William Walsh (academic)

William Walsh, MA, LLD (23 February 1916 – 23 June 1996) was Emeritus Professor on his retirement in 1983 from the University of Leeds Pro-Vice-Chancellor from 1965 to 1967. He graduated in English from Downing College, Cambridge in 1943 and worked as a schoolmaster before becoming, in 1951, a lecturer in Education at Keele University ( at the time the University College of North Staffordshire). After a similar post at Edinburgh University, he became in 1957 the University of Leeds Professor and Head of the Department of Education.
In 1972 he was appointed Professor of Commonwealth Literature in the School of English at Leeds. Following the death in September 1981 of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Lord Boyle of Handsworth, Professor of Education and subsequently Professor of Commonwealth Literature at the University of Leeds and the Acting Vice-Chancellor from 1981 to 1983.
He was succeeded in 1983 by Edward Parkes. Walsh was awarded in 1984 the University's honoris causa degree of Doctor of Laws (LLD). He gave the 1983 John Keats Memorial Lecture. He married May Watson in 1945 and they had a son and daughter. He died in 1996 in Leeds.