Cyril Fox was born in Chippenham, Wiltshire, on 16 December 1882, the first son of Charles Frederick Fox, a bank official, and his wife, Henrietta Maria Paul. His family moved to the Isle of Wight when he was a boy and he was educated at Christ's Hospital and then in London (1895–8). Illness led to him leaving school at sixteen to take up market gardening in Worthing, Sussex. In Sussex he met a Cambridge bacteriologist, Louis Cobbett, who obtained for him a position as a clerk at the bovine tuberculosis research station in Stansted, Essex. This institution moved to Cambridge in 1912. After the war he returned to the research station as superintendent of its field laboratories, but post-war reorganisation made his future there uncertain, and at thirty-six he changed to archaeology as a career.
Fox gained entry to Magdalene College, Cambridge, in 1919, as a part-time student of archaeology, at first reading for the English tripos, and was much encouraged by Professor H. M. Chadwick, who had him transferred to work for a PhD. In 1923 his thesis was published as The Archaeology of the Cambridge Region. This was a landmark in archaeological thinking, and gave Fox an immediate standing among scholars. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in the same year, and was appointed to an assistantship in the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology in Cambridge. He was elected to the Kingsley Bye Fellowship at Magdalene in 1924.
In 1924 he was nominated keeper of the National Museum of Ireland, but the electors' choice was not confirmed at a higher level and instead a German archaeologist, Walter Bremer, was appointed. Fox then applied for the keepership of archaeology at the National Museum of Wales. In 1926, he became director, and guided the affairs of the National Museum of Wales until his retirement in 1948. Fox's time as director saw great developments and he succeeded in unifying the regional and local museums of the principality by affiliation to the National Museum.
Fox served with distinction on public bodies such as the royal commissions on ancient and historical monuments in Wales and in England, and on the Ancient Monuments Board of the Ministry of Works. He also continued his field studies and publishing works.
1934 - president of the Museums Association.
1935 - knighted for his services to museums.
1940 - elected fellow of the British Academy.
1944-1949 - served as president of the Society of Antiquaries of London was awarded the society's gold medal in 1952.
1947 - an honorary DLitt of Wales.
1952 - an honorary fellow of Magdalene.
On 6 May 1916 Fox married Olive, daughter of Arthur Congreve-Pridgeon, vicar of Steyning in Sussex. She was drowned off the Gower peninsula in 1932. They had two daughters, Helen Felicity, an art critic, and Penelope Eames, the author of a work on medieval furniture (1977).
On 6 July 1933 he married his second wife, Aileen Mary Henderson, an active archaeologist, daughter of Walter Scott Henderson, solicitor, of Surrey. They worked together in the field. He retired to Exeter, where she held a position of university lecturer in archaeology. They had three sons.
Fox died at the Cranford Nursing Home, Cranford Avenue, Exmouth, Devon, on 15 January 1967.
Derek Pepys Whiteley was born in 1906, the son of Gerard Tarver Whiteley and the Hon. Amy Theresa Pepys. He was educated at Sherborne and King's College, and was called to the Bar from the Middle Temple in 1931. He became senior legal assistant in the Treasury Solicitor's Department, retiring in 1957; and from 1959 to 1970 was Assistant Pepys Librarian. An expert on Victorian art history, he wrote a life of George du Maurier, and articles for DNB.
Sidgwick was a founding partner of Sidgwick and Jackson, the well-known publishers of the Edwardian era. He was also a prolific writer in his own right.
Robert Cripps is a passionate art collector and generous benefactor and supporter of Magdalene College. He was made an Honorary Fellow in 2005 and the art gallery in the new student library was named in his honour.
Helga Michie was born in Linz, the twin sister of the writer Ilse Aichinger, and spent most of her school years in Vienna. When the Nazi persecutions began, the family tried to leave Austria, but only Helga’s aunt Klara Kremer, and Helga, were able to escape to England. Helga’s twin sister Ilse was left behind with their mother Berta, but managed to survive the Nazi occupation. The other close family members were deported to Minsk and murdered. The twins’ separation in 1939 was a thread which ran though their adult lives and work. It was ten years after this separation that the twins were reunited first in England and then in Austria. Ilse and Berta continued to live in Austria and Germany, while Helga returned to England, living and working mainly in London from then on near aunt Klara.
