In Memoriam - Professor Harry Dickinson

The School is sorry to announce the death of Professor Harry Dickinson, Emeritus Professor of British History, on 24 January 2024. 

Professor Dickinson was a historian of Britain in the long 18th century, from 1688 to 1832, in which field he published extensively over his long career.

He joined the University of Edinburgh in 1966 as Assistant Lecturer, and was promoted to Lecturer, Reader and, in 1980, Professor. He served in a number of roles in the University of Edinburgh, including as Head of History. From 1987 Professor Dickinson was also a Concurrent Professor at the University of Nanjing in China.

He was a great mentor to many colleagues and students, both within the University and outside.

Professor Dickinson played an important role in the discipline of History beyond the University of Edinburgh. He served two terms as Vice President of the Royal Historical Society, and was both Deputy President and President of the Historical Association.  His external appointments included acting as Chair of the History Research Panel of the Arts and Humanities Research Council and serving as a Member of the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Council on Archives and Public Records.

Following his retirement in 2006, Harry continued to research and publish widely, with publications appearing in every year from his retirement up to and including 2023. He also continued to play a very active role in the life of the School of History, Classics and Archaeology, particularly in supporting PhD students and in building links with colleagues in China. He will be very much missed.