Celebrating Hampshire Historians

Horrocks, John Wesley

??.05.1877 - 19.01.1930

John Horrocks was born in Manchester. A graduate of London University, the title of his thesis for a Doctor of Literature degree was ‘Machiavelli in Tudor Political Opinion & Discussion’. He had a varied career, including a spell as ‘a reporter in the House of Commons’, before joining the staff of University College, Southampton in 1912 as a history lecturer. Here he remained until his untimely death in 1930. During this period, only two historians were employed at the College, both based in the Department of Law. It was said of him that, ‘in the ancient records of Southampton … [he] found full scope for his love of research and he became an acknowledged authority on matters of local history’ (HA 25.01.30). An active member of the Southampton Record Society, he was a contemporary of Harry Gidden another celebrated Southampton historian, with whom he served for a period as hon. joint general editor. He was in great demand as a lecturer in economic and local history and related topics, since his ‘keen sense of humour … enlivened the tedium of many a prosaic lecture’ (Gobli, 1930). His interests were extensive ranging from aspects of political thought to the work of the naturalist W H. Hudson and the life and times of Jane Austen. ‘History was to him his work and to him work was life’ (Gobli, 1930).

Sources

‘Anton’, Dr J.W. Horrocks, A Pen Portrait (Hampshire Advertiser, 25 January 1930)

Portrait

Painting by Joyce Withycombe, copyright University of Southampton.

Contribution to county’s history

In addition to his editorship of a number of volumes in the Southampton Record Series, he wrote articles for the Hampshire Advertiser, including one about the birthplace of Isaac Watts (06.08.1927) and, under the general heading of ‘Little Known Chapters in Southampton History’, a series about the Taunton Family (see, for example, 17.03.1928).

Relevant published works

• 19. The Assembly Books of Southampton Vol 1 1602-1608 (Southampton: Cox and Sharland, 1917)

• 21. The Assembly Books of Southampton Vol 2 1609 – 1610 (Southampton: Cox and Sharland, 1920)

• 24. The Assembly Books of Southampton Vol 3 1611-1614 (Southampton: Cox and Sharland, 1924)

• 25. The Assembly Books of Southampton Vol 4 1615-1616 (Southampton: Cox and Sharland, 1925)

• A Short History of Mercantilism (Methuen, 1925)

Critical Comments

His historical works reflected his ‘power of concentration, a sound judgment and the gift of lucid exposition’ (Gobli, 1930).

Other Comments

Following his death, in an appreciation written by one of his former students, it was observed that: he ‘was not a public man: - his disposition to solitude and study prevented that; but those who were privileged to come into close contact with him, during his long association with the University College, quickly learned to respect him as a scholar and a friend’ (Gobli, 1930).

Contributor

Roger Ottewill (15/11/2021)

Key Words

Southampton Record Series, Southampton Record Society, University College Southampton

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