James Campbell (historian) facts for kids

James Campbell (1935–2016) was a British historian. He was an expert on the medieval period, which is the Middle Ages. He also studied the Anglo-Saxons, who were a group of people living in England a long time ago.

Campbell was a Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford, for many years. He also became a Professor of Medieval History at the University of Oxford.

James Campbell's Early Life and Schooling

James Campbell was born on January 26, 1935, in Cheltenham, England. His parents were both teachers. When he was young, he was adopted by his grandparents.

He went to Lowestoft Grammar School. Here, he discovered his love for history. At just 17 years old, he got into Magdalen College, Oxford. He finished his studies there in 1955 with top grades.

A Career in History

In 1956, Campbell started working as a researcher at Merton College, Oxford. The next year, when he was 22, he became a Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford. A Fellow is like a senior teacher or researcher at a university.

He held many important jobs at the college. He was the Fellow Librarian from 1977 to 2002. He was also a senior tutor, helping students with their studies. For a year, he was the Senior Proctor for the whole University of Oxford. This role meant he helped make sure university rules were followed.

Campbell taught history at Oxford for many years. He became a Professor of Medieval History in 1996. He stayed at Worcester College until he retired in 2002.

Studying the Anglo-Saxons

James Campbell was very interested in the medieval period and the Anglo-Saxon people. He helped start a special series of books called Anglo-Saxon Studies in Archaeology and History in 1979.

He also studied farming in Britain and Ireland from the 1200s to the 1800s. He wrote several important books about his research. These include Essays in Anglo-Saxon History (1986) and The Anglo-Saxon State (2000). He also edited a book called The Anglo-Saxons (1982). In this book, he wrote about the period from the year 350 to 660.

Because of his important work, he was given special honors. He became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1971. This is an honor for people who study history and old objects. In 1984, he was also chosen as a Fellow of the British Academy. This is a very high honor for experts in the humanities and social sciences.

His Later Life

In the 1980s, James Campbell moved to Witney, a town near Oxford. When he was 71, he married Dr. Bärbel Brodt in 2006. They did not have any children. Sadly, his wife passed away in October 2015.

James Campbell died at his home on May 31, 2016.