James Wycliffe Headlam

Born in 1863, Sir James Wycliffe Headlam-Morley was a British historian and classicist who was known earlier in life as James Wycliffe Headlam. He later became a civil servant and government adviser, bringing historical knowledge into practical politics at a moment when Europe was being reshaped by war and peace settlements.

He is especially remembered for his role in British foreign-policy work during and after the First World War, including service connected with wartime information efforts and the Paris Peace Conference. In 1918 he changed his surname to Headlam-Morley, and in 1929 he was knighted for public service.

For listeners coming to his books today, what stands out is the mix of careful scholarship and direct engagement with public affairs. His writing reflects the mind of a historian who was not only interpreting events from a distance, but also participating in the political world that produced them.