HODGKIN

hodgkin, thomas (1831- ), british historian, son of john hodgkin (1800-1875), barrister, was born in london on the 29th of july 1831. having been educated as a member of the society of friends and taken the degree of b.a. at london university, he became a partner in the banking house of hodgkin, barnett & co., newcastle-on-tyne, a firm afterwards amalgamated with lloyds' bank. while continuing in business as a banker, hodgkin devoted a good deal of time to historical study, and soon became a leading authority on the history of the early middle ages, his books being indispensable to all students of this period. his chief works are, _italy and her invaders_ (8 vols., oxford, 1880-1899); _the dynasty of theodosius_ (oxford, 1889); _theodoric the goth_ (london, 1891); and an introduction to the _letters_ of cassiodorus (london, 1886). he also wrote a _life of charles the great_ (london, 1897); _life of george fox_ (boston, 1896); and the opening volume of longman's _political history of england_ (london, 1906).