Ralph Henry Carless Davis
Encyclopedia
Ralph Henry Carless Davis (7 October 1918 – 12 March 1991), always known publicly as R. H. C. Davis, was a British
historian
specialising in the European Middle Ages
. He was a leading exponent of strict documentary analysis and interpretation, was keenly interested in architecture and art in history, and was successful at communicating to the public and as a teacher.
. He was the youngest of three sons of H. W. C. Davis
, CBE
and Rosa Jennie Davis, daughter of Walter Lindup of Bampton Grange in west Oxfordshire
. His father, who was Regius Professor of Modern History (Oxford)
and from 1925 a fellow of the British Academy
, died in 1928 when Ralph was not yet ten years old.
Earlier generations of the Davis family were involved in the Cotswold
cloth industry at Stroud, Gloucestershire
. The Lindup grandparents came from Worthing
, Sussex
, but in Ralph's younger childhood owned a country house at Bampton, Oxfordshire
which he and his brothers liked to visit.
Ralph, like his older brothers, went to the Dragon School, and later, during World War II, contributed newsletters from Egypt
and Syria
to The Draconian, the school magazine.
The sudden death of his father placed financial constraints on the family, and it may have been this, or a suggestion of Gerald Haynes ('Tortoise'), a Dragon schoolmaster, which led Mrs Davis to choose Leighton Park for Ralph's secondary education. He was there from 1932 to 1937, and became involved in mediaeval architecture. Ralph, as secretary of the small archaeology
group and effectively its leader, organised bicycle
trips round the Yorkshire
abbeys in the school holidays with about six others. Ralph never joined the Quakers, but he is thought to have absorbed his Christian
convictions and liberal
humanitarian
ideals at Leighton Park. He later went served as a governor of the school for many years.
Davis entered Balliol College, Oxford in 1937, preceded by both his brothers. As an undergraduate he arranged a one-month visit to northern Italy
, taking in Milan
, Venice
, Ravenna
and Florence
. Also in this period he became interested in masons' marks
and visited many Berkshire
and Oxfordshire churches; this led to a paper in the Oxfordshire Archaeological Society's journal for 1938, and culminated in 1954 in the publication of his catalogue of masons' marks (see list of works below).
Professor Vivian Galbraith
was an important influence during these years. He felt indebted to H. W. C. Davis since his undergraduate days, and was a close friend of the Davis family. Ralph's first substantial scholarly work, his edition of The Kalendar of Abbot Samson (see list of works below), was suggested to him by Galbraith. Davis' tutor at Balliol was Richard Southern
, a newly-elected fellow, who described him as 'an absolutely steady and reliable performer'. Denys Hay
, who did some teaching at Balliol, remembered an industrious but not very exciting student. Ralph won the Kington Oliphant (historical) prize with the essay on mason's marks mentioned above.
, Davis refused military service. He must have known what Nazi Germany
was like because he (and friend Ken Bowen) had just come back from a Quaker-organised hitch-hiking holiday in the Rhine valley, involving renovation and landscaping work with a joint British-German team of students. (The Society of Friends, the 'Quakers', is a pacifist church.)
Having been registered as a CO by a tribunal, he joined the Friends' Ambulance Unit
and was sent to Finland
. This unit operated on the Karelia
n front of the Winter War
and in the Norwegian campaign
. They escaped the Nazis via Sweden
and Iceland
. Ralph served in London
in the 'Blitz
' winter of 1940-1941.
He was sent in March 1941 to Egypt via the Cape of Good Hope
to reinforce the FAU detachment in Greece
, but this had been captured by the Nazis before he could join, so his unit was sent to Syria to work at the Hadfield-Spears Mobile Hospital, an Anglo-French entity attached to the Free French Forces
. A stay of a month in Cairo
allowed Ralph to view the city's mosques (with Michael Rowntree
) and produce a book on the subject (see list of works below). As the mobile hospital moved through Syria and Lebanon
and then along the desert to Tunisia
, and eventually to Italy
and southern France
, Ralph visited (and wrote up in his copious notebooks) such places as Baalbek
, Byblos
, Damascus
, Krak des Chevaliers
, Beaufort
, Leptis Magna
and El Djem
. He ran the hospital laundry. By 1944, his FAU unit had reached France, and he participated in the liberation of that country. He came home for demobilisation with the Croix de Guerre
(oddly for a pacifist!) for his contribution to the Free French war effort.
conducted by John Betjeman
.
From 1947 to 1948 he was an assistant history master at Christ's Hospital
, Horsham
, as a junior colleague of David Roberts. Perhaps the lowly nature of this post was an expression of prejudice against conscientious objectors. Anyway, during that year he learnt that he was a born teacher, even a quintessential schoolmaster.
