{"id":78,"date":"2020-06-04T14:11:35","date_gmt":"2020-06-04T13:11:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hub.salford.ac.uk\/amc-politics-and-contemporary-history-research-group\/?page_id=78"},"modified":"2024-11-13T14:56:28","modified_gmt":"2024-11-13T14:56:28","slug":"art-and-design-research-and-engagement-group","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hub.salford.ac.uk\/amc-politics-and-contemporary-history-research-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Politics and Contemporary History Research Group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Prof. Eric Grove (1948 – 15 April 2021)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Remembering Eric Grove (1948-2021)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former students of the BA in Contemporary Military and International History (CMIH), as well as staff in Politics and Contemporary History, University of Salford, were saddened to learn yesterday of the death of Eric Grove, formerly Professor of Naval History at Salford. Eric was a larger than life figure, who helped invigorate the CMIH degree when he arrived in Salford in 2005. He was a major national figure in the field of naval history, regularly invited to international conference, and also a prolific writer and broadcaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to his many and varied writings on a range of naval topics, not to mention his extremely effective defence journalism, he made two especially important scholarly contributions to naval history: Vanguard to Trident: British Naval Policy since World War II<\/em> (Naval Institute Press, 1987), and The Future of Sea Power <\/em>(Routledge, 1990). He also edited a scholarly edition of Julian Corbett\u2019s seminal work, Some Principles of Maritime Strategy.<\/em> In order to record our gratitude for his contribution to the University of Salford, two current members of staff and former colleagues provide their memories of Eric Grove as a tribute from Salford and on behalf of his former students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaric Searle, Professor of Modern European History, University of Salford<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“My memories of Eric are very closely tied to my own career at the University of Salford. After spending fifteen years studying and teaching in Germany, I returned to Britain for my first, full-time academic job when I took up a lecturer position in military history at Salford. You always remember your first day at work \u2013 it was 1 September 2005. Another reason it was memorable was that I was joined on that day by a new colleague, Eric Grove, who had been allocated the office next to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many ways, we were complete opposites. Influenced strongly by German academic traditions, my lectures were probably too script-centred, even if punctuated by occasional anecdotes. Eric, as all who knew him will remember, was the master of the unscripted lecture, drawing from his vast knowledge of history and military affairs. In this art, he was in his element and excelled. His capacity to remember technical details, and arresting anecdotes, was legendary among a generation of Salford military (and naval) history students. Eric injected zest, verve and colour into the degree programme, as well as providing an important (maritime) counterweight to my (and others) focus on land warfare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if we were very different in our academic inclinations, there were several biographical commonalities between us. Eric had attended school in Aberdeen, and completed his first degree, a good, solid Scottish MA, at the University of Aberdeen. Not only did I also hold a Scottish MA, I had grown up near the granite city. To this was added the fact that I had set up home with my young family on the outskirts of Bolton, the city in which he was born. During regular lunches at The Crescent pub Eric provided an important education for me in the history of Lancashire. This was often extremely helpful. For instance, when I made a hash of pronouncing \u2018Hall-i-th-Wood\u2019, he politely corrected my mispronunciation without so much as a smile at my verbal faux pas. He supplemented my knowledge of Bolton with further recollections of Manchester and Salford in the 1950s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the \u2018classroom\u2019 of The Crescent, Eric was able to complete my education of naval history over lunch. This social side of academia is increasingly disappearing under a sea of targets, spread sheets, action plans, and meetings (which now often begin before 2pm). And we are so much the poorer for it. Possessing little knowledge of naval history, customs, conventions, personalities, and historical controversies, these lunchtime \u2018tutorials\u2019 expanded my horizons enormously. To these were added the various guest lecturers by leading figures in the Royal Navy which he organised, using his impressive range of naval contacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although very much his junior, he was still generous enough to seek my advice on occasions. When he decided to put in for promotion to Chair, he showed me his CV and asked whether anything might be improved. And he took on board the one or two minor comments I had made. His generous spirit also manifested itself when he offered to take my children on a tour of the main attractions along the sea front in Blackpool; and, in a very un-Aberdonian fashion, he paid for their rides on the attractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it came to administrative matters, Eric\u2019s office was organised in a rather unconventional fashion. Over the years, his desk became a unique form of filing system. Yet, despite his very individual approach to paperwork, his enthusiasm for teaching never waned, nor his desire to communicate his encyclopaedic knowledge of naval affairs, and military history in general. He was never an academic who \u2018kept one eye on the clock\u2019; if a student or a colleague was interested in a particular subject, he would share his knowledge freely and as ever with his trade-mark enthusiasm. He could always energise a seminar with interesting questions, a striking turn of phrase, or a sudden flash of insight. Several generations of Salford students, not to mention his previous students at the University of Hull, will look back with extremely fond memories of his lectures, entertaining tales, and his mastery of the art of the raconteur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His knowledge of naval affairs was unrivalled. As a specialist in more land-based research fields, I will leave comments on his contribution to naval history and maritime security to others. But as a former colleague, I am more than qualified to say that he will be sorely missed”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brian Hall, Lecturer in Contemporary Military History, University of Salford<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Whilst undertaking my doctoral studies as part of the graduate teaching assistant scheme at Salford between 2005 and 2009, and then as a part-time lecturer between 2010 and 2011, I had the honour and privilege of working alongside Eric, notably as a seminar tutor for some of his undergraduate modules. Despite his status as one of the country\u2019s leading experts in the field of naval history, which often saw him making regular appearances on television and radio news programmes and history documentaries, he was nothing other than warm, friendly and courteous, and always had the time of day to offer help and advice. I, like the students he taught, was simply mesmerised by his forensic knowledge of his subject, delivering lectures with an infectious and energetic enthusiasm that made him very popular amongst students and staff alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a fellow Boltonian, I would often meet Eric on the daily rail commute to Salford, he travelling in from Blackpool where he lived, while I got on at Bolton. In the 15 minutes or so that that journey entailed, he would often provide me with his expert analysis of current national defence and security matters \u2013 he was particularly scathing of the 2010 UK Strategic Defence and Security Review, for instance \u2013 as well as sharing his passion of steam locomotives and railway history. Perhaps my fondest memory of him was the day he delivered a key-note address at an academic conference held at Salford that explored the history of First World War tanks. Having met him on the train that morning, he was positively brimming with enthusiasm over a book he had recently purchased and which he told me was going to form the basis of his speech. When the time came later that day, he delivered a captivating and stimulating 45-minute address, without a prepared script, notes or slides, in which he held the audience in the palm of his hand. It was an inspired performance and one that further fuelled my desire to become an academic historian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eric was a national treasure and will be sorely missed. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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About Us: <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Politics and Contemporary History research cluster is interested in a variety of political and historical themes grouped around the field of International Security in its broadest sense. At the same time, members of staff also have research interests around European party politics, ideologies, intelligence studies (including the history of intelligence), military history (especially land warfare, air power and theories of war), counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, and several other aspects of international politics and security, covering Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Politics and Contemporary are viewed by the group as mutually reinforcing disciplines; Contemporary History is defined in the more traditional since of history since 1789. Our political scientists understand the importance of historical background; our historians are interested in applying historical knowledge and experience to contemporary problems and challenges. The group welcomes cross- and interdisciplinary research projects. The activities of the group and its development in recent years are influenced mostly by the notion of \u2018Area Studies’. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research themes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n