Theodore Plucknett
T. F. T. Plucknett | |
---|---|
Born | 2 January 1897 Bristol, England |
Died | 14 February 1965 Wimbledon, London, England | (aged 68)
Nationality | British |
Education | University of London University College London Emmanuel College, Cambridge Harvard University |
Occupation | Legal Historian |
Theodore Frank Thomas Plucknett (2 January 1897 – 14 February 1965[1]) was a British legal historian who was the first chair of legal history at the London School of Economics.
Life and career
Plucknett was born on 2 January 1897 in Bristol. Plucknett completed his early education at
With Plucknett's PhD came an LLB degree, which helped him get into Harvard Law School.[2] Whilst studying at Harvard he took no courses, and instead only studied. He arrived at the school as a student in 1920 and by 1923 was an instructor.[2] By 1926 he had graduated to an assistant professor; a position he held until 1931.[2]
Plucknett then left Harvard for the London School of Economics[3] after he received a recommendation from Harold Laski, who had been impressed by Plucknett's recent publication, Concise History of the Common Law. The book had been dictated and edited in a matter of weeks.[2] When Plucknett arrived at the London School of Economics, he became the first ever holder of the school's chair of legal history. He was to remain in that position until his retirement in 1963.[2] He succeeded William Holdsworth as Literary Director of the Selden Society and was followed by S. F. C. Milsom.
Though Plucknett remained at the London School of Economics, he also held the presidency of the
In later life colleagues would describe Plucknett as 'distant'. He maintained the history of law had nothing to do with its practical application and was quoted as saying that "It is still too often said that English law can only be understood historically. Now English law may be bad, but is it really as bad as that?"[2]
Plucknett officially retired from teaching in 1963 due to poor health and died at his home in Crescent Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 on 14 February 1965.[2]
Bibliography
- Plucknett, Theodore (2001) [1929]. Concise History of the Common Law (5th ed.). America: The Lawbook Exchange. p. 802. ISBN 1-58477-137-2. (2nd ed., 1936; 3rd ed., 1940; 4th ed., 1948).
- Plucknett, Theodore, Statutes and their Interpretation in the 14th Century, 1922
- Plucknett, Theodore, Yearbook of Richard II, 1929
- Plucknett, Theodore, Legislation of Edward I, 1949 (being the Ford lectures at Oxford 1947)
- Plucknett, Theodore, Early English Legal Literature, 1958
- Plucknett, Theodore, Edward I and Criminal Law, 1960
References
- ^ Frederick Bernays Wiener (April 1984). "Studies in English Legal History. By T.F.T. Plucknett. Hambledon Press; London. $40.00. (ABA members, $30.00.) 352 pages". ABA Journal.
- ^ ISBN 9780198614128. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- JSTOR 25080378.