Thomas Frederick Tout (1855–1929): refashioning history for the twentieth century
Synopsis
Thomas Frederick Tout (1855–1929) was arguably the most prolific English medieval historian of the early twentieth century. The son of an unsuccessful publican, he was described at his Oxford scholarship exam as ‘uncouth and untidy’; however he went on to publish hundreds of books throughout his distinguished career with a legacy that extended well beyond the academy. Tout pioneered the use of archival research, welcomed women into academia and augmented the University of Manchester’s growing reputation for pioneering research.
This book presents the first full assessment of Tout’s life and work, from his early career at Lampeter to his work in Manchester and his wide-ranging service to the study of history. Selected essays take a fresh and critical look at Tout’s own historical writing and discuss how his research shaped, and continues to shape, our understanding of the middle ages, particularly the fourteenth century. The book concludes with a personal reflection on Tout by his grandson, Tom Sharp.
Published as part of the IHR Conference Series by the Institute of Historical Research.
Chapters
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Introduction
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I: TOUT AS A TEACHER AND UNIVERSITY STATESMAN
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1. The early years and Wales’s history
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2. Thomas Frederick Tout at Lampeter: the making of a historian
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3. Manchester School of History: Tout’s contribution to the pedagogy of academic history
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4. Tout and Manchester University Press
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5. T. F. Tout and the idea of the university
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6. ‘Dear Professor Tout…’: letters from Tout’s students during the First World War
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II: TOUT AS A POLITICAL HISTORIAN
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7. Tout and the reign of Edward II
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8. Tout and the royal favourites of Edward II
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9. Tout and the middle party
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10. Tout and the higher nobility under the three Edwards
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III: TOUT AS AN ADMINISTRATATIVE HISTORIAN
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11. Tout and the exchequer
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12. Tout and seals
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13. Tout's administrators: the case of William Moulsoe
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IV: TOUT'S WIDER INFLUENCE
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14. Institutionalizing history: T.F. Tout's involvement with the Royal Historical Society and the Historical Association
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15. T. F. Tout and the Dictionary of National Biography
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16. Tout’s work as a reviewer
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17. T. F. Tout and literature
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18. The homage volume of 1925 – looking back and looking forward
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V: TOUT REMEMBERED
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19. Reflections on my grandfather, the historian T. F. Tout
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