Eric Halladay
Principal of St Chad's College, Durham
In office
1991–1994
Preceded byDavid Jasper
Succeeded byDuane Arnold
Master of Grey College, Durham
In office
1980–1989
Preceded bySidney Holgate
Succeeded byVictor Watts
Personal details
Born(1930-07-09)9 July 1930
Died19 July 1997(1997-07-19) (aged 67)
EducationDurham School
St John's College, Cambridge
Ripon Hall, Oxford

Eric Halladay (9 July 1930 – 19 July 1997) was a British historian, academic, and rowing coach. He was Master of Grey College, Durham from 1980 to 1989, Rector of St Aidan's College, Durham from 1990 to 1991, and Principal of St Chad's College, Durham from 1991 to 1994. He was a rowing coach at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, before becoming coach of the Durham University Boat Club when he was an academic at the university.

Early life and education

Halladay was born on 9 July 1930 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England.[1] He father, A. R. Halladay, was later an Anglican vicar.[2] He was educated at Durham School, where he learnt to row on the River Wear.[3] He studied history at St John's College, Cambridge and was a member of the Lady Margaret Boat Club.[3] Following his graduation from the University of Cambridge, he studied theology at Ripon Hall, Oxford, for one year.[1]

Career

Military service

On 14 February 1949, as part of National Service, he was granted an emergency commission in the Royal Regiment of Artillery with the rank of second lieutenant.[4] He served with the 5th Royal Horse Artillery.[3] On 21 December 1951, he was transferred to the Supplementary Reserve officers and granted seniority in the rank of second lieutenant from 4 August 1950.[5] On 7 June 1952, he was promoted to acting lieutenant.[6] He was promoted to lieutenant on 9 July 1953 with seniority from 7 July 1952.[7] On 22 July 1958, he was transferred to the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers.[8]

In later life, he was active in ex-servicemen organisations. He served secretary of Durham City Division of SSAFA from 1977 to 1989. He was also a member of the North of England's Territorial Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Association from 1980 to 1996.[9]

Academic career

Halladay began his academic career not as a lecturer but a teacher. He taught history at Exeter School, a private school in Exeter, Devon,[1] from 1954 to 1960.[9] In 1960, he was appointed a senior lecturer at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[3] While his main duties at the academy were to teach the officer cadets military history, he also coached the Boat Club.[1]

He joined Durham University in 1964 as a lecturer in history.[1] He specialised in military and African history.[10] The same year, he was appointed senior tutor of Grey College, Durham.[3] He co-wrote The Building of Modern Africa with D. D. Rooney which was published in 1966.[1] He was appointed Vice-Master of Grey in 1967, therefore deputising to the then Master Sidney Holgate.[3] In 1972, his book The Emergent Continent: Africa in the Nineteenth Century was published.[1] In 1980, he became the second Master of Grey College.[3] As the head of college, he became a part-time lecturer.[1] He then moved colleges, and served as Principal of St Chad's College, Durham from 1991 to 1994.[3]

Rowing coach

In 1963, Halladay coached a team from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to win the Ladies' Challenge Plate. This was the first Henley Royal Regatta he would win.[1]

Halladay coached the Durham University Boat Club (DUBC) from 1964.[11] DUBC won the Ortner Shield at the Head of the River Race 18 times in 1966 to 1976 and 1978 to 1984.[12]

He was chair of the Durham Regatta between 1982 and 1988.[1] In 1993, he was elected a steward of the Henley Royal Regatta.[1]

Personal life

In 1956, Halladay married Margaret (née Baister). Together they had three children; two daughters and a son.[9]

He died on 19 July 1997, aged 67.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Matheson, Hugh (27 August 1997). "Obituary: Eric Halladay". The Independent. p. 11. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  2. ^ Crockford's Clerical Directory (71 ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1947. p. 550.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Eric Halladay; Obituary". The Times. 20 August 1997. p. 17.
  4. ^ "No. 38571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 March 1949. pp. 1533–1534.
  5. ^ "No. 39490". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 March 1952. pp. 1458–1459.
  6. ^ "No. 39593". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 July 1952. p. 3742.
  7. ^ "No. 39907". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 July 1953. p. 3789.
  8. ^ "No. 41491". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 September 1958. p. 5522.
  9. ^ a b c "Article Halladay, Eric, (9 July 1930–19 July 1997), Principal, St Chad's College, University of Durham, 1991–94". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  10. ^ Dodd, Christopher (11 August 1997). "Obituary: Rivers' slow presence: Eric Halladay". The Guardian. p. 13.
  11. ^ "Eric Halladay remembered". Durham Regatta. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2026.
  12. ^ "Results Archive". Head of the River Race. Retrieved 8 May 2026.