Eileen Power
Encyclopedia
Eileen Edna LePoer Power (January 9, 1889-August 8, 1940) was an important British economic historian and medievalist.
Eileen Power was the eldest daughter of a stockbroker and was born at Altrincham
(now part of Greater Manchester
) in 1889. She was a sister of Rhoda Power
, the children's writer and broadcaster. She was educated at Oxford High School for Girls, Girton College, and the Sorbonne
.
Power was Director of Studies in History at Girton College (1913–21), Lecturer in Political Science at the London School of Economics
(1921–24), and Reader of the University of London
(1924–31). In 1931 she became Professor of Economic History at the London School of Economics (LSE), where she remained until 1938 when she became Professor of Economic History at Cambridge University.
Her most famous book, Medieval People, was published in 1924. In 1927 Power founded the Economic History Review. In 1933 she joined the head of LSE, William Beveridge
, in establishing the Academic Freedom Committee, an organization that helped academics fleeing from Nazi Germany. A critic of Britain's foreign policy, Power was an active member of the Union of Democratic Control
.
In 1937 Power married the historian Michael Postan, having previously been engaged to Reginald Johnston
, tutor to Puyi
. She died of heart failure in 1940.
Her book, The Wool Trade in English Medieval History (1941) was published posthumously. Medieval Women, was reissued in 1975.
, Father Figures (1966):
LSE website:
Eileen Power was the eldest daughter of a stockbroker and was born at Altrincham
Altrincham
Altrincham is a market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on flat ground south of the River Mersey about southwest of Manchester city centre, south-southwest of Sale and east of Warrington...
(now part of Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
) in 1889. She was a sister of Rhoda Power
Rhoda Power
Rhoda Dolores le Poer Power , was a broadcaster and children's writer.-Life and career:...
, the children's writer and broadcaster. She was educated at Oxford High School for Girls, Girton College, and the Sorbonne
Sorbonne
The Sorbonne is an edifice of the Latin Quarter, in Paris, France, which has been the historical house of the former University of Paris...
.
Power was Director of Studies in History at Girton College (1913–21), Lecturer in Political Science at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(1921–24), and Reader of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
(1924–31). In 1931 she became Professor of Economic History at the London School of Economics (LSE), where she remained until 1938 when she became Professor of Economic History at Cambridge University.
Her most famous book, Medieval People, was published in 1924. In 1927 Power founded the Economic History Review. In 1933 she joined the head of LSE, William Beveridge
William Beveridge
William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron Beveridge KCB was a British economist and social reformer. He is best known for his 1942 report Social Insurance and Allied Services which served as the basis for the post-World War II welfare state put in place by the Labour government elected in 1945.Lord...
, in establishing the Academic Freedom Committee, an organization that helped academics fleeing from Nazi Germany. A critic of Britain's foreign policy, Power was an active member of the Union of Democratic Control
Union of Democratic Control
The Union of Democratic Control was a British pressure group formed in 1914 to press for a more responsive foreign policy. While not a pacifist organization, it was opposed to military influence in government.-World War I:...
.
In 1937 Power married the historian Michael Postan, having previously been engaged to Reginald Johnston
Reginald Johnston
Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston, KCMG, CBE, was a Scottish academic, diplomat and tutor to Puyi, the last emperor of China, and later appointed as the last Commissioner of Weihaiwei.-Early:...
, tutor to Puyi
Puyi
Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
. She died of heart failure in 1940.
Her book, The Wool Trade in English Medieval History (1941) was published posthumously. Medieval Women, was reissued in 1975.
Tributes and Memories
Kingsley MartinKingsley Martin
Basil Kingsley Martin was a British journalist who edited the left-leaning political magazine the New Statesman from 1930 to 1960....
, Father Figures (1966):
In the autumn of 1924 I started work at the London School of Economics. Sir William Beveridge was director when I joined the staff in 1924. He accepted me first on a part-time basis. I never hit it off with Beveridge, though I recognised from the beginning that he was a man of extraordinary ability. I once, and only once, pleased Beveridge. I said that he "ruled over an empire on which the concrete never set". He was so delighted with this remark that he constantly quoted it, always attributing it, however, to Eileen Power, with whom, like everyone else, I assume he was more or less in love. Eileen, indeed, was one of the most attractive women I have ever known. She was good-looking, and carried her erudition as a medieval scholar with wit and grace. She wrote delightfully, her account of the domestic life of nunneries would never bore anyone, and her Medieval People showed that careful scholarship can be made popular and achieve large sales.
