Before his untimely death in the summer of 2006, Peter Jupp was widely recognised as one of the key influences in the recovery of British and Irish political history in the 'long' 18th century. His unrivalled knowledge of collections in public and private archives had made him well-nigh indispensable to several generations of historians. This volume had initially been conceived to mark Peter's retirement after 40 years service to Queen's University Belfast. With his sudden passing, it became all the more important to acknowledge appropriately the true extent and depth of Peter's contribution -- as lecturer, researcher, author and mentor.
These essays are now published to celebrate that achievement. They focus on the themes in which he himself was interested: elections and parliament; reaction and reform; political biography; the history of print and ideas; crowds and popular movements. Moreover, they relate to a period, the 18th and first half of the 19th centuries and the changing nature of relations between Ireland and Great Britain, so crucial to an understanding of contemporary affairs, all of which has been so handsomely illuminated by Peter''s published work.
The contributors have come together as former students, colleagues and friends -- often all three -- to pay tribute to his enthusiasm for this shared interest and to acknowledge the remarkable impression Peter Jupp has left on the study and wider understanding of British and Irish history.
The contributors to the collection of essays include: Suzanne Kingon, Martin McElroy, Jacqueline Hill, Allan Blackstock, Nini Rodgers, A.P.W. Malcomson, Trevor Parkhill, Richard Gaunt, Michael Hopkinson, Petri Mirala, Frank O'Gorman, Eoin Magennis, Patrick McNally, and Mary O'Dowd. Short forewards are provided by Marianne Elliott and David Hayton.