E P Thompson’s research assistant
There has been a focus on research assistants since Rachel Reeves noted that she had assistance with her recent book on women economists (an important subject btw). They were unnamed and the inference seemed to be that they might be to blame for some of the plagiarism in the book.
Research assistants are a well known and invaluable feature of historical investigation, particularly those that are detailed and wide ranging.
E P Thompson’s Making of the English Working Class was all his own work. He gathered material during the day across the West Riding in particular while working as a Leeds University extra-mural lecturer teaching evening classes across Yorkshire.
Later he did use a research assistant for some projects particularly Whigs and Hunters and his essay Threatening Letters. Thompson had met EE Dodds in one of his night classes in the 1950s. Dodds was a head teacher and an historian of the West Riding.
He became reacquainted with him in 1964. It appears that the two briefly met while researching in the Public Office Record (now the National Archives). Dodd had his own research projects but also did some paid research for other historians.
Thompson employed him to search out particular documents and references. Dodd by then was in his 70s. He was particularly keen not only to pay him for his various research requests but also for his travelling time.
During this period Thompson had a full time role running the new Social History Centre at Warwick, so no doubt E E Dodds assistance was invaluable. It was of course both declared and paid as would be expected.
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