Muriel Evelyn Chamberlain (November 1932 - 8 February 2022) was

emeritus professor ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...

of history at the

University of Wales The University of Wales () is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff – the university was the first universit ...

, Swansea (later called Swansea University).Cover notes. ''Decolonisation: The Fall of the European Empires''. Blackwell, Oxford, 1985. She was a specialist in European

colonisation 475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence. Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples f ...

and de-colonisation and British foreign policy in the nineteenth century.Decolonisation: The Fall of the European Empires, 2nd Edition.
Wiley. Retrieved 25 October 2015. Chamberlain was one of the general editors of the Historical Association Studies book series, vice-chair of the Historical Association and editor of its journal ''The Historian''. In 1975 she became the first woman to reach the role of dean at the university, in 1987 was promoted to professor and in 1989 was voted into her first term as head of the history department. She retired in 1997 and continued to write books and articles. She died in 2022. As well as her specialist interest in the British empire and Commonwealth history, she wrote the first biography of

George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen (28 January 178414 December 1860), styled Lord Haddo from 1791 to 1801, was a British statesman, diplomat and landowner, successively a Tory, Conservative and Peelite politician and specialist in f ...

, a politician who was Prime Minister from 1852 until 1855. She chaired the trustees of the

Cambrian Archaeological Association The Cambrian Archaeological Association () was founded in 1846 to examine, preserve and illustrate the ancient monuments and remains of the history, language, manners, customs, arts and industries of Wales and the Welsh Marches and to educate t ...

for many years and was President of the society in 2003.

Early life

Chamberlain was born in

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...

, the only daughter of Arthur Chamberlain, a railway station official, and Gladys (née Shortland), a teacher and artist. Due to her father's work, Chamberlain moved around growing up, living and going to school in

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

, Preston, and

Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...

. She graduated from

St Hilda's College, Oxford St Hilda's College (full name = Principal and Council of St. Hilda's College, Oxford) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. The college is named after the Anglo-Saxon saint Hilda of Whitby and was founded in 1893 as a ...

. She had a stint lecturing at

Royal Holloway, University of London Royal Holloway, University of London (RH), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public university, public research university and a constituent college, member institution of the federal University of London. It ...

Selected publications

*''Britain and India: The Interaction of Two Peoples''. David & Charles, London, 1974. (Library of Policy & Society) *''The Scramble for Africa''. Longman, London, 1974. (

Seminar Studies in History Seminar Studies in History is a book series for undergraduate and younger students that aims to bridge the gap between the monograph and the full size university textbook. The series was established in 1968 by history teacher Patrick Richardson, a ...

) *''British Foreign Policy in the Age of Palmerston''. Longman, London, 1980. (Seminar Studies in History) *''The New Imperialism''.

The Historical Association The Historical Association is a membership organisation of historians and scholars founded in 1906 and based in London. Its goals are to support "the study and enjoyment of history at all levels by creating an environment that promotes lifelong lea ...

, London, 1981. *''Lord Aberdeen: A Political Biography''. Addison-Wesley, 1983. *''Lord Palmerston''. Catholic University of America Press, 1988. (Political Portraits) *''"Pax Britannica"? British Foreign Policy 1789-1914''. Longman, London, 1988. (

Studies in Modern History Study or studies may refer to: General * Education **Higher education * Clinical trial * Experiment * Field of study * Observational study * Scientific study * Research * Study skills, abilities and approaches applied to learning Other * Study ...

) *''Decolonization: The Fall of the European Empires''. Blackwell, Oxford, 1985. (2nd 1999) (Historical Association Studies) *''The Longman Companion to European Decolonization in the Twentieth Century''. Longman, London, 1998. ( Longman Companions to History) *''Longman Companion to the Formation of the European Empires, 1488-1920''. Routledge, London, 2014. ( Longman Companions to History)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlain, M. E. 1932 births 2022 deaths 20th-century British historians Academics from Bristol Academics from Leeds Academics from Leicester Academics of the University of Wales Alumni of St Hilda's College, Oxford Historians of the British Empire English women historians Writers from Preston, Lancashire