The Governing Body of Jesus College, Oxford, (one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England) has the ability to elect "distinguished persons" to Honorary Fellowships.Statute IV "The Fellows", clause 23 "Honorary Fellowships" Under the statutes of the college, Honorary Fellows cannot vote at meetings of the Governing Body and do not receive financial reward. They can be called upon to help decide whether to dismiss or discipline members of academic staff (including the Principal).Statute V "The Academic Staff", clauses 11, 16, 29 and 42

The first three Honorary Fellows, all former students of the college, were elected in October 1877: John Rhys, the first Jesus Professor of Celtic who was later an Official Fellow (1881–95) and Principal (1895–1915); the historian John Richard Green; and the poet Lewis Morris.Baker, VCH Three other former Principals (John Christie, Sir John Habakkuk and Sir Peter North) have been elected Honorary Fellows on retirement. Many Honorary Fellows had previous academic connections with the college, either as Fellows or Old Members (former students), but others did not. Some of those without previous connections were distinguished Welshmen – Jesus College has had strong links with Wales since its establishment in 1571. For example, the Welsh businessman Sir Alfred Jones was elected in 1902, the Welsh judge Sir Samuel Evans was elected in 1918, and the Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel was elected in 2008. The Welsh politician David Lloyd George was elected to an Honorary Fellowship in 1910 when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer. He wrote to John Rhys, the Principal at the time, to thank the college for the honour, saying:

The college noted in 1998 that the number of Honorary Fellows was markedly below the average of other Oxford colleges and it adopted a more methodical approach to increase numbers. Seven Honorary Fellows were elected that year, followed by another five in 1999. The first woman to be elected as an Honorary Fellow was the journalist and broadcaster Francine Stock, an Old Member of the college, in 2007. The Honorary Fellows have included two Old Members who later became Prime Minister of their respective countries: Norman Manley, who studied at Jesus College as a Rhodes Scholar and who was Chief Minister of Jamaica from 1955 to 1962, and Harold Wilson, who was twice British Prime Minister (1964–70 and 1974–76). As of 2015, the longest-serving Honorary Fellow is Frederick Atkinson, elected in 1979.

Honorary Fellows The abbreviations used in the "Link" column denote the person's connection with the college before election as an Honorary Fellow: CL – A college lecturer: Joliffe taught students at Jesus College, but he was not one of the Fellows F – A former Fellow of the college, included on the list of Principals and Fellows OM – Old Member of the college, included on the list of alumni P – Principal, also included on the list of Principals and Fellows A dash denotes that the person had no previous academic link with the college.

