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Robin Bush
Robin Bush
Robin Bush
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Robin James Edwin Bush (12 March 1943 – 22 June 2010) was the resident historian for the first nine series of Channel 4's archaeology series Time Team, appearing in 39 episodes between 1994 and 2003. He also presented eight episodes of Time Team Extra in 1998.[1]

Key Information

For twelve years Bush was a Liberal Democrat member of Somerset County Council and served as chairman of the council from 2001 until 2005. He also held other positions in public life.

Early life

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Bush was born in Hayes, Middlesex. His father was originally a schoolmaster and then a training college lecturer in Mathematics. Bush attended the private Exeter School in Devon between 1950 and 1962, and it was here aged 13 that he first became interested in historical research while studying the school's history. His first two research papers were published by the Devonshire Association before he left school.[2] He won a Trevelyan Scholarship, followed by a Stapledon Exhibition and later still a State Scholarship, to read History at Exeter College, Oxford (1962–65), taking his BA in Modern History in 1965 and an MA in 1984. Among his contemporaries at Oxford were the poet Craig Raine, the journalist Tariq Ali, the Marquess of Hartington and the psephologist Professor Ivor Crewe. A keen amateur actor, he also appeared on stage at the Oxford Playhouse with Monty Python actor Terry Jones.[2]

Archivist and historian

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In 1965 he was appointed assistant archivist at Surrey Record Office at Kingston upon Thames before moving to Somerset Record Office in 1967 where he spent the rest of his working life. From 1970 to 1978 Bush was assistant editor of the Somerset Victoria County History, writing much of the content of three of its volumes. Later he returned to the Record Office as Deputy County Archivist until taking early retirement in 1993.[2]

Bush wrote his first book in 1977, and produced volumes on the history of Taunton, Exmouth and Wellington, followed by a series of books on the county of Somerset. He researched emigration from the South West of England to New England between 1620 and 1645, which led to the publication of three further books in Ohio. Bush made six speaking tours to the United States, during one of which he met President George H. W. Bush at the White House. In 1987 he explained Somerset's archives to HM the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. From 1984 to 1996 he had a weekly spot on BBC Radio Bristol and then BBC Somerset, on which he told stories of local history and folklore.[2]

Television appearances

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Bush became involved with the Time Team programmes through his long friendship with Mick Aston when Aston was Somerset's first county field archaeologist. Aston had previously discussed the idea of devising an archaeological television programme with Tony Robinson, and a pilot episode was set up. Through helping to devise the programme's format with producer Tim Taylor, Bush was invited to take part in the pilot which was shot at Dorchester-on-Thames in October 1992. Although the pilot programme was never screened, the idea was good enough to persuade Channel 4 to commission a four programme series of Time Team, which was filmed in 1993 and broadcast the following year.[citation needed]

Bush also appeared in Channel 4's series Joe Public, for which he researched the loss of a hat jewel by Henry VIII. Bush appeared regularly as resident historian on Revealing Secrets (55 episodes) for Multi Media, transmitted on Channel 4 on weekdays from 26 March to 4 July 2001.[3]

As a solo presenter Bush filmed a series of six half-hour programmes entitled The West at War, broadcast in 2005, which examined the impact of war on the South West of England from Roman times to the present day for ITV Westcountry.[4]

Personal life

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Bush lived in Taunton with his wife, Hilary Margaret Marshall, whom he married in 1993. By an earlier marriage to the late Iris Maude Reed he had two children and two grandchildren. He was Chairman of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society (1983–84), then President of Taunton Amateur Operatic Society (TAOS), 1985–2009.[5] He performed regularly in amateur dramas, musicals and grand opera productions throughout West Somerset, and in 1991, 1994 and 1997 he helped to judge the grand finals of the World Public Speaking and Debating Championships.

