Martin Durham obituary

My friend Martin Durham, who has died aged 70, was a kind, generous and committed academic with a lifetime interest and expertise in the British far right.

Born in Plymouth, to Phyllis (nee Ransome), a librarian, and Russell Durham, a motor mechanic, Martin grew up to be a voracious reader. After leaving Devonport high school for boys, he became the first person in his family to go on to higher education, studying politics at Birmingham Polytechnic (now Birmingham City University). His fantastic sense of humour, hippy hair and ability to entertain won him many friends. Martin always had a stock of hilarious stories, often told at his own expense.

His interest in both leftwing and rightwing groups grew, and also in feminist history and abortion rights. Unfortunately, his research solicited an early Sunday morning visit from the security services who searched his room. They concluded that he presented no threat, merely that he was “an irrelevant bookworm”.

He went on to study for a PhD at Birmingham University, with a thesis titled Sylvia Pankhurst and Women in the Early Communist Movement. He was a supportive friend and colleague, and would share his sources and research. He was deeply committed to supporting and promoting feminist history and politics at a time when this was often not considered a priority by academic institutions.

While meeting a friend for a drink one evening in November 1974 Martin was one of those badly injured in the IRA pub bombings in Birmingham. Martin and his friend were both hurt and traumatised by the event.

Martin gained a lecturing post in 1981 at the University of Coventry and in 1984 moved to be lecturer, later senior lecturer, in American studies and politics at Wolverhampton University, where he remained until his retirement in 2014. Full of enthusiasm, he continued to research far right-wing groups, and also communicated with campaigners such as Victoria Gillick, who argued for parental rights, and Mary Whitehouse, determined opponent of the “permissive society”.

He published four monographs and numerous articles. Interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour when his book Women and Fascism (1998) was published, he maintained a calm and considered approach. Despite not sharing the politics of those whose causes he was researching, Martin never condemned anyone, insisting that they were entitled to a point of view.

A creative, inspirational and highly regarded lecturer, Martin instantly engaged with everyone he met. In later years, he studied rightwing and militia groups in the US and developed an encyclopedic knowledge of Donald Trump.

Martin met Stephanie West in the 1980s when he was lecturing at Wolverhampton. They met again in the early 90s and were married in 1995. Martin is survived by Steph and their two children, Nick and Laura.