In 1948, he accepted the offer from J. E. (Sir John) Neale (perhaps advised by Galbraith) of an assistant lectureship at University College London
. Research now became an essential part of his work. He found a small flat in Pimlico
and (characteristically) bicycled to work. He now met and fell in love with Eleanor Megaw, who had been an officer in the WRNS
and was now, since 1946, a tutor to women students at UCL. She came from Northern Ireland
, and had a Unionist and a Home Rule
r as grandfathers. They were married in 1949 and found a house in a quiet part of Highgate
. Ralph booked Cumberland Lodge
in Windsor Great Park
for a weekend just before the start of the academic year so that history freshers
and other students and staff could get to know one another. This started a tradition that is still maintained . During the UCL years, Ralph and Eleanor's two sons were born: Christopher (1952) and Timothy (1955).
Davis wrote a paper on the buildings of Balliol College, which was published in the Victoria County History
of Oxfordshire in 1954. In 1955, a paper of his advocating the Anglo-Saxon
origin of soke
and sokemen appeared in the Transactions of the Royal Historical Society (3rd series, 5).
During the early years of their marriage, Ralph and Eleanor were able to holiday in Greece, taking advantage of the fact that she had an uncle who lived near Athens
. This allowed Ralph to learn about mediaeval Greece at first hand by for example sojourning among the monasteries
of Mount Athos
travelling an a mule
escorted by the Mount Athos policeman
.
elected Davis a fellow and tutor in Modern History, with the support of Vivian Galbraith, and he held that post for 14 years.
His A History of Medieval Europe: From Constantine to Saint Louis (see list of works below), which he had started while still at UCL, came out in 1957. It was part of a series designed for use in universities and better-equipped schools. It was still in print and has been a very successful textbook. Ten years later, Ralph's King Stephen, 1135-1154 (see also below) appeared in print.
In 1968, Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum volume iii came out — edited by H. A. Cronne and Davis (these brought together by Vivian Galbraith), a major work of scholarship on King Stephen
's reign. This set of volumes had been conceived by Davis's father, who had also produced (with the help R. J. Whitwell and others) volume i in 1913 — but it had been subjected to a typical devastating review by J. H. Round. Ralph variously published a number of points contradicting Round's views, suggesting a loyal son's rejoinder to the scholar who had wounded his father. Volume ii, a collaboration of Cronne and Charles Johnson, had come out in 1956. Volume iv came out later. Ralph Davis was the main editor for volumes iii and iv.
1976 saw the appearance of a little book in gestation since 1966 or before on the Normans
and their myth
(see list of works below). This argued that the Normans were rather good at propaganda
, of which they were in some respects themselves the victims. Other papers appeared around this time on authorship of various sources including the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
.
At Merton, Davis was tutor for admissions and introduced the practice of electing a 'schoolmaster fellow'. He taught and lectured on a variety of topics. His tutoring was accompanied by warm hospitality at the family home at Lathbury Road. He was Sub-warden 1966-1968. It is said of him that 'he was a man of great moral seriousness, and didn't always bother to hide his contempt for those he thought impelled by self-interest, cowardice or just mental laziness' (Barrow, page 391). He was never unreservedly an Oxford 'college man'. However, he was an inveterate cyclist
— typically of an Oxford don.
(UK), heading the History Department there in succession to H. A. Cronne. This gave him the opportunity to express his missionary-like belief in the study of history as an intellectual discipline. He applied a firm but friendly hand to the project of restoring the wellbeing of the department after the troubled 'interregnum' following Cronne's illness. The usual hospitality was extended by Ralph and Eleanor, especially to newly-appointed and junior members of staff. They continued for many years their habit of inviting students into their own home.
Davis attached no great importance to formal syllabus
es and course structures. He was much more interested in the contact between teacher
and student
, and brought in a system of fortnightly undergraduate essay
s which has persisted for a long time. There were fortnightly tutorial
s and weekly seminars, all supplemented by lecture
s. Postgraduate research was, surprisingly, not a high priority although he encouraged his younger colleagues in research, and pursued his own research with vigour and distinction.
He set up regular meetings of 'Midlands Mediaevalists'. All mediaevalists at Bristol
, Keele
, Leicester
and Nottingham
universities were invited to an annual lecture and dinner.
In this general period, Davis produced papers on the beginnings of municipal liberties in Oxford (1968, Oxoniensia, xxxiii), Coventry
in Stephen's reign (1971, English Historical Review, lxxxvi, 533-47).