Political life

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From May 1997 until June 2009 Bush served as a Liberal Democrat member of Somerset County Council, serving as chairman of the council from 2001 until 2005. He was also vice chairman of the county's Information and Leisure Board (1998–2000) and vice chairman of the Community, Leisure and Information Review Committee (2000–2001), chairman of the Regulation (Planning) Committee (2005–07) and chairman of both the Somerset Cultural Forum and Somerset Cultural Executive (2003–09). Bush was vice chairman of the South West Museums Council (1998–2000) and served as a board member of Culture South West, Arts Council England South West and the South West Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.[citation needed]

He was a member of the council and court of the University of Bristol and of the courts of the University of Bath and the University of Exeter. He was one of four patrons of Wessex Actors Company, with the Marquess of Bath, Lord Tom King and the late Ned Sherrin, 2002 to 2010. Bush was also patron of Apple AM – Taunton Hospital Radio, which served the patients of Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, and has now been superseded by its evolutionary descendant, Apple FM, Taunton's Community Radio Station[6][7] He was president of the Somerset Art Gallery Trust and the Somerset Youth Partnership, and vice president and trustee of the Somerset Community Foundation.

Death

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The grave of Robin Bush in the churchyard of St Nicholas's Church in Corfe in Somerset

Robin Bush died on 22 June 2010, aged 67, after a long period of illness.[8][9] He is buried in the churchyard of St Nicholas's Church, Corfe, in Somerset.

Works

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Books and monographs

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  • Victoria County History of Somerset:
    • (with R.W. Dunning) vol iii (Oxford University Press, 1974) ISBN 0-19-722739-2
    • (with R.W. Dunning) vol iv (OUP, 1976) ISBN 0-19-722747-3
    • (with R.W. Dunning and Mary Siraut) vol v (OUP, 1983) ISBN 0-19-722764-3
  • The Book of Taunton (Barracuda Books, 1977) ISBN 0-86023-034-1
  • The Book of Exmouth (Barracuda Books, 1978) ISBN 0-86023-057-0
  • The Book of Wellington (with Gillian Allen, Barracuda Books, 1983) ISBN 0-86023-099-6
  • Jeboult's Taunton (Barracuda Books, 1983) ISBN 0-86023-186-0
  • The Archaeology of Taunton ed. Peter Leach, four principal chapters by Robin Bush (Western Archaeological Trust, Excavation Monograph no.8, 1984), pp. 11–16, 59–63, 75–79, 104–106.
  • The Story of the County Hotel, Taunton (1987)
  • Shields and Wall Plate Carving in the Church of St Mary, Ashill (1987)
  • A Taunton Diary, 1787–1987 (Barracuda Books, 1988) ISBN 0-86023-422-3
  • The Story of Taunton Castle (Somerset Archaeological Society, 1988)
  • Somerset, a Portrait in Colour (Dovecote Press, 1989) ISBN 0-946159-70-X
  • Somerset Stories (Dovecote Press, 1990) ISBN 0-946159-84-X
  • Your Somerset Family (Somerset County Council. 1992)
  • Somerset, the Complete Guide (Dovecote Press, 1994) ISBN 1-874336-27-X
  • Somerset Villages (Dovecote Press, 1995) ISBN 1-874336-35-0
  • Search for the Passengers of the Mary and John, 1630, ed. Burton Spear:
  • vol 25 New Ancestral Discoveries – part 1 (Ohio, 1996)
  • vol 26 New Ancestral Discoveries – part 2 (Ohio, 1997)
  • vol 27 New Ancestral Discoveries – part 3 (Ohio, 1999)
  • Somerset Bedside Book (Dovecote Press, 1997) ISBN 1-874336-43-1
  • Chapter on 'The Age of Elegance' in Somerset: the Millennium Book, ed. Tom Mayberry and Hilary Binding (Somerset Books, 1999) ISBN 0-86183-485-2
  • Aesop's Fables, A Choral Cycle, verse libretto by Robin Bush, composer Douglas Coombes (Lindsay Music, 2001).

Papers in journals

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  • 'The Rev John Lempriere, DD, in Devon' in Transactions of the Devonshire Association, xciii (1961), pp. 228–249.
  • 'Exeter Free Grammar School, 1633–1809' in Trans. of Devonsh. Assoc. xciv (1962), pp. 363–410.
  • 'Exeter during the Civil War and Interregnum' in Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries, xxix (1962–3) pp. 80–87, 102–09, 132–39, 171–76.
  • 'George Passemer, a Devonshire Antiquary' in Devon & Cornwall N. & Q. xxix (1964), pp. 241ff.
  • 'Nettlecombe Court. 1. The Trevelyans and other residents' in Field Studies Journal, iii/2 (1970), pp. 275–87.
  • 'The Tudor Tavern, Fore Street, Taunton' in Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society, cxix (1976), pp. 15–20.
  • 'West Newton Manor Farm' [in North Petherton] in Proc. Som. Arch. Nat. Hist. Soc. cxxiii (1980), pp. 55–64.
  • 'Somerset, England, Records and American Descendants' in Connecticut Nutmegger, vol 19 (1986), pp. 386–396.
  • 'The Blake Ancestry of Elizabeth Saunders, wife of Henry Wolcott,' in Connecticut Nutmegger, vol 22 (1989), pp. 11–12.

