George Holmes (historian)


George Arthur Holmes FBA was Chichele Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford, and a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, 1989-94.

Family, early life, and education

The son of a watchmaker, Holmes was educated at Ardwyn County School and University College, Aberystwyth. He went on to Cambridge University for graduate study under M. M. Postan. In 1953, he married Anne Klein, a scholar of 19th century French literary culture. The couple had two sons and two daughters.

Academic career

In 1951, St John's College, Cambridge elected Holmes to a research fellowship. After having a year abroad at the University of Göttingen, in 1952-53, he moved to Oxford in 1954, where he became Tutor in Modern History at St Catherine's Society. When the University granted that Society full collegiate status, he became one of the founding Fellows of St Catherine's College, Oxford at its foundation in 1962. In 1967-68, Holmes spent a year at Princeton University. At St Catherine's, he played an important role in establishing the academic credentials of the College, serving in a variety of College positions including vice-master in 1969-1971.
From 1974 to 1980, he edited the English Historical Review. Elected a Fellow of the British Academy in 1985, he also served for many years as Delegate to Oxford University Press.
In 1993, the British Academy awarded Holmes its Serena Medal for Italian studies.

Published works

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