David Dumville facts for kids

David Norman Dumville (born May 5, 1949, died September 8, 2024) was a British expert who studied the Middle Ages and the history of the Celts. He spent his life learning and teaching about these fascinating times and cultures.

Life and Learning Journey

David Dumville was born on May 5, 1949. He went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he studied subjects like Anglo-Saxon, Norse (which is about ancient Scandinavia), and Celtic history. He also studied in Germany at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München.

Becoming a Scholar

He earned his PhD degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1976. His special research for his PhD was about an old book called "The textual history of the Welsh-Latin Historia Brittonum."

After getting his PhD, David Dumville worked at several universities. He was a Fellow at Swansea University. He also taught for a short time in the United States at the University of Pennsylvania. He then taught Celtic studies at the University of Oxford.

Teaching at Cambridge

In 1977, he became a lecturer at the University of Cambridge, teaching Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic subjects. He became a Fellow at Girton College, Cambridge in 1978. He was later promoted to a Reader in Early Medieval history and culture of the British Isles. This means he was a senior academic who taught and did research.

Then, from 1995 to 2005, he became a Professor of Palaeography and Cultural History.

• Palaeography is the study of old writing and ancient manuscripts.
• Cultural History looks at how societies and their ways of life have changed over time.

Moving to Aberdeen

In 2005, Professor Dumville moved to the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. He became a Professor in History and Palaeography there. His job was later changed so he could teach in both the history department and the language and literature department. He helped start a new course called "Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Studies." His title then became Professor in History, Palaeography, and Celtic.

Professor Dumville retired in 2020 and became an Emeritus Professor. This means he was still recognized as a professor even after retiring. He also visited the University of California, Los Angeles as a visiting professor in 1995. He was also one of the people who started the Medieval Chronicle Society, which studies old historical records.

David Dumville passed away on September 8, 2024, when he was 75 years old.

His Writings and Journals

Professor Dumville wrote many important articles and books for other scholars. In 2007, he started a scholarly journal called Anglo-Saxon, which is a magazine where experts publish their research. This journal was specifically for Anglo-Saxon studies. He also helped restart two other journals: Mediaeval Scandinavia and The Journal of Celtic Studies.