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Theo BarkerBritish scientist
Date of Birth: 19.07.1923
Country:  Great Britain |
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Theodore Barker
Born in St Helens, Lancashire, England, Theodore Barker was a British economic and social historian. He attended the University of Oxford and received his history degree in 1948 and his doctorate in 1951 from the University of Manchester, where he researched the history of his hometown.
Early Academic Career
After a year at the University of Aberdeen, Barker taught at the London School of Economics from 1953 to 1964. In 1964, he became Professor of Economic and Social History at the newly founded University of Kent. In 1976, Barker returned to the London School of Economics, where he remained until his retirement in 1983.
Historical Research
Barker's research on St Helens led him to study the Pilkington Glass Company, publishing "Pilkington Brothers and the Glass Industry" in 1960. His interests extended beyond local history, particularly in the area of transportation. He co-authored "A History of London Transport: The 19th Century" (1963) and contributed to "A History of London Transport: The 20th Century" (1964), eventually becoming Chairman of the Transport History Research Trust. Other notable transportation works include "The Transport Contractors of Rye" (1982) and "The Rise and Rise of Road Transport, 1600–1990" (1993).
Other Activities
In addition to his research, Barker was President of the Railway and Canal Historical Society. He published histories of the Worshipful Company of Carpenters (1968) and the Worshipful Company of Pewterers (1974).
Legacy
Theodore Barker passed away on November 22, 2001. His contributions to the study of economic and social history, especially in the area of transportation, continue to be influential in academic circles.
