Keith Jeffery: Leading historian of British military past

Prof Keith Jeffery, who has died in his native Belfast after a long illness, was one of the world's leading military historians. He was professor of British history in Queen's University Belfast, and among his many other honours was being a member of the Royal Irish Academy.

His work combined rigorous accuracy and a talent for storytelling. Therefore it fulfilled the standards of academic history while being understandable and enjoyable. His particular fields were the history of intelligence services, Ireland and the first World War, and British and British imperial history. Throughout, he focused on the people involved.

Jeffery is best known as the official historian of MI6, the UK's foreign intelligence service. The commission excited him because he obtained access to files never before open to historians. He felt like a child in a sweetshop. Unfortunately, he was only able to write the history up to 1949, for security reasons.

The Rising

Additionally, he contributed significantly to Irish historical study, particularly in his books

A Military History of Ireland

,

Ireland and the Great War

, and

1916: a Global History

, which looked at the events of that year internationally, with the Rising as one event.

He questioned the accuracy of the conventional wisdom that there was no commemoration in the South of Irishmen who died in the first World War. He found reference to such commemoration. This slackened, as survivors aged and died. He pointed out that the second World War was when the real political division occurred, as independence occurred, and joining the British army had political implications.

As a professional historian, he served on professional bodies, striving to strengthen professional links between historians. Among fellow historians, he strove to strengthen the spirits of collegiality, service for the common good and striving for scholarly excellence. As co-editor of Irish Historical Studies, he was willing to court controversy by publishing material that he felt necessary for healthy debate.

Career as lecturer

Keith John Jeffery was born in Belfast in January 1952 to Fred Jeffery, a native of Sunderland in England, and his wife Gladys Elizabeth (née England), a native of Athy, Co Kildare. His father was headmaster of Downey House, the preparatory school attached to Belfast’s Methodist College, and bequeathed to his son a love of Sunderland Football Club. He received primary education in Downey House, then attended Methodist College and St John’s College, Cambridge.

Subsequently, he lectured at the University of Ulster in Belfast, then Queen’s University. He was also a visiting lecturer internationally.

Beyond history, Jeffery was a lover of music, gifted with a fine bass voice which he displayed in singing with the Belfast Philharmonic Choir. He was also a very fine cook, using his cooking as a way of bringing people together. In his younger days, he rowed competitively.

He was so inspired by history that he was lecturing and writing almost to the end.

He is survived by his wife, Sally; sons Ben and Alex; sister Elizabeth, and brother Brian.