RIP Eric Hobsbawn (1917-2012)
Eric Hobsbawn has died. He was the President of Birkbeck College and Emeritus Professor of History at Birkbeck, where he taught from 1947 until his retirement. This is the end of an era. The Guardian obituary is available here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/oct/01/eric-hobsbawm He will be sorely missed, especially by Birkbeck students at the graduation ceremonies where his speech always added gravitas, as well as a little humour, to a wonderful day.