Giles Alington (academic)

Giles Alington ( 29 May 1914 – 24 February 1956) was a Fellow of University College, Oxford, from 1944 to 1956.[1]

Alington was eldest son of the Very Revd Dr Cyril Alington, Headmaster of Eton College and Dean at Durham Cathedral, and his wife, Hester Margaret, née Lyttelton (CBE; (1874–1958).[2][3] Before World War II, Alington was Assistant Secretary of the National Association of Probation Officers.[4]

Alington was unable to join up during World War II due to ill health. Instead, he helped Arthur Goodhart as coordinator of the wartime Short Leave Courses at Balliol College, Oxford.[5]

Alington was a dominant figure amongst the fellows at University College in the post-war years. He was appointed Dean of the College in 1945 and also Senior Tutor from 1948 until his death. He was not very academic (achieving a Third in his degree), but was well liked by students, and had administrative ability. While in Oxford, he was also a magistrate and a member of the Visiting Justices' Committee at Oxford Prison.[4]

John Wild was Master of University College from 1945 to 1951, during much of Alington's time as a Fellow at the College. Wild went on to succeed Giles Alington's father, Cyril Alington, as Dean of Durham Cathedral.

Giles Alington died at the early age of 41. The Alington Room at University College is named in his memory. He had three surviving sisters, Lavinia, Joan and Elizabeth. Lavinia was married to the academic Roger Mynors. Joan was married to John Vaughan Wilkes and was the mother of another academic Kathy Wilkes. Elizabeth married Alec Douglas-Home, British Prime Minister. Another Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, who had connections with University College, was also a friend and colleague. Harold and Mary Wilson named their son Giles after Alington.

References

  1. ↑ Darwall-Smith, Robin (2008). A history of University College, Oxford. Oxford University Press, USA. pp. 475–485. ISBN 978-0-19-928429-0.
  2. ↑ "Giles Alington". The Peerage. 9 April 2004.
  3. ↑ Giles Alington — Personal Sheet
  4. 1 2 Mr. Giles Alington, Probation Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, page 15 (1956). doi:10.1177/026455055600800112
  5. ↑ Jones, John (1997). Balliol College: A History, Second Edition: REISSUE, WITH REVISIONS. Oxford University Press. p. 282. ISBN 978-0-19-920181-5.


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