Sir Frederick Maurice Powicke (16 June 1879 – 19 May 1963) was an English medieval historian. He was a

fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

Merton College, Oxford Merton College (in full: The House or College of Scholars of Merton in the University of Oxford) is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 126 ...

, a professor at

Queen's University, Belfast The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...

, and the

Victoria University of Manchester The Victoria University of Manchester, usually referred to as simply the University of Manchester, was a university in Manchester, England. It was founded in 1851 as Owens College. In 1880, the college joined the federal Victoria University. A ...

, and from 1928 until his retirement

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at the

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 made a

Knight Bachelor The title of Knight Bachelor is the basic rank granted to a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not inducted as a member of one of the organised Order of chivalry, orders of chivalry; it is a part of the Orders, decorations, and medals ...

in 1946.

Life

Powicke was born on 16 June 1879 in

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, the son of Frederick James Powicke, a

Congregational Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...

minister and historian of 17th-century

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, and Martha, the youngest daughter of William Collyer of Brigstock. Powicke was educated at

Owens College, Manchester The Victoria University of Manchester, usually referred to as simply the University of Manchester, was a university in Manchester, England. It was founded in 1851 as Owens College. In 1880, the college joined the federal Victoria University. A ...

, where he took his first degree, and at

Balliol College, Oxford Balliol College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1263 by nobleman John I de Balliol, it has a claim to be the oldest college in Oxford and the English-speaking world. With a governing body of a master and aro ...

, where he took another with

first-class honours The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading structure used for undergraduate degrees or bachelor's degrees and integrated master's degrees in the United Kingdom. The system has been applied, sometimes with significant var ...

.'POWICKE, Sir (Frederick) Maurice', in ''

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'' (London: A. & C. Black) From 1908 to 1915 he was a

, although in 1909 he was appointed as Professor of Modern History in the

, where he remained for ten years. From 1919 to 1928 he was Professor of Mediæval History at the

, and during his time in Manchester he was a member of the

Chetham Society The Chetham Society "for the publication of remains historic and literary connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester" is a text publication society and registered charity (No. 700047) established on 23 March 1843. History The ...

and served on its council from 1920 to 1933. He also served as Ford's Lecturer in English History at

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for 1927. In 1928 he became Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford, remaining in post until 1947. He was President of the

Royal Historical Society The Royal Historical Society (RHS), founded in 1868, is a learned society of the United Kingdom which advances scholarly studies of history. Origins The society was founded and received its royal charter in 1868. Until 1872 it was known as the H ...

from 1933 to 1937. He was a tough, difficult man, small in build. At Oxford he was determined to reinvigorate history there and make the university the leading centre in England for historical study. Powicke was the author of the volume ''The Thirteenth Century'' in the

Oxford History of England The Oxford History of England (1934–1965) was a book series on the history of the United Kingdom. Published by Oxford University Press, it was originally intended to span from Roman Britain to the outbreak of the First World War in fourteen vol ...

. In 1909 Powicke married Susan Irvine Martin, daughter of Anna and

Thomas Martin Lindsay Thomas Martin Lindsay FRSE (1843–1914) was a Scottish historian, professor and principal of the Free Church College, Glasgow. He wrote chiefly on church history, his major works including ''Luther and the German Reformation'' (1900), and ''A Hi ...

. Together they had two daughters. Their daughter Janet married the historian

Richard Pares Richard Pares (25 August 1902 – 3 May 1958) was a British historian. He "was considered to be among the outstanding British historians of his time." He has been cited as being the first gay lover of Evelyn Waugh. Family life and education T ...

. He died in the

Radcliffe Infirmary The Radcliffe Infirmary was a hospital in central north Oxford, England, located at the southern end of Woodstock Road on the western side, backing onto Walton Street. Closed in 2007, after refurbishment the building was re-opened in October ...

on 19 May 1963.

Works

* ''The Loss of Normandy 1189–1204: Studies in the History of the Angevin Empire'' (1913) * ''Bismarck and the Origin of the German Empire'' (1914) * ''Ailred of Rievaulx and his biographer Walter Daniel'' (1922) * ''Stephen Langton'' (1927) Ford Lectures * ''Gerald of Wales'' (1928) * ''Historical Study at Oxford'' (1929) Inaugural lecture * ''Robert Grosseteste and the Nicomachean Ethics'' (1930) * '' Sir Henry Spelman and the 'Concilia' '' (1930) Raleigh Lecture on History * ''The Medieval Books of Merton College'' (1931) A catalogue * ''Oxford Essays in Medieval History. Presented to Herbert Edward Salter'' (1934) editor *''The Christian Life in the Middle Ages'' (1935) essays *'' International Bibliography of Historical Sciences. Twelfth year'' (1937) editor *''History, Freedom and Religion'' (1938) Riddell Memorial Lectures *''Handbook of British Chronology'' (1939) editor *''Three Lectures'' (1947) *''King Henry III and the Lord Edward: the Community of the Realm in the Thirteenth Century'' (1947) 2 volumes (2nd ed., 1968) *''Mediaeval England, 1066–1485'' (1948) *''Ways of Medieval Life and Thought: Essays and Addresses'' (1949) *''Walteri Danielis: Vita Ailredi Abbatis Rievall: The Life of Ailred of Rievaulx by Walter Daniel'' (1950) editor *''

