Creating a Great Future... for History

You might think investment gurus would be more concerned with gazing into the future than exploring the past. But Peter Cundill, BCom'60, is a money manager who knows the value of history. "I'm an investment researcher of finance, and I think there's an analogy between the two disciplines," says Cundill. "Both study the past to understand the present and the future."

Now he is investing big in history and making a bit of it himself. The Cundill foundation has donated $1.25-million, which will fund the Peter Cundill Fellowships in History - and establish the Cundill International Prize and Lecture in History, awarded to the author of a book with a "profound literary, social and academic impact in the area of history." Mainstream and academic books from around the world, in English and French, will be eligible for the new US$75,000 prize. It is by far the richest book award in the discipline, and even overshadows major literary awards like the $40,000 Giller Prize. Two US$10,000 runner-up prizes will also be awarded.

Christopher Manfredi, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, says “the prize stands to have a profound impact on historical scholarship and writing. We are honoured the Faculty of Arts will play the leading role in promoting this prestigious award.”The jury will consist of five internationally distinguished individuals selected by an advisory committee based in the Faculty of Arts. The winning author will deliver a public lecture at McGill. Both the book prize and the fellowships will be awarded for the first time this fall.

Cundill is a renowned investment professional based in London, England. In 2001, he received a Career Achievement Award from the Canadian Investment Awards, for his outstanding lifetime achievement in the financial industry. Born and raised in Montreal, he chose McGill when it came time for university. “McGill had a wonderful reputation and my father, who was a stock trader, counselled me: ‘If you become a gambler like me, you will need to go into finance!’”

Catherine LeGrand, Chair of the Department of History, is delighted with the Cundill Foundation's generosity. "Beyond the book prize, the gift establishes a large amount for recruitment fellowships for PhD students. It will help us attract excellent graduate students and promise them adequate funding."

"Who knows?" says LeGrand. "The new fellowships could even end up supporting a fledgling historian who might one day write the book that wins the prize."

Sounds like an investment with a great future.