William Henry Page[1] (4 September 1861 – 3 February 1934) was a prolific and pioneering British historian and editor.
[1] Page developed an interest in historical records, was elected to the Society of Antiquaries in 1887 and published his first article the next year.
[1] Page remained a member of the St Albans Architectural and Archaeological Society after he later moved away from Hertfordshire.
[1] Page helped Doubleday to set the VCH's founding principles: a co-operative project in which nationally reputable historians would contribute according to their various specialisms, using the new disciplines of archaeology and economic history as well as palaeography and the systematic study of surviving ancient buildings, and covering all counties of England in a systematic and uniform style.
[1] The VCH published a number of volumes in its early years but progress with documenting the topography of parishes was slow.
[1] In 1907 the VCH's main financial supporter withdrew[1] in dissatisfaction and Page was obliged to lay off staff.
[1] Page expanded the VCH staff so that by 1915 it included four sub-editors, four architectural historians and more than 40 research and clerical workers.
[1] Most of the latter were young women who had recently completed degree courses at Oxford, Cambridge, London or the Scottish universities.
[1] Post-war economic conditions did not support resumption of the VCH project on its pre-war scale so The County History Syndicate was dissolved in 1920 and Page continued work unsalaried.
[1] Page bought the rights to the name early in 1932 and transferred both ownership and management of the project to the IHR in 1933.
[1] The IHR created a VCH Committee, which elected Page as its first chairman and appointed him to continue as editor.
[1] The VCH's A History of the County of Berkshire, Volume 2, published in 1935, included an obituary and portrait photograph of Page.
[1] A number of further volumes were in preparation at the time of his death, and under Page the VCH was further advanced at completing general articles on topography.