Harold Perkin

Harold James Perkin (11 November 1926 – 16 October 2004) was an English social historian and founder of the Social History Society (1976).

Perkin was born in Hanley, Staffordshire of humble origins. He attended Hanley High School and then obtained a scholarship to Jesus College, Cambridge from 1945, gaining a starred First Class degree in 1948. Then followed National Service in the RAF. Rejected by his Cambridge college to study for a PhD, he instead commenced extramural history teaching from 1950 with Manchester University. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Academic career

Perkin was successively a lecturer in social history at Manchester University, 1951–65, senior lecturer in social history at Lancaster University, 1965–67, Professor there 1967–84, Director of the Centre for Social History 1974–84, and emeritus Professor of History, Northwestern University, Illinois 1985–97. In addition, he had a visiting professorship at Rice University, founded and chaired the Social History Society, and served as chief salary negotiator for the Association of University Teachers, of which he was later President. As a distinguished, pioneering social historian, Perkin secured an academic stature comparable with those of Asa Briggs and Eric Hobsbawm.[5]

Publications

Television

Television shows for Granada TV

Both were later issued in book form.

References

  1. Professor Harold Perkin (Obituary), The Times, 15 December 2004
  2. David Cannadine,Harold Perkin Obituary, The Guardian, Saturday 23 October 2004
  3. Jeffrey Richards, Professor Harold Perkin: Obituary The Independent, 2 November 2004
  4. In Memoriam: Harold Perkin, American Historical Association Obituary
  5. Pamela Cox: Social History 40 Years On, History Today Vol. 66/5, May 2016.
  6. Complete text in pdf

External links

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