Professor Kinsley came to the Department from the University College of Wales, Swansea, and became Head of Department in 1961. He continued the curriculum as broadly delivered from 1948-61 but with some modification. He established a chair of English language and, in his history of the School written in 1980, outlined that his intention was to "assert the unity of the linguistic-literary English discipline, medieval and modern, in a single school".
Professor Kinsley was passionate about extending library provision, particularly in the Arts, and was instrumental in the plans for the University's Hallward Library opened in 1973. Student admissions rose to approximately 50 per year and approximately 3-4 first-class honours degrees were awarded each year. Joint Honours courses were introduced with American Studies (resulting in the formation of a new department), History, Theology, Art History, Linguistics and Archaeology.
The Department showed evidence of developing an early international strategy with overseas lecture tours and exchanges of staff across Europe and North America. In 1968 the Department developed its first year-abroad scheme with the State University of New York and brought annual groups of American undergraduates to Nottingham.
The teaching of drama was developed during this period and the Department established links with the Nottingham Playhouse in the late 1960s. By the 1970s the performing arts theatre was being established and drama developed as a subject and eventual section in the School.
Professor Kinsley died suddenly in 1984 and his work and contribution to not only the Department but also the University was recorded by the British Academy in 1988.