Richard Hall (1950-2024)
Written by Angus Winchester and Rob David
Occupation: Archivist
Background
Born on 21 September 1950 near Cockermouth, into a Border Reiving family, Richard was the son of Harry Hall (1912-1999), who ran a mixed farm at Hall Bank, Aspatria. His mother was Ann Rosemary Parker Haythornthwaite (1915-2009), the daughter of Dr Edward Parker Haythornthwaite (1869-1953) (qv) a General Practitioner at Rowrah who had antiquarian interests. The farm was part of the Lawson estate based at Brayton and the family lived nearby at Old Hall, Oughterside. Despite this rural background, Richard was not interested in agriculture. He was educated at Seascale prep school and St Bees, where his study of Latin, History and English Literature led to a degree at Jesus College, Cambridge. Here he read history, with a focus on the medieval period. Having enjoyed school, he became a loyal member of the St Beghian Social Committee, and attended many reunions. He retained a fervour for cricket and had a tremendous grasp of the statistics of the game.
Professional Life
After graduation, Richard took a teaching course at Birmingham but it became clear that teaching was not for him, so he volunteered at Carlisle record office and discovered what would become his passion. Soon afterwards he began a professional archival diploma at Aberystwyth University, in tandem with research for a PhD on the Finance of the Anglo-Scots War of 1335-1350, during the reign of Edward III. During this time he became more interested in the archives themselves than the research and his thesis was not completed. However, at the National Archives he discovered the only surviving copy of an early Cockermouth charter, which led in 1977 to a publication with the CWAAS. On completing the diploma, he worked at Carlisle record office from 1973-1976 and then in Kendal from 1976 to 2013. Here he assisted many experienced scholars, encouraged numerous novices in their research and acquired an encyclopaedic knowledge of the records which led to him becoming a very valuable member of the archives team.
Unable to drive, Richard was increasingly relied upon to hold the fort at Kendal search room. For 35 years he was a colleague of Jim Grisenthwaite who observed that he effectively became:
‘the face of the record office to many visitors. He was always welcoming, had an easy charm and never appeared flustered, however esoteric the enquiry. His knowledge of the collections was second to none and he was always ready with suggestions when researchers appeared to be struggling. He was erudite but modest and self-effacing, discreet and loyal, and a staunch and dependable colleague.’
Searchers in the archives remember him as one of the most helpful and knowledgeable of all archivists; as one overseas scholar put it, ‘the work of historians rests on the shoulders of archivists and Richard was one of the giants in this field’. His retirement in 2013 left Kendal record office without its most knowledgeable archivist. Unfortunately, his retirement was hampered by ill health and he was unable to achieve all he had hoped for. However, he never let debility get in the way of taking part in the history and music events which he enjoyed. This was possible in part as he had ‘mastered the intricacies and deficiencies of public transport’.
Membership of the CWAAS
Richard’s life was by no means confined to his professional role, although many of his other interests benefited from his enthusiasms for history and the archives. Joining the CWAAS in 1980, in the footsteps of his mother and grandfather, from 1984-2002 he served as the honorary general secretary. He took his duties very seriously, from welcoming new members, to attending every event that the society hosted, both representing the society and seeing such occasions as important opportunities to get to know members. He is remembered as a good companion on excursions, when his explosive laugh at a good story well told animated members even on the dreariest of days. This inimitable reaction was also appreciated by lecturers, especially in response to a key point or punchline. In his earlier years he would include the then regular CWAAS week-long trip as part of his annual leave, to which he particularly looked forward and mostly thoroughly enjoyed. Whether the event was to highlight some aspect of the past in Cumbria or to explore an area further afield, Richard brought an immense historical knowledge, which added considerably to the enjoyment of members. Nonetheless, he could sometimes seem diffident in expressing an opinion, though that was perhaps part of his charm. As one past president commented on his long service as honorary general secretary, ‘Richard was the society in many ways. Always helpful, so knowledgeable, and always smiling.’ When he stepped down in 2002, the Society acknowledged his contribution over many years by electing him an honorary fellow. He continued to serve on the council and remained a valuable member of the publications committee until his death.
