James Gillespie, 1946-2001

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Jim Gillespie, the founder of the White Hart Society, was born on April 5, 1946 and died on February 26, 2001. After graduating from Kenyon College, Jim went on to earn a doctorate in Medieval History at Princeton in 1972. He was ordained an Anglican priest in 1977. He held several teaching positions, including Catawba College, the University of Minnesota, Appalachian State University, and Notre Dame College of Ohio. In more recent years Jim served as Dean of the American University of the Middle East in Amman, Jordan, and he was a Senior Research Fellow at the American Center of Oriental Research, also in Amman.

Apart from teaching and administration, Jim enjoyed a distinguished scholarly career. His field of research and publication was the reign of King Richard II; Jim was especially interested in the Cheshire archers and the role of women attending Richard's court, topics on which he contributed several learned articles. In addition, Jim was the editor of The Age of Richard II (St. Martin's Press, 1997), and he was the co-editor (with Professor Anthony Goodman) of Richard II: The Art of Kingship (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1999). In recognition of his scholarship, Jim was elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

Those of his friends and colleagues who got to know Jim will readily attest both his outstanding contributions to the White Hart Society and his friendly manner, his good humor, and especially his quick and razor-sharp wit. Who can forget Jim's funding from his own pocket of the open bar receptions at the business meetings of the White Hart Society each spring at Kalamazoo? Or who can forget Jim's commissioning of the fabulous White Hart banner that adorned each of the Society's sessions, along with his commissioning of the White Hart ties?

Perhaps the finest recognition of Jim's generous efforts on behalf of the White Hart Society--and of Ricardian scholarship--was paid by Nigel Saul in the introduction to his definitive biographical study of Richard II: "The Kalamazoo Congress has become a focal point for Richard II studies. A great deal of the credit for this goes to the convenor of the sessions, Professor Jim Gillespie..Gillespie's unique blend of geniality, impish humour and negotiating skill has made him the ideal conference organizer, and it is thanks to his initiative that the visit to Carlos Murphy's Irish-Mexican restaurant has become the much looked forward to high point of the conferences."

To this one can only add that students of the reign of Richard II--past, present, and future--will forever be in Jim Gillespie's debt.

--George B. Stow
LaSalle University

Contacts:
George Stow (US): GBSGeorge@aol.com
Nigel Saul (UK): N.Saul@rhbnc.ac.uk

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