Former students of the Aberystwyth DAA course will wish to know that Dr Ron
Walker, who was responsible for running the course from the late 1960s
until his retirement in the early 1990s died last week. He had remained
very busy indeed with academic work until a few weeks ago, when his health
deteriorated suddenly.
Ron was appointed to the Department of History in 1956, with specific
responsibility for teaching Administrative History and Diplomatic,
alongside other departmental duties. Palaeography at this time was taught
by the Department of Classics. He always carried an enormous teaching load
(teaching the Archives students was additional to general duties),
including medieval and early modern history, and even a course on the
French Resistance. His phenomenal knowledge of, and skill in the use of
sources arose partly from a broad grounding in History and a doctorate on
military matters in the time of Edward I, and partly from work with the
Victoria County History before he came to Aberystwyth. Interests in
geography and landscape also came from wartime service as an air navigator.
His most recent publication was the medieval volume of the new
Pembrokeshire County History, edited between last Autumn and Easter this
year, and now available in print. Since 1993 he had made a huge
contribution to a marathon editorial undertaking on the Household and
Wardrobe records for 1282-4, shared with me and almost complete. Ron was
working on the personal name index, as a massive but final contribution on
his part, when health problems halted his progress.
He will be greatly missed as a teacher, colleague and friend.
Susan Davies
Dr Susan J. Davies
Department of History & Welsh History
Hugh Owen Building
The University of Wales
Penglais
Aberystwyth
Ceredigion
SY23 3DY
Tel. +44 (0)1970-622722 (direct) or -622662
Fax +44 (0)1970-622676; e-mail [log in to unmask]
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