Beaver Henry Blacker

[1] Between 1847 and 1854 he published several theological pamphlets, but his first topographical work was his Brief sketches of Booterstown and Donnybrook, in the County of Dublin, with notes and annals, issued in four parts between 1860 and 1874.

His Gloucestershire Notes and Queries originally appeared in the columns of the Stroud Journal and its popularity there led to its publication in 48 parts from April 1879 to October 1890.

[1] In the preface issued with the 48th part which completed the fourth volume, Blacker, writing as the editor, asked for further support to enable him to continue the work, describing it as not a "profitable speculation", but a "labour of love" in archaeology.

The preface was written at the beginning of October 1890, and Blacker's health began to fail shortly after, leading to his death at Clifton on 11 November 1890.

[1] In a review of the fourth volume of Gloucestershire Notes and Queries, the historian John MacLean wrote that it "still maintains its position as the best of this class of publications, now, we are glad to say, so growing in popularity, that there are few counties without its representative.