Clara "Barbara" Charteris

Clara Marie "Barbara" Meyer Charteris Barbara was born Clara Marie Meyer on 15 May 1907 in New York, NY. She was the youngest of four children.Her father, Andries Meyer, was a diamond polisher, originally from Holland, who lived and worked in Brooklyn. Andries Meyer was also the founder and first president of the Diamond Workers Protective Association of America. She was a 5ft 6½ inch tall brunette. Clara always hated the name Clara, and when her father died in 1932 she changed it to Barbara. Soon after that she started working at The American Magazine as a temp, under her new name, Barbara Meyer. She soon became the editor of the Interesting People Department. She met author Leslie Charteris, who would later become her husband, when her boss, Sumner Blossom, suggested she work as a secretary and researcher for Charteris as he was under contract with American Magazine. Charteris nicknamed her ‘Bobbie' and dedicated one of his books, Thieves' Picnic, to her; a book that is about an Dutch diamond cutter and his younger daughter.