We used to speculate on whether she would marry; on the whole the betting was that an air ace would carry her off her feet, but in the end it was the excellent historian, Michael Postan, on whom the choice fell. There was no one who did not deeply regret her loss when she died suddenly of heart failure.
LSE website:
Her public lectures continued the nineteenth-century tradition of the lecture as an intellectual and political forum. She was a wonderful speaker, and her spoken eloquence used to fascinate her audience. In the eyes of former students, Eileen Power had opened their eyes to the varieties of political life, understanding, and tolerance. Gifted with considerable intellect and an attractive personality, she was an active and much loved figure among staff and students alike. She died suddenly in 1940 during the School's wartime evacuation at Peterhouse College, Cambridge.
Works
- The Paycockes of Coggeshall (1919)
- The Unconquered Knight. A Chronicle of the Deeds of Don Pero Nino, Count of Buelna de Gamez (1920) editor
- Medieval English Nunneries (1922)
- Medieval People (1924)
- Tudor Economic Documents (1924, three volumes) editor with R. H. TawneyR. H. TawneyRichard Henry Tawney was an English economic historian, social critic, Christian socialist, and an important proponent of adult education....
- Don Juan of Persia: A Shiah Catholic (1926) editor with E. Denison Ross
- Pero Tafur travels and adventures 1435-1439 (1926) editor with E. Denison Ross
- Boys & Girls of History (1926) with Rhoda PowerRhoda PowerRhoda Dolores le Poer Power , was a broadcaster and children's writer.-Life and career:...
- The Diary of Henry TeongeHenry TeongeHenry Teonge was an English cleric and Royal Navy chaplain who kept informative diaries of voyages he made in 1675–76 and 1678–79.-Life:...
, Chaplain on Board H.M.'s Ships Assistance, Bristol, and Royal Oak, 1675-1679, editor with E. Denison Ross - John Macdonald Travels (1745–1779) (1927) editor with E. Denison Ross
- Cities and Their Stories, an Introduction to the Study Of European History (1927) with Rhoda Power
- Hans Staden. The True History of His Captivity - 1557 (1928) editor with E. Denison Ross
- Hernando Cortes - Five Letters 1519-1526 (1928) editor with E. Denison Ross
- Huc & Gabet. Travels in Tartary, Thibet and China 1844-46, George Routledge (1928, 2 volumes) ed. Eileen Power and E. Denison Ross
- The Goodman of Paris (Le Ménagier de Paris): A Treatise on Moral and Domestic Economy By A Citizen of Paris c. 1393 (1928) translator
- More Boys & Girls of History (1928) with Rhoda Power
- Memoirs of Lorenzo Da Ponte : Mozart's Librettist (1929) editor with Elizabeth Drew
- Sir Lancelot of the Lake : a French Prose Romance of the Thirteenth Century (1929) editor with G. G. CoultonG. G. CoultonGeorge Gordon Coulton FBA was a British historian, known for numerous works on medieval history. He was known also as a keen controversialist....
- The Autobiography of Ousama (1929) editor with G. G. Coulton
- Jahangir and the Jesuits by Fernao Guerreiro, ed. Eileen Power and E. Denison Ross (1930); Routledge (2004) ISBN 0415344824
- The Works of Liudprand of Cremona (1930) editor with G. C. Coulton
- Madame D'Aulnoy: Travels into Spain (1930) editor with E. Denison Ross
- English Trade in 15th Century (1933) with Michael Postan
- Bernal Diaz Del Castillo, the Discovery and Conquest of Mexico 1517-1521 (1936) editor with E. Denison Ross
- The Wool Trade in English Medieval History (1941) The Ford LecturesFord LecturesThe Ford Lectures are a prestigious series of public lectures given annually in English or British History by a distinguished historian. Known commonly as "The Ford Lectures," they are properly titled "Ford's Lectures in British History" and they are given by a scholar elected to be "Ford's...
for 1940. - Cambridge Economic History of Europe, Vol. 1: The Agrarian Life of the Middle Ages (1942) editor with J. H. Clapham
- Medieval Women (1975)
- Thomas Gage The English-American A New Survey of the West Indies 1648 editor with E. Denison Ross