Michael Walter Flinn (22 October 1917 – 28 September 1983) was a British economic historian. Born into a middle-class family in Chorlton-on-Medlock, he was educated at William Hulme's Grammar School in Manchester, serving as an officer in the Royal Artillery during the Second World War. After the end of the war, Flinn took a history degree at the University of Manchester before spending two years as a grammar school teacher while writing a postgraduate dissertation in his spare time. In 1959, he began lecturing at the University of Edinburgh, writing an introductory school textbook for history in 1961, which was still in print at his death.[1] He was awarded a D. Litt by Edinburgh in 1965, and two years later was appointed to a Personal Chair in Social History.[2] After his retirement in 1978, he lectured in the United States and continental Europe, serving as president of the Economic History Society from 1980 to 1983, when he died in Stroud, Gloucestershire.[3][4][5]
Flinn established a remarkable academic reputation in less than 20 years as a university teacher, for he was already in his forties when appointed to a full-time teaching post at Edinburgh.[6]
His magnum opus, The History of the British Coal Industry. Volume II. 1700-1830: The Industrial Revolution (Oxford: 1984), written with his research assistant David S. Stoker, was commissioned as part of the National Coal Board's five volume history of the industry from the middle ages to the present time. It was glowingly reviewed. John Benson said "Flinn's history is based on a prodigious amount of archival research in libraries and record offices across the British Isles [yet] this great mass of material never threatens to become overpowering".[7].
For M.J. Daunton, "[it] will surely be the definitive account for the next fifty years. * * * It is the mature work of an outstanding scholar who combined careful research, a lucid style, and a deep historical understanding.[8]
John Harris had a personal appreciation:
For many of us, and particularly those who knew him over many years, the book's arrival is clouded by Michael Flinn's death shortly before it appeared. We have lost not only the author of weighty contributions to industrial, social, and population history but also a man whose excellence as a teacher led to valuable works for students and whose administrative ability was devoted to his presidency of the Economic History Society; a man of great kindness, geniality and wit.[9]
For William J. Hausman, Flinn's book "will be the standard history of the coal industry of that period for a long time",[10] while Arthur J. Taylor said the book was "a Beethoven symphony in its scale and proportions... [Flinn] was a scholar of many interests, all pursued to the point of excellence."[11]
^England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995
^England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
^Barker, T.C. (1980). "Review: The Search for Wealth and Stability: Essays in Economic and Social History Presented to M. W. Flinn by T. C. Smout". The Economic Journal. 90 (358): 435–436. doi:10.2307/2231824. JSTOR 2231824. S2CID 153775571.
^Benson, John (1885). "Review". The American Historical Review. 90 (4): 932–933. doi:10.2307/1858891. JSTOR 1858891.
^Daunton, M.J. (1985). "Review". The English Historical Review. 100 (396): 636–638. doi:10.1093/ehr/C.CCCXCVI.636. JSTOR 568245..
^Harris, John (1985). "Review". Technology and Culture. 26 (4): 844–846. doi:10.2307/3105632. JSTOR 3105632.
^Hausman, William J. (1985). "Review". The Journal of Economic History. 45 (3): 712–715. doi:10.1017/S0022050700034653. JSTOR 2121767. S2CID 250121750.
^Taylor, Arthur J. (1985). "Review". The Economic History Review. New Series. 38 (1): 147–148. doi:10.2307/2596658. JSTOR 2596658.
BibliographyEdit
Saul, S.B. (1984). "Obituary: Professor Michael W. Flinn 1917-1983". Economic History Review. Economic History Society. 37 (1). ISSN 0013-0117.
August 28, 2023
michael, flinn, michael, walter, flinn, october, 1917, september, 1983, british, economic, historian, born, into, middle, class, family, chorlton, medlock, educated, william, hulme, grammar, school, manchester, serving, officer, royal, artillery, during, secon. Michael Walter Flinn 22 October 1917 28 September 1983 was a British economic historian Born into a middle class family in Chorlton on Medlock he was educated at William Hulme s Grammar School in Manchester serving as an officer in the Royal Artillery during the Second World War After the end of the war Flinn took a history degree at the University of Manchester before spending two years as a grammar school teacher while writing a postgraduate dissertation in his spare time In 1959 he began lecturing at the University of Edinburgh writing an introductory school textbook for history in 1961 which was still in print at his death 1 He was awarded a D Litt by Edinburgh in 1965 and two years later was appointed to a Personal Chair in Social History 2 After his retirement in 1978 he lectured in the United States and continental Europe serving as president of the Economic History Society from 1980 to 1983 when he died in Stroud Gloucestershire 3 4 5 Flinn established a remarkable academic reputation in less than 20 years as a university teacher for he was already in his forties when appointed to a full time teaching post at Edinburgh 6 His magnum opus The History of the British Coal Industry Volume II 1700 1830 The Industrial Revolution Oxford 1984 written with his research assistant David S Stoker was commissioned as part of the National Coal Board s five volume history of the industry from the middle ages to the present time It was glowingly reviewed John Benson said Flinn s history is based on a prodigious amount of archival research in libraries and record offices across the British Isles yet this great mass of material never threatens to become overpowering 7 For M J Daunton it will surely be the definitive account for the next fifty years It is the mature work of an outstanding scholar who combined careful research a lucid style and a deep historical understanding 8 John Harris had a personal appreciation For many of us and particularly those who knew him over many years the book s arrival is clouded by Michael Flinn s death shortly before it appeared We have lost not only the author of weighty contributions to industrial social and population history but also a man whose excellence as a teacher led to valuable works for students and whose administrative ability was devoted to his presidency of the Economic History Society a man of great kindness geniality and wit 9 For William J Hausman Flinn s book will be the standard history of the coal industry of that period for a long time 10 while Arthur J Taylor said the book was a Beethoven symphony in its scale and proportions Flinn was a scholar of many interests all pursued to the point of excellence 11 References Edit Saul 1984 p v Saul 1984 p vi Saul 1984 p vii England amp Wales National Probate Calendar Index of Wills and Administrations 1858 1966 1973 1995 England amp Wales Civil Registration Death Index 1916 2007 Barker T C 1980 Review The Search for Wealth and Stability Essays in Economic and Social History Presented to M W Flinn by T C Smout The Economic Journal 90 358 435 436 doi 10 2307 2231824 JSTOR 2231824 S2CID 153775571 Benson John 1885 Review The American Historical Review 90 4 932 933 doi 10 2307 1858891 JSTOR 1858891 Daunton M J 1985 Review The English Historical Review 100 396 636 638 doi 10 1093 ehr C CCCXCVI 636 JSTOR 568245 Harris John 1985 Review Technology and Culture 26 4 844 846 doi 10 2307 3105632 JSTOR 3105632 Hausman William J 1985 Review The Journal of Economic History 45 3 712 715 doi 10 1017 S0022050700034653 JSTOR 2121767 S2CID 250121750 Taylor Arthur J 1985 Review The Economic History Review New Series 38 1 147 148 doi 10 2307 2596658 JSTOR 2596658 Bibliography EditSaul S B 1984 Obituary Professor Michael W Flinn 1917 1983 Economic History Review Economic History Society 37 1 ISSN 0013 0117 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Michael Flinn amp oldid 1161584806, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