Recordings

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  • Four audiocassettes of lectures to the 'All American Conference' of the (USA) Federation of Genealogical Societies delivered at Fort Wayne, Indiana, published in the US by audiotapes.com (1991).
  • An Archivist Abroad (FW-52).
  • An Archivist's Casebook – The Pleasures and Pitfalls of English Genealogy (FW-93).
  • Brought to Book – English Quarter Sessions and their Records (FW-232).
  • Courts and Copyhold – the English Manor and its Records (FW-34)

Double audiocassettes of Robin Bush retelling Tales of Old Somerset (1995), Halsgrove Productions, Tiverton, Devon.

Compact Disc of Aesop's Fables, a Choral Cycle, verse libretto by Robin Bush, composer Douglas Coombes' (Lindsay Music, 2001).

References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Robin Bush

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Robin Bush (12 March 1943 – 22 June 2010) was a British and best known for serving as the resident historian on the first nine series of Channel 4's archaeology programme from 1994 to 2003. Born in Hayes, , Bush graduated in modern history from , in 1965 before beginning his career as an , initially in and from 1967 at the Record Office in , where he rose to deputy county in 1978. He contributed to historical scholarship through his work as assistant editor on the Victoria County History of from 1970 to 1978 and authored numerous publications on history, including Somerset: The Complete Guide (1994), while delivering hundreds of radio broadcasts and lectures to popularize for broad audiences. Bush also presented eight episodes of the companion series Time Team Extra in 1998 and appeared in 39 episodes of , blending rigorous research with engaging showmanship, as noted by colleague : "Historians on television can be as dull as ditchwater, but not Robin." In public service, he was elected as a Liberal Democrat county councillor in 1997 and chaired from 2001 to 2005, advocating for heritage preservation and the arts.

Early life and education

Birth and upbringing

Robin James Edwin Bush was born on 12 March 1943 in , . His father worked initially as a before becoming a in mathematics at a teacher training college, providing a modestly educated environment despite Bush's later claims of ancestors who were "wall-to-wall illiterate farm labourers." Much of Bush's childhood unfolded in following a family relocation from , with significant time spent in , a coastal town whose regional heritage would later inform his historical pursuits. This setting exposed him to local stories of maritime and agrarian life, fostering an early curiosity about historical narratives tied to place and family lore. By age 13, amid his schooling, Bush displayed nascent historical inclinations through independent inquiries into institutional pasts, such as examining archival traces of educational traditions, hinting at a predisposition toward evidentiary reconstruction of the local past.

Academic formation

Bush attended in from 1950 to 1962, where he developed an early interest in historical research beginning at age 13 through school projects involving local archives. This prepared him for university-level study, culminating in his admission to on a . In 1962, Bush entered , to read history. He pursued a degree in modern history, focusing on empirical analysis of historical records and events, which laid the foundational skills in and documentary evidence essential for archival work. Bush graduated with a in modern history in 1965, later converting to a in 1984 as per Oxford conventions. His Oxford training emphasized rigorous, evidence-based historiography, equipping him to handle primary sources with the precision required for professional historical inquiry, though specific mentors or coursework details remain undocumented in available records.

