Louis Francis Salzman
Encyclopedia
Louis Francis Salzman was a British economic historian
who specialised in the medieval period.
He was born in Brighton
in 1878, the son of Dr. F.W. Salzmann, and educated at Haileybury College and Pembroke College, Cambridge
. He studied natural sciences, aiming to make a career in medicine; however, after inheriting a small private income, he gave this up to work in history.
He married Maud Russell in 1904, and had two sons and two daughters. He did not serve in the First World War, through ill-health; he taught at St. George's School, Harpenden
from 1916 to 1918. In 1918 he moved to Cambridge, and there tutored students. In 1934, his marriage to Maud was dissolved, and he moved to London, shortly thereafter moving to Lewes
in Sussex, where he lived to his death.
His first book, The History of the Parish of Hailsham, was published in 1901. He then began his work in economic history, writing on Sussex industries for the Victoria County History
. In 1913 he published English Industries in the Middle Ages, and in 1931 English Trade in the Middle Ages. The building industry had been omitted from English Industries, though it was touched on in an enlarged edition ten years later, and in 1952 he produced perhaps his most important work, A Documentary History of Building in England Down to 1540, a comprehensive study of both the practical and organisational aspects of the industry. In 1934 Salzman succeeded W.H. Page
as general editor of the Victoria County History. He held the post until 1949, overseeing the production of fifteen volumes, covering Oxfordshire and Warwickshire as well as Sussex, and was succeeded by Ralph Pugh
.
Salzman's other academic works included biographies of Henry II
(1914) and Edward I
(1968), as well as the general studies English Life in the Middle Ages (1926), England in Tudor Times (1926), and A Survey of English History (1930). He wrote a pair of popular collections - Medieval Byways (1913), More Medieval Byways (1926) - of short essays on individual topics, "cookery" or "memories", built around extracts from contemporary records and providing an insight into medieval life seen from an unusual angle. In 1926 he published a play, The Girdle of Venus.
In 1909 he became the honorary editor of the Sussex Archaeological Society, a post he would hold for the next fifty years. He was president of the society from 1954 to 1956, and published a history of it in 1946. In 1955, he was appointed Commander of the British Empire, and in 1965 awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Sussex
.
Economic history
Economic history is the study of economies or economic phenomena in the past. Analysis in economic history is undertaken using a combination of historical methods, statistical methods and by applying economic theory to historical situations and institutions...
who specialised in the medieval period.
He was born in Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
in 1878, the son of Dr. F.W. Salzmann, and educated at Haileybury College and Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
. He studied natural sciences, aiming to make a career in medicine; however, after inheriting a small private income, he gave this up to work in history.
He married Maud Russell in 1904, and had two sons and two daughters. He did not serve in the First World War, through ill-health; he taught at St. George's School, Harpenden
St. George's School, Harpenden
St George's VA School, Harpenden is a traditional day and boarding school in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, serving students of both genders from ages 11 to 18 with emphasis on a Christian ethos...
from 1916 to 1918. In 1918 he moved to Cambridge, and there tutored students. In 1934, his marriage to Maud was dissolved, and he moved to London, shortly thereafter moving to Lewes
Lewes
Lewes is the county town of East Sussex, England and historically of all of Sussex. It is a civil parish and is the centre of the Lewes local government district. The settlement has a history as a bridging point and as a market town, and today as a communications hub and tourist-oriented town...
in Sussex, where he lived to his death.
His first book, The History of the Parish of Hailsham, was published in 1901. He then began his work in economic history, writing on Sussex industries for the Victoria County History
Victoria County History
The Victoria History of the Counties of England, commonly known as the Victoria County History or the VCH, is an English history project which began in 1899 and was dedicated to Queen Victoria with the aim of creating an encyclopaedic history of each of the historic counties of...
. In 1913 he published English Industries in the Middle Ages, and in 1931 English Trade in the Middle Ages. The building industry had been omitted from English Industries, though it was touched on in an enlarged edition ten years later, and in 1952 he produced perhaps his most important work, A Documentary History of Building in England Down to 1540, a comprehensive study of both the practical and organisational aspects of the industry. In 1934 Salzman succeeded W.H. Page
William Henry Page
William Henry Page was a prolific and pioneering historian and editor. For the last three decades of his life was general editor of the Victoria County History.-Life:...
as general editor of the Victoria County History. He held the post until 1949, overseeing the production of fifteen volumes, covering Oxfordshire and Warwickshire as well as Sussex, and was succeeded by Ralph Pugh
Ralph Pugh
Ralph Bernard Pugh was an historian and editor of the Victoria History of the Counties of England from 1949 to 1977....
.
Salzman's other academic works included biographies of Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
(1914) and Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
(1968), as well as the general studies English Life in the Middle Ages (1926), England in Tudor Times (1926), and A Survey of English History (1930). He wrote a pair of popular collections - Medieval Byways (1913), More Medieval Byways (1926) - of short essays on individual topics, "cookery" or "memories", built around extracts from contemporary records and providing an insight into medieval life seen from an unusual angle. In 1926 he published a play, The Girdle of Venus.
In 1909 he became the honorary editor of the Sussex Archaeological Society, a post he would hold for the next fifty years. He was president of the society from 1954 to 1956, and published a history of it in 1946. In 1955, he was appointed Commander of the British Empire, and in 1965 awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
.