+ A list of the college's Honorary Fellows Name Year elected LinkNotesRef1976OMFrench physicist, who was also an Honorary Fellow of Merton College, Oxford2002OMMaster of St Catherine's College, Oxford (2002 onwards) and professor of sngineering science at Oxford University (1998 onwards)2001–Opera singer1979OMCivil servant, who served as Chief Economic Adviser to HM Treasury (1977–79)Who's Who1971OMAmerican Rhodes Scholar, who became Huntington Professor of History at Boston University2011–Molecular biologist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009; awarded an honorary doctorate by the university in 20111960OMJudge in Egyptian courts1998OMMember of the Australian House of Representatives (1977–94) and Minister in various Government departments (1983–94); High Commissioner to the UK (1994–98)2007OMNovelist and screen1995FEngineer and founding director of the Said Business School2007OMPhysicist, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield (2007 onwards)1947OMProfessor of Education (1924–31) then Professor of Psychology (1931–50), both at the University of LondonBaker, Jesus College, p. 1041998OMChief Executive of Commercial Union (1994–98)1998OMChairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company (1985–2000)1944FFellow in Chemistry (1907–44) and Vice-Principal (1926–44), responsible for the college laboratories (which were the last college labs in Oxford)1967PPrincipal from 1949 to 19671999OMFormer Assistant Bishop of Jerusalem, and writer on relations between Islam and Christianity1979OMThe first Permanent Under-Secretary at the Welsh Office (1964–69), then Principal of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (1969–79)1882OMProfessor of Geology and Paleontology at the Victoria University of Manchester (1873–1908)1935OMBritish judge, who was appointed a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 19461920OMBishop of St Asaph (1889–1934) and the first Archbishop of Wales (1920–34)1949F / OMProfessor of History at the University of London and Director of the Institute of Historical Research (1948–60)Baker, Jesus College, p. 1411997F / OMJesus Professor of Celtic (1978–96)1979–Welsh opera singer, given an Honorary Fellowship as a tribute to his services to Welsh music and culture1998OMHistorian, specialising in 20th-century German history1918–President of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division of the High Court (1910–18)1992FProfessor of Urban Studies and Economics at the London School of Economics (1976–78), Chairman of the Better Government Initiative (2006 onwards)1978FJesus Professor of Celtic (1947–78)1956OMArcheologistBaker, Jesus College, p. 961877OMHistorian, author of A History of the English PeopleBaker, Jesus College, p. 561992OMProfessor of Welsh at University of Wales, Aberystwyth (1970–79), Director of the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies (1985–93)1984PPrincipal from 1967 to 1984, and also served as Vice Chancellor of Oxford University (1973–77)1986F / OMHistorian of the Renaissance1997FSenior Research Fellow (1983–96); geophysicist, working in meteorology, oceanography and geomagnetism1998OMSavilian Professor of Geometry (1997 onwards)1964OMBiblical scholar who was Professor of Old Testament Studies at the University of London1983F / OMProfessor of Atmospheric Physics (1976–83)1972OMBarrister (who prosecuted the Great Train Robbers) then judge of the High Court (1965–73) and Court of Appeal (1973–76)1934CLAssistant tutor in mathematics at Jesus College (1903–20), then Professor of Mathematics at the University of London (1920–36)1902–Welsh businessman who helped to found the School of Tropical Medicine at the University of Liverpool1953F / OMPrincipal of St David's College, Lampeter (1923–38)1990OMCivil servant, who was later chairman of Total Oil Marine (1990–98) and chairman of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales 1996–20001998OMFormer Senior Partner of Norton Rose, who served as Lord Mayor of London (2007–2008)1986OMProfessor of History and Philosophy of Religion, University of London (1955–77)1927FClassicist who became Professor of Humanity at St Andrews University in 18991910–Welsh politician who was Chancellor of the Exchequer (1908–15) and Prime Minister (1916–22)1960OMHigh Court judge (1960–72)1990OMTelevision presenter (including Mastermind), journalist, translator and writer1958OMChief Minister of Jamaica (1955–62)1968OMChairman of the John Lewis Partnership (1955–72)Who Was Who1999OMChairman and chief executive of Gateway (1981–89), chairman of Charles Wells (1998–2003)1999OMProfessor of Welsh (1989–95), then Vice-Chancellor and Principal (1995–2004), at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth 1877OMAnglo-Welsh poet, who was elected to an Honorary Fellowship rather than a full Fellowship because he owned too much property to qualify for a Fellowship under the terms of the college statutes then in forceHardy, p. 2011999OMMP for Edinburgh Leith (1970–79), Lord Advocate (1974–79), Senator of the College of Justice (1979–95)2005PPrincipal from 1984 to 2005, and also Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University (1993–97)1968OMProfessor of Welsh at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (1920–52)1948OMCivil servant, who was Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour (1935–44) and Chairman of the War Damage Commission (1949–59)Baker, Jesus College, p. 1071930OMHistorian, particularly of Henry VIII, and Assistant Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography1997OMHigh Court judge1877OMFirst Jesus Professor of Celtic (1877–1915), who was an Honorary Fellow (1877–81) before being appointed to a full Fellowship, serving as Bursar (1881–95) and as Principal (1895–1915)1917OMLord Chancellor (1929–35), who was also High Steward of Oxford University1966OMMP for Preston (1945–50), Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords (1973–82)1918OMPhysician at St Thomas's Hospital, London1966OMBishop of Llandaff (1957–71) and Archbishop of Wales (1968–71)1997OMEconomist and biographer of John Maynard Keynes1990–Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1969–91) and the London Philharmonic Orchestra (1979–83); his association with Jesus College began in 1988 when his daughter, Gabrielle, became a student2011OMChief Executive of the Heritage Lottery Fund since 20031982F / OMGeographer, who was a Fellow from 1954 to 1957 before becoming Professor of Geography at Liverpool University (1957–74) and Principal of the University College of Swansea (1974–82)1973OMInventor of the world's first wearable hearing aid and a major benefactor to the college; the college flats in North Oxford were named "Stevens Close" to mark his donations2007OMJournalist and broadcaster; the college's first female Honorary Fellow1976OMAmerican Rhodes Scholar; chemist and pioneer of polymer science1882–Lawyer and Celtic scholar1958OMDirector-General of the Meteorological Office (1953–65)2008–Welsh opera singer1963OMPermanent Secretary to the Welsh Department of the Department of Education (1945–63), President of University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (1964–75)2001OMMP for Conwy (1951–66) and Hendon South (1970–87), Secretary of State for Wales (1970–74)1908FNaval historian and journalist, who became the first editor of the Times Literary Supplement in 19021983FFirst Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Oxford (1972–83)1966OMBritish Ambassador to Colombia (1964–66)1935OMBishop of Durham (1939–52) then Bishop of Winchester (1952–61)Baker, Jesus College, p. 1082008OMProbability theorist who has been professor of mathematics at Cambridge, Bath and Swansea Universities1971OMBishop of Bangor (1957–82) and Archbishop of Wales (1971–82)1963OMPrime Minister (October 1964 – June 1970 and March 1974 – April 1976)1935OMBishop of Bristol (1933–46) and Bishop of Gloucester (1946–53)1999OMProfessor of Theoretical Physics at the University of York (1965–94)1963OMProfessor of Mathematics at Aberdeen University (1936–62), then Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Aberdeen University (1962–76)1998OMAmerican journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner (1979)

See also List of Honorary Fellows of Keble College, Oxford

References Notes

Bibliography

The Jesus College Record – published annually by Jesus College, Oxford. Cited in references as: JCR

Cited in references as: Baker, VCH Cited in references as: Baker, Jesus College Cited in references as: Hardy Cited in references as: ODNB Cited in references as: Honours Cited in references as: DWB Cited in references as: Who's Who Cited in references as: Who Was Who