Archival and historical career

Work as county archivist

In 1967, Robin Bush joined the Record Office, where he initially served as an before his promotion to deputy county archivist in 1978. He held this position until his early retirement in 1993, overseeing the custodianship of Somerset's extensive , including manorial , estate papers, and administrative archives dating back centuries. His administrative duties emphasized systematic cataloging to prevent loss and deterioration, directly supporting the causal chain of evidence retention that underpins verifiable local . Bush's tenure advanced archival accessibility by streamlining researcher access to holdings, which included thousands of pre-20th-century items vulnerable to physical decay without proper indexing. This work laid foundational for subsequent heritage initiatives, as uncataloged records risked permanent inaccessibility, thereby preserving empirical data essential for reconstructing Somerset's administrative and social past. A key aspect of his role involved collaboration with Mick Aston, appointed Somerset's first county archaeologist in 1974, to align documentary records with field archaeology, ensuring that excavated artifacts were contextualized against primary sources like maps and surveys for accurate preservation strategies. This partnership, initiated through professional overlap in county heritage management, mitigated risks of interpretive errors by cross-verifying physical findings with archival evidence, thus bolstering the reliability of local historical narratives.

Contributions to local history

Bush demonstrated his commitment to rigorous local historiography through his leadership in the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society (SANHS), where he served as Vice Chairman from 1979 and Chairman from 1983 to 1984, while remaining a Council member until 2006. In these roles, he steered the organization toward synthesizing primary documentary evidence with archaeological findings to reconstruct Somerset's regional history on empirical foundations, emphasizing verifiable causal sequences over anecdotal traditions. Central to Bush's interpretive approach was the integration of genealogical research with archaeological data, enabling precise delineations of social and economic developments in Somerset's medieval and early modern periods. He prioritized undiluted analysis of estate records, manorial rolls, and parish registers to trace inheritance patterns and settlement evolutions, countering romanticized narratives of feudal grandeur with data-driven accounts of incremental agrarian changes. This methodology fostered causal realism, attributing historical shifts—such as impacts or growth—to documented pressures like population fluctuations and trade routes rather than mythic progenitors. By debunking unsubstantiated local legends through cross-referenced primary sources, Bush advanced a truth-oriented framework for , insisting on evidentiary thresholds that dismissed unsupported by records. His efforts in SANHS promoted collaborative projects tying to site-specific , such as elucidating Taunton's medieval layout via evidence, thereby providing a model for regional scholarship grounded in falsifiable claims.

Scholarly output

Robin Bush produced a series of books and monographs on Somerset's local history, leveraging his access to primary archival materials to document social, economic, and administrative developments with a focus on verifiable records such as quarter session rolls, probate inventories, and manorial surveys. His approach prioritized empirical reconstruction over speculative interpretation, yielding outputs that catalogued tangible historical patterns—like patterns of land tenure, trade guilds, and parish governance—grounded in undoctored source material from the Somerset Record Office. This fidelity to originals distinguished his scholarship from contemporaneous trends in academia that occasionally subordinated data to broader ideological lenses. Key titles include The Book of (Barracuda Books, 1977), which traces the town's evolution from medieval market hub to administrative center using 16th-19th century charters, leets, and ledgers to illustrate economic shifts driven by and cloth industries; The Book of (1981, co-authored with Gillian Allen), detailing the parish's agricultural economy through tithe maps and awards from the 18th and 19th centuries; and Somerset Stories: Life and Laughter in Old (Dovecote Press, 1990), an assembly of sourced vignettes from diaries, oral testimonies corroborated by parish records, and archives depicting rural social customs without embellishment. Bush also contributed chapters to the Victoria County History of , including sections on ecclesiastical and economic histories of specific parishes, adhering to the series' protocol of exhaustive primary citation to map causal sequences in settlement and industry. Additionally, Your Somerset Family: A Guide to Tracing Your Family History in the Somerset Record Office (1994) provided methodological instruction for researchers, outlining protocols for navigating wills, apprenticeships, and settlement examinations to derive genealogical and socioeconomic insights directly from originals, thereby equipping users to replicate evidence-based inquiries. These publications exerted influence on regional by embedding archival rigor into accessible formats, fostering a tradition of data-driven local studies that resisted dilution through unsubstantiated narrative overlays and informed subsequent works on 's pre-industrial economy and community structures. No major critiques of factual inaccuracy appear in contemporary reviews, underscoring the outputs' alignment with source-verified realism.