Fellow of Merton College. He kept active in his retirement despite a repair that had to be made to his aorta in 1987.
Through his wife Eleanor, he had come to know much about Ireland
and especially Northern Ireland. She came from the Protestant
plantation
community of Ulster
, originating largely in south-western Scotland
. Presumably because of this knowledge, Ralph was in 1985 induced by Sir David Wills
into a project in historical education, to be financed by the Wills Trust, to encourage better understanding between the Republic of Ireland
and Northern Ireland, and presumably between Catholics
and Protestants in the North. Ralph recruited teachers, school inspectors and academics to serve on a committee to frame a curriculum of Irish history which would be acceptable to schools in both North and South. The committee oversaw the writing of the Questions in Irish History series of history books. The Teaching of History Trust has continued to work long afterwards, sponsored by Longman
. The first volumes of the series are dedicated to Ralph Davis' memory. He was still actively working for peace in Northern Ireland when he died.
Davis also published a work on warhorses in 1989, having worked on the project since before his retirement. A paper on the mediaeval warhorse had appeared in 1983 in F. M. L. Thompson (ed.), Horses in European Economic History: a preliminary canter. Another on the same topic was read at a Battle Conference in 1987 (From Alfred the Great to Stephen, pp. 63-78).
A tribute was made to him on his 67th birthday in the form of a Festschrift
, a compilation of articles edited by Henry Mayr-Harting
and Robert I. Moore. There were 22 contributors, and it was subscribed by 122 friends.
Davis had planned a volume of collected papers, From Alfred the Great to Stephen, but it remained incomplete on his death and had to be published with some omissions and errors. It includes his last word on an academic controversy over the role of Geoffrey de Mandeville in King Stephen's reign, on which a number of papers and counter-papers had been written.
Ralph Davis was taken seriously ill in early March 1991 as he was about to set off for Dorset
to fulfil a speaking engagement. He was rushed to hospital but did not recover. A funeral service was held on 18 March and a memorial service in the chapel of Merton College followed on 1 June, when an address was given by Prof. Rees Davies, FBA. He left a wife, Eleanor, and two sons.
from his early days at UCL. He edited History magazine for the Association from 1968 to 1978, and he was its president from 1979 to 1982. He was a very active president, visiting many branches and campaigning for the teaching of history in schools and universities and founding the History at the Universities Defence Group (HUDG). In 1981, he and Eleanor were guests at a party attended by Queen Elizabeth II
to celebrate the Association's 75th year.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
(from 1954), but was never as active for them as he had been for the HA. Nevertheless, he published work in both the Transactions and the Campden Series, served on the council (1964-1967) and was vice-president (1974-1977).
He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
(from 1948), but was never prominent in its administration.
He was much more active in the British Academy
, being elected in 1975 and serving on the council from 1979 to 1982, and as chairman of Section 2 from 1986 to 1989.
During the Birmingham years, Davis became a lecturer for Swan's Hellenic Tours
. For Mr Swan and the Historical Association he presided in 1981 over a very successful tour of the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela
.
The lists above are complete as regards books, although not as regards other media such as papers and pamphlets.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
specialising in the European Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. He was a leading exponent of strict documentary analysis and interpretation, was keenly interested in architecture and art in history, and was successful at communicating to the public and as a teacher.
Summary
- 1918. Ralph Davis was born the son of an OxfordUniversity of OxfordThe University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
historyHistoryHistory is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
donUniversity donA don is a fellow or tutor of a college or university, especially traditional collegiate universities such as Oxford and Cambridge in England.The term — similar to the title still used for Catholic priests — is a historical remnant of Oxford and Cambridge having started as ecclesiastical...
(who died when Ralph was nine years old).
- ?–1932. Attended the Dragon School, Oxford preparatory schoolPreparatory school (UK)In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
.
- 1932–1937. Attended the Quaker school Leighton Park, Reading
- 1937–1939. Studied at Balliol College, OxfordBalliol College, OxfordBalliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, before World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
intervened.
- 1939–1945. During the war, as a conscientious objectorConscientious objectorA conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
, he joined the Friends' Ambulance UnitFriends' Ambulance UnitThe Friends' Ambulance Unit was a volunteer ambulance service, founded by individual members of the British Religious Society of Friends , in line with their Peace Testimony. The FAU operated from 1914–1919, 1939–1946 and 1946-1959 in 25 different countries around the world...
and served in FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, the MediterraneanMediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
region and FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
- 1945–1947. Back to Balliol to take a first in Modern HistoryModern historyModern history, or the modern era, describes the historical timeline after the Middle Ages. Modern history can be further broken down into the early modern period and the late modern period after the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution...
and an MAMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
.
