Saffin, Norman W.

Description

Agent TypePersonHistoryNorman William Saffin was a veteran Melbourne Labour historian and teacher. Born in 1916, the son of a pastoral worker, her grew up in the Western District of Victoria. The Depression of the 1930s forced him to leave school after forth form to become a rabbiter. Until the age of 20 her worked as a mail contrator before becoming a student teacher. He taught generations of students at Croydon High School.

He matriculated and joined the University of Melbourne as a student in 1939-1940. On 24 April 1951, he was conferred with a Batchelor of Arts, a Diploma of Commerce, and a Diploma of Public Administration. On 6 September 1954 he was conferred with a Master of Arts in the School of History with a thesis titled French Positivism, its Antecedents and its Effects on the Practice of French Historiography. He completed a further MA and a doctorate at the University of London before commencing teaching at Croydon.

Saffin published early articles in the journal Labour History, and two books: Science and Religion in Britain 1804-1904 (1973); and Left and Right in Bendigo and Shepparton 1949-51 (1974). The journal Thesis Eleven #1 contained an article Politics in History - An Interview with N.W. Saffin.

Saffin's planned five volume work, A History of the Victorian Working Man 1855-1955 was unable to find a publisher after twelve years work. It is deposited in the University of Melbourne Archives and represents Saffin's love of labour as well as his labour of love.

Accession

Dates

Date9 July 1916-

Names

Given NameNormanMiddle NameWilliamFamily NameSaffin

University of Melbourne Archives

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Saffin, Norman W.