Media and public engagement

Role on Time Team

Robin Bush served as the resident historian on the British television series from its inception in 1994 through to 2003, appearing in 39 episodes across the first nine series. His involvement began with the unaired pilot episode, facilitated by his longstanding friendship with , Somerset's inaugural county field archaeologist. In this capacity, Bush provided essential historical context to the program's archaeological investigations, drawing on his expertise in archival records to link excavated findings to documented events, landscapes, and socio-economic developments, thereby elucidating causal connections in historical processes. Bush's contributions were instrumental in elevating the scholarly dimension of , which aimed to excavate and interpret sites within a constrained three-day timeframe. By integrating verifiable primary sources such as medieval charters, estate maps, and ecclesiastical records, he grounded speculative interpretations in empirical historical evidence, fostering greater public comprehension of how past human activities shaped tangible outcomes like settlement patterns and . This approach mitigated some risks of the format's haste, which critics argued could prioritize dramatic reveals over methodical analysis, yet Bush's interventions were credited with upholding epistemic rigor amid production pressures. Bush departed the series after the ninth series in 2003, coinciding with evolving team dynamics and production shifts, though his historical acumen continued to be regarded as a benchmark for the program's early success in blending with authentic . While the abbreviated excavation schedule drew ongoing scrutiny for potentially curtailing comprehensive stratigraphic examination and post-dig verification, Bush's tenure exemplified how specialized knowledge could sustain factual integrity within televisual constraints.

Other broadcasts and recordings

Robin Bush presented eight episodes of the companion series Extra, which aired on in 1998, providing extended discussions and historical context supplementary to the main excavations. These half-hour programs, hosted solely by Bush, focused on deepening viewer understanding of archaeological findings through archival insights and narrative elaboration, distinct from the on-site fieldwork of the primary series. Beyond television, Bush contributed extensively to radio, delivering hundreds of broadcasts on West Country history for outlets including Bristol and other local stations. These appearances emphasized empirical details from primary records, such as parish registers and manorial documents, to elucidate local genealogies and events, often countering romanticized interpretations prevalent in popular media. Specific recordings from these sessions remain archived in BBC sound libraries, preserving his precise, source-driven expositions on topics like Somerset's medieval . Bush also participated in recorded lectures and public talks, disseminated via institutional audio archives and community history societies, where he addressed distortions in historical popularization by prioritizing verifiable causal chains from archival evidence over anecdotal traditions. These efforts reached thousands, reinforcing fidelity to original documents in an era of increasing media simplification of complex historical processes.

Political career

Entry into local politics

In 1997, Robin Bush was elected as a Liberal Democrat county councillor to , representing a division informed by his longstanding residence and professional ties in the region. His entry into electoral at age 54 followed decades of archival and historical work, including roles as deputy county from 1978 and assistant editor of the Victoria County History of Somerset from 1970 to 1978, which cultivated a commitment to preserving local records and heritage. This motivated his candidacy, as he sought to leverage empirical historical knowledge in to safeguard cultural assets amid development pressures. Bush's initial service emphasized advocacy for heritage initiatives, such as chairing early planning meetings for the , where his archival expertise directly informed discussions on record management and public access policies. While aligning with Liberal Democrat priorities on localism and , he navigated tensions between party-driven fiscal constraints and the evidence-based preservation demands of historical , occasionally prioritizing verifiable archival needs over broader ideological agendas. These efforts contributed to symbolic enhancements, like augmenting the county's with motifs such as Saxon crowns and to reflect documented regional identity.

Leadership in Somerset County Council

Robin Bush held the position of chairman of County Council from 2001 to 2005, leading the Liberal Democrat-dominated authority responsible for key services including , highways, and social care across the county. During his tenure, Bush prioritized initiatives grounded in 's distinct local character, chairing early discussions that advanced the development of the Heritage Centre and the Museum of —facilities dedicated to archiving and displaying the county's historical records and artifacts, which ultimately opened in 2010. These efforts underscored a commitment to evidence-based preservation of regional history, drawing on empirical archival needs rather than broader national cultural directives. Bush also oversaw symbolic updates to the county's , incorporating elements such as Saxon crowns, , and the Cheddar Pink to better represent Somerset's agricultural and historical heritage. This reflected a localized approach to identity, favoring tangible connections to the area's past over standardized representations, though resource allocation for such projects remained aligned with council budgets without documented overextension. His leadership emphasized practical support for and in southwest , integrating his professional expertise in history to inform decisions on heritage funding and , while navigating interactions with on devolved matters like planning and education. No major controversies or inefficiencies in council operations were attributed to his chairmanship in contemporary accounts.

