Peter Clemoes facts for kids

Peter Alan Martin Clemoes (born January 20, 1920 – died March 16, 1996) was an important British historian. He spent his life studying and teaching about the early history of England.

Peter Clemoes was born in Southend-on-Sea, a town in England. He went to Brentwood School when he was younger. At first, he dreamed of becoming an actor. He even won a special scholarship to a famous acting school called RADA (the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art).

However, the Second World War started, and his plans changed. He joined the army and served in the Royal Corps of Signals. This group was in charge of communications, like sending messages, for the army.

After the war ended, Peter Clemoes went to Queen Mary College in London. He studied English there and earned a degree. He then continued his studies at King's College, Cambridge. He focused on a subject called Anglo-Saxon, which is about the history, language, and culture of England from about the 5th to the 11th centuries. He earned a special advanced degree called a PhD in 1956.

He worked as a researcher at the University of Reading for a few years. In 1961, he returned to Cambridge University. He worked with another famous historian, Dorothy Whitelock. Later, in 1969, he took over her role as the Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon. This was a very important job in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Cambridge, where he taught and researched early English history.

Studying Anglo-Saxon England

Peter Clemoes was the editor of a very important academic book series called Anglo-Saxon England. This book series comes out every year. It shares new research and ideas about Anglo-Saxon history, literature, and culture.

Being the editor meant he was in charge of choosing which articles and studies would be published. This journal is still published every year and is a key resource for anyone studying this period of history. It helped many other historians learn and share their work.