Helga began to draw using ball-point pen in the late 1960s, and then studied printing at The City Lit. Her work mainly spans the two decades 1968 to 1988.
Educated at Westminster School, De Havilland Technical College, and Christ Church, Oxford.
Senior Research Officer, 1964; Assistant Director, Department of Applied Economics, University of Cambridge, 1975 - 1989; Official Fellow, Magdalene College, Director of Studies in Economics, 1967 - 1989 (Emeritus Fellow, 1989 - 2010); Tutor, 1974 - 1984; Senior Tutor, 1984 - 1989; Senior Proctor, 1974 - 1974.
Ferrar maintained a diary for most of his lifetime, recording his day-to-day activities in Ireland in the 19th century.
Hugh Thackery Turner (Ruth Mallory's father) worked with Gertrude Jekyll to design the Philips Memorial Cloister on the riverside in Godalming, commemorating the bravery of Jack Philips, a hero on board the Titanic in 1912.
French painter and portrait artist. As "T", he was one of the artists responsible for occasional caricatures of Vanity Fair magazine, specialising in French and Italian subjects.
Studied at the Royal College of Art, where he won a Travelling Scholarship. Married to the sculptor Mary Gillick. Exhibited RA, RSA and Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
Gillick was awarded the RBS medal in 1935, three years later becoming a fellow. Was master of the Art Workers’ Guild in 1935, served on the faculty of sculpture of the British School in Rome and on the Imperial Arts League’s council. Gillick completed a large volume of public sculpture, including the Frampton memorial in St Paul’s Cathedral, London; medals for the Royal Mint, RA and Inner Temple; London’s Lord Mayor’s seal; plus a variety of work for Commonwealth countries. Lived in London. The Henry Moore Institute archive, Leeds, holds a huge postcard collection documenting sculpture, monuments and paintings by Gillick from around the world.
An archaeologist, geologist and Royal Air Force (RAF) veteran who pioneered the use of aerial photography as a method of archaeological research in Britain and Ireland. He was Professor of Aerial Photographic Studies at the University of Cambridge from 1973 to 1980.
1926 she went to St Hilda's College, Oxford, and in 1929 obtained First Class Honours in English language and literature.
1929 -1931 accepted a temporary post at the University of Birmingham.
1931-1934 worked as an assistant lecturer at the Royal Holloway College, London before returning to Birmingham where she joined the English department (1934–41).
In 1941 she returned to Oxford to become a tutor (1941–54), and later Fellow (1942–66), at her old college.
In 1954 she was made reader in Renaissance studies and after one set-back was elected in 1966 Merton professor of English language and literature, with a fellowship at Lady Margaret Hall. The distinction of being the first woman to hold this chair gave her special satisfaction. She exerted herself as a supervisor and was as successful as she was strict.
To her Oxford DLitt (1963) and Cambridge honorary LittD (1981) she added honorary degrees from eight other universities.
She was appointed CBE in 1962 and a DBE in 1967.
She was made a Fellow of the British Academy in 1958, twice won the Crawshay prize (1952 and 1980), and was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1962.
In person Helen Gardner was small and sturdy. Vivacious, temperamental, and occasionally overbearing, she appreciated good food and drink, liked to dress well, and revelled in parties where she talked well but, as she herself knew, too much. She was kinder in her actions than in her wit.
She retired in 1975 and died, unmarried, on 4 June 1986 in a nursing home at Bicester, Oxfordshire.
Arthur Guy Lee known informally as Guy Lee, was a British Classical scholar and poet. He was particularly notable as a Latinist for his work on the Roman poets Ovid, Propertius, and Catullus; he also translated Virgil's Eclogues, Tibullus, and Persius.
He was an undergraduate at St John's College, Cambridge. He taught at the University of Cambridge for most of his career, where he was admitted as a Fellow of St John's in 1946.
In the Second World War, he joined the British military, and was posted in Iceland, where he learned Icelandic and earned a military award for his work on ciphers. He was later posted to French North Africa, Belgium, Italy, Norway, and Germany.
He returned to Cambridge after the war and served as a librarian, tutor, praelector, and lecturer of classics at various times.
He died in Cambridge in 2005, and is buried at Ascension Parish Burial Ground.
The Ferrar family involved in the creation of the Ferrar Papers at Magdalene College Cambridge span from Nicholas Ferrar (1544-1620) to Martha Peckard, née Ferrar (1729-1805).
