Tributes following death of extraordinary historian

06:05PM, Thursday 19 January 2023

Tributes have been paid to a ‘legendary’ historian who dedicated his life to uncovering the wonders of the past.

Elias Kupfermann’s love for historical research started as a child when he would visit Maidenhead Library to look at Victorian editions of the Maidenhead Advertiser.

His family described him as having a ‘sixth sense’ which led him to some extraordinary finds, including a Roman villa in Castle Hill, where he grew up.

He went on to become a key contributor to historical societies across the borough and penned two books including Maidenhead Through Time, which charted the town’s history.

Elias’ sister, Mina, said: “In his beloved home area of Windsor and Maidenhead, Elias was legendary – he was simply known as the ‘local historian’.

“Blessed with a kind of supernatural energy, Elias never rested in his quest to uncover the past and bring his offering to the world,” she added.

Elias served as a trustee of Slough Museum and also helped oversee the spectacular restoration of the Grade-II-listed Victorian Herschel Park.

The 57-year-old gained three University degrees and had been preparing to embark on a PhD at the University of Reading.

The son of a Holocaust refugee, Elias stood strongly against antisemitism and conducted a vast amount of research into his family’s history which otherwise might have vanished.

His family said nothing made him happier than when his wife Ewa gave birth to his daughter Amber in 2016.

Elias played a key role supervising the ongoing excavation of an eighth century monastery in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church in Cookham.

He also joined Windsor’s Cumberland Lodge in 2020 as a senior archivist and played an important part reorganising the charity’s archive and curating its exhibition on Queen Victoria’s daughter Princess Helena, a former resident of the Lodge.

Dr Ed Newell, chief executive at Cumberland Lodge, said: “We are immensely grateful for the hours Elias dedicated to helping us preserve our history for future generations.

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”

Elias passed away on December 12 at the age of 57 after facing serious health issues.

Most read

Top Articles