John Kenneth Hyde (14 August 1930 – 10 December 1986) was an English historian, known for his research on the city in
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
Italy, and on medieval descriptions of cities. He held the chair in
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
history of the
University of Manchester
, mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity
, established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univer ...
(1979–86).
Early life and education
Hyde's family owned an iron and steel works, located at
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...
in 1930 when Kenneth Hyde was born. He was educated at
Mostyn House
Mostyn House School was a school that was originally opened in Tarvin, and moved to Parkgate, Cheshire, in 1855. From 1862 until it closed in 2010, it was run by the Grenfell family, originally as a boys' boarding school, and latterly as a co-educ ...
on the
Wirral,
Cheshire
Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...
, and the
Oundle School
Oundle School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire, England. The school has been governed by the Worshipful Company of Grocers of the City ...
,
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by
two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It is ...
, and then served in the
Ordnance Corps. After his national service, he attended
Worcester College
Worcester College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. The college was founded in 1714 by the benefaction of Sir Thomas Cookes, 2nd Baronet (1648–1701) of Norgrove, Worcestershire, whose coat of arms w ...
,
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, where he graduated with a second-class degree in modern history in 1953, followed by a Diploma in Social Anthropology. His DPhil, also from Oxford, was on
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
Italy, supervised by D. M. Bueno de Mesquita.
Career
Hyde researched in
Padua
Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...
with Paolo Sambin in the mid-1950s. In 1961, he joined the medieval history group in the history department of the
University of Manchester
, mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity
, established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univer ...
, remaining there for the rest of his career, as assistant lecturer and then senior lecturer (1973–79). He held the chair of medieval history at the university from 1979 until his death.
He was also active in administration, serving as the chair of the university's departmental board for history, and as a member of the
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society, founded in 1868, is a learned society of the United Kingdom which advances scholarly studies of history.
Origins
The society was founded and received its royal charter in 1868. Until 1872 it was known as the Histori ...
's council. He strove to foster interdisciplinary research and collaboration between different departments, founding a short-lived Medieval Italy Society in the 1960s and, shortly before his death, an institution that was named the J. K. Hyde Centre for Late Medieval and Renaissance Studies in his honour.
Research
Medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
Italy remained Hyde's principal research area throughout his career. In his early work, he focused on social structure in cities, particularly
Padua
Padua ( ; it, Padova ; vec, Pàdova) is a city and ''comune'' in Veneto, northern Italy. Padua is on the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice. It is the capital of the province of Padua. It is also the economic and communications hub of the ...
between 1256 and 1328, covering all classes except the poorest, for whom records were lacking. Later his research broadened to central and northern Italy, including rural as well as urban areas.
In 1966, he published the earliest wide-ranging survey of medieval literature describing cities.
His 1973 book, ''Society and Politics in Medieval Italy'', was particularly successful.
According to Brian Pullan, it "generalized elegantly, even brilliantly, about the development of medieval Italian cities and their dependencies."
It was translated into Italian by
Girolamo Arnaldi Girolamo Arnaldi (31 January 1929 – 30 January 2016) was an Italian historian.
Born in Pisa, in 1951 Arnaldi graduated in Medieval History at the University of Naples, and then completed his postgraduate studied at the in the same city. He was ...
in 1977.
When Hyde died suddenly, his final "subtle and ambitious"
work on changes in literacy and written material in late-medieval Italy was left unfinished. It included the study of newly emerging
genres of literature, such as documents written by
pilgrim
A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on Pilgrimage, a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the a ...
s, and diplomatic records and reports.
His material was collected and edited by
Daniel Waley
Daniel Philip Waley, (20 March 1921 – 25 May 2017) was a British historian, manuscript specialist, and professor. He was best known for his books on medieval history.
Waley was educated at Dauntsey's School and King's College, Cambridge. Durin ...
, together with five of Hyde's earlier essays on the topic, to serve as a
Festschrift
In academia, a ''Festschrift'' (; plural, ''Festschriften'' ) is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during their lifetime. It generally takes the form of an edited volume, containing contributions from the h ...
.
Robert Oresko writes in a review for ''
History Today
''History Today'' is an illustrated history magazine. Published monthly in London since January 1951, it presents serious and authoritative history to as wide a public as possible. The magazine covers all periods and geographical regions and pub ...
'': "For a project which has been the plaything of a cruel fate, the focus is admirably clear, the argument coherent and fascinatingly nuanced."
Personal life
Hyde married Maura, and the couple had three daughters. They lived near
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
in
Stockport
Stockport is a town and borough in Greater Manchester, England, south-east of Manchester, south-west of Ashton-under-Lyne and north of Macclesfield. The River Goyt and Tame merge to create the River Mersey here.
Most of the town is within ...
and then
Marple Marple may refer to:
Places
* Marple, Greater Manchester, a town close to Stockport, in England
** Marple Bridge, a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Stockport, in Greater Manchester
** Marple railway station in Marple, Greater Manchest ...
. His wife died in 1979, after having a stroke in 1977.
Hyde died suddenly in Manchester in 1986, aged 56.
His lifelong interest in industrial history, especially
watermill
A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in the production of ...
s and
canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...
s, led him to be one of the founders of the
Ellesmere Port Boat Museum
The National Waterways Museum (NWM) is in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England, at the northern end of the Shropshire Union Canal where it meets the Manchester Ship Canal (). The museum's collections and archives focus on the Britain's navigable ...
, later the National Waterways Museum.
Selected publications
Books
*''Literacy and its Uses: Studies on Late Medieval Italy by Kenneth Hyde'',
Daniel Waley
Daniel Philip Waley, (20 March 1921 – 25 May 2017) was a British historian, manuscript specialist, and professor. He was best known for his books on medieval history.
Waley was educated at Dauntsey's School and King's College, Cambridge. Durin ...
, ed. (Manchester University Press; 1993)
*''Society and Politics in Medieval Italy: The Evolution of the Civil Life, 1000–1350'' (Macmillan; 1973)
*''Padua in the Age of Dante'' (Manchester University Press; 1966)
Research papers
Medieval Descriptions of Cities. ''
Bulletin of the John Rylands Library
The ''Bulletin of the John Rylands Library'' is a journal published by Manchester University Press. Articles are meant to enhance the "scholarship and understanding" of the collections of the John Rylands Library. The journal was established in ...
'' (1966) 48: 308–40
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hyde, Kenneth
1930 births
1986 deaths
People educated at Oundle School
20th-century English historians
English literary historians
British medievalists
Alumni of Worcester College, Oxford
Academics of the Victoria University of Manchester