Stuart Ryan Ball,
CBE,
FRHistS
The Royal Historical Society (RHS), 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 H ...
, is a political historian who retired in 2016 as professor of Modern British History at the
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester ( ) is a public university, public research university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park, Leicester, Victoria Park. The university's predecessor, Univ ...
, having taught there for 37 years; he is now emeritus professor of Modern History there. He specialises in the history of the
Conservative Party.
Career
Stuart Ryan Ball
left
Eltham College in 1974 to study history at the
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, f ...
. In 1979, he was appointed to a lectureship at the
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester ( ) is a public university, public research university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park, Leicester, Victoria Park. The university's predecessor, Univ ...
, and taught there until his retirement in 2016, by which time he was professor of Modern British History. In 1990, he was elected Fellow of the
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society (RHS), 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 H ...
. As of 2017, he is Historical Consultant to the
Conservative Party Archive at the
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library () is the main research library of the University of Oxford. Founded in 1602 by Sir Thomas Bodley, it is one of the oldest libraries in Europe. With over 13 million printed items, it is the second-largest library in ...
, sits on the editorial committee of the journal ''
Parliamentary History'', and is treasurer of the
Parliamentary History Trust.
["Professor Stuart Ball"](_blank)
''University of Leicester''. Retrieved 14 August 2017.[Helen Wilson]
"Professor Stuart Ball addresses the history society"
''Elthamians'', 3 February 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
Awards and honours
In the
2018 New Year Honours
The 2018 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to Orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms, various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Hono ...
, Ball was appointed a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(CBE) for service to political history.
He has been a
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned or professional societies, the term refers ...
(FRHistS) since 1990.
Research
Ball's research has focused on British politics between the two world wars, with special focus on the Conservative Party. He has also studied the history of parliament in modern Britain. His books include:
* (editor) ''Conservative Politics in National and Imperial Crisis: Letters from Britain to the Viceroy of India 1926–1931'' (Ashgate, 2014)
* ''Portrait of a Party: The Conservative Party in Britain 1918–1945'' (Oxford University Press, 2013)
* ''Dole Queues and Demons: British Election Posters from the Conservative Party Archive'' (Bodleian Library Press, 2011)
* (edited with
Anthony Seldon) ''Recovering Power: The Conservatives in Opposition since 1867'' (Palgrave, 2005)
* ''(a joint biography of
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986), was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. Nickn ...
,
Lord Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (; 3 February 183022 August 1903), known as Lord Salisbury, was a British statesman and Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United ...
,
Oliver Lyttelton and
Harry Crookshank
Harry Frederick Comfort Crookshank, 1st Viscount Crookshank, (27 May 1893 – 17 October 1961), was a British Conservative politician. He was Minister of Health between 1951 and 1952 and Leader of the House of Commons between 1951 and 1955.
...
)''
* ''Winston Churchill'' (British Library & New York University Press, 2003)
* (editor, with
Ian Holliday) ''Mass Conservatism: The Conservatives and the Public since the 1880s'' (Frank Cass, 2002)
* (editor) ''Parliament and Politics in the Age of Churchill and Attlee: the Headlam Diaries 1935–1951'', Royal Historical Society, Camden 5th series, vol. 14 (Cambridge University Press, 1999)
* (editor) ''The Conservative Party since 1945'' (Manchester University Press, 1998)
* (editor with
Anthony Seldon) ''The Heath Government 1970–1974: A Reappraisal'' (Longman, 1996)
* ''The Conservative Party and British Politics 1902–1951'' (Longman, 1995)
* (editor with
Anthony Seldon) ''Conservative Century: the Conservative Party since 1900'' (Oxford University Press, 1994)
* (editor) ''Parliament and Politics in the Age of Baldwin and MacDonald: The
Headlam Diaries 1923–1935'' (The Historians' Press, 1992)
* ''Baldwin and the Conservative Party: The Crisis of 1929–1931'' (Yale University Press, 1988)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ball, Stuart
Alumni of the University of St Andrews
Academics of the University of Leicester
Fellows of the Royal Historical Society
Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Place of birth missing (living people)
People educated at Eltham College