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John Chadwick

John Chadwick, FBA (21 May 1920 – 24 November 1998) was an English linguist and classical scholar who was most notable for the decipherment, with Michael Ventris, of Linear B.

John Chadwick
Born(1920-05-21)21 May 1920
East Sheen, Richmond-upon-Thames, England
Died24 November 1998(1998-11-24) (aged 78)
Occupation(s)Linguist, scholar
Academic background
Alma materCorpus Christi College, Cambridge

Early life, education and wartime service Edit

John Chadwick was born at 18 Christ Church Road, Mortlake, Surrey, on 21 May 1920, the younger son of Margaret Pamela (née Bray) and Fred Chadwick, civil servant.[1] He was educated at St Paul's School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

Chadwick volunteered for the Royal Navy in 1940 after completing the first year of his classics course at Cambridge. At first he served in the Mediterranean as an ordinary seaman aboard the light cruiser HMS Coventry and saw action when his ship was torpedoed by an Italian submarine and dive-bombed. In 1942 he was sent ashore at Alexandria for an interview by the Chief of Naval Intelligence and was immediately assigned to intelligence duties in Egypt and promoted to Temporary Sub Lieutenant in the RNVR. Thereafter he worked on Italian codes.[2][3][4] Chadwick deduced from some R/T traffic meant to be handled at Bletchley Park that a British submarine had been sunk near Taranto.[5]

In 1944, he was transferred to Bletchley Park ("Station X"), learned Japanese, and worked on reading the encoded messages sent by the Japanese naval representatives in Stockholm and Berlin.[4]

After the end of the war in 1945, he returned to his studies at Cambridge, graduating with First Class Honours in Classics Part II, with a distinction in his special subject, linguistics.[4] While studying at Corpus Christi College, he attempted, with some of his fellow students, to use cryptographic methods to decipher the "Minoan Linear Script B". They were already aware at the time of the work of Michael Ventris. They stopped working actively on the problem owing to a lack of published data from inscriptions.[4]

Career Edit

In 1950 he published his first scholarly work, an edition of The Medical Works of Hippocrates, co-authored with his cousin, William Neville Mann, a distinguished physician.[4][6] After finishing his degree, he joined the staff of the Oxford Latin Dictionary before beginning a Classics lectureship at Cambridge in 1952.[4] In July that year he heard a radio broadcast by Michael Ventris about his work on Linear B and offered his help as "a mere philologist".[1] The men began to collaborate on the progressive decipherment of Linear B, writing Documents in Mycenean Greek in 1956, following a controversial first paper three years earlier. Chadwick's philological ideas were applied to Ventris's initial theory that Linear B was an early form of Greek rather than another Mediterranean language.[7]

After Ventris's death, Chadwick became the figurehead of the Linear B work, writing the accessible and popular book The Decipherment of Linear B in 1958 and revising Documents in Mycenaean Greek in 1978.[1]

He retired in 1984, by which time he had become the fourth (and last) Perceval Maitland Laurence Reader in Classics at Cambridge. He continued his scholarship until his death, being an active member of several international societies and writing numerous popular and academic articles. He was also a Fellow of the British Academy[8] and of Downing College, Cambridge.[2]

Family Edit

Chadwick married Joan Hill in 1947. They had one son, Camden Chadwick.[2][1]

Publications Edit

  • Ventris, Michael; Chadwick, John (1953). "Evidence for Greek Dialect in the Mycenaean Archives". The Journal of Hellenic Studies. 73: 84–103. doi:10.2307/628239. JSTOR 628239. S2CID 163873642.
  • Chadwick, John (1958). The Decipherment of Linear B. Second edition (1990). Cambridge UP. ISBN 0-521-39830-4.
  • Chadwick, John (1976). The Mycenaean World. Cambridge UP. ISBN 0-521-29037-6.
  • Ventris, Michael; Chadwick, John (1956). Documents in Mycenaean Greek. Second edition (1974). Cambridge UP. ISBN 0-521-08558-6.

Decorations and awards Edit

See also Edit

Further reading Edit

Obituaries of Chadwick Edit

References Edit

  1. ^ a b c d Killen, J. T. (2004). "Chadwick, John (1920–1998), classical philologist". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/71369. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 24 September 2022. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ a b c "John Chadwick, 1920–1998", The Guardian, 1998-12-03, page 22.
  3. ^ Peter Kornicki, Eavesdropping on the Emperor: Interrogators and Codebreakers in Britain's War with Japan (London: Hurst & Co., 2021), pp. 87-88.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Life of John Chadwick : 1920 – 1998 : Classical Philologist, Lexicographer and Co-decipherer of Linear B" 17 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Faculty of Classics, Cambridge University
  5. ^ John Chadwick A Biographical Fragment; 1942-5 in Action this Day edited by Michael Smith and Ralph Erskine (2001, Bantam Press, London) pp 110–126. ISBN 0593 049101.
  6. ^ "William Neville Mann", Munk's Roll, Royal College of Physicians
  7. ^ Robinson, Andrew (2004). "Ventris, Michael George Francis (1922–1956), classical scholar and architect". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36640. ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 24 September 2022. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  8. ^ Killen, J. T.; Davies, Morpurgo (February 2015). "John Chadwick FBA (1920–1998): Extract from Proceedings of the British Academy obituary". British Academy Review. British Academy. 115 (25): 136–138. Retrieved 30 May 2016.[permanent dead link]