His Wider Interests
Among his other interests, from 1978 he was a member of what is now the Kendal History and Archaeology Society, serving on the committee for many years. His skills were much valued, especially his knowledge of the research being conducted in Cumbria’s four archive centres and he helped to ensure that the lecture programme was varied and relevant. Richard also joined the Romney Society soon after its inception in 1992 and regularly attended the lectures, gallery visits, tours in Europe and supper concerts. At least two of the latter events showcased students from the Royal Northern College, perhaps at his behest. Here too he was a much valued committee member, he co-edited Transactions for a couple of years and was involved with making the locally preserved Romney sketchbooks more accessible. He was also a founding member, in 1998, of the Cumbrian Lives project (initially known as the Dictionary of Cumbrian Biography or DCB) to which he contributed hundreds of concise biographies from the earliest times, with meticulous references. Richard’s work became a very significant part of the subsequent website.
His Passion for Music
However, his interests extended well beyond history, the archives and 18th century art. His love of English literature and poetry, reflected in his reading tastes, led to his membership of the Houseman Society and the Wordsworth Trust. Increasingly, his greatest interest lay in music, a passion revealed in his membership of music societies and a love of attending concerts, recitals and above all festivals, especially the Lake District Summer Music Festival and the Three Choirs Festival. During the Covid pandemic he was quoted in The Telegraph referring to ‘this wonderful event which has lasted for more than 300 years’. He was also the honorary archivist of the Elgar Society, where his immense knowledge of music was greatly appreciated. As a committee member of the North West branch of the Elgar Society, his minutes were described as ‘immaculate and elegant’. Undaunted by his health issues and with dogged determination, he attended numerous concerts for many years, over a wide area.
His Death and Legacy
Richard died at home on 2 August 2024 on the eve of a Three Choirs performance of Elgar’s ‘The Kingdom’ at Worcester cathedral. The congregation at his well-attended funeral in Kendal Parish church included, apart from former colleagues, friends and family, the representatives of the many organisations in which he was involved, including several past presidents of the CWAAS. He left a bequest to that society specifically for the publication of medieval texts and also made the gift of many history volumes from his library. He was no mere passive participant in musical events and had actively begun to sponsor concerts and recitals, such as an appearance of the Brodsky Quartet in 2024. Latterly, he established the Richard Hall Charitable Trust, to maximise his support of the arts. The Three Choirs Festival is a regular recipient of sponsorship and the work of the trust is weighed towards supporting young performers. His gravestone at Boltongate records both his professional life and his philanthropy.
He was a diffident and private person but gladly accepted help with lifts to attend events, or assistance when moving his vast library of books and CDs to his home or on one occasion accommodation from friends, after a hospital stay. He lived in the 1970s-90s on High Tenterfell, Kendal, then bought Shaw House and then a little later also Anchorite House, conveniently situated next door. Thus he accommodated his growing collections, which included every copy of The Times since the 1960s. At Anchorite Fields, an intriguing resonance was that his home was built on the site of the cell believed to have been occupied by the 16thc anchoress Alice Skawsby. Shaw House was built c.1770 by John Shaw (1717-1782), a Kendal mercer and the two properties still share the freshwater basin of the anchorite’s bubbling well. A long-standing friend wrote: ‘Despite his eccentricities, Richard was a most affable and amiable colleague and friend. I cannot think of a single person who did not take an instant liking to him. I never heard him speak ill of anyone, and he always had a positive attitude and soldiered on even when his health began to fail. Always a cheery wave and a smile – that is the Richard I will remember.’
Sources
- Daily Telegraph, 21 June 2021
- Rob David and Angus Winchester, Obituary of Richard Hall, in the CWAAS Transactions and the Newsletter, 2024
- The Elgar Society News, December 2024
- Richard Hall, An Early Cockermouth Charter, CWAAS (1977) pp.75-82
- Dr Edward Parker Haythornthwaite, Survey of Mockerkin Tarn re Evidence of Iron Age Houses on Piles (ms c.1930s, Whitehaven Archives)
- The other contributors are: Tim Brain, David Breeze, David Cross, Jim Grisenthwaite, Jeremy Hall, Judith Horsfield, Marion McClintock, Sophia Martin, Rachel Newman, Richard Newman, Scott Sowerby, Keith Stringer, Jean Turnbull and Bill Wiseman