Building Bridges
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ChCh Matters a/w 7 24/5/04 12:55 PM Page 1 Chri Church Matters TRINITY TERM 2004 ISSUE 13 Editorial This issue of Christ Church Matters is full of history and anecdote, some undergraduates. The aspirant actors of a previous period, more subservient of it no doubt ben trovato. It shows amongst many other things a certain to the control of OUDS and the ETC, will be able to compare their English (and more correctly but more anxiously perhaps, a British, fortunes in the period of the ritual OUDS Summer Majors in College European and Rhodes Scholarish) affection for eccentricity, particularly gardens with the free market described by Harry Lloyd. The success of when it is manifested within Oxford by dons in the period when they often Christ Church graduates in a rather different market can also be tracked in seemed to be a rather harmless protected species; though the war time the articles on the automotive industry. All very various; all at least in experiences of some of them, particularly Robert Blake, and the Cherwell- memory deriving from a single community, and it is in the attempt to Einstein connection noted below, rather belie that. Our articles will also extend that memory and to sustain a highly individual sense of community convey I hope a strong sense, not just of nostalgia, but of the interestingly that Christ Church Matters can derive a great deal of pleasure. changing assumptions of the many different generations of House CHRISTOPHER BUTLER, Tutor in English & Co-Editor Building Bridges HE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED the (subsequently Archdeacon of Oxford and Canon of Second World War were challenging to the Christ Church) devoted notable time and effort. Tutmost for the UK in many respects. Apart S. Wood (father of Oscar Wood, another from restoring the physical devastation, throughout Philosophy Tutor at Christ Church) made an Europe countless displaced people sought outstanding contribution in providing support for resettlement, seeking to build a new life, demobilised German schools. service personnel urgently needed to return to civilian ways and overall there was the reordering of Michael Foster was so concerned that he resigned the political and cultural structures. Britain was his Studentship in 1946 to become Professor of almost bankrupt: it reached exhaustion as its Political Science at Cologne University to assist in resources were stretched to their the reconstruction of its academic limits especially in fulfilling a Britain was almost life. Having graduated at St Johns, peacetime presence in war torn bankrupt: it Oxford, Foster studied at Güttingen Germany. and Dresden, finally being awarded reached exhaustion his PhD at Kiel. He had many Early in the long adjustment to as its resources were friends in Germany and despite all, peace, minds began to turn to re- retained a high respect for the establishing links between academic stretched to their underlying culture of that country. institutions severed by the War and limits especially in to engage once again in free cultural Foster was a very retiring individual exchange. In Germany, it was fulfilling a even though he served in the war realised that the whole educational peacetime presence having enlisted as a Private and system had a vital role in the in war torn ending it as a Colonel (in military reconstruction following the Nazi intelligence). His strongly Christian era. In the British zone in 1945, the Germany. moral sense would arouse him as an Military Commander was fortunate outspoken advocate in a cause In 1959, Foster died in tragic circumstances and it in having Robert Birley as the ‘educational advisor’ which he felt to be just. He retained his position at was members of the JCR, many of whom had (remembered as Head Master of Eton and as Cologne for two years but was dismayed that in received much kindness from him, who approached Professor of Philosophy at the City University) who that then ravaged city he was provided with a the Dean (C A Simpson) to create some lasting played a crucial part in the renewal of schools and comfortable house in the suburbs (it is reputed that memorial. What they had in mind was a possible universities. Hugh Carlton-Greene (Director of the he let out the rooms to students and other homeless bursary to bring a German student (or two) to BBC) played a correspondingly important part in people retaining only the bathroom for himself). Oxford for the long vacation. A much more recreating an independent media policy for the ambitious scheme emerged to found and endow a press and radio. In the educational sphere, Foster returned to Christ Church in 1948 and was scholarship (The Michael Foster Scholarship) to bring