The Society for the Study of Labour History is sorry to hear of the death of Iorwerth (Iori) Prothero, the distinguished historian of artisan radicalism, who has died at the age of 87.

Born in London in 1939, Iori, as he preferred to be known, was the child of Welsh parents and intensely proud of his Welsh heritage. It was formative for his interest in radical politics and culture which shaped his contributions to historical writing for the rest of his career.

Iori’s work was characterised by an intense curiosity and meticulous attention to detail, apparent in his first book, Artisans and Politics in Early Nineteenth-Century London: John Gast and His Times (Dawson, 1979). Based on his 1967 Ph.D thesis completed at the University of Cambridge, this volume began his life-long interest in the culture of artisan radicalism. In many ways Iori was also a Londoner, feeling strongly that the radical traditions of the capital were neglected in favour of perspectives that privileged northern industrial centres.

Despite that, he was an undergraduate at the University of Manchester and took up a lectureship there in 1964. He lived in the city for the rest of his life, drawing on examples from Manchester’s past in his teaching and research. His move to Manchester had the unexpected consequence of converting him to support for Manchester City, long before it became fashionable. His support for the team remained a life-long passion.

In later years, Iori was an exponent of the comparative methodology in historical writing, devoting attention to the networks and associational life that typified the culture of artisans in both Britain and France. His book, Radical Artisans in Britain and France 1830-1870 (Cambridge, 1997) is a textbook example of the ways in which the fabric of artisan life can be revealed by such an approach.

In retirement, Iori toured a number of countries in a ‘world tour’ with his wife Leena, from whom he was inseparable. A committed teacher and convivial colleague, Iori was an inspiration to the generation of scholars and academics who began their careers in the nineteen-eighties.

Reserved and self-effacing, he was a quiet and dignified presence at Chartism Day, but also a master of the ‘killer’ question. He will be remembered for his humour and his command of the broad landscape of nineteenth-century radicalism in Britain in both the pre and post-Chartist periods.

Friends and former colleagues are invited to attend the funeral which is on the 27th May in Manchester. Please contact Professor Antony Taylor (Sheffield Hallam) or Dr Janette Martin (John Rylands Library) for further information.