Robert Burchell, my dearly departed friend and former colleague, was a renowned historian of the United States. His expertise contributed to a significant rise in the popularity of the subject in the United Kingdom, where he served as a professor of American history at the University of Manchester. Additionally, Bob was the first director of the Eccles Centre for American Studies at the British Library.
Bob grew up in Plymouth, where he was raised by his parents, Lucy (nee Symons) and Arthur Burchell, an electrician at the Devonport submarine base. As a young child, he and his family relocated to South Africa for several years after their home was bombed during World War II. Upon returning to England, Bob attended Plymouth college and later earned his degree in modern history from Oxford University in 1963. He also spent a year at the University of California, Berkeley.
Bob began his career in academia as a lecturer at the University of Manchester in 1965 and was promoted to professor of American history after several years. His contributions to the study of American history were instrumental in the UK’s efforts to expand its study of the subject, serving as the chair of the British Association for American Studies from 1987 to 1991. It was during this time that he became the first director of the Eccles Centre.
Bob also excelled in his research, eventually publishing a book entitled The San Francisco Irish, 1848-1880. The book examined how Irish immigrants adjusted successfully to life on the Pacific coast by combining statistical data with personal accounts. Throughout his career, he challenged the conventional interpretations of American elections and immigration patterns and worked to improve resources for libraries and visiting academic fellowships.
Apart from his academic achievements, Bob was also an avid china, glass, and Penguin book collector, along with being very private. His occasional sardonic teaching style was matched with a cultivated eccentricity that left a lasting impression with his friends. He was a master statistician and excellent administrator, relying on his height, wit, and political astuteness to great effect.
In 2006, Bob entered into a civil partnership with Stephen Torr. He is survived by Stephen, his nephew, Mathew, niece, Becky, great-niece, Davey, and great-nephew, Jarrah. His brother, David, predeceased him.
