Arthur Raymond Hibbert (5 March 1924 – 21 December 2008), known as Christopher Hibbert, was an English author, popular historian and biographer. He has been called "a pearl of biographers" (''
New Statesman
''The New Statesman'' (known from 1931 to 1964 as the ''New Statesman and Nation'') is a British political and cultural news magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first c ...
'') and "probably the most widely-read popular historian of our time and undoubtedly one of the most prolific" (''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
Leicestershire
Leicestershire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It is bordered by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to the north, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire to the south-east, Warw ...
in 1924, the son of
Canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western canon, th ...
H. V. Hibbert (died 1980) and his wife Maude. He was the second of three children, and christened Arthur Raymond. He was educated at Radley College, a public school for boys near
Abingdon-on-Thames
Abingdon-on-Thames ( ), commonly known as Abingdon, is a historic market town and civil parish on the River Thames in the Vale of the White Horse district of Oxfordshire, England. The Historic counties of England, historic county town of Berksh ...
, in
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...
. He was awarded the degrees of BA and later MA.
He left Oriel College to join the
Army
An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...
, where a sergeant major referred to Hibbert as " Christopher Robin" (of ''Winnie the Pooh'' books) based upon his youthful looks. The name "Christopher" subsequently stuck. During World War II, Hibbert served as an infantry officer in the London Irish Rifles regiment in Italy, reaching the rank of captain. He was wounded twice and awarded the
Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...
in 1945.
From 1945 to 1959, he was a partner in a firm of land agents and auctioneers, and began his writing career in 1957. Hibbert was awarded the Heinemann Award for Literature in 1962 for ''
The Destruction of Lord Raglan
''The Destruction of Lord Raglan: A tragedy of the Crimean War, 1854–55'' is a non-fiction historical work by Christopher Hibbert, originally published by Longman in 1961. The work is a portrait of FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan, Lord Ragla ...
''. He was a Fellow of the
Royal Society of Literature
The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is a learned society founded in 1820 by King George IV to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". A charity that represents the voice of literature in the UK, the RSL has about 800 Fellows, elect ...
.
Personal life
Hibbert lived at
Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames ( ) is a town status in the United Kingdom, town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish on the River Thames, in the South Oxfordshire district, in Oxfordshire, England, northeast of Reading, Berkshire, Reading, west of M ...
, Oxfordshire, and was a member of the
Army and Navy Club
The Army and Navy Club, commonly known as The Rag, is a private members' club in London that was founded in 1837 for officers of the British Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines.Garrick Club. He was married to Susan Piggford and the couple had three children: his literary executor Kate Hibbert, television writer Jimmy Hibbert and music journalist Tom Hibbert.
He died on 21 December 2008, in Henley, from bronchial pneumonia at the age of 84. He was cremated, after a
humanist
Humanism is a philosophical stance that emphasizes the individual and social potential, and agency of human beings, whom it considers the starting point for serious moral and philosophical inquiry.
The meaning of the term "humanism" ha ...
ceremony in Oxford, on 2 January 2009. Subscription needed.
Works
* ''The Road to Tyburn: The Story of Jack Sheppard and the Eighteenth Century Underworld'' (Longmans, 1957)
* ''King Mob: The Story of
Lord George Gordon
Lord George Gordon (26 December 1751 – 1 November 1793) was a British nobleman and politician best known for lending his name to the Gordon Riots of 1780. An eccentric and flighty personality, he was born into the Peerage of Scotland, Scottis ...
and the
Riots
A riot or mob violence is a form of civil disorder commonly characterized by a group lashing out in a violent public disturbance against authority, property, or people.
Riots typically involve destruction of property, public or private. The p ...
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
'' (Longmans, 1959)
* '' Corunna'' (B. T. Batsford, 1961)
* ''The Destruction of Lord Raglan'' (Longmans, 1961)
* ''
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...
. A Biography'' (Longmans, 1962) reprinted as ''Mussolini: The Rise and Fall of Il Duce'' (St Martin's Griffin, 2008; Foreword by Tobias Jones)
* ''The
Battle of Arnhem
The Battle of Arnhem was fought during the Second World War, as part of the Allies of World War II, Allied Operation Market Garden. It took place around the Netherlands, Dutch city of Arnhem and vicinity from 17 to 26 September 1944. The Alli ...
'' (B. T. Batsford, 1962)
* '' The Roots of Evil: A Social History of Crime and Punishment'' (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1963)
* '' Agincourt'' (B. T. Batsford, 1964)
* ''The Wheatley Diary: A Journal and Sketch-book kept during the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
and the Waterloo Campaign'' (Longmans, 1964) editor
* ''The Court at Windsor. A Domestic History'' (Longmans, 1964) later revised
* '' Garibaldi and His Enemies'' (Longmans, 1965)
* ''The Making of
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens (; 7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English novelist, journalist, short story writer and Social criticism, social critic. He created some of literature's best-known fictional characters, and is regarded by ...
'' (HarperCollins, 1967)
* '' Waterloo: Napoleon's Last Campaign'' (New English Library, 1967)
* '' Highwaymen'' (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1967) "Pageant of History" series
* '' Charles I'' (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1968)
* ''An American in Regency England: The Journal of a Tour in 1810-1811''; by Louis Simond (Robert Maxwell, 1968) editor
* ''London: The Biography of a City'' (Longmans, Green & Co., 1969)
* ''The Grand Tour'' (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1969)
* ''The Search for
King Arthur
According to legends, King Arthur (; ; ; ) was a king of Great Britain, Britain. He is a folk hero and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In Wales, Welsh sources, Arthur is portrayed as a le ...