– Thirteenth Century 1216 – 1307'' (1953) *''The Reformation in England'' (1953) *''Modern Historians and the Study of History: Essays and Papers'' (London: Odhams Press, 1955)

Collaborations

* ''The Universities of Europe in the Middle Ages'' (3 vols) by

Hastings Rashdall Hastings Rashdall (24 June 1858 – 9 February 1924) was an English philosopher, Theology, theologian, historian, and Anglican priest. He expounded a theory known as Utilitarianism#Ideal utilitarianism, ideal utilitarianism, and he was a maj ...

, editor with A. B. Emden *''The Battle of Lewes 1264'' (1964) with R. F. Treharne and Charles Lemmon * ''The Administration of the Honor of Leicester in the Fourteenth Century'' (1940) with L. Fox * ''Essays in Medieval History Presented to Thomas Frederick Tout'' (1925) editor with A. G. Little

Honours

*Fellow of the

British Academy The British Academy for the Promotion of Historical, Philosophical and Philological Studies is the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and the social sciences. It was established in 1902 and received its royal charter in the sa ...

, 1927 *Corresponding Fellow of the

Medieval Academy of America The Medieval Academy of America (MAA; spelled Mediaeval until ) is the largest organization in the United States promoting the field of medieval studies. It was founded in 1925 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The academy publishes the q ...

, 1929 *Honorary Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, 1939 *

, 1946 *Honorary Fellow of

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is Colleges of the University of Oxford, a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title for ...

, 1947 *Hon. Member of the

Massachusetts Historical Society The Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS) is a major historical archive specializing in early American, Massachusetts, and New England history. The Massachusetts Historical Society was established in 1791 and is located at 1154 Boylston Street ...

, 1947 *Hon. Member of the

American Historical Association The American Historical Association (AHA) is the oldest professional association of historians in the United States and the largest such organization in the world, claiming over 10,000 members. Founded in 1884, AHA works to protect academic free ...

*Hon. Member of the

Royal Irish Academy The Royal Irish Academy (RIA; ), based in Dublin, is an academic body that promotes study in the natural sciences, arts, literature, and social sciences. It is Ireland's premier List of Irish learned societies, learned society and one of its le ...

, 1949 *Hon. DLitt,

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

*Hon. DLitt,

Durham University Durham University (legally the University of Durham) is a collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university in Durham, England, founded by an Act of Parliament (UK), Act of Parliament in 1832 and incorporated by r ...

*Hon. LLD,

University of St Andrews The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...

*Hon. LLD,

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

*Hon. LittD,

University of Manchester The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The University of Manchester is c ...

University of Liverpool The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a Public university, public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University (United Kingdom), Victoria University, it received Ro ...

Queen's University Belfast The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...

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and

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*Hon. Doctorate,

University of Caen The University of Caen Normandy (French: ''Université de Caen Normandie''), also known as Unicaen, is a public university in Caen, France. History The institution was founded in 1432 by John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford, the first rector ...

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

*Liber Memorialis Sir Maurice Powicke, Dublin 1963 *Studies in Mediaeval History Presented to Frederick Maurice Powicke. (1969) edited by

Richard William Hunt Richard William Hunt (11 April 1908 – 13 November 1979) was a scholar, grammarian, palaeographer, editor, and author of a number of books about medieval history. He began his career as a lecturer in palaeography at Liverpool University, an ...

, William Abel Pantin and R. W. Southern *''Inventing the Middle Ages'' by

Norman Cantor Norman Frank Cantor (November 19, 1929 – September 18, 2004) was a Canadian-American medievalist. Known for his accessible writing and engaging narrative style, Cantor's books were among the most widely read treatments of medieval history in E ...

*W. A. Pantin, "Frederick Maurice Powicke," ''The English Historical Review'', 80, No. 314 (Jan. 1965): pp. 1–9.

External links

Chetham Society
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Powicke, F. M. English historians 1879 births 1963 deaths Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford Fellows of Merton College, Oxford Presidents of the Royal Historical Society Regius Professors of History (University of Oxford) Knights Bachelor Fellows of the British Academy Corresponding Fellows of the Medieval Academy of America Members of the Royal Irish Academy Surtees Society Chetham Society