- 1947–1948. Assistant history masterSchoolmasterA schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
at Christ's HospitalChrist's HospitalChrist's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, HorshamHorshamHorsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
.
- 1948–1956. Assistant lecturerLecturerLecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
at University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, where researchResearchResearch can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
became an important part of his work. Married Eleanor Megaw in 1949.
- 1956–1970. FellowFellowA fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
and tutorTutorA tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
in Modern History at Merton College, OxfordMerton College, OxfordMerton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
, where he produced a number of important works.
- 1970–1984. Professor of Mediaeval History at the University of BirminghamUniversity of BirminghamThe University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
(UK).
- 1984–1991. Retirement.
Early life and influences, 1918-1939
Ralph Davis was born on 7 October 1918 at 11 Fyfield Road, OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
. He was the youngest of three sons of H. W. C. Davis
Henry William Carless Davis
Henry William Carless Davis, CBE, FBA was a British historian, editor of the Dictionary of National Biography, and Oxford Regius Professor of Modern History.-Early career:...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
and Rosa Jennie Davis, daughter of Walter Lindup of Bampton Grange in west Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. His father, who was Regius Professor of Modern History (Oxford)
Regius Professor of Modern History (Oxford)
The Regius Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford is an old-established professorial position. The first appointment was made in 1724...
and from 1925 a fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
, died in 1928 when Ralph was not yet ten years old.
Earlier generations of the Davis family were involved in the Cotswold
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
cloth industry at Stroud, Gloucestershire
Stroud, Gloucestershire
Stroud is a market town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District.Situated below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills at the meeting point of the Five Valleys, the town is noted for its steep streets and cafe culture...
. The Lindup grandparents came from Worthing
Worthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, but in Ralph's younger childhood owned a country house at Bampton, Oxfordshire
Bampton, Oxfordshire
Bampton, also called Bampton-in-the-Bush, is a village and civil parish in the Thames Valley about southwest of Witney in Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of Weald....
which he and his brothers liked to visit.
Ralph, like his older brothers, went to the Dragon School, and later, during World War II, contributed newsletters from Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
to The Draconian, the school magazine.
The sudden death of his father placed financial constraints on the family, and it may have been this, or a suggestion of Gerald Haynes ('Tortoise'), a Dragon schoolmaster, which led Mrs Davis to choose Leighton Park for Ralph's secondary education. He was there from 1932 to 1937, and became involved in mediaeval architecture. Ralph, as secretary of the small archaeology
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
group and effectively its leader, organised bicycle
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
trips round the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
abbeys in the school holidays with about six others. Ralph never joined the Quakers, but he is thought to have absorbed his Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
convictions and liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
humanitarian
Humanitarianism
In its most general form, humanitarianism is an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all human beings. Humanitarianism has been an evolving concept historically but universality is a common element in its evolution...
ideals at Leighton Park. He later went served as a governor of the school for many years.
Davis entered Balliol College, Oxford in 1937, preceded by both his brothers. As an undergraduate he arranged a one-month visit to northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, taking in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Ravenna
Ravenna
Ravenna is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and the second largest comune in Italy by land area, although, at , it is little more than half the size of the largest comune, Rome...
and Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. Also in this period he became interested in masons' marks
Mason's mark
A mason's mark is a symbol often found on dressed stone in buildings and other public structures.-In stonemasonry:Scottish rules issued in 1598 stated that on admission to the guild, every mason had to enter his name and his mark in a register....
and visited many Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
and Oxfordshire churches; this led to a paper in the Oxfordshire Archaeological Society's journal for 1938, and culminated in 1954 in the publication of his catalogue of masons' marks (see list of works below).
Professor Vivian Galbraith
Vivian Hunter Galbraith
Vivian Hunter H. Galbraith, FBA was an English historian, Fellow of the British Academy and Oxford Regius Professor of Modern History.- Early career:...
was an important influence during these years. He felt indebted to H. W. C. Davis since his undergraduate days, and was a close friend of the Davis family. Ralph's first substantial scholarly work, his edition of The Kalendar of Abbot Samson (see list of works below), was suggested to him by Galbraith. Davis' tutor at Balliol was Richard Southern
Richard Southern
Sir Richard William Southern , who published under the name R. W. Southern, was a noted English medieval historian, based at the University of Oxford.-Biography:...
, a newly-elected fellow, who described him as 'an absolutely steady and reliable performer'. Denys Hay
Denys Hay
Denys Hay was a historian specializing in medieval and Renaissance Europe, and notable for demonstrating the influence of Italy on events in the rest of the continent....
