Grant Balfour

Grant Balfour was a Canadian writer active around the turn of the 20th century. Library and public-domain records for his work list books including The Fairy School of Castle Frank, The Mother of St. Nicholas: A Story of Duty and Peril, and On Strike Till 3, along with poetry such as Canada, My Home.

The available online records give only a light sketch of his life, but they point clearly to a body of writing rooted in Canada and written in English. His work ranges from children’s fiction to patriotic and historical pieces, which makes him an interesting rediscovery for listeners who enjoy older, lesser-known authors.

Because biographical information appears to be sparse in the sources available online, many personal details about his life are not easy to confirm. What stands out most today is the character of the books themselves: imaginative, earnest, and closely tied to the literary culture of Canada in his era.