john, chadwick, this, article, about, linguist, american, theologian, john, white, chadwick, british, judge, judge, 1920, november, 1998, english, linguist, classical, scholar, most, notable, decipherment, with, michael, ventris, linear, born, 1920, 1920east, . This article is about the linguist For the American theologian see John White Chadwick For the British judge see John Chadwick judge John Chadwick FBA 21 May 1920 24 November 1998 was an English linguist and classical scholar who was most notable for the decipherment with Michael Ventris of Linear B John ChadwickBorn 1920 05 21 21 May 1920East Sheen Richmond upon Thames EnglandDied24 November 1998 1998 11 24 aged 78 Occupation s Linguist scholarAcademic backgroundAlma materCorpus Christi College Cambridge Contents 1 Early life education and wartime service 2 Career 3 Family 4 Publications 5 Decorations and awards 6 See also 7 Further reading 7 1 Obituaries of Chadwick 8 ReferencesEarly life education and wartime service EditJohn Chadwick was born at 18 Christ Church Road Mortlake Surrey on 21 May 1920 the younger son of Margaret Pamela nee Bray and Fred Chadwick civil servant 1 He was educated at St Paul s School and Corpus Christi College Cambridge Chadwick volunteered for the Royal Navy in 1940 after completing the first year of his classics course at Cambridge At first he served in the Mediterranean as an ordinary seaman aboard the light cruiser HMS Coventry and saw action when his ship was torpedoed by an Italian submarine and dive bombed In 1942 he was sent ashore at Alexandria for an interview by the Chief of Naval Intelligence and was immediately assigned to intelligence duties in Egypt and promoted to Temporary Sub Lieutenant in the RNVR Thereafter he worked on Italian codes 2 3 4 Chadwick deduced from some R T traffic meant to be handled at Bletchley Park that a British submarine had been sunk near Taranto 5 In 1944 he was transferred to Bletchley Park Station X learned Japanese and worked on reading the encoded messages sent by the Japanese naval representatives in Stockholm and Berlin 4 After the end of the war in 1945 he returned to his studies at Cambridge graduating with First Class Honours in Classics Part II with a distinction in his special subject linguistics 4 While studying at Corpus Christi College he attempted with some of his fellow students to use cryptographic methods to decipher the Minoan Linear Script B They were already aware at the time of the work of Michael Ventris They stopped working actively on the problem owing to a lack of published data from inscriptions 4 Career EditIn 1950 he published his first scholarly work an edition of The Medical Works of Hippocrates co authored with his cousin William Neville Mann a distinguished physician 4 6 After finishing his degree he joined the staff of the Oxford Latin Dictionary before beginning a Classics lectureship at Cambridge in 1952 4 In July that year he heard a radio broadcast by Michael Ventris about his work on Linear B and offered his help as a mere philologist 1 The men began to collaborate on the progressive decipherment of Linear B writing Documents in Mycenean Greek in 1956 following a controversial first paper three years earlier Chadwick s philological ideas were applied to Ventris s initial theory that Linear B was an early form of Greek rather than another Mediterranean language 7 After Ventris s death Chadwick became the figurehead of the Linear B work writing the accessible and popular book The Decipherment of Linear B in 1958 and revising Documents in Mycenaean Greek in 1978 1 He retired in 1984 by which time he had become the fourth and last Perceval Maitland Laurence Reader in Classics at Cambridge He continued his scholarship until his death being an active member of several international societies and writing numerous popular and academic articles He was also a Fellow of the British Academy 8 and of Downing College Cambridge 2 Family EditChadwick married Joan Hill in 1947 They had one son Camden Chadwick 2 1 Publications EditVentris Michael Chadwick John 1953 Evidence for Greek Dialect in the Mycenaean Archives The Journal of Hellenic Studies 73 84 103 doi 10 2307 628239 JSTOR 628239 S2CID 163873642 Chadwick John 1958 The Decipherment of Linear B Second edition 1990 Cambridge UP ISBN 0 521 39830 4 Chadwick John 1976 The Mycenaean World Cambridge UP ISBN 0 521 29037 6 Ventris Michael Chadwick John 1956 Documents in Mycenaean Greek Second edition 1974 Cambridge UP ISBN 0 521 08558 6 Decorations and awards Edit1992 Austrian Decoration for Science and Art 1997 International Antonio Feltrinelli PrizeSee also EditMycenaean Greek Mycenaean Greece Michael VentrisFurther reading EditObituaries of Chadwick Edit Bennet John 1999 John Chadwick 1920 1998 American Journal of Archaeology 103 3 521 523 JSTOR 506972 Killen John Morpurgo Davies Anna 2002 John Chadwick 1920 1998 PDF Proceedings of the British Academy 115 133 165 Archived from the original PDF on 3 December 2022 Retrieved 3 March 2023 References Edit a b c d Killen J T 2004 Chadwick John 1920 1998 classical philologist Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 71369 ISBN 978 0 19 861412 8 Retrieved 24 September 2022 Subscription or UK public library membership required a b c John Chadwick 1920 1998 The Guardian 1998 12 03 page 22 Peter Kornicki Eavesdropping on the Emperor Interrogators and Codebreakers in Britain s War with Japan London Hurst amp Co 2021 pp 87 88 a b c d e f Life of John Chadwick 1920 1998 Classical Philologist Lexicographer and Co decipherer of Linear B Archived 17 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine Faculty of Classics Cambridge University John Chadwick A Biographical Fragment 1942 5 in Action this Day edited by Michael Smith and Ralph Erskine 2001 Bantam Press London pp 110 126 ISBN 0593 049101 William Neville Mann Munk s Roll Royal College of Physicians Robinson Andrew 2004 Ventris Michael George Francis 1922 1956 classical scholar and architect Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 36640 ISBN 978 0 19 861412 8 Retrieved 24 September 2022 Subscription or UK public library membership required Killen J T Davies Morpurgo February 2015 John Chadwick FBA 1920 1998 Extract from Proceedings of the British Academy obituary British Academy Review British Academy 115 25 136 138 Retrieved 30 May 2016 permanent dead link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Chadwick amp oldid 1144316135, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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