Mark Roodhouse
Reader

Profile

Biography

BA (Cantab), MSc (Oxon), PhD (Cantab), FRHistS, SFHEA 

Dr Mark Roodhouse is a Reader in Modern History at the University of York, specialising in the social and economic history of 20th-century Britain. His research focuses on organised crime, black markets, and informal economies, examining how state regulation, civic compliance, and underground syndicates shaped modern British society. His monograph, Black Market Britain: 1939–1955 (Oxford University Press), was awarded Proxime Accessit for the Royal Historical Society Whitfield Book Prize.

Mark’s current book project investigates the mid-century London underworld (1920–1970). Building on initial research into high-profile heists—most notably uncovering new evidence surrounding the 1952 Eastcastle Street mail van robbery—the project uses recently declassified and newly discovered sources to challenge established narratives about the structure, scale, and reach of British organised crime.

Beyond academic research, Mark actively translates historical scholarship for wider public and policy audiences. He serves as a historical consultant for major film and television productions—including Channel 5’s All Creatures Great and Small—and is a core contributor to the History & Policy network.

University roles

Faculty Director of Postgraduate Research (Arts & Humanities)

Research

Overview

Mid-Century British Organised Crime (1920–1970)

Supported by a Leverhulme Research Fellowship, Dr Roodhouse is completing a major project charting the history of organised crime, illegal markets, and the underground economy in mid-20th-century Britain. Addressing a significant historiographical gap, this project focuses on the London underworld to examine how criminal syndicates developed, operated, and intersected with the broader economy. Building on initial research into high-profile post-war heists—notably uncovering new archival evidence on the 1952 Eastcastle Street mail van robbery—the project offers the first detailed historical assessment of British criminal networks during this era.

Black Market Britain: 1939–1955

This project resulted in his acclaimed monograph, Black Market Britain: 1939–1955 (Oxford University Press; RHS Whitfield Book Prize Proxime Accessit). The book re- evaluates civilian compliance under World War II rationing and price controls, demonstrating that self-restraint was driven by popular moral notions of 'fairness'—a fair price, profit, and share—rather than patriotism or state enforcement alone.

Policy Impact & Media Translation

• Climate & Carbon Rationing Policy: Translates historical resource-rationing models to contemporary environmental policy, authoring History & Policy papers, a Financial Times op-ed, and written evidence for parliamentary enquiries evaluating modern carbon-rationing proposals.
• Public Broadcasting: Regularly shares research on civilian compliance, black markets, and historical crime on national broadcast media, including BBC’s Wartime Farm, The One Show, and BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House.

Supervision

Dr Roodhouse actively welcomes PhD proposals from high-calibre applicants and has a strong record of securing major doctoral funding awards—including UKRI (AHRC and ESRC) studentships and Overseas Research Scholarships (ORS). He provides dedicated support for prospective candidates preparing competitive applications for AHRC Northern Hub Doctoral Landscape Awards and ESRC White Rose PhD studentships.

Prospective Supervision Topics

• Crime, illicit trade and criminal-justice history (1750-present)
• Modern British social and economic history (1914-present)

Current Research Student

• Oliver Winder: Man or Machine: British Servicemen and the Technology of World War Two

Funded Doctoral Alumni

• Dr Roger Baxter (2023): The Victorians and Railway Crime, 1820–1900 (ESRC-funded; co-supervised with Prof. Robert Shoemaker)
• Dr Tali Kot-Ofek (2015): Appearance, Citizenship and Clothing Controls in Britain, 1939–1951 (ORS-funded)
• Dr David Ellis (2015): Pavement Politics: Community Action in Urban Britain, 1965–1990 (AHRC-funded)

Teaching

Undergraduate

An example of modules taught:

• HIS00130I Public History Project
• HIS00168I Crime and Society in Britain and Ireland since 1750
• HIS00177H Bad Business: Organising British Crime since 1918

Postgraduate

An example of modules taught:

• HIS00165M The Organisation of Crime since 1600 - A Global History

External activities

Overview

Media & Screen Consultancy

• Television Drama Historical Consultant: Script advisor and historical consultant for major drama series, including Channel 5’s All Creatures Great and Small and The Hardacres.
• Broadcasting & Documentaries: Expert contributor to television documentaries and national radio, including Sky’s Britain’s Murder Map and the BBC’s A House Through Time.

Policy Advice & Public Engagement

• Government & Parliamentary Advice: Contributor to the History & Policy network, submitting expert evidence to Parliamentary inquiries and advising government departments on environmental, food, and criminal justice policy.

Academic Leadership & Scholarly Governance

• Learned Societies: Economic History Society Council member and Social History Society Committee member (2019–2025).
• Peer Review & External Examination: Experienced external examiner and peer reviewer for UK/international research funding bodies, academic journals, and leading university and trade publishers.