Albert Pollard

For the American politician, seeAlbert C. Pollard.

Albert Frederick PollardFBA(16 December 1869 – 3 August 1948) was a Britishhistorianwho specialised in theTudor period.He was one of the founders of theHistorical Associationin 1906.

Albert Pollard
Born	Albert Frederick Pollard (1869-12-16)16 December 1869 Ryde,Isle of Wight
Died	3 August 1948(1948-08-03)(aged 78)
Education	Jesus College, Oxford
Movement	Liberal Party
Children	Graham Pollard

Life and career

Pollard was born inRydeon theIsle of Wightand educated atPortsmouth Grammar School,Felsted SchoolandJesus College, Oxfordwhere he achieved a first-class honours inModern Historyin 1891. He became assistanteditorof and a contributor to theDictionary of National Biographyin 1893. His main academic post was that of Professor of Constitutional History atUniversity College Londonwhich he held from 1903 to 1931. He was a member of theRoyal Commission on Historical Manuscripts,and founder of theHistorical Association,1906. He editedHistory,1916–1922, and theBulletin of the Institute of Historical Research,1923–1939. He published 500 articles in theDictionary of National Biography,and many other books and papers concerning history. Later in his career, he was a major force in establishing history as an academic subject in Britain.The Evolution of Parliament,one of his most influential textbooks,was published in 1920.

Controversy

Albert Pollard studied and wrote about the history of the Tudors from a political viewpoint. Key books includeHenry VIII(1905) andThe History of England from the Accession of Edward VI to the Death of Elizabeth, 1547–1603(1910). In the latter he famously concluded that "Sterility was the conclusive note of Mary's reign"; this statement has been challenged byrevisionist historiansin recent years who have portrayed Mary in a much more favourable way. Some of Pollard's speculations are nowadays generally discredited by the revisionist school of history led by academics such asChristopher Haigh.For example, he put forward the thesis that English foreign policy from 1514 to 1529 was motivated byThomas Wolsey's desire to become Pope. Pollard is identified with theWhiggish schoolof history, along with his student,J. E. Neale.They sawHenry VIIIas a vigorous reformer who led England out of obscure medieval ways and into the modern world.

Politics

Pollard was politically active for theLiberal Partyand stood as Liberal candidate for theLondon Universityin the 1922, 1923 and 1924 General Elections.

Personal life

In retirement Pollard lived atMilford-on-Seain Hampshire. He was the father of the bibliographer and booksellerGraham Pollardand father-in-law to pioneering Communist and women's rights campaignerKay Beauchamp.Another daughter, Margaret, married the classicistHarold Edgeworth Butler,and was the mother of political scientist SirDavid Butler.

Works

Contributions to the Dictionary of National Biography

Pollard was a prolific contributor to the DNB. Among many others:

• Pollard, Albert Frederick(1894)."Napier, Robert (d. 1615), judge".InLee, Sidney(ed.).Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 40. New York:MacMillan and Co.p. 73.OCLC8544105.
• Pollard, Albert Frederick(1895)."O'Brien, Daniel, first Viscount Clare (1577?–1663)".InLee, Sidney(ed.).Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 41. New York:MacMillan and Co.pp. 310–311.OCLC8544105.
• Pollard, Albert Frederick(1895)."O'Brien, Donough, Baron of Ibrickan and fourth Earl of Thomond (d. 1624)".InLee, Sidney(ed.).Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 41. New York:MacMillan and Co.pp. 312–314.OCLC8544105.
• Pollard, Albert Frederick(1898)."Somerset, Edward (1601–1667)".InLee, Sidney(ed.).Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 53. London:Smith, Elder, & Co.p. 232.OCLC8544105.
• Pollard, Albert Frederick(1898)."Talbot, Sir William (d. 1633)".InLee, Sidney(ed.).Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 55. London:Smith, Elder, & Co.pp. 338–339.OCLC8544105.
• Pollard, Albert Frederick(1900)."Wilmot, Sir Charles, first Viscount of Athlone (d. 1633)".InLee, Sidney(ed.).Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 62 Williamson–Worden. New York:The Macmillan Company.pp. 59–61.OCLC8544105.
• Pollard, Albert Frederick(1901)."Dillon, Sir Lucas (d. 1593)".InLee, Sidney(ed.).Dictionary of National BiographySupplement.Vol. 2. New York:MacMillan and Co.pp. 132–133.OCLC8544105.

Contributions to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

• Pollard, Albert Frederick;Kelsey, Sean (2004)."Talbot, William, first baronet (d.1634)".InMatthew, Colin;Harrison, Brian(eds.).Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 53. New York:Oxford University Press.pp. 717–722.ISBN0-19-861403-9.

External links

• Works by or aboutAlbert PollardatWikisource
• Albert Pollard papers at Senate House Library, University of London
• Correspondence between Albert Pollard and Josiah Clement Wedgwood
• Works by Albert PollardatProject Gutenberg
• Works by or about Albert Pollardat theInternet Archive