Walter Alison PhillipsMRIA (21 October 1864 – 28 October 1950) was an Englishhistorian, a specialist in thehistory of Europe in the 19th century. From 1914 to 1939 he was the first holder of theLecky chair of History inTrinity College Dublin. Most of his writing is in the name ofW. Alison Phillips, and he was sometimes referred to asAlison Phillips.
At first, Phillips concentrated his efforts on writing. His first book, published in 1896, was a translation of selected poems ofWalther von der Vogelweide,[7] followed the next year byThe War of Greek Independence, 1821 to 1833.[8] In 1901 appeared hisModern Europe, 1815–1899.[9]
Phillips was strongly opposed toIrish Home Rule and is said to have declared that "Ireland isnot a nation, but two peoples separated by a deeper gulf than that dividing Ireland from Great Britain", though this quote has also been attributed to future British Prime MinisterBonar Law.[12] His 1923 bookThe Revolution in Ireland 1906–1923 was criticized for being too partisan of theUnionist point of view.[14]
By 1922, Phillips was a member of theRoyal Irish Academy (MRIA).[15] Outside his own specialism in European history, he contributed articles to theEncyclopædia Britannica on musical and literary subjects, including theNibelungenlied.[16]
Phillips, Walter Alison, ed. (1933–1934).History of the Church of Ireland: from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. London: Oxford University Press. [in 3 volumes]
^abcE. P. Hart,Merchant Taylors' School Register, 1851-1920 (1923),p. 130: "Phillips, Walter Alison, b. 21 October 1864, s. of John and Jane, Epsom. Left 1882; Exhib. of Merton Coll., Oxf.; BA (1st Cl. Hist.) 1885; MA 1889; Sen. Schol. of St. John's 1886; Pres. Oxford Union Soc. 1887; Chief Asst. Editor of theEncy. Brit. (11th Ed.) 1903-11; Special Correspondent of theTimes in S. America 1912; on staff of the Times, 1913; Lecky Prof. of Modern Hist. T.C.D. since 1914... W. Alison Phillips, Trinity College Dublin."
^abcdeLevens, R.G.C., ed. (1964).Merton College Register 1900-1964. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. p. 300.
^The Taylorian: a journal devoted to the interests and amusements of the boys of Merchant Taylor's school; vol. VII (1886), p. 229: "W. A. Phillips, of Merton College, has been elected President of the Oxford Union Society, of which C. J. Blacker, of the same College, is Treasurer."
^The Cambridge Review; Volume 8 (1887), p. 396: "Mr. W. A. Phillips, St. John's, Ex-President of Oxford Union Society, substitute for Mr. J. D. Power, Downing College, the mover of the adjournment, opened the Debate "That in the opinion of this House it is desirable to concede Home Rule for Ireland".
^Joseph S. Meisel,Public Speech and the Culture of Public Life in the Age of Gladstone (Columbia University Press, 2001),p. 24
^Appleton's Annual Cyclopædia and Register of Important Events, 1896–1899, p. 475
^The War of Greek Independence, 1821 to 1833,publication details at books.google.com
^Modern Europe, 1815–1899,outline at ks.google.com
^S. Padraig Walsh,Anglo-American general encyclopedias: a historical bibliography (1968), p. 49
^James Johnston Auchmuty,Lecky: a biographical and critical essay (Dublin: Hodges, Figgis & Co., 1945), p. 127: "The first holder of the Lecky Chair was Professor Walter Alison Phillips, Litt.D ., later Honorary Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, who was appointed in 1914. Few more suitable appointments could have been made..."
