LIPMAN, VIVIAN DAVID

LIPMAN, VIVIAN DAVID (1921–1990), British administrator and historian. Born in London, Lipman served in the British army during World War ii before obtaining his doctorate at Oxford University. He entered the British Civil Service in 1947 and worked as an administrator on housing, local government, and urban planning. From 1972 to 1978, he served as director of ancient monuments and historic buildings, which included responsibility for archaeology and the royal palaces and parks. In addition to publications on administrative history, notably Local Government Areas (1949), and the British architectural heritage, he wrote extensively on Anglo-Jewish history, such as Social History of the Jews in England (1954), A Century of Social Service (1959), The Jews of Medieval Norwich (1965), and his edited collection, Three Centuries of Anglo-Jewish History (1961). Lipman's survey of modern Anglo-Jewry, History of the Jews in Britain Since 1858 (1990), appeared post-humously. In his evolution as a historian, Lipman was influenced to a certain extent by the trend to see more antisemitism in British society than had been noted by previous historians, while providing a generally optimistic view. He served as president of the Jewish Historical Society of England and was an honorary research fellow of University College London and a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. In collaboration with his wife, Sonia, he also wrote on contemporary social trends in Anglo-Jewry.

add. bibliography:

I. Finestein, "Vivian David Lipman (1921–1990)," in: jhset, 31 (1989–90), xv–xix; A. Rapoport-Albert, "Vivian Lipman: A Personal Tribute," in: ibid., xx–xxii.