Sir Arthur Elton, 10th Baronet facts for kids

Sir Arthur Hallam Rice Elton, 10th Baronet (born February 10, 1906 – died January 1, 1973) was a very important person in the early days of British documentary films. He helped create many films that showed real life and important events. He is known as a pioneer in the British documentary film industry.

Early Life and Film Career

Arthur Elton went to school at Marlborough College and then studied at Jesus College, Cambridge. He was friends with the famous writer John Betjeman during his school days. After finishing college, he started working as a scriptwriter, writing stories for films in England and Germany.

In 1931, a man named John Grierson invited Arthur Elton to join the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit. This group later became known as the GPO Film Unit. These units were government-funded teams that made documentary films.

Making Documentaries

For the next twenty years, Arthur Elton worked as a director and producer, making many films. Most of these films were made for the government. However, in 1932, he worked on a film called Voice of the World. This film was special because it was paid for by His Master's Voice, a record company. This was the first time a company sponsored a documentary film, showing how important these films were becoming.

Wartime and Later Roles

During the Second World War, Arthur Elton took on a big role. He became the supervisor for films at the Ministry of Information. This government department was in charge of sharing important news and messages during the war.

After the war, he continued his work in film. He became an advisor for the Shell Petroleum Company and was in charge of production for Shell Films.

Family and Helping His Community

In 1948, Arthur Elton married Margaret Ann Bjornson. She passed away in 1995.

In 1951, his father passed away, and Arthur Elton inherited the Elton Baronetcy title. This meant he became the 10th Baronet. He also inherited Clevedon Court, a historic house. Sir Arthur worked hard to restore this old building. To make sure it would be looked after forever, he gave it to the National Trust. This was a special gift given instead of paying taxes on the inheritance.

Sir Arthur was very interested in the town of Clevedon. He became the chairman of the company that printed the local newspaper. He also played a big part in the effort to fix and save the famous Clevedon Pier.

Legacy

When Sir Arthur Elton passed away, he left behind a large collection of items related to British industrial history. This collection was very valuable and was given to the Ironbridge Museum. His son, Charles, inherited the baronetcy and is a television producer today.

See also

• Edgar Anstey
• Alberto Cavalcanti
• John Grierson
• Humphrey Jennings
• Paul Rotha
• Basil Wright