Marc Fitch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marc Fitch
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| Born | 5 January 1908 Kensington |
| Died | 2 April 1994 Andover |
| Occupation | Historian, philanthropist |
| Nationality | British |
Marcus Felix Brudenell Fitch (born January 5, 1908 – died April 2, 1994) was an important English historian and a generous person who gave money to good causes, known as a philanthropist. He was also honored with several important titles, like CBE, DLitt, FBA, and FSA, which show his contributions to history and learning.
Marc Fitch was born in Kensington, London, in 1908. He was the only child of Hugh Bernard Fitch and Bertha Violet. His family owned a food company called Fitch & Son Ltd, which later became Fitch Lovell. After finishing school, Marc joined the family business. He became a director in 1930.
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Marc Fitch's Life and Work
During his life, Marc Fitch traveled around Europe. He was very interested in history, old objects (antiquities), and studying ancient cultures (archaeology). In 1952, he became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. He was also made a Fellow of the British Academy, which are both high honors for scholars.
Supporting Historical Research
While he was in charge of the British Record Society (from 1949 to 1967), Marc Fitch started something special. In 1956, he created the Marc Fitch Fund. This fund is a charity that helps with education. It gives money to support research and publish books. This work mainly happens in the UK. The fund focuses on topics like archaeology, historical geography, art history, architecture, heraldry (the study of coats of arms), and genealogy (the study of family histories).
University Connections and Legacy
The University of Leicester gave Marc Fitch an honorary DLitt degree. This is a special degree given to people who have achieved great things. A building at the university was named after him. It houses the Marc Fitch Library, which has a huge collection of local history books and national geography materials.
The university also has the Marc Fitch Historical Institute. This center, located on Salisbury Road, is a place where people study urban history. It is also named in honor of Marc Fitch.
Awards and Lectures
From 1975 to 1988, Marc Fitch personally funded the Marc Fitch Award for Bibliography. This award recognized important work in the study of books and their history.
Since 1956, special talks called the Marc Fitch lectures have been given. Famous guest speakers, including historian David Starkey, have shared their knowledge at these events.
In the 1970s, Marc Fitch also helped to create the Aurelius Trust. This charity makes donations to help preserve culture and historical heritage. In 1973, with Fitch's support, the British School at Athens built a laboratory that was named after him.
Marc Fitch passed away in 1994 in Andover, Hampshire.
The Marc Fitch Lectures
The Marc Fitch Lectures began in 1956. They are funded by the Marc Fitch Fund, which is an educational charity that Marc Fitch also established in 1956.
The lectures were held at the Institute of Historical Research for many years. In 2012, the series changed. Now, three lectures are held each year, touring different counties.
Examples of Past Lectures
Many interesting topics have been covered in these lectures. Here are a few examples:
- In 2005, Roy Strong spoke about "Forgotten faces: regional history and regional portraiture."
- In 2009, John Morrill discussed "The British Revolution in the English Provinces, 1640–9."
- In 2012, David Starkey gave a talk titled "Head of Our Morality: why the twentieth-century British monarchy matters."
- In 2013, Tristram Hunt explored "Aristocracy and Industry: the Sutherlands in Staffordshire."
- In 2015, Chris Mullin talked about the "Changing Face of Sunderland."
