Talk:List of chancellors of the University of Oxford

Sources

The list as it currently stands was collated from various webpages across the internet, each with a specific claim for a named individual to have held the post of Chancellor. I was unable to locate a full list of Chancellors, as there is for, say, the Vice-Chancellors. There is some overlap between this list and the List of Vice-Chancellors - this may be explained by natural promotion or there may be some confusion between full Chancellors and Vice Chancellors in the records. Ian Cairns 08:19, 30 April 2007 (UTC)

1852-1933

I've had a look through and as the list itself isn't the best place for all the sources, here is what I've found to tidy this bit up.

I've had a look through the Oxford DNB to see what it says. The following are mentioned as having been elected, and assuming the convention of holding the post until death applied in this period (as it did both immediately before and afterwards):

1852 Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby

1869 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury (died 1903)

Gap 1903-1907

1907 George Curzon, 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston (Earl Curzon of Kedleston from 1911; Marquess Curzon of Kedleston from 1921) (died 1925)

Gap 1925-1928

1928 Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon (-1933)

Sir Archibald Alison, 1st Baronet is not recorded as having held the Chancellorship. The 1st Baronet predeceased Derby, who definitely succeeded Wellington. However Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet did die in 1907 which would be consistent with the gap above, although the DNB doesn't mention this. So I'm going to put him in and modify his father's page. This generates:

1852 Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby

1869 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

1903 Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet

1907 George Curzon, 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston (Earl Curzon of Kedleston from 1911; Marquess Curzon of Kedleston from 1921)

1925 ???

1928 Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon (-1933)

After a Google search for chancellor oxford 1925 I found this article from Time magazine detailing the 1925 election which saw George Cave, 1st Viscount Cave beat H. H. Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith. This is confirmed in Cave's articles both here and in the DNB. Cave died in 1928

So this completes it as:

1852 Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby

1869 Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury

1903 Sir Archibald Alison, 2nd Baronet

1907 George Curzon, 1st Baron Curzon of Kedleston (Earl Curzon of Kedleston from 1911; Marquess Curzon of Kedleston from 1921)

1925 George Cave, 1st Viscount Cave

1928 Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon

Timrollpickering 11:46, 28 July 2007 (UTC)

Milner

Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner has been added but according to this article he died before he could be installed.

His entry in the Oxford DNB says:

On his return [from a final visit to South Africa] he agreed to stand for the chancellorship of Oxford University; he was nominated and elected, as from 25 May, during a final illness (encephalitis lethargica), which brought about his death on 13 May 1925 at Sturry Court.

It seems he was elected but did not take up the post.

I've checked Roy Jenkins's The Chancellors and he confirms Goschen was indeed Chancellor. Given that Goschen is most famous for being forgotten it's easy to see why he was overlooked! Timrollpickering 14:22, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Indeed! The list in the VCH has this footnote (I'll leave out the bit about the sources for now):

"The month following the first date up to the 14th century is that of election or admission. In the later period it is that of election".

So this source is looking at election to the office, whereas TRP's source seems to be looking at admission to the office, hence the difference. No real preference for which definition is used. I'll add a note to Milner's entry. There are some other differences of dates / different names in the VCH list, and at some point I'll try and work them into the existing list. Bencherlite^Talk 14:34, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

Oh, you removed it whilst I was writing this note. I think it's worth mentioning in the list, as (a) he was actually elected, not just under consideration (b) his death between election and admission to office is an interesting point, as an uncommon situation in the history of this distinguished post and (c) it's not as though the list is overlong already - but I won't edit war with you if you disagree. Bencherlite^Talk 14:38, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

University of Oxford Chancellor election, 1925 currently has a note on this and that may be the better place for it. Also articles on other elections would be useful - the 2003 one generated media attention, 1907 saw Curzon beat Rosebery and several others no doubt proved notable. Timrollpickering 14:58, 13 August 2007 (UTC)