Since the Hallams were of Anglo-Saxon origin, arose from landless surfs with indebteness to Norman overlords after the Battle of Hastings, they had no claim to the ruling aristorcracy or royal lineage. The class system in England, through the fuedal system, the Victorian era, and even up to the mid-1900’s would have precluded many Hallams from rising above a particular station in life. And the family still only represent a very small propulation world wide (approximately 22,000). Given these circumstances, very few Hallams would have risen to be world renowned. However, the Hallam family can boast a number of notable exceptions. The most famous of all Hallams are those of Henry Hallam and his two sons, Arthur Henry Hallam and Henry (Harry) Fitzmaurice Hallam.

Henry Hallam (1777-1859), the only son of John Hallam canon of Windsor and dean of Britol, was a barrister and historian who studied at Oxford University (B.A. Christ Church, 1799). He attended Eton from 1790 to 1794, where he composed verse (Musae Etonenses) and matriculated from Christ Church in 1795. He was called to the bar in 1802. He wrote "A View of the State of Europe During the Middle Ages," "Introduction to the Literature of Europe during the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries." as well as a number of other books between 1791 and 1839.

His son Arthur Henry Hallam, was born February 1, 1811, and attended Eaton and Trinity Coledge at Cambridge and recognized by his contemporaries (including Priminister William Gladstone) as having unusual promise. He is reported to have been a precociously brilliant Victorian, and became the most important of Alfred Lord Tennysons friendships. Their intense friendship had a major influence on Tennysons writngs and poetry, and Tennyson named his son, Hallam Tennyson, after him. Arthur Henry Hallam died at the early age of 22 (September 15, 1833) of an illness while on holiday in Vienna in Austria. There were no cameras around during Arthur Henry Hallam's time but to view a picture of his name sake, Hallam Tennyson the son of Alfred Lord Tennyson, click here.

Henry (Harry) Fitzmaurice Hallam was born in 1827, when his older brother Arthur was about 16. He, like his brother, entered Eton; reading Wordsworth and Dante at an early age, and founding a historical debating society at Cambridge. With Tennyson’s assistance he dabbled in poetry, and was regarded in achademically as his brother’s equal. He obtained his masters degree in 1849 and called to the bar in May 1850. Henry (Harry) Fitzmaurice Hallam died shortly thereafter at the early age of 23 (October 25, 1850) of an illness while on holiday in Siena in Italy.

Elizabeth M. Hallam (Ph.D.) is a historian and probably one of Englands foremost experts on the Medieval, Plantagenet, Crusades and War of the Roses periods in England. She is a prolific writer and authored or edited some 20 books since the early 1980’s, including The Domesday Book; Through Nine Centuries (1986), The Plantagenet Chronicles (1986), Chronicles of the Age of Chivalry (1987), Chronicles of the Crusades (1997), The Chronicles of the War of the Roses (1988).

John Hallam was born October 12, 1833. John's parent's were Joseph Hallam and Susannah Brindle, 'free operatives in a cotten mill'. He emigrated to Canada from Chorley, Lancashire, England in September 1856, and started his own business in June 1866 as a hide, wool, and leather merchant. John taught himself to read, and when he came to Canada, and advanced himself to one of the richest merchant in the city of Toronto. He served as a Toronto aldermam for 22 years, longer than any recorded person. Hallam became founder of Ontario's "Free Library Act" which came about by his total lack of a free education as a child in England. There were no free libraries before that time. Hallam later served as a first chariman and trustee of the Toronto Public Library, and Hallam Street, Toronto and the Hallam Section of the Toronto Public Library are named after him. Hallam's gift of chimes (bells) to the old City Hall, aparently still ring today. John Hallam died in Toronto on June 21, 1900 after running unsuccessfully for Mayor the same year. If you would like to see a picture of John Hallam, click here.

Other notable Hallams in history that were Hallam Politicians, including Joseph Hallam, the Mayor (1873) of Sheffield, David Hallam, the representative of Shropshire Herefordshire and Wyre Forest on the European Parliament (who tells me that he distinguish himself while in office by having the best attendance throughout his five year term (1994-1999), the Honourable Roger Hallam, MLC the Minister of Finance and Gaming in Australia's Victoria State governmnent; Hallam Actors including Lewis Hallam (1714-1756) an Anglo-American actor and manager of the first professional theatrical company in the United States (builting the first theater in New York City in 1753), his son, Lewis Hallam (1740-1808) who performed in "The Prince of Parthia", the first American drama to be produced professionally, his daughter Isabella (1746-1826) who performed under the name of Mrs Mattocks; Hallam Artists including Kyle Hallam a sculpture whos works have been shown in most renowned galeries throughout the United States, and Kerry Hallam, an oil painter of considerable reputation; and Hallam Achademics including Niel Hallam, Associate Professor, at Monash Universrity, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia, Dr. K.R. Hallam, a Physicist and Research Fellow, AUT Departmental Representative and Departmental Safety Representative, Interface Analysis Centre, David Hallam of Queensland Museum, a researcher who is working with the University of Camberra in protective coatings for museum objects, and John W. Hallam, of Sonora California, an independent nuclear systems software and services consultant, who provides services to the nuclear power and computer industries.

It's unclear as to where we should place Clint Hallam, an Australian who received the first arm and hand transplant. The newspaper article of Friday, September 25, 1998 ran as follows:

Paris - Surgeons have sewn a brain-dead man's hand and forearm on to the amputated arm-stump of a living patient. The French hospital where the operation-the world's first arm transplant-took place said yesterday that it would give hope to millions of victums of workplace and domestic accidents, survivors of war or land mines and individuals born with hereditary deformities.....The operation was performed in the Edouard Herriot Hospital in Lyon Wednesday. It took 13 hours to attach the hand and lower arm to Clint Hallam, a 48 year old Australian businessman who lost his arm in a logging accident in 1984.....They said Hallam had a 50-50 chance of long-term success.

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