berkshire
19 1994 Rookwood Derek John Adley 45 Happy Hours, Leeds No Abe Books-Any Amount of Books, London Friardale

References[]

  1. ^ National Archives. 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/468D: E.D. AROO. Kew: National Archives.
  2. ^ Royal Artillery (1945). Royal Artillery Tracer Card: William Oliver Guellemont Lofts. Larkhill, Wiltshire: Royal Artillery Museum.
  3. ^ a b Adrian, Jack (1997-07-12). "Obituary: W. O. G. Lofts". The Independent. Retrieved 27 February 2019.
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