Cyril Alington
Encyclopedia
Cyril Argentine Alington (22 October 1872 – 16 May 1955) was an English
educationalist, scholar, cleric, and prolific author. He was the headmaster of both Shrewsbury School
and Eton College
. He also served as chaplain to King George V
and as Dean of Durham.
, an ancient Cambridgeshire
family. He was educated at Marlborough College
and Trinity College, Oxford
, and was elected a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
in 1896. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1901.
in 1899, leaving to became headmaster of Shrewsbury School in 1908. In 1917 he returned to Eton to succeed his brother-in-law, Edward Lyttelton
, as headmaster and he remained there until his retirement from teaching in 1933. He served as chairman of the Headmasters' Conference, 1924-25. At Eton, a building which houses much of the English department is now named after him, as is Shrewsbury's school hall.
From 1933 to 1951 Alington served as Dean of Durham. He had become a Doctor of Divinity
at Oxford in 1917 and received other honours: he was chaplain to the King from 1921 until 1933; he was made an honorary fellow of Trinity College, Oxford in 1926, and an honorary DCL
at Durham University
in 1937. He received the freedom of the City of Durham
in 1949.
He was endowed with almost every gift to ensure a successful career. Extraordinarily handsome, especially in later years when robed and in the pulpit, he impressed the great majority of boys at Shrewsbury and Eton. As a young man he was a very successful cricketer and for years afterwards he maintained a high standard as a player of fives and rackets. He possessed a wide and extraordinarily retentive memory which enabled him to produce the apt quotation for any occasion. He was a most facile and brilliant versifier and he composed some admirable hymns. He appeared on the cover of Time
magazine on June 29, 1931. "An accomplished classicist, a witty writer especially of light verse, and a priest of orthodox convictions" ..." (R.W. Pfaff, Montague Rhodes James, Scolar Press 1980, p. 260)
. The couple had four daughters and two sons. Their eldest daughter, Kathleen, died at the age of thirty and their youngest son Patrick Alington, was killed during World War II
at Salerno
in 1943. Their eldest son, Giles Alington
, became Dean and Senior Tutor of University College, Oxford
. The three surviving daughters all married Etonians. Lavinia married Sir Roger Mynors
academic and classical scholar, Elizabeth
married Sir Alec Douglas-Home British prime minister, and Joan married Rev. John Wilkes
, Master in House at Eton, Warden of Radley College
and later vicar of Marlow. Alington died at the age of 82 and was buried at Durham Cathedral
where there is a memorial in the north transept.
His works of fiction include:
His non-fiction works include:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
educationalist, scholar, cleric, and prolific author. He was the headmaster of both Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
and Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. He also served as chaplain to King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
and as Dean of Durham.
Early life
Dr Alington was the second son of the Rev. Henry Giles Alington, an inspector of schools, and his wife Jane Margaret Booth (d.1910), daughter of Rev. Thomas Willingham Booth. His father came from a long line of clerics, and was remotely descended from the Alingtons of HorseheathHorseheath
Horseheath is a hamlet in Cambridgeshire, England, situated a few miles south-east of Cambridge, between Linton and Haverhill, on the A1307 road....
, an ancient Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
family. He was educated at Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
and Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, and was elected a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
in 1896. He was ordained as an Anglican priest in 1901.
Career
Alington's educational career began when he became sixth-form master at Marlborough College in 1896. He moved to Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
in 1899, leaving to became headmaster of Shrewsbury School in 1908. In 1917 he returned to Eton to succeed his brother-in-law, Edward Lyttelton
Edward Lyttelton
Rev. Hon. Edward Lyttelton was an English sportsman, schoolmaster and clergyman. He played first-class cricket for Cambridge University and Middlesex as well as representing the England national football team.-Life:...
, as headmaster and he remained there until his retirement from teaching in 1933. He served as chairman of the Headmasters' Conference, 1924-25. At Eton, a building which houses much of the English department is now named after him, as is Shrewsbury's school hall.
From 1933 to 1951 Alington served as Dean of Durham. He had become a Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
at Oxford in 1917 and received other honours: he was chaplain to the King from 1921 until 1933; he was made an honorary fellow of Trinity College, Oxford in 1926, and an honorary DCL
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
at Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
in 1937. He received the freedom of the City of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
in 1949.
He was endowed with almost every gift to ensure a successful career. Extraordinarily handsome, especially in later years when robed and in the pulpit, he impressed the great majority of boys at Shrewsbury and Eton. As a young man he was a very successful cricketer and for years afterwards he maintained a high standard as a player of fives and rackets. He possessed a wide and extraordinarily retentive memory which enabled him to produce the apt quotation for any occasion. He was a most facile and brilliant versifier and he composed some admirable hymns. He appeared on the cover of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine on June 29, 1931. "An accomplished classicist, a witty writer especially of light verse, and a priest of orthodox convictions" ..." (R.W. Pfaff, Montague Rhodes James, Scolar Press 1980, p. 260)
Marriage and family
In 1904, Alington married Hester Margaret Lyttelton (CBE; died 1958), the youngest daughter of George Lyttelton, 4th Baron LytteltonGeorge Lyttelton, 4th Baron Lyttelton
George William Lyttelton, 4th Baron Lyttelton , was a British aristocrat and Conservative politician.-Early life:...