, who did some teaching at Balliol, remembered an industrious but not very exciting student. Ralph won the Kington Oliphant (historical) prize with the essay on mason's marks mentioned above.
World War II years, 1939-1945
In 1939, at the outbreak of World War II, as a conscientious objectorConscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
, Davis refused military service. He must have known what Nazi Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
was like because he (and friend Ken Bowen) had just come back from a Quaker-organised hitch-hiking holiday in the Rhine valley, involving renovation and landscaping work with a joint British-German team of students. (The Society of Friends, the 'Quakers', is a pacifist church.)
Having been registered as a CO by a tribunal, he joined the Friends' Ambulance Unit
Friends' Ambulance Unit
The Friends' Ambulance Unit was a volunteer ambulance service, founded by individual members of the British Religious Society of Friends , in line with their Peace Testimony. The FAU operated from 1914–1919, 1939–1946 and 1946-1959 in 25 different countries around the world...
and was sent to Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. This unit operated on the Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
n front of the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
and in the Norwegian campaign
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
. They escaped the Nazis via Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. Ralph served in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the 'Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
' winter of 1940-1941.
He was sent in March 1941 to Egypt via the Cape of Good Hope
Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula, South Africa.There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the...
to reinforce the FAU detachment in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, but this had been captured by the Nazis before he could join, so his unit was sent to Syria to work at the Hadfield-Spears Mobile Hospital, an Anglo-French entity attached to the Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
. A stay of a month in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
allowed Ralph to view the city's mosques (with Michael Rowntree
Michael Rowntree
Michael Rowntree was a co-founder of the Friends' Ambulance Unit in the Second World War, a journalist, and Chairman of Oxfam for 6 years....
) and produce a book on the subject (see list of works below). As the mobile hospital moved through Syria and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and then along the desert to Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
, and eventually to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Ralph visited (and wrote up in his copious notebooks) such places as Baalbek
Baalbek
Baalbek is a town in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude , situated east of the Litani River. It is famous for its exquisitely detailed yet monumentally scaled temple ruins of the Roman period, when Baalbek, then known as Heliopolis, was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire...
, Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
, Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers , also Crac des Chevaliers, is a Crusader castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. The site was first inhabited in the 11th century by a settlement of Kurds; as a result it was known as Hisn al Akrad, meaning the "Castle of the...
, Beaufort
Beaufort Castle, Lebanon
Beaufort or Belfort The castle was named "bel fort" or "beau fort" by the Crusaders who occupied the castle in the twelfth century. Its Arabic name Qala'at ash-Shqif means Castle of the High Rock...
, Leptis Magna
Leptis Magna
Leptis Magna also known as Lectis Magna , also called Lpqy, Neapolis, Lebida or Lebda to modern-day residents of Libya, was a prominent city of the Roman Empire. Its ruins are located in Khoms, Libya, east of Tripoli, on the coast where the Wadi Lebda meets the sea...
and El Djem
El Djem
Drifting sand is preserving the market city of Thysdrus and the refined suburban villas that once surrounded it. The amphiteatre occupies archaeologists' attention: no digging required...
. He ran the hospital laundry. By 1944, his FAU unit had reached France, and he participated in the liberation of that country. He came home for demobilisation with the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(oddly for a pacifist!) for his contribution to the Free French war effort.
Post-war years, 1945-1956
Ralph re-entered Balliol in 1945 and took a runaway first in Modern History, followed in 1947 by the MA allowed him by his seniority and war service. He started to organise social events such as a tour of Blenheim PalaceBlenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
conducted by John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
.
From 1947 to 1948 he was an assistant history master at Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
, as a junior colleague of David Roberts. Perhaps the lowly nature of this post was an expression of prejudice against conscientious objectors. Anyway, during that year he learnt that he was a born teacher, even a quintessential schoolmaster.
In 1948, he accepted the offer from J. E. (Sir John) Neale (perhaps advised by Galbraith) of an assistant lectureship at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
. Research now became an essential part of his work. He found a small flat in Pimlico
Pimlico
Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
and (characteristically) bicycled to work. He now met and fell in love with Eleanor Megaw, who had been an officer in the WRNS
Women's Royal Naval Service
The Women's Royal Naval Service was the women's branch of the Royal Navy.Members included cooks, clerks, wireless telegraphists, radar plotters, weapons analysts, range assessors, electricians and air mechanics...
and was now, since 1946, a tutor to women students at UCL. She came from Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and had a Unionist and a Home Rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
r as grandfathers. They were married in 1949 and found a house in a quiet part of Highgate
Highgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
. Ralph booked Cumberland Lodge
Cumberland Lodge
Cumberland Lodge is a 17th century country house in Windsor Great Park located 3.5 miles south of Windsor Castle. It is now occupied by a charitable foundation which holds residential conferences, lectures and discussions concerning the burning issues facing society. The primary beneficiaries of...
in Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park is a large deer park of , to the south of the town of Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. The park was, for many centuries, the private hunting ground of Windsor Castle and dates primarily from the mid-13th century...
for a weekend just before the start of the academic year so that history freshers
Freshman
A freshman or fresher is a first-year student in secondary school, high school, or college. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (US) or fresher (UK, India) (or sometimes fish, freshie, fresher; slang plural frosh or freshmeat) is a...
and other students and staff could get to know one another. This started a tradition that is still maintained . During the UCL years, Ralph and Eleanor's two sons were born: Christopher (1952) and Timothy (1955).
Davis wrote a paper on the buildings of Balliol College, which was published in 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...
of Oxfordshire in 1954. In 1955, a paper of his advocating the Anglo-Saxon
History of Anglo-Saxon England
Anglo-Saxon England refers to the period of the history of that part of Britain, that became known as England, lasting from the end of Roman occupation and establishment of Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in the 5th century until the Norman conquest of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror...
origin of soke
Soke (legal)
The term soke ), at the time of the Norman Conquest of England generally denoted "jurisdiction", but due to vague usage probably lacks a single precise definition....
and sokemen appeared in the Transactions of the Royal Historical Society (3rd series, 5).
During the early years of their marriage, Ralph and Eleanor were able to holiday in Greece, taking advantage of the fact that she had an uncle who lived near Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. This allowed Ralph to learn about mediaeval Greece at first hand by for example sojourning among the monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
travelling an a mule
Mule
A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. Horses and donkeys are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes. Of the two F1 hybrids between these two species, a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny...
escorted by the Mount Athos policeman
Police officer
A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force...
.
The Merton years, 1956-1970
In 1956, Merton College, OxfordMerton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
elected Davis a fellow and tutor in Modern History, with the support of Vivian Galbraith, and he held that post for 14 years.
His A History of Medieval Europe: From Constantine to Saint Louis (see list of works below), which he had started while still at UCL, came out in 1957. It was part of a series designed for use in universities and better-equipped schools. It was still in print and has been a very successful textbook. Ten years later, Ralph's King Stephen, 1135-1154 (see also below) appeared in print.
In 1968, Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum volume iii came out — edited by H. A. Cronne and Davis (these brought together by Vivian Galbraith), a major work of scholarship on King Stephen
Stephen of England
Stephen , often referred to as Stephen of Blois , was a grandson of William the Conqueror. He was King of England from 1135 to his death, and also the Count of Boulogne by right of his wife. Stephen's reign was marked by the Anarchy, a civil war with his cousin and rival, the Empress Matilda...
's reign. This set of volumes had been conceived by Davis's father, who had also produced (with the help R. J. Whitwell and others) volume i in 1913 — but it had been subjected to a typical devastating review by J. H. Round. Ralph variously published a number of points contradicting Round's views, suggesting a loyal son's rejoinder to the scholar who had wounded his father. Volume ii, a collaboration of Cronne and Charles Johnson, had come out in 1956. Volume iv came out later. Ralph Davis was the main editor for volumes iii and iv.
1976 saw the appearance of a little book in gestation since 1966 or before on the Normans
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
and their myth
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
(see list of works below). This argued that the Normans were rather good at propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
, of which they were in some respects themselves the victims. Other papers appeared around this time on authorship of various sources including the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the Chronicle was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great...
.
At Merton, Davis was tutor for admissions and introduced the practice of electing a 'schoolmaster fellow'. He taught and lectured on a variety of topics. His tutoring was accompanied by warm hospitality at the family home at Lathbury Road. He was Sub-warden 1966-1968. It is said of him that 'he was a man of great moral seriousness, and didn't always bother to hide his contempt for those he thought impelled by self-interest, cowardice or just mental laziness' (Barrow, page 391). He was never unreservedly an Oxford 'college man'. However, he was an inveterate cyclist
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
— typically of an Oxford don.
The Birmingham years, 1970-1984
In 1970 he became Professor of Mediaeval History at the University of BirminghamUniversity of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
(UK), heading the History Department there in succession to H. A. Cronne. This gave him the opportunity to express his missionary-like belief in the study of history as an intellectual discipline. He applied a firm but friendly hand to the project of restoring the wellbeing of the department after the troubled 'interregnum' following Cronne's illness. The usual hospitality was extended by Ralph and Eleanor, especially to newly-appointed and junior members of staff. They continued for many years their habit of inviting students into their own home.
