He attended Hanley High School and won a scholarship to Jesus College, Cambridge, from 1945, gaining a starred First Class degree in 1948.
After National Service in the RAF, he was rejected by his Cambridge college to study for a PhD.
In addition, he held a visiting professorship at Rice University and founded the Social History Society.
Perkin was Chairman (1976–1991), and served as chief salary negotiator for the Association of University Teachers, of which he was later President.
He was a distinguished, pioneering social historian, whose interests included transport.