Balliol College, Oxford, one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford, is governed by the Master and Fellows of the college. The Master, when elected, must be "the person who is, in their [the Fellows'] judgement, most fit for the government of the College as a place of religion, learning, and education".Statute II "The Master", clause 1 Although the rules in no way suggest a preference for an alumnus/alumna or Fellow of the college to be chosen, there have been few who were not: only one Master in the 20th century had no previous connection with the college (David Lindsay Keir 1946-1964) and the previous non-member to hold the post before that was Theophilus Leigh, elected in 1726. However, the current Master of Balliol, Helen Ghosh, studied at St Hugh's and Hertford colleges.
+ List of masters of BalliolNameDateDetailsWalter de Fodringeye1282Hugh de Warkenby1296Stephen de Cornubia1303Richard de Chickwell 1309Thomas de Waldeby 1321Henry de Seton1323Nicholas de Luceby 1327John Poclynton 1332Hugh Corbrygge 1340Robert de Derby 1356John Wycliffe 1360John Hugate 1366Thomas Tyrwhit 1371Hamond Haskman 1397William Lambert1406Thomas Chase 1412Robert Burley1428Richard Stapilton 1429William Brandon1429Robert Twaytes1450William Lambton1461John Segden 1472Robert Abdy 1477William Bell 1496Richard Barningham 1504Thomas Cisson 1511Richard Stubbys 1518William White 1525George Coote 1539William Wright 1545James Brooks 1547Bishop of Gloucester (1554–1558)William Wright 1555Francis Babington 1559Antony Garnet 1560Robert Hooper 1563John Piers 1570Adam Squier 1571Edmund Lilly 1580Robert Abbots 1609Later Bishop of SalisburyJohn Parkhurst 1616Thomas Laurence 1637George Bradshaw 1646Henry Savage 1650Thomas Good 1672John Venn 1678Roger Mander 1687John Baron 1704Joseph Hunt 1721Theophilus Leigh 1726Longest incumbent in officeJohn Davey 1785John Parsons 1798 Bishop of Peterborough from 1813Richard Jenkyns 1819Robert Scott 1854 Dean Ireland's Professor of the Exegesis of Holy Scripture at Oxford (1861 to 1870) Dean of Rochester (1870 to 1887)Benjamin Jowett 1870Edward Caird 1893–1907 Snell Exhibitioner 1860Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Glasgow 1866First lay Master.S. M. den Otter, ‘Caird, Edward (1835–1908)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2012 accessed 16 July 2013James Leigh Strachan Davidson 1907–16 H. W. C. Davis, ‘Davidson, James Leigh Strachan- (1843–1916)’, rev. Richard Smail, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 16 July 2013Arthur Lionel Smith 1916–24R. L. Patterson, ‘Smith, Arthur Lionel (1850–1924)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 accessed 16 July 2013Alexander Dunlop Lindsay 1924–49Vice-Chancellor in 1935. Founder of the University of KeeleGary McCulloch, ‘Lindsay, Alexander Dunlop, first Baron Lindsay of Birker (1879–1952)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 16 July 2013David Lindsay Keir 1949–65Fellow of University Coll. 1921Vice-Chancellor, Queen's University Belfast 1939.M. H. Keen, ‘Keir, Sir David Lindsay (1895–1973)’, rev. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2009 accessed 16 July 2013Christopher Hill 1965–78Sir Anthony Kenny 1978–89Baruch Blumberg 1989–94George Eastman Visiting Professor 1983Co-recipient of Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.Colin Lucas 1994–2001Vice-Chancellor (1997–2004)Andrew Graham 1997–2001 (acting)2001–2011The Master of Balliol, Andrew Graham, announces that he will stand down on 30 September 2011, Balliol.ox.ac.ukFinal broadcast by the outgoing Master, Andrew GrahamDrummond Bone 2011–18 Byron Scholar, Snell Exhibitioner 1968Principal of Royal Holloway, University of London (2000 to 2002)Vice-Chancellor of the University of Liverpool (2002 to 2008)Helen Ghosh April 2018 - July 2026Seamus PerryFrom July 2026
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