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Rowan Roenisch, art and architectural historian

Although I held a degree in fine art, the Elizabeth Nuffield Educational Fund agreed to contribute to the financing of a second degree in European art history at the Courtauld Institute. To cover the rest of my living expenses I taught, part-time, in a girls’ high school.

Within five months of graduating in art history in January 1973, I commenced as a Senior Lecturer at Leicester Polytechnic, now De Montfort University. I remained there until my retirement last year. Although at the outset I taught design history, I very soon specialised in architectural history. After taking another qualification, a postgraduate diploma in building conservation, I also taught modules in architectural conservation. In my final years as a Principal Lecturer, I taught large groups of architectural students within the school of architecture and also a wide range of art, design and architectural historians.

Married to another university teacher, I continued working whilst bringing up two children. I have written on Zimbabwean vernacular architecture and co-authored with Hazel Conway a popular introductory text called Understanding Architecture: An Introduction to Architecture and Architectural History, 1996, revised in 2005. In my spare time, my expertise has enabled me to save many Victorian and Edwardian buildings as Leicester caseworker for the Victorian Society.

The greatest delights of my life have been my children, the opportunity to study buildings all over the world, to share my enthusiasms with so many others and to ensure a rich heritage of buildings survives into the future.

Last Updated Thu, 6 July 2006