Davis attached no great importance to formal syllabus
Syllabus
A syllabus , is an outline and summary of topics to be covered in an education or training course. It is descriptive...
es and course structures. He was much more interested in the contact between teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
, and brought in a system of fortnightly undergraduate essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
s which has persisted for a long time. There were fortnightly tutorial
Tutorial
A tutorial is one method of transferring knowledge and may be used as a part of a learning process. More interactive and specific than a book or a lecture; a tutorial seeks to teach by example and supply the information to complete a certain task....
s and weekly seminars, all supplemented by lecture
Lecture
thumb|A lecture on [[linear algebra]] at the [[Helsinki University of Technology]]A lecture is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history,...
s. Postgraduate research was, surprisingly, not a high priority although he encouraged his younger colleagues in research, and pursued his own research with vigour and distinction.
He set up regular meetings of 'Midlands Mediaevalists'. All mediaevalists at Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
, Keele
Keele University
Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
, Leicester
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
and Nottingham
University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
universities were invited to an annual lecture and dinner.
In this general period, Davis produced papers on the beginnings of municipal liberties in Oxford (1968, Oxoniensia, xxxiii), Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
in Stephen's reign (1971, English Historical Review, lxxxvi, 533-47).
Retirement, 1984-1991
Davis retired in 1984 and moved to north Oxford. He was elected EmeritusEmeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
Fellow of Merton College. He kept active in his retirement despite a repair that had to be made to his aorta in 1987.
Through his wife Eleanor, he had come to know much about Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and especially Northern Ireland. She came from the Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
plantation
Plantation (settlement or colony)
Plantation was an early method of colonization in which settlers were "planted" abroad in order to establish a permanent or semi-permanent colonial base. Such plantations were also frequently intended to promote Western culture and Christianity among nearby indigenous peoples, as can be seen in the...
community of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
, originating largely in south-western Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Presumably because of this knowledge, Ralph was in 1985 induced by Sir David Wills
David Wills
David Wills is one of the founding members of Negativland. He was a cable repairman when he joined the group with a then-teenage Mark Hosler and Richard Lyons, until he retired in the '90s...
into a project in historical education, to be financed by the Wills Trust, to encourage better understanding between the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and Northern Ireland, and presumably between Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and Protestants in the North. Ralph recruited teachers, school inspectors and academics to serve on a committee to frame a curriculum of Irish history which would be acceptable to schools in both North and South. The committee oversaw the writing of the Questions in Irish History series of history books. The Teaching of History Trust has continued to work long afterwards, sponsored by Longman
Longman
Longman was a publishing company founded in London, England in 1724. It is now an imprint of Pearson Education.-Beginnings:The Longman company was founded by Thomas Longman , the son of Ezekiel Longman , a gentleman of Bristol. Thomas was apprenticed in 1716 to John Osborn, a London bookseller, and...
. The first volumes of the series are dedicated to Ralph Davis' memory. He was still actively working for peace in Northern Ireland when he died.
Davis also published a work on warhorses in 1989, having worked on the project since before his retirement. A paper on the mediaeval warhorse had appeared in 1983 in F. M. L. Thompson (ed.), Horses in European Economic History: a preliminary canter. Another on the same topic was read at a Battle Conference in 1987 (From Alfred the Great to Stephen, pp. 63-78).
A tribute was made to him on his 67th birthday in the form of a Festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
, a compilation of articles edited by Henry Mayr-Harting
Henry Mayr-Harting
Professor Henry Maria Robert Egmont Mayr-Harting was Regius Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the University of Oxford and Lay Canon of Christ Church, Oxford from 1997 until 2003....
and Robert I. Moore. There were 22 contributors, and it was subscribed by 122 friends.
Davis had planned a volume of collected papers, From Alfred the Great to Stephen, but it remained incomplete on his death and had to be published with some omissions and errors. It includes his last word on an academic controversy over the role of Geoffrey de Mandeville in King Stephen's reign, on which a number of papers and counter-papers had been written.
Ralph Davis was taken seriously ill in early March 1991 as he was about to set off for Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
to fulfil a speaking engagement. He was rushed to hospital but did not recover. A funeral service was held on 18 March and a memorial service in the chapel of Merton College followed on 1 June, when an address was given by Prof. Rees Davies, FBA. He left a wife, Eleanor, and two sons.
