A. H. Dodd
Encyclopedia
Professor Arthur Herbert Dodd (1891 - 21 May 1975), was an academic
historian
who taught and published widely, specialising in the politics
of the Tudor
and Stuart period
s, Welsh history
, and the history
of the Industrial Revolution
.
Dodd was born and brought up in Wrexham
, Denbighshire
where his father Charles was a headmaster at Victoria School. It was a family of modest means but studious inclinations; one of his three brothers, C. H. Dodd
, achieved particular distinction as a New Testament
scholar. Having attended Grove Park Grammar School
in the town he went up to New College, Oxford
in 1911, and after graduating in history
, joined the RAMC
(2nd West Lancashire Field Ambulance) in 1914 with whom he saw active service in France
.
Dodd was appointed Lecturer
in History at University College, Bangor in 1919, and succeeded Sir John Edward Lloyd
as Professor of History there in 1930, a post he retained until his retirement in 1958. He also taught in the Extra-Mural Department, and was stalwart of the WEA
(Workers' Educational Association) and the Cambrian Archaeological Association
. In retirement he was Curator of Bangor museum, and taught at Bangor Normal College
(now part of the University of Wales, Bangor).
He was a founder member of the Denbighshire
Historical Society and edited a history of Wrexham to coincide with the Borough Centenary Celebration in 1957. He was made a freeman of the Borough of Wrexham in 1963. A centenary celebration of his birth was held in Wrexham in 1991.
Though not a native speaker, Dodd was a supporter of the Welsh language
and brought up his children as Welsh speakers, at a time when the language had far less social status than now.
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
who taught and published widely, specialising in the politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
of the Tudor
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
and Stuart period
Stuart period
The Stuart period of English and British history refers to the period between 1603 and 1714, while in Scotland it begins in 1371. These dates coincide with the rule of the Scottish royal House of Stuart, whose first monarch to rule England was James I & VI...
s, Welsh history
History of Wales
The history of Wales begins with the arrival of human beings in the region thousands of years ago. Neanderthals lived in what is now Wales, or Cymru in Welsh, at least 230,000 years ago, while Homo sapiens arrived by about 29,000 years ago...
, and the history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
.
Dodd was born and brought up in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, Denbighshire
Denbighshire (historic)
Historic Denbighshire is one of thirteen traditional counties in Wales, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which covers an area in north east Wales...
where his father Charles was a headmaster at Victoria School. It was a family of modest means but studious inclinations; one of his three brothers, C. H. Dodd
C. H. Dodd
Charles Harold Dodd was a Welsh New Testament scholar and influential Protestant theologian.He is known for promoting "realized eschatology", the belief that Jesus' references to the kingdom of God meant a present reality rather than a future apocalypse.-Life:Dodd was born in Wrexham,...
, achieved particular distinction as a New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
scholar. Having attended Grove Park Grammar School
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
in the town he went up to New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
in 1911, and after graduating in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, joined the RAMC
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
(2nd West Lancashire Field Ambulance) in 1914 with whom he saw active service in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Dodd was appointed Lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
in History at University College, Bangor in 1919, and succeeded Sir John Edward Lloyd
John Edward Lloyd
Sir John Edward Lloyd , was a Welsh historian, the author of the first serious history of the country's formative years, A History of Wales from the Earliest Times to the Edwardian Conquest, 2 vols...
as Professor of History there in 1930, a post he retained until his retirement in 1958. He also taught in the Extra-Mural Department, and was stalwart of the WEA
Workers' Educational Association
The Workers’ Educational Association seeks to provide access to education and lifelong learning for adults from all backgrounds, and in particular those who have previously missed out on education. The International Federation of Workers Education Associations has consultative status to UNESCO...
(Workers' Educational Association) and the Cambrian Archaeological Association
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 the public in such matters.Its activities include holding...
. In retirement he was Curator of Bangor museum, and taught at Bangor Normal College
Bangor Normal College
The Normal College, Bangor was an independent teacher training college, founded in 1861 until 1996, when the College became part of University of Wales Bangor...
(now part of the University of Wales, Bangor).
He was a founder member of the Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
Historical Society and edited a history of Wrexham to coincide with the Borough Centenary Celebration in 1957. He was made a freeman of the Borough of Wrexham in 1963. A centenary celebration of his birth was held in Wrexham in 1991.
Though not a native speaker, Dodd was a supporter of the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
and brought up his children as Welsh speakers, at a time when the language had far less social status than now.
Works
- The Industrial Revolution in North Wales (1933)
- Studies in Stuart Wales (1952)
- Life in Elizabethan England (1961)
- A History of Caernarvonshire (1968)
- Life in Wales (1972)
- A Short History of Wales (1977) (published posthumously)