Personal life and death

Family and relationships

Robin Bush was first married to Iris Maude Reed, by whom he had two children, Catherine and . Iris Reed predeceased him, leaving Bush with primary responsibility for raising their children during his early career. From this marriage, he also had two grandchildren. In 1993, Bush married Hilary Marshall, who remained his spouse until his death and offered personal stability amid his professional commitments in archiving and local politics. This second union provided a supportive domestic foundation during his tenure as deputy county and subsequent retirement activities, though no public records detail direct influences of these relationships on his historical pursuits.

Final years and passing

Bush endured a prolonged illness during his later years, which culminated in his death on 22 June 2010 in , , at the age of 67. He was interred in the churchyard of St Nicholas's Church in Corfe, .

Legacy and reception

Impact on public history

Robin Bush significantly advanced the of by bridging with , enabling non-specialists to engage directly with primary rather than secondary interpretations. As resident on Time Team from 1994 to 2003, he appeared in 39 episodes, where he routinely cross-referenced archaeological findings with historical records, such as correcting a excavation error at , , using a 19th-century map to demonstrate the primacy of textual evidence over physical remains alone. This approach fostered a public appreciation for empirical verification, emphasizing causal links grounded in verifiable sources like parish registers and estate documents from his tenure at the Somerset Record Office (1967–1990s). His efforts extended beyond television through prolific radio broadcasts— including a weekly segment on and from 1984 to 1996—and public lectures that reached thousands, often incorporating archival anecdotes to illustrate tangible historical continuities in communities. Publications like Somerset: The Complete Guide (1994), a comprehensive 250,000-word blending maps, photographs, and sourced narratives, further popularized regional history by making specialized approachable without diluting factual rigor. These initiatives countered tendencies in academic toward abstract theorizing by prioritizing accessible, evidence-based , which observers noted made local pasts "personal and grounded," thereby stimulating grassroots interest in and heritage preservation. While some archaeologists on Time Team found Bush's insistence on documentary corrections "infuriating" amid time constraints, this reflected a deliberate commitment to historical accuracy over expedited narratives, yielding verifiable educational outcomes such as heightened public scrutiny of heritage sites and increased visits to archives like the Somerset Heritage Centre, which he supported during his county council chairmanship (2001–2005). Overall, Bush's model privileged primary-source realism, influencing subsequent efforts by demonstrating that broad engagement need not compromise evidentiary standards, though it occasionally risked oversimplifying complex causal chains for televisual pacing. His work thus contributed to a more fact-driven public discourse on the past, distinct from elite institutional framings often critiqued for interpretive biases.

Assessments of contributions

Robin Bush's scholarly output, particularly his contributions to 's regional , earned praise for rendering arcane archival material engaging and usable for non-specialists. Between 1970 and 1978, as assistant editor of the Victoria County History of Somerset, he authored substantial portions of three volumes, emphasizing primary sources to reconstruct local economic and social developments. His later Somerset: The Complete Guide (1994), a 250,000-word synthesis co-authored with Julian Comrie after three years of intensive research, was described as an indispensable reference, blending meticulous detail with narrative flair to illuminate the county's parishes, buildings, and landscapes. In television, Bush's tenure as resident historian on Time Team's first nine series (1994–2003), appearing in 39 episodes plus eight from Time Team Extra (1998), was assessed as crucial for grounding excavations in documentary records, thereby elevating the series' interpretive depth and public educational value. Contemporaries noted his ability to contextualize findings—such as disproving a proposed dig site at through evidential analysis—added rigor, though his methodical approach sometimes clashed with the show's three-day format constraints. This role, combined with hundreds of radio broadcasts and lectures on history, positioned him as a pioneer in dissemination, fostering wider appreciation for archival methods over speculative narratives. Bush's local governance, including his chairmanship of County Council from 2001 to 2005, was evaluated positively for advancing heritage initiatives, such as bolstering the Somerset Heritage Centre and Museum of Somerset, which aligned his historical expertise with practical preservation efforts. Obituaries from historical societies underscored that his multifaceted career—spanning academia, media, and policy—exemplified a charismatic yet evidence-driven approach, marking the close of a distinctive phase in Somerset's scholarly landscape upon his death on 22 June 2010.
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