In this issue of the ERB-APA, I would like to present some information about the Greystoke family I have accumulated. This research is by far not complete, and I would truly be grateful if other members would add to it. Please remember that this research is based on the fact that the jungle lord was born in 1872, and not 1888 which is most widely accepted.
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| ERB-APA #5 |
The name Greystoke, as all Edgar Rice Burroughs fans know, is not the actual title of John Clayton. Greystoke is merely a pseudonym used by ERB to conceal the identity of the real-life noble family. In the BURROUGHS BULLETIN #22 Philip Jose Farmer, in his article The Arms Of Tarzan, informs us that the ape-man's real title is descended from the de Greystocks. They are ancient and distinguished barons of Greystoke, Cumberland, England. In chronological sequence, the first Greystoke mentioned by ERB is in The Outlaw of Torn. The hero, Richard son of Henry III, also known as Norman of Torn was born in 1240 A.D. At the age of fifteen, he kills a Greystoke.
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| The Outlaw Of Torn |
This event occurred in 1255, or in the 39th year of Henry II's reign. So, the Greystoke whom Norman killed was most likely the son of Baron Robert de Greystock (who died before 1253) and the younger brother of William de Greystock. William's son, John, was the first Greystoke summoned as a baron by writ to parliament. This was in 1295 A.D. in Edward I's time.
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| The Outlaw Of Torn |
In the article A Case Of Identity by H.W. Starr, ADDENDUM ME. TARZAN ALIVE the statement is made. "John was the name invariably given to the oldest Clayton son, and the probabilities are overwhelming that the father of the marooned Lord Grreystoke bore the name John Clayton."
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| Jean-Paul Goude |
Evidence does tend to show that John is the name given to the eldest Clayton son, but ERB clearly indicates the jungle lord's grandfather was not a John Clayton. When Paul D'Arnot was reading Lord Greystoke's diary to Tarzan it was revealed the wild man was the second John Clayton.
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| Greystoke Coat Of Arms in the 1400s |
"Somehow, even against all reason, I seem to see him a grown man, taking his father's place in the world the second John Clayton, and bringing added honors to the house of Greystoke." ERB-Tarzan Of The Apes, chapter 25.
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If Tarzan's grandfather was not a John Clayton, who was he? I have no proof, but I do have a fun explanation theory. Tarzan's great-grandfather's first-born son was under illegitimate circumstances. The birth was kept out of the public, but the child was given the name John Clayton anyway. When great-grandfather Clayton's second son (Tarzan's grandfather) was born he was the family's legitimate first child, but he still was not in reality firstborn. Thus, he was named something else.
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| Tarzan Of The Apes |
I have always imagined his name to be Robert Clayton. Like John and William, this was a popular name in the de Greystock lineage. When Robert Clayton's first son (Tarzan's father) was born he was named John Clayton. This was done to continue the family tradition of naming the firstborn son John Clayton.
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| The Hound Of The Baskervilles |
Out of mockery for the Greystoke's, John Clayton, the illegitimate older half-brother to Robert Clayton, also named his firstborn son, John Clayton. Thus, you have the other John Clayton mentioned in Sherlock Holmes who is not Tarzan or his father.
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| The Hound Of The Baskervilles |
In chapter nine of Tarzan Of The Apes, it is revealed that the jungle lord's father had a younger brother who succeeded in Greystoke's lineage after his disappearance. To my knowledge, ERB does not provide Tarzan's uncle's name. "And then Lord Greystoke wiped his greasy fingers upon his naked thighs and took up the trail of Kulonga, the son of Mbonga, the king; while in far-off London another Lord Greystoke, the younger brother of the real Lord Greystoke's father, sent back his chops to the club's chef because they were undone, and when he had finished his repast he dipped his finger-ends into a silver bowl of scented water and dried them upon a piece of snowy damask."
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| Greystoke Castle |
Also from Tarzan Of The Apes, we learn Tarzan's uncle has a son named William Cecil Clayton. He is chronologically first referred to in chapter six of Jungle Tales Of Tarzan. During the Tibo-Bukawi incident, a false Lord Greystoke is shooting pheasants at Chamston-Hedding.
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| Greystoke Castle |
In chapter one of Tarzan Of The Apes, Lady Alice insists that her new husband John Clayton accept the offer of the Colonial Office appointment. A statement about family members is made. "There were mothers and brothers and sisters, and aunts and cousins to express various opinions on the subject, but as to what they severally advised history is silent." It is clearly evident that the above-mentioned people are from both the Clayton and Rutherford families, but the word brothers does offer the possibility that John Clayton may have had more brothers than William Cecil Clayton's father.
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| Greystoke Castle |
Tarzan's mother was the Honourable Alice Rutherford. The Honourable indicates that she was the daughter of a baron or a viscount. ERB does not inform us what the title or her father's name was. The Rutherfords are an ancient and once-powerful Scots border family.
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| Rutherford Family Crest |
In The Return Of Tarzan, the ape-man uses the pseudonym of John Caldwell when he was a French secret agent traveling on a liner from Algiers to Cape Town. One wonders if that was a random name, or if there is something special behind it.
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| The Return Of Tarzan |
Since finding out his true identity Tarzan tried to find out as much about himself and family as possible. While tracing his lineage the ape-man would have discovered his illustrious ancestor, John Caldwell. Very much impressed with him, it is evident the jungle lord decides to borrow his name.
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| N.C. Wyeth |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James Michael Moody is a lifelong fan and collector of Edger Rice Burroughs. Moody has contributed over two hundred articles to various ERB-related fanzines over forty-five years. He also manages an unauthorized Tarzan blog titled, Greystoke Chronologist: James Michael Moody. There the researcher chronologies the Tarzan books starting in May 1872 (known as the pushback theory) instead of the more accepted date, May 1888.
James Michael Moody is also the author of the action-packed Sci-Fi fantasy adventure Unium series. Pioneers On Unium, published December 31, 2019, Exiled On Unium, published August 25, 2022, and Swordsman On Unium published on July 15, 2024.
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