Born in Helston, Cornwall in 1778, son of Edward
Schools - Helston and Shacklewell
Admitted sizar at Jesus College on 10 July 1794
Matriculated Michaelmas 1795; Scholar, 1796; B.A. 1799; M.A. 1802
Fellow of Magdalene, 1803; Tutor
Vicar of Bishopstone, Wilts., 1816
Vicar of Constantine, Cornwall, 1817-56
Prebendary of Salisbury
He married:
(1) Sophia
(2) 22 Nov, 1821, Catherine Groube, daughter of John Boulderson, of St Mawnan, and had issue
Died at Constantine on 25 Aug 1856
His name is written in the front of the Buttery Books [MCAD/14/2]. The first time it is written on the inside page is in MCAD/1/4/2/3 which covers 1672-76.
Born in 1837 the second son of Thomas Matthew, of Wisbech, Cambs
Admitted pensioner at Magdalene on 28 June 1856
Matriculated Michaelmas 1856
B.A. (8th Wrangler) 1861; M.A. 1864
Fellow, 1861
Sometime a private tutor in Westmorland.
Assistant Master at Queen Elizabeth's School, Ipswich, 1861-3
Librarian of Magdalene, 1863
Tutor, 1865-96
President, 1876-96
Junior Proctor, 1873
Admitted at Lincoln's Inn, 15 November 1867
Called to the Bar, 17 November 1870, but never practised.
'The tenure of his College tutorship extending over 31 years was marked by a combination of exceptional qualifications, an intuitive aptitude for discernment of character, sound judgment, and a courtesy which invited confidence and rendered difficulties more easy of adjustment. No man ever came to him for guidance without receiving sympathy and help, and his many pupils remember with gratitude the infinite pains he took to adapt his lectures to their needs.'
Married in 1894.
Died 6 October 1896: 'He was taken ill while dining with the Master of Trinity Hall, and expired in a few minutes.'
Arms in Hall glass, W2.
Born in 1856 the second son of Jeremiah Creswell (Magdalen Hall, Oxford), of 5, Lansdowne Villas, East Down Park, Lee.
School - Blackheath
Admitted pensioner at Magdalene 1 October 1874
Matriculated Easter 1875; Scholar
B.A. (Class. Trip., 1st Class) 1879; M.A. 1882
Fellow and tutor
Steward
Esquire Bedell, 1893-9
Fellow of King's College, London, 1885-99.
Author of Life and Poems of Lefroy
Died on 7 December 1899, aged 43, at Lugano, Switzerland
Thomas Riddel was the cook of Magdalene College, 1799-1826.
On his appointment in 1799 (succeeding William Winder) he secured a substantial rise in the cook's wages from £7 to £12 10s 0d along with £5 for coals.
In 1826 he left the College and set up as a beer retailer in Magdalene Street.
Born in Histon, near Cambridge, in 1855, son of William, an agricultural labourer, and Louisa.
In 1877 he was appointed under-porter [MCGB/4/2/1] and rose to Head Porter serving the College for 43 years before his retirement in 1918.
1881 census – he was living at 30 Albert Street. He was married, to Elizabeth Foreman who was five years older. Their first child, four-month old Sydney James, had been born around the turn of the year.
1891 census - they had moved to number 1 Albert Street. A second son, Ernest had been born in 1883, followed by two daughters, Louisa in 1886 and Laura in 1889.
1911 census - three children were alive and two had died, suggesting there had been a fifth baby that did not survive infancy. Ernest, their second son, was eighteen in 1901, and working as a kitchen porter, although the college that employed him is not known. We might expect him to disappear from the family home as he made his life of his own, but the fact that Sydney's death notice in 1917 describes him as "only son" of James and Elizabeth suggests that Ernest had died before 1911. Louisa and Laura both trained as dressmakers.
Sydney Stearn served in the Royal Navy during the First World War and was killed in 1917.
James Stearn found it hard to cope after the death of his son. He retired, early in 1918, at the age of 63. The Fellows presented their outgoing Head Porter with a clock.
He died on 10 July 1918.
For more information see Ged Martin's article James Stearn: The Head Porter who Died of Grief
https://gedmartin.net/martinalia-mainmenu-3/344-magdalene-college-cambridge-notes-james-stearn