Extra-curricular activities
Davis was an active member of the Historical AssociationHistorical Association
The Historical Association is an organisation founded in 1906 and based in London, England. The goals of the Historical Association are to support "the study and enjoyment of history at all levels by creating an environment that promotes lifelong learning and provides for the evolving needs of...
from his early days at UCL. He edited History magazine for the Association from 1968 to 1978, and he was its president from 1979 to 1982. He was a very active president, visiting many branches and campaigning for the teaching of history in schools and universities and founding the History at the Universities Defence Group (HUDG). In 1981, he and Eleanor were guests at a party attended by Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
to celebrate the Association's 75th year.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. The premier society in the United Kingdom which promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past, it is based at University College London...
(from 1954), but was never as active for them as he had been for the HA. Nevertheless, he published work in both the Transactions and the Campden Series, served on the council (1964-1967) and was vice-president (1974-1977).
He was also a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
(from 1948), but was never prominent in its administration.
He was much more active in the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
, being elected in 1975 and serving on the council from 1979 to 1982, and as chairman of Section 2 from 1986 to 1989.
During the Birmingham years, Davis became a lecturer for Swan's Hellenic Tours
Swan Hellenic
Swan Hellenic is a British cruise line specialising in tours of historical or cultural interest aimed at the upper end of the cruise market.-History:...
. For Mr Swan and the Historical Association he presided in 1981 over a very successful tour of the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
.
Main works
- A History of Medieval Europe: From Constantine to Saint Louis, 1957, (ISBN 0-582-78462-X, 2005) – reissued many times
- King Stephen, 1135-1154, 1967 (ISBN 0-582-04000-0, 1990)
- Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum volume iii (joint editor with H. A. Cronne), 1968
- Regesta Regum Anglo-Normannorum volume iv (joint editor with H. A. Cronne), 1969
- The Normans and Their Myth, 1976 (ISBN 0-500-27181-X, 1980) – an intriguing and thought-provoking little book dealing with the identity of the Normans and their self-myth
- The Medieval Warhorse: Origin, Development and Redevelopment, 1989 (ISBN 0-500-25102-9)
- From Alfred the Great to Stephen (author and editor), 1991 (ISBN 1-85285-045-0) – 22 of his own essays on late Anglo-Saxon and Norman history
Other works
- A Catalogue of Masons' Marks as an aid to Architectural History, 1954, published in the Journal of the British Archaeological AssociationBritish Archaeological AssociationThe British Archaeological Association was founded in 1843; it was established by Charles Roach Smith. It is aimed at the promotion of the studies of archaeology, art and architecture and the preservation of antiquities. After disagreements arose, it was split into two organizations, the newer one...
, 3rd series, xvii, pp. 43-76 - The Mosques of Cairo, 1941 (no ISBN)
- The Kalendar of Abbot Samson of Bury St. Edmunds and Related Documents, 1954, Royal Historical Society, Camden Third Series, lxxxiv (ISBN 0-86193-084-3) – Latin
- Medieval European History 395-1500: A Select Bibliography, 1963 (no ISBN) – 44-page pamphlet; Historical Association's "Helps for Students of History" series, no. 67
- The Early Middle Ages (editor), 1964 (ISBN 8843449974) – English History in Pictures series
- Gesta Stephani translated by K. R. Potter (Davis editor), 1976 (ISBN 0-19-822234-3) – facing-page English translation from the Latin text, with introduction and notes by Davis
- The Early History of Coventry, 1976 (ISBN 0-85220-050-1) – Dugdale Society Occasional Papers, no. 24
- The Writing of History in the Middle Ages: Essays presented to Richard William Southern (joint editor), 1981 (ISBN 0-19-822556-3) – 17 essays
- Investiture Conquest (audio cassette), 1982 (ISBN 1-86013-121-2)
- David Charles Douglas, 1898-1982, 1985 (ISBN 0-85672-501-3) – 30 pages
- Studies in Mediaeval History: Presented to R. H. C. Davis (recipient), 1985 (ISBN 0-907628-68-0)
- Blackwell Dictionary of Historians (joint editor), 1988 (ISBN 0-631-14708-X)
- The Gesta Guillelmi of William of Poitiers (joint editor), 1998 (ISBN 0-19-820553-8) – first-hand account of William the Conqueror's reign
The lists above are complete as regards books, although not as regards other media such as papers and pamphlets.
See also
- H. W. C. Davis 1874-1928, A Memoire (1933), J. R. H. Weaver and A. L. Poole — the life and work of the father of R. H. C. Davis
- Western Michigan University Libraries, the R. H. C. Davis collection. This was purchased by Western Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan UniversityWestern Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
Libraries from an English bookseller after the death of Davis' brother, Godfrey, who had owned it previously. The collection contains nearly every book Professor Davis wrote, and concentrates on medieval European history. It also includes offprints of articles Davis wrote for several journals, biographical articles, his obituary from the Proceedings of the British Academy, and some family correspondence.