spontaneous help also came from individuals and reinstated in his Studentship and was able to resume young German male scholars at roughly the BA level institutions willing to give a lead in such ways as publication of his philosophical book, the to Oxford for two years, then the minimal time in organising Youth Camps and providing new texts importance of which is even now being recognised. which an Oxford degree could be obtained. A group for schools. In the former, Michael Foster At the time it was considered by many to be outside of Oxford colleges agreed to accept Foster scholars in (Philosophy Tutor at the House) and Revd K Riches the mainstream of philosophical thought. turn. The House led a public appeal in the USA and page 1 ChCh Matters a/w 7 24/5/04 12:55 PM Page 2 UK which produced just sufficient endowment to scheme to allow two scholars to be elected each The Foster-Wills-Heuss awards were recognised as allow the scheme to proceed. The first scholar was year. The awards now known as the Foster-Wills amongst the first instituted post-war from sources Thomas Geer who came to the House in 1961. Scholarships were again matched on the German outside Germany. With the growth of the EC and side. A committee was set up in Oxford and Bonn then the EU, more opportunities such as the The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to oversee the making of awards and still continues Erasmus scheme came into being. In Cambridge, which had re-established itself in London (1952) to do so. It was able to encompass also the making the Kurt-Hahn Scholarships (in memory of the responded warmly and created a complementary of post doctoral awards for Oxford graduates made Duke of Edinburgh’s old Headmaster and a former award to take Oxford BAs to (West) German possible by the generosity of President Heuss. member of the House) were founded to enable Universities. In 1962 R Hollinrake (Merton) was German scholars to study at that University. elected to go to Heidelberg to further his For some time these Scholarships took on the role postgraduate work in Music. of the Rhodes Scholarships which the Trustees In the array of bridges which now have been built discontinued for German candidates in 1914 and in one can reflect on their small beginnings at Christ A generous benefaction from the Dulverton Trust in 1939. These were restored however in 1970 and all Church. memory of Michael Wills ( a member of the W. D. eventually thrown open to women candidates as and H. O. Wills tobacco family) enlarged the well as those who were married. PAUL KENT, Emeritus Student Early 17th-century plan of the Oxford castle site, probably drawn as evidence Cardinal Sins in the law suite between Christ Church NOTES FROM THE ARCHIVES and the City of Oxford. N THE COVER of the Michaelmas Chapter relied on the evidence 2003 edition of Oxford Today was the of two venerable Oxford Ostriking image, from the Christ Church residents: John Woodson, 82 archive, of the early 17th century map of the years old, recalled the tenancies Oxford castle site and the houses surrounding it. of the various properties on The map is not only visually appealing, but it was Warham Bank; all, he said, drawn in great detail and at some expense to serve belonged to the Dean and as evidence in a legal dispute between Christ Chapter but he recounted, Church and the City of Oxford which, in January probably not very helpfully to 1617, was submitted to arbitration by an order of Christ Church, that it was a Chancery. Contemporary records of the case, and a mayor and an alderman who later summary survive in the archive. had rebuilt and repaired the properties when they had fallen Warham Bank, or Fisher’s Row, on the west side of down. Margaret Moore, who the castle mound, was granted by Henry VIII to was allegedly 109, said that she Christ Church as part of its endowment. Sometime thought the properties once in the late sixteenth century the City council built belonged to Oseney Abbey houses on part of the land, created gardens, erected (and thus to Christ Church) a new mill, and diverted the mill stream. The Dean but she again told of the and Chapter, concerned at the loss of revenue, Mayor’s rebuilding. Although appealed to the Lord Chancellor but the City the Dean and Chapter argued that Warham Bank was not as long as Christ produced younger and more Church claimed, and that the new houses were on active witnesses, much of Christ Church’s case settlement was finally reached. The Chapter Clerk, City land. depended on the words of two soldiers from out of John Willis, who wrote a most impartial summary town, and two very elderly tenants who were trying account of the proceedings in 1667, allowed his The enquiry began on 8 April 1617 at the Star Inn to remember events from decades before.