J. H. Plumb
Encyclopedia
Sir John Harold Plumb, FBA
(20 August 1911 – 21 October 2001), known as Jack, was a British
historian, known for his books on British 18th century history. He wrote over thirty books.
on 20 August 1911. He was educated at Alderman Newton's Grammar School, University College, Leicester
and then Christ's College, Cambridge
. His 1936 doctorate on the social structure of the House of Commons of England
under William III
was supervised by G. M. Trevelyan
; this was the unique occasion when Trevelyan accepted a student. In 1939 he was elected to the Ehrman Fellowship, which was a research fellowship at King's College, Cambridge
. During World War II
he worked in a department of the Foreign Office at Bletchley Park
, where he headed a section working on a German Naval hand cipher, Reservehandverfahren
.
In 1946 he became a Fellow and Tutor of Christ's College and University Lecturer in History. In 1957 he was awarded a Doctor of Letters
for his work on eighteenth-century history, and in 1962 he was appointed Reader in Modern History at Cambridge University. He was visiting professor at Columbia University
in 1960. He was the European Advisory Editor for Horizon, and the advistory editor for history for Penguin Books
. He was Master of the college from 1978 to 1982. He became Professor of Modern English History in the University in 1966. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
in 1968 and knighted in 1982.
In the 1960s he branched out as an editor, notably of The History of Human Society series. Contributors to his books included other well known historians like Morris Bishop
, Jacob Bronowski
and Maria Bellonci
. Later Plumb worked on a television series about the British Royal family
and the royal collections (Royal Heritage BBC 1977).
, Simon Schama
, Linda Colley
, David Cannadine
and others, who came to prominence in the 1990s. He was champion of a 'social history' in a wide sense; he backed this up with a connoisseur's knowledge of some fields of the fine arts, such as Flemish painting
and porcelain
. This approach rubbed off on those he influenced, while he clashed unrepentantly with other historians (notably Cambridge colleague Geoffrey Elton) with a perspective from constitutional history whose emphasis was on more traditional scholarship.
Friends from his early life, C. P. Snow
and William Cooper
, portrayed him in novels; he also is known to be the model for a character in an Angus Wilson
short story, The Wrong Set.
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
(20 August 1911 – 21 October 2001), known as Jack, was a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
historian, known for his books on British 18th century history. He wrote over thirty books.
Biography
Plumb was born in LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
on 20 August 1911. He was educated at Alderman Newton's Grammar School, University College, Leicester
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
and then Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
. His 1936 doctorate on the social structure of the House of Commons of England
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
under William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
was supervised by G. M. Trevelyan
G. M. Trevelyan
George Macaulay Trevelyan, OM, CBE, FRS, FBA , was a British historian. Trevelyan was the third son of Sir George Otto Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet, and great-nephew of Thomas Babington Macaulay, whose staunch liberal Whig principles he espoused in accessible works of literate narrative avoiding a...
; this was the unique occasion when Trevelyan accepted a student. In 1939 he was elected to the Ehrman Fellowship, which was a research fellowship at King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he worked in a department of the Foreign Office at Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an estate located in the town of Bletchley, in Buckinghamshire, England, which currently houses the National Museum of Computing...
, where he headed a section working on a German Naval hand cipher, Reservehandverfahren
Reservehandverfahren
' was a German Naval World War II hand-cipher system used as a backup method when no working Enigma machine was available.The cipher had two stages: a transposition followed by bigram substitution. In the transposition stage, the cipher clerk would write out the plaintext into a "cage" — a shape...
.
In 1946 he became a Fellow and Tutor of Christ's College and University Lecturer in History. In 1957 he was awarded a Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
for his work on eighteenth-century history, and in 1962 he was appointed Reader in Modern History at Cambridge University. He was visiting professor at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1960. He was the European Advisory Editor for Horizon, and the advistory editor for history for Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
. He was Master of the college from 1978 to 1982. He became Professor of Modern English History in the University in 1966. He was elected a Fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
in 1968 and knighted in 1982.