. The couple had four daughters and two sons. Their eldest daughter, Kathleen, died at the age of thirty and their youngest son Patrick Alington, was killed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
at Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
in 1943. Their eldest son, Giles Alington
Giles Alington (academic)
Giles Alington was a Fellow of University College, Oxford from 1944 to 1956.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 Giles Alington ( 29 May 1914 – 24 February 1956) was a...
, became Dean and Senior Tutor of University College, Oxford
University College, Oxford
.University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
. The three surviving daughters all married Etonians. Lavinia married Sir Roger Mynors
Roger Mynors
Sir Roger Aubrey Baskerville Mynors was a British academic and classical scholar.Mynors was educated at Summer Fields School, Oxford and won a scholarship to Eton. He was Newcastle Scholar at Balliol College, Oxford. At Eton and Balliol, he was a friend of Cyril Connolly. He was Hertford and...
academic and classical scholar, Elizabeth
Elizabeth Douglas-Home, Baroness Home of the Hirsel
Elizabeth Hester Douglas-Home, Baroness Home of the Hirsel was the wife of the British Prime Minister, Sir Alec Douglas-Home....
married Sir Alec Douglas-Home British prime minister, and Joan married Rev. John Wilkes
John Vaughan Wilkes
John Comyn Vaughan Wilkes was an English educationalist, who was Warden of Radley College and an Anglican priest....
, Master in House at Eton, Warden of Radley College
Radley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
and later vicar of Marlow. Alington died at the age of 82 and was buried at Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham is a cathedral in the city of Durham, England, the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. The Bishopric dates from 995, with the present cathedral being founded in AD 1093...
where there is a memorial in the north transept.
Literary works
Alington wrote more than 50 books including works on religion, biography, history, poetry, and a series of detective novels. He also wrote several popular hymns including The Lord of Hosts Our King Shall Be.His works of fiction include:
- Mr Evans - A Cricketo-Detective Story (1922)
- Through the Shadows (1922)
- Strained Relations (1922)
- The Count in Kensington (1926)
- King Harrison & Others (1923)
- The Abbot's Cup (1930)
- Crime on the Kennet (1939)
- Ten Crowded Hours (1944)
- Archdeacons Afloat (1946)
- Midnight Wireless (1947)
- Archdeacons Ashore (1947)
- Blackmail in Blankshire (1949)
- Gold and Gaiters (1950)
- The Nabob's Jewel (1953)
- Blessed Blunders (1954).
His non-fiction works include:
- A Schoolmaster's Apology (1914)
- Shrewsbury Fables (1917)
- Eton Fables (1921)
- Twenty Years: Being a Study of the Party System, 1815–1835 (1921)
- Virgil Aeneid IV-VI (1922 - translation of Virgil)
- Why We Read the Old Testament (1924)
- An Eton Poetry BookAn Eton Poetry BookAn Eton Poetry Book is an anthology edited by Cyril Alington and George Lyttelton, with an introduction by A. C. Benson. The editors' intentions were "to provide poems which boys might reasonably be expected to like" and "to awaken their metrical sense." The book was published in 1925, with a...
(1925 - an anthology co-edited with George LytteltonGeorge William LytteltonThe Hon George William Lyttelton was a British teacher and littérateur. Known in his lifetime as an inspiring teacher of classics and English literature at Eton, and an avid sportsman and sports writer, he became known to a wider audience with the posthumous publication of his letters, which...
) - More Eton Fables (1927)
- Elementary Christianity (1927)
- Doubts and Difficulties (1929)
- Cautionary Catches (1931 - verses in Latin and English)
- Christian Outlines: An Introduction to Religion (1932)
- Final Eton Fables (1933)
- Eton Faces Old and Young (1933)
- Lionel FordLionel FordLionel George Bridges Justice Ford was an Anglican priest who served as Dean of York after two headmasterships at eminent English public schools....
(1934) - The Fool Hath Said (1933)
- Can We Believe in God? (1936)
- Things Ancient and Modern (1936 - autobiographical book on English public schools)
- The New Testament: A Reader's Guide (1938)
- The Last CrusadeThe Last CrusadeThe Last Crusade is a collectible card game originally published in 1995 by Virginia based Chameleon Eclectic Entertainment until the company closed in early 1999 at which time Pinnacle Entertainment Group took over production. The card game simulates the strife between the German Third Reich and...
(1940) - Christianity in England: An Historical Sketch (1942)
- Poets at Play (1942)
- In Shabby Streets and Other Verses (1942)
- Edward Lyttelton: An Appreciation (1943)
- Good NewsGood newsGood News may refer to:*Good news , the message of Jesus*Good News , by Edward Abbey*Good News, a 1945 non-fiction work by Cyril Alington...
(1945); - Europe: A Personal and Political Survey (1946)
- The Life Everlasting (1947)
- Durham Cathedral: The Story of a Thousand Years (1948)
- Sense and Non-sense (1949)
- The Kingdom of God (1950)
- A Dean's Apology: A Semi-religious Autobiography (1952).