Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford. It was founded in memory of the Anglican clergyman John Keble, who died in 1866, and was intended to cater for men whose financial resources were insufficient to enable them to study at one of the older Oxford colleges. After a public appeal for donations in John Keble's memory, the college opened in 1870. The college's buildings – which were quite unlike any previous Oxford college, with their use of coloured bricks in patterns – were designed by William Butterfield; there have been later additions as the college has grown.
The Governing Body of the college has the ability to elect "distinguished persons" to Honorary Fellowships.Statute VI "The Fellows", clause 13 Under the current statutes of the college, Honorary Fellows cannot vote at meetings of the Governing Body and do not receive financial reward, but they receive "such other privileges as the Governing Body may determine." They can be called upon to help decide whether to dismiss or discipline members of academic staff (including the Warden of the college).Statute XIV "Academic Staff", clauses 11, 16, 29 and 42
The first four Honorary Fellows were elected in 1931. Two of them (Edward Talbot and Walter Lock) were former Wardens of the college; the other two, Sir Wilmot Herringham (a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of London) and Sir Reginald Craddock (a former Lieutenant-Governor of Burma), had studied at Keble College before achieving prominence in public life. Honorary Fellows have included former students (Old Members), Fellows, and Wardens, as well as some with no previous academic connection to the college. In this latter group there are benefactors (for example Sir Anthony O'Reilly, elected 2002), and individuals of distinction such as former U.S. President Ronald Reagan (elected 1994) and the poet Sir John Betjeman (elected 1972). Betjeman, who studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, was involved in Keble's centenary appeal in 1970: The Times said in its obituary of him that the Honorary Fellowship was particularly appropriate because of the college's "architectural and Anglican connotations", Betjeman having strong interests in both areas. As of July 2011, the longest-serving Honorary Fellows are Raoul Franklin and Dennis Nineham, both of whom were elected in 1980. The three longest-serving Honorary Fellows are Sir John Forsdyke (Principal Librarian of the British Museum; appointed 1937, died 1979), Sir Thomas Armstrong (conductor; appointed 1955, died 1994) and Harry Carpenter (Warden, later Bishop of Oxford; appointed 1960, died 1993).
Honorary Fellows The abbreviations used in the "Link" column denote the person's connection with the college before election as an Honorary Fellow: C – A member of the college council: the Warden and Council governed the college between 6 June 1870 (the date of incorporation) and 9 April 1952 (the date when the college's statutes were amended to make the college self-governing with control passing to the Warden and Fellows). F – A former Fellow of the college OM – An Old Member of the college W – A former Warden of the college A dash denotes that the person had no previous academic link with the college.
Name Year LinkNotesRef(s)1960WWarden (1956–60); Dean of Westminster Abbey (1959–74)Centenary Register, p. 162008OMSecretary of State for Transport (2009–10)2021OMNews anchorZain Ejiofor Asher (2001)1955OMOrganist of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (1933–55); Principal of the Royal Academy of Music (1955–68)1989WWarden (1980–88)2021OMInvestment ManagerAndrew Thomas Balls (1992)2008OMSecretary of State for Children, Schools and Families (2007–10)1981FFellow and Tutor in Classics (1952–81)2013OMEconomist, School Professor of Economics and Political Science LSE1972–Poet Laureate (1972–84); one of the "Friends" of the college's Centenary Appeal2020FBurser of Kebleletter from the warden1982–Human geneticist; Principal of Hertford College, Oxford (1996–2005)2020OMDocumentary filmmakerletter from the warden2003OMSouth African Rhodes Scholar; Judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa (2000–08) and of the Constitutional Court of South Africa from 20091960WWarden (1939–55); Bishop of Oxford (1955–70)2021OMPhilosopherProf Quassim Cassam (1979)1952CFellow of Hertford College, Oxford (1892–1936); MP for Oxford University (1910–37); council member (1898–1952)Centenary Register, p. 41993–American businessman and philanthropist; chief executive of ARCO, a college benefactor1931OMLieutenant-Governor of Burma (1917–22); MP for Combined English Universities (1931–37)2008FProfessor of European Archaeology at Oxford, and Fellow (1972–2007)1998FFellow and Tutor in Economics (1963–1985); a former Chairman of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, among other conservation roles1968FFellow and Tutor in Jurisprudence (1933–68), also Bursar (1945–68) and Sub-Warden (1965–68)Andre de Breyne1973–College benefactor; his ashes are buried in the college quadrangle named after him.Victoria de Breyne2002–College benefactor, widow of Andre de Breyne; graduate scholarships are named after her.1944–Poet and novelist1971FFellow and Tutor in History (1933–49); Professor of History at the University of London (1967–77)2009OMJohn Humphrey Plummer Professor of Chemical and Structural Biology at the University of Cambridge (2001 onwards); Master of St John's College, Cambridge (2007 onwards)1960OMProfessor of Medieval History at the University of Leeds (1939–45); Professor of History at the University of Bristol (1945–63)2006FJunior Research Fellow in History (1983–86); former Chief Executive of the Higher Education Funding Council for England; appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham in 20091989OMHigh Court judge (1981–89); Court of Appeal judge (1989–95)1937OMDirector and Principal Librarian of the British Museum (1936–50)1980FFellow and Tutor in Engineering (1963–78); Vice-Chancellor (1978–98) and Professor of Plasma Physics and Technology (1986–98) at City University London1942OMBishop of Southwark (1919–32) and of Winchester (1932–42); Archbishop of York (1942–55)2010OMFund manager and founder of Neptune Investment Management who has donated more than £1,500,000 to Keble1935OMBishop of Bangor (1928–44); Archbishop of Wales (1934–44)1996FFellow and Tutor in Philosophy (1966–96); White's Professor of Moral Philosophy at Oxford (1996–2000)1987OMBusinessman and government advisor on the National Health Service1998FFellow and Tutor in Economics (1968–75)1972FProfessor of European Archaeology at Oxford and Fellow (1946–72)1984OMDirector of the National Portrait Gallery, London (1974–94)1973–Entrepreneur and philanthropist1959OMFirst Civil Service Commissioner (1954–59); joint Permanent Secretary to the Treasury and Head of the Home Civil Service (1963–68)1931OMVice-Chancellor of the University of London (1912–15); Consulting Physician to the Forces in France (1914–19)1934FDean of Keble (1901–09); Bishop of Gibraltar (1927–33); Bishop of Lincoln (1933–42)1981OMPoet; Professor of Literature and Religion at Boston University (1988–2006)2022OMEconomist, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studiesfellowship elections and appointments1988OMPlayed international cricket for Pakistan (1971–92); founder of the political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf1940WWarden (1920–39)1941OMOrganist and Choirmaster at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford (1909–26); a former organ scholar of the college1990OMOpera singer and broadcaster1931WWarden (1897–1920)1962OMHigh Court judge (1962–71)1994OMWriter and broadcaster; MP for Leyton (1974–83)2005OMBenefactor of the college and the university, described as Oxford's "most generous benefactor in modern times"2020OMGerman ambassador to the United Kingdomletter from the warden1999FFellow and Tutor in Chemistry (1976–92); Principal of St Edmund Hall, Oxford (1999–2009); Professor of Chemistry at Oxford (2000 onwards)1989OMMP for City of Chester (1974–92); Minister of State in the Department of Employment (1983–85), Department of Trade and Industry (1985–86) and Department of Energy (1987–90)1951OMRegius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at Oxford (1944–49); Bishop of Exeter (1949–73)2022 -Japanese ambassador to the United Kingdom and justice of the Supreme Court of Japanfellowship elections and appointments1980WRegius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge University and Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge (1964–69); Warden of Keble (1969–79); Professor of Theology at the University of Bristol (1980–86)1980OMBibliographer; Librarian of Westminster Abbey (1974–83)2006OMPianist, composer and broadcaster1984F/OMFellow and Tutor in Law (1965–76); Law Commissioner (1976–84, retaining his Fellowship); Principal of Jesus College, Oxford (1984–2005); Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University (1993–97)2002–Benefactor, after whom the O'Reilly Theatre is named1978OMSinger and partner of Benjamin Britten; studied at Keble for one year without obtaining a degreeCentenary Register, p. 2212023OMVirologistProf Malik Peiris (1977)2022WCivil servant and warden of Keblefellowship elections and appointments1994OMBotanist and ecologist; scientific director of the Eden Project1949OMBishop of St David's (1927–50) and Archbishop of Wales (1944–49)1976OMProfessor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Bristol (1944–75) 1972OMMetallurgist; Professor at the University of Birmingham (1949–69) 1994–President of the United States (1981–89); visited the college in 1992 and was principal guest at a lunch1994WEconomist; Warden (1989–94)2001OMDiplomat, serving as British ambassador to Yugoslavia, Ireland and Italy; President of Trinity College, Oxford since 20062002OMHedge fund manager and college benefactor, after whom the Sloane Robinson building is named2022OMJournalist and broadcasterfellowship elections and appointments2021OMLawyerKannon Shanmugam (1993)2020FPolitical philosopherletter from the warden2022OMStatisticianProf Sir David J Spiegelhalter OBE FRS (1971)1947OMProfessor of Modern History at Reading University (1912–46), Vice-Chancellor of Reading (1946–50)1983OMLawyer and academic; Chancellor of the University of California, Santa Cruz (1987–91) and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford (1993–2001)1986–British industrialist, who was chairman and managing director of British Leyland Motor Corporation (1968–75)2017OMBusinessman and politicianKnighthood for Honorary Fellow alumnus Andy Street1931WFirst Warden (1870–88); thereafter Bishop of Rochester (1895–1905), of Southwark (1905–11) and of Winchester (1911–23)Centenary Register, p. 11986OMMilitary historian, with a particular interest in Douglas Haig and the First World WarRichard Thornton1986OMInternational investment manager and company director; supporter of the college chapel1981OMFounder of The Samaritans2023OMTheatre directorKate Varah (1994)) Alfred von Engel1982FPhysicist and Research Fellow at the college1994OMCollege benefactor; former director of Shell Oil1939OMProfessor of Modern History at Trinity College Dublin (1911–13); editor of the Dictionary of National Biography (1928–37); President of Trinity College, Oxford (1938–54)1990OMCo-founder of The Independent; former president of the British Board of Film Classification1992OMAcademic at the University of Cambridge – President of Wolfson College, Cambridge (1980–92), Rouse Ball Professor of English Law, (1983–92) and Vice-Chancellor (1989–96)1987OMGovernor of Hong Kong (1987–92); Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge (2002–08)
See also
List of members of the Council of Keble College, Oxford List of Honorary Fellows of Jesus College, Oxford
References Notes
Bibliography