Merton Professors

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There are two Merton Professorships of English in the University of Oxford: the Merton Professor of English Language and Literature, and the Merton Professor of English Literature. The second was created in 1914 when Sir Walter Raleigh's chair was renamed. At the present day both Professorships are associated with Merton College, but Dame Helen Gardner held her post in association with Lady Margaret Hall. The occupants of the chairs have been:

Merton Professor of English Language and Literature

1885 – 1916: Arthur S. Napier (1853-1916)

1916- 1920: vacant

1920 – 1945: H. C. K. Wyld (1870-1945)

1945 – 1959: J. R. R. Tolkien

1959 –1980: Norman Davis

1980 – 1984: vacant

1984 – present: Suzanne Romaine


Merton Professor of English Literature

1914 – 1922: Walter A. Raleigh (1861-1922)

1922 - 1928: George Stuart Gordon (1881-1942)

1929 – 1946: David Nichol Smith (1875-1962)

1947 – 1957: F. P. (Frank Percy) Wilson (1889-1963)

1957 – 1966: Nevill Coghill (1899-1980)

1966 – 1975: Helen Gardner (1908-1986)

1975 – 2002: John Carey

2002 - present David Norbrook


[edit] Sources

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

The Times.