In the 1960s he branched out as an editor, notably of The History of Human Society series. Contributors to his books included other well known historians like Morris Bishop
Morris Bishop
Morris Gilbert Bishop was an American scholar, historian, biographer, author, and humorist.Raised in Canada and New York, he attended Cornell from 1910–1913, earning a Bachelor's in 1913 and then a Master of Arts degree in 1914...
, Jacob Bronowski
Jacob Bronowski
Jacob Bronowski was a Polish-Jewish British mathematician, biologist, historian of science, theatre author, poet and inventor...
and Maria Bellonci
Maria Bellonci
Maria Villavecchia Bellonci was an Italian writer known especially for her biography of Lucrezia Borgia. She and Guido Alberti set up the Strega Prize in 1947....
. Later Plumb worked on a television series about the British Royal family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
and the royal collections (Royal Heritage BBC 1977).
Influence
He is seen as mentor to a school of historians, having in common a wish to write accessible, broad-based work for the public: a generation of scholars that includes Roy PorterRoy Porter
Roy Sydney Porter was a British historian noted for his prolific work on the history of medicine.-Life:...
, Simon Schama
Simon Schama
Simon Michael Schama, CBE is a British historian and art historian. He is a University Professor of History and Art History at Columbia University. He is best known for writing and hosting the 15-part BBC documentary series A History of Britain...
, Linda Colley
Linda Colley
Linda Colley, CBE, FBA, FRSL, FRHistS is a historian of Britain, empire and nationalism. She is Shelby M. C. Davis 1958 Professor of History at Princeton University in the United States.-Early life and education:...
, David Cannadine
David Cannadine
Sir David Nicholas Cannadine, FBA is a British historian, known for a number of books, including The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy and Ornamentalism. He is also notable as a commentator and broadcaster on British public life, especially the monarchy. He serves as the generaleditor...
and others, who came to prominence in the 1990s. He was champion of a 'social history' in a wide sense; he backed this up with a connoisseur's knowledge of some fields of the fine arts, such as Flemish painting
Flemish painting
Flemish painting flourished from the early 15th century until the 17th century. Flanders delivered the leading painters in Northern Europe and attracted many promising young painters from neighbouring countries. These painters were invited to work at foreign courts and had a Europe-wide influence...
and porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
. This approach rubbed off on those he influenced, while he clashed unrepentantly with other historians (notably Cambridge colleague Geoffrey Elton) with a perspective from constitutional history whose emphasis was on more traditional scholarship.
Friends from his early life, C. P. Snow
C. P. Snow
Charles Percy Snow, Baron Snow of the City of Leicester CBE was an English physicist and novelist who also served in several important positions with the UK government...
and William Cooper
William Cooper (novelist)
Harry Summerfield Hoff was an English novelist, writing under the name William Cooper.-Life:H.S.Hoff was born in Crewe, the son of elementary school teachers , and read natural sciences at Christ's College, Cambridge...
, portrayed him in novels; he also is known to be the model for a character in an Angus Wilson
Angus Wilson
Sir Angus Frank Johnstone Wilson, CBE was an English novelist and short story writer. He was awarded the 1958 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for The Middle Age of Mrs Eliot and later received a knighthood for his services to literature.-Biography:Wilson was born in Bexhill, Sussex, England, to...
short story, The Wrong Set.
Works
- England in the Eighteenth Century (1950), Pelican Books, London, ISBN 0-14-020231-5
- Chatham (1953)
- Studies In Social History (1955)
- The First Four Georges (1956)
- Sir Robert Walpole (1956, 1960) in two volumes, sub-titled The Making of a Statesman and The King's Minister
- The Italian Renaissance (1961, 1987, 2001), American Heritage, New York, ISBN 0-618-12738-0
- Men And Places (1963)
- Crisis in the Humanities (Ed., 1964) Penguin, Harmondsworth & Baltimore (responses to Snow's Two Cultures)
- The Growth of Political Stability in England 1675-1725 (1967)
- The Death Of The Past (1969)
- In The Light Of History (1972)
- The Commercialization of Leisure (1974)
- Royal Heritage: The Treasure of the British Crown (1977)
- New Light on the Tyrant George III: The Second George Rogers Clark Lecture (1978)
- The Making of a Historian (1988) essays
- The American Experience (1989) essays.