A FORMER history professor at the University of York has sadly passed away after a long battle with illness.

Mark Ormrod passed on Sunday August 2, aged 62.

He started a lectureship at the University of York in 1990, before becoming a professor in 1995.

Mark then became director of the centre for Medieval studies from 1998-2001 and 2002-3, and head of the department of history in 2001 and from 2003-7.

He also struck up a very close working relationship with the Borthwick Institute for Archives.

He was a “natural,” choice as the first Dean of the newly created faculty of arts and humanities at York in 2009, a position that he held until his retirement in 2017.

Students and colleagues remember him above all as a “kind and generous,” man, someone who was “always in your corner and wanted you to achieve your best.”

Underpinning all of his achievements was Mark’s very happy home life with his partner, Richard, who joined Mark in supporting his extended academic family.

In addition to his own writing, Mark supervised twenty-eight PhD theses, and he was the Principal Investigator on nineteen major research projects that were worth over £4 million and provided career positions to many former students.

Scholars have endowed the ‘Mark Ormrod Prize’ in his honour. It is awarded annually to the best PHD on a medieval topic completed at the university.

Mark’s professionalism at work was always combined with modesty, good humour, a ready smile, and a generous understanding. He laughed a lot and enjoyed life to the full.

Mark is survived by his much-loved family, including Richard, two brothers and two nieces, and his loving parents.