Secretariat

John F Brothwell

Sadly, as many members will already be aware, Mr John Brothwell, former Senior Lecturer in the School of Business and Economic Studies, died on 24 August 2007.

John Brothwell spent his entire academic career at Leeds. He was one of the distinguished group of young scholars recruited by Professor A J Brown in the 1940s and 1950s who did much to develop the discipline in the University. Born in 1924, John Brothwell joined the Midland Bank on leaving school, where his studies for his banking examinations inspired what became an enduring intellectual interest in monetary economics. Following war service with the Fleet Air Arm, he briefly returned to the bank before taking advantage of a scholarship scheme for ex-service personnel to read Economics at the University of Nottingham. Showing remarkable aptitude for his studies, he became in 1951 that Universitys first graduate to achieve a First in his discipline. In the same year, he joined Leeds as a Research Assistant (Dean Scholar), later being promoted successively to Assistant Lecturer (1953), Lecturer (1959) and Senior Lecturer (1969).

Initially, John Brothwell was engaged on a major research project on the wool textile industry. The articles based on his research that he published in the Yorkshire Bulletin of Economic and Social Research earned him recognition very widely. Together with two other colleagues in the School, he also co-authored The Woollen and Worsted Industry: an Economic Analysis, the standard text on this subject. From an early stage, he became deeply involved in the teaching of monetary subjects within the School. This was a role in which he excelled. He was a wholly dedicated teacher who took immense pains to achieve complete clarity and precision of exposition. For many years the Schools principal theorist commenting on one of his articles, an external reviewer remarked on his outstanding dexterity as a theoretician he always ensured that his theoretical research was very closely integrated with his teaching. His devotion to his craft was similarly evident in the remarkable support and thoroughness he brought to the supervision of his research students.

John Brothwell was very much involved in the administrative affairs of the School, perhaps most notably as its long-serving and highly knowledgeable admissions tutor. Equally, his clear thinking and good sense ensured that his counsel was widely sought; over the years; he contributed much to the collective wisdom of the School. His friend and colleague, John Chartres, fittingly summed up John Brothwells achievements and standing at the time of his retirement after almost four decades of service when he wrote: typically, his valedictory staff seminar in the summer of 1990 was a tour de force worthy of the master. For nearly forty years, John has been a rigorous and deeply committed teacher at all levels, who has set and maintained the highest academic standards.

John Brothwell is survived by his wife, Joy.