Maurice Beresford
Maurice Warwick Beresford, (6 February 1920 – 15 December 2005) was an English economic historian and archaeologist specialising in the medieval period. He was Professor of Economic History at the University of Leeds. Early life and education. Beresford was born on 6 February 1920 in Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire, England. He was the only child of Harry Bertram Beresford and Nora Elizabeth Beresford ( Jefferies). His father died in 1934, aged 46, and Maurice's mother continued to live with him until her death in 1966, aged 79. From 1930 to 1938, he was educated at Bishop Vesey's Grammar School , a state grammar school in Sutton Coldfield. While there, he was enthused by two teachers, one a history master and the other from geography. He was very successful at school, becoming a prefect, school librarian, and editor of the school newspaper. In 1937, he sat a joint entrance exam in history for six of the University of Cambridge's colleges, and was awarded an exhibition at his fifth choice college, Jesus College. In 1938, Beresford matriculated into Jesus College, Cambridge. He studied for the history tripos under Bernard Manning and Charles Wilson, and took a firsts in part I. After  doing so well, he was awarded a minor scholarship for the rest of his degree. He specialised in the medieval period for Part II, and took part in an economic history seminar run by John Saltmarsh. He passed part II and his degree with first class honours. He graduated from Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1941: as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree. As an undergraduate, he wrote a paper on parkland in Sutton Coldfield, the beginning of his interest in the interaction between the physical landscape and  documents such as maps: this interest led to his 1957 publication, "History on the Ground". In September 1939, with the start of the Second World War, Beresford registered as a conscientious objector. He was exempted from military service in April 1940 on the condition that he continued his studies. After completing his degree, he undertook social work in London and Birmingham. Academic career. Beresford began his academic teaching career not at a university but in adult education. He was sub-warden (1942–1943) and then warden (1943–1948) of Percival Guildhouse, an adult education centre and charity in Rugby, Warwickshire. He continued  his research, including studying the local area through RAF aerial photography and old maps to rebuild the medieval landscape. His main interests were in medieval field systems and the history of settlement. In 1945, he identified the deserted medieval village of Bittesby in Leicestershire. His expanded his interests from history and historical geography into archaeology, and he was involved in excavations at Steeton and East Lilling in Yorkshire in 1948 and 1949. Beresford became a lecturer at the University of Leeds in 1948. He was promoted to reader in 1955 and to Professor of Economic History in 1959, a post  he was to hold until his retirement in 1985 when he was given the title Emeritus Professor. Together with John Hurst he conducted archaeological excavations at the deserted village of Wharram Percy. This work became an important impetus for medieval archaeology in Britain and Europe. Death. Beresford died on 15 December 2005 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Honours. Beresford was elected Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 1985.