'' (Cassell, 1969) reprinted as ''King Arthur'' (Tempus, 2007)
* ''The Dragon Wakes: China and the West, 1793-1911'' (Longmans, 1970)
* '' Recollections of Rifleman Harris'' (Leo Cooper, 1970) editor
* ''The Personal History of
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...
'' (Longmans, 1971)
* ''
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
'' (Newsweek, 1971) "Wonders of Man" series
* ''
Edward
Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”.
History
The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-S ...
: The Uncrowned King'' (Macdonald, 1972)
* ''Versailles'' (Newsweek, 1972) "Wonders of Man" series
* ''
George IV
George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...
. Prince of Wales, 1762-1811'' Vol 1: (Longman, 1972)
* ''George IV. Regent and King, 1811-1830'' Vol 2: (Allen Lane, 1974)
* ''The Rise and Fall of the
House of Medici
The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo de' Medici, Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first h ...
'' (Allen Lane, 1974) reprinted by the Folio Society, 1998
* ''A Soldier of the Seventy-First: The Journal of a Soldier in the Peninsular War'' (Leo Cooper, 1975) editor
* ''The
Illustrated London News
''The Illustrated London News'', founded by Herbert Ingram and first published on Saturday 14 May 1842, was the world's first illustrated weekly news magazine. The magazine was published weekly for most of its existence, switched to a less freq ...
: Social History of Victorian Britain'' (Angus and Robertson, 1975)
* ''
Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910.
The second child ...
: A Portrait'' (Allen Lane, 1976)
* ''Memoirs of the Public and Private Life of Queen Caroline''; by Joseph Nightingale (Folio Society, 1978) editor
* '' Disraeli and his World'' (Thames and Hudson, 1978)
* ''The Great Mutiny: India, 1857'' (Allen Lane, 1978), as Penguin Pocketbook: 1980, .
* ''The
Court of St James's
The Court of St James's serves as the official royal court for the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. The court formally receives all ambassadors accredited to the United Kingdom. Likewise, ambassadors representing the United Kingdom are formally ...
: The Monarch at Work from Victoria to Elizabeth II'' (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1979)
* ''The French Revolution'' (Penguin, 1980) .
* ''Greville's England: Selections from the Diaries of Charles Greville 1818-1860'' (Folio Society, 1981) editor
* ''Africa Explored: Europeans in the Dark Continent, 1769-1889'' (Allen Lane, 1982)
* ''Chateaux of the Loire'' (Newsweek, 1983) "Wonders of Man" series
* '' The London Encyclopaedia'' with Ben Weinreb (Macmillan, 1983) later revised, with Julia and
John Keay
John Stanley Melville Keay FRGS (born 1941) is a British historian, journalist, radio presenter and lecturer specialising in popular histories of India, the Far East and China, often with a particular focus on their colonisation and explora ...
(3rd ed. 2010)
* ''
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
: The Biography of a City'' (Viking, 1985)
* ''Cities and Civilisations'' (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1986) reprinted by the Folio Society, 2003
* ''The English: A Social History'' (Grafton, 1987)
* ''A Guide to Royal London'' (Pan Macmillan, 1987)
* ''
Venice
Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
: The Biography of a City'' (Grafton, 1988)
* ''
The Encyclopaedia of Oxford
''The Encyclopaedia of Oxford'' is an encyclopaedia covering the history of Oxford in England.
The book was published by Macmillan Publishers, Macmillan in 1988 (). It was edited by the University of Oxford, Oxford-educated historian Christopher ...
'' (Macmillan, 1988)
* ''London's Churches'' assisted by Tessa Street with photographs by Martin Black (Queen Anne Press, 1988)
* '' Redcoats and Rebels: The War for America, 1770-1781'' (Grafton, 1990)
* ''The Virgin Queen: The Personal History of
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...
'' (Viking, 1990)
* '' Captain Gronow: His Reminiscences of Regency and Victorian Life, 1810-60'' (Kyle Cathie, 1991) editor
* ''
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
: The Biography of a City'' (Viking, 1993)
* ''
Cavaliers
The term ''Cavalier'' () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of Charles I of England and his son Charles II of England, Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum (England), Int ...
& Roundheads: The English at War, 1642–1649'' (HarperCollins, 1993)
* ''The Story of England'' (Phaidon Press, 1994)
* '' Nelson: A Personal History'' (Penguin, 1994)
* ''No Ordinary Place: Radley College and the Public School System 1847–1997'' (John Murray, 1997)
* ''
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
: A Personal History'' (HarperCollins, 1997)
* ''
George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
: A Personal History'' (Penguin, 1998)
* ''
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
: A Personal History'' (HarperCollins, 2000)
* ''The Marlboroughs: John and Sarah Churchill 1650-1744'' (Viking, 2001)
* ''
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
: His Wives and Women'' (HarperCollins, 2002)
* ''Great Battles: Agincourt'' (Phoenix new edition 2003)
* ''Disraeli: A Personal History'' (HarperCollins, 2004)
* '' The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431–1519'' (Mariner Books, 2009)