Goronwy Edwards
Sir John Goronwy Edwards FBA FRHistS (14 May 1891[1][2] – 20 June 1976) was a Welsh historian.
Early life
Edwards, who was proficient in Welsh before he could read English, was educated at Holywell Grammar School before matriculating at Jesus College, Oxford in 1909. His 1913 essay on Danby gained him proxime accessit in the Stanhope prize competition.[3]
Career
After obtaining his degree in 1913, he worked for a time at Manchester University under T. F. Tout.
During the First World War he served with the Royal Welch Fusiliers in France and obtained the rank of captain.
In 1919, he returned to Jesus College as Fellow and Tutor in History, where he specialised in medieval English and Welsh history, serving also as Senior Tutor for 13 years. He was highly regarded as a lecturer, tutor and supervisor of research students. He was joint editor of the English Historical Review from 1938 and was appointed a Fellow of the British Academy in 1943.
He had hoped to be appointed Principal of the college when it fell vacant on the death of Alfred Hazel in 1944. Instead, the decision was taken to appoint Frederick Ogilvie as principal, with Edwards becoming vice-principal.[4]
In 1948 after 29 years as a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford Edwards accepted the invitation to become Director of the Institute of Historical Research and Professor of History at the University of London. In addition to his continuing scholarship, he also presided over many committees with, it was said, "exemplary patience".[4]
Outside his university Edwards served on the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales and the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts.
He was knighted in July 1960 shortly before his retirement. In retirement he served as president of the Royal Historical Society from 1961 to 1965[5] and was awarded the Cymmrodorion medal on his eightieth birthday in 1971 to mark his service to Wales.
Death
He died on 20 June 1976 at the age of 85.
References
- ^ 1939 England and Wales Register
- ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
- ^ J. F. A. Mason, 'Edwards, Sir (John) Goronwy (1891–1976)’, rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
- ^ a b "Sir Goronwy Edwards – A loyal and learned Welshman". The Times. 21 June 1976. p. 16.
- ^ "List of Presidents". Royal Historical Society. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- A long series of letters from him to TF Tout, his former Manchester tutor, including many from the front line in World War I is in the T.F. Tout Collection, John Rylands Library, University of Manchester.
External links
- Works by or about Goronwy Edwards at Internet Archive
Academic offices | ||
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Preceded by David Knowles | President of the Royal Historical Society 1961–1965 | Succeeded by |
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- 1871–1872 George Grote
- 1873–1878 John Russell, 1st Earl Russell
- 1878–1891 Henry Bruce, 1st Baron Aberdare
- 1891–1899 Sir M. E. Grant Duff
- 1899–1901 Sir Adolphus Ward
- 1901–1905 Sir George Prothero
- 1905–1909 William Hunt
- 1909–1913 William Cunningham
- 1913–1917 Sir Charles Firth
- 1917–1921 Sir Charles Oman
- 1921–1925 Sir John Fortescue
- 1925–1929 Frederick Tout
- 1929–1933 Sir Richard Lodge
- 1933–1937 Sir F. M. Powicke
- 1937–1945 Sir Frank Stenton
- 1946–1949 Robert William Seton-Watson
- 1949–1953 Theodore Plucknett
- 1953–1957 Hale Bellot
- 1957–1961 David Knowles
- 1961–1965 Sir Goronwy Edwards
- 1965–1969 Robin Humphreys
- 1969–1973 Sir R. W. Southern
- 1973–1977 Sir Geoffrey Elton
- 1977–1981 Sir John Habakkuk
- 1981–1985 Sir J. C. Holt
- 1985–1989 Gerald Aylmer
- 1989–1993 Michael Thompson
- 1993–1997 Sir Rees Davies
- 1997–2001 Sir P. J. Marshall
- 2001–2005 Dame Janet Nelson
- 2005–2008 Martin Daunton
- 2009–2012 Colin Jones
- 2012–2016 Peter Mandler
- 2016–present Margot Finn