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History
Reginald Robert Betts (1903-1961) was born in Norwich. After completing his studies at Oxford University he took up a post there as a temporary lecturer. This was followed by positions as lecturer at Liverpool and Belfast Universities. In 1934 he became a professor at Southampton University. As a medieval historian, Betts specialised in the history of Bohemia but later developed a great interest in the modern Czechoslovak state, becoming an expert in Czech affairs. This knowledge led to his appointment at the BBC, during the later years of the Second World War as editor of the broadcasting service for Czechoslovakia and later of the whole European service. After the war Betts was briefly, 1945-1946 a professor at Birmingham University before becoming Masaryk Professor of Central European history at SSEES in 1946, a position he held until his death. He was also head of the History Department at SSEES until 1957.