SPOKESMAN BOOKS
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Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation
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Catalogue
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Reviews
Africa
Education
Michael
Wolfers, Thomas Hodgkin: Wandering Scholar, Merlin Press, 2007,
256
pages, hardback ISBN 9780850365801, £40, paperback ISBN
9780850365818,
£16.95
Thomas
Hodgkin (1910-1982) was a crusader for the education and advancement of the
peoples of Africa and of the developing countries in general and a pioneer in
the study of the pre-colonial history of sub-Saharan Africa. In 2000,
Thomas’ daughter, Elizabeth, and Michael Wolfers published his Letters
from Africa 1947- 56, sent mainly to his wife, Dorothy Crowfoot
Hodgkin, O.M., a Nobel chemistry laureate. These represent a fascinating and
informed commentary on Africa during the period of the transition from
colonialism to independence. Michael Wolfers has now followed this up with a
detailed biography of the author of these letters, which provides a gripping
account of a life devoted to learning and the cause of human emancipation.
Thomas
Hodgkin was a scion of an affluent, intellectual and well-connected family
whose roots go back to seventeenth century Cotswold Quakers. His paternal
grandfather, Thomas Hodgkin, was a banker and historian, who wrote Italy
and Her Invaders in eight volumes: his maternal grandfather, A. L. Smith,
was a pioneer of the Workers’ Educational Association and Master of Balliol
College,
Oxford; his father, Robin Hodgkin, was Provost of Queen’s College, Oxford
and a historian, who wrote A History of the Anglo-Saxons in two
volumes.
Family
relationships and friendships linked him to establishment figures from
Archbishop William Temple to well-known poets, archaeologists, academics,
civil servants and politicians.
After
completing his education at Winchester and Balliol, Thomas was appointed to
the Palestine Civil Service in 1934, at the time of the British mandate.
Having already developed left-wing views, he became increasingly uncomfortable
about British repression of the Arabs for opposing unlimited Jewish
immigration and resigned his position. Back in London, he joined the Communist
Party, participated in demonstrations and wrote for the League Against
Imperialism and Labour Monthly. He tried secondary school teaching, but
decided it was not for him and moved into WEA lecturing – eventually
securing a post as a WEA tutor in North Staffordshire in 1939. This brought
him into contact with George Wigg, a former regular soldier, who was the North
Staffs WEA district secretary.
Thomas’
post was regarded as a reserved occupation and he continued in it throughout
the Second World War. He helped George Wigg to lobby for Army education and,
in the 1945 General Election, took part in the campaign in which Wigg was
elected as the Labour MP for Dudley. In return, George Wigg pushed him to
apply for the secretaryship of the University of Oxford Delegacy for Extra-
Mural Studies, and to promote the university extension course in Africa when
he was appointed.
This
led to a succession of extended trips to Africa, during the course of which he
became familiar with nationalist and religious leaders, businessmen, trade
unionists, writers, journalists and others, in addition to initiating higher
education on a significant scale. When the Cold War led to anti-Communist
witch-hunting, Thomas resigned from the Communist Party in 1949 and from the
Oxford Extra- Mural Delegacy in 1952.
He
was, however, sufficiently well known as an expert on Africa to support
himself by lecturing and writing. In 1956, he produced a widely acclaimed
book, Nationalism in Colonial Africa. Along with Basil Davidson, he
helped lead the way in encouraging the study of African history. His Nigerian
Perspectives, first published in 1960, with an enlarged second edition in
1975, became a seminal source for historians of Africa. In addition, he wrote
innumerable articles and contributed to other books. In 1981, he published Vietnam:
The Revolutionary Path.
He
regarded himself as a Marxist, but he was not dogmatic. Although he rejoined
the Communist Party in 1976, after 27 years, it was never at the centre of his
activity. He was, however, totally committed to progressive causes. I remember
his unflagging support for Liberation’s campaign against the execution,
detention and ill-treatment of political prisoners by President Nimeiry of the
Sudan in the early 1970s.
Michael
Wolfers’ book is a magnificent record of a fascinating life. In addition to
its political content, it provides much information on Thomas’ personal
idiosyncrasies, his permissive attitudes, his relationships with people in all
walks of life, and his extended and talented family. I had difficulty in
putting it down before I had finished reading it.
All
who are interested in Africa and the developing countries, in historical
research and in learning more about this outstanding personality should read
this book. I recommend it without reservation.
Stan
Newens
with
grateful acknowledgements to Liberation
