Pembroke College, Oxford
Encyclopedia
Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges
of the University of Oxford
in England
, located in Pembroke Square
. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment
of £44.9 million.
—a merchant from nearby Abingdon—and Richard Wightwick—a clergy
man from Berkshire
—enabled the conversion of the Broadgates Hall, which had been a University hostel for law students since its construction in the fifteenth century, to form the basis of a fully fledged college. The letters patent
to found the college were signed by King James I
in 1624, with the college being named after William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
, Lord Chamberlain
and then-Chancellor of the University.
Following its foundation, the college proceeded to expand around Broadgates, building what is now known as "Old Quad" in the 1600s. Built in stages through the seventeenth century out of the local Cotswold
limestone
, space restrictions saw the south-side of the Quad built directly on top of the old City Wall. A Chapel was built in 1732, and the introduction of further accommodation in 1846, and the Hall in 1848 to designs by Exeter based architect John Hayward
created "Chapel Quad"—widely considered one of the most beautiful Quads in the University. The Chapel was designed and built by William Townsend, although the interior was dramatically redesigned by Charles Kempe—a Pembroke graduate—in 1884. Pembroke alumnus Dr. Damon Wells is a significant benefactor of the College over many years; he enabled the restoration of the Chapel in 1972, and continues to support the Chaplaincy and History Fellowship. The Chapel which is still used for regular worship bears his name.
Further expansion of the college came in the 1960s, after the closure of Beef Lane to the north of Chapel Quad. The private houses north of the closed road were acquired by the College in a piecemeal fashion and reversed so that access was only possible from the rear. The new area is now known as "North Quad", which was formally opened in 1962. A modern annex was built near to college on the banks of the Isis
at Grandpont
, provides accommodation for almost a hundred undergraduates, usually those in their final year. The building is commonly known as "The GAB", after being named after the diplomat Sir Geoffrey Arthur—a former master of the college (1975–1985).
In 2010. the college began a major new development south of the main site, to which it will be linked by a bridge over Brewer Street
. The new buildings are expected to be completed in 2012.
Samuel Johnson
was one of the College's more famous alumni, though he did not complete his degree (he was later awarded an honorary degree by the University); lack of funds forced him to leave Oxford after about a year and a half. Two of his desks and various other possessions are displayed around the college. James Smithson
, whose bequest founded the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington, D.C.
(despite him never having visited the United States
) was an undergraduate at Pembroke, under the name "James Lewis Macie"—he changed his name to that of his natural father after the death of his mother. Meanwhile Senator J. William Fulbright
, who established the Fulbright Program
, was a Rhodes Scholar at Pembroke in the 1920s.
Although he had been an undergraduate at Exeter College
, J. R. R. Tolkien
was a Fellow
of Pembroke from 1925 to 1945, and wrote The Hobbit
and the first two books of The Lord of the Rings
during his time there.
Among the College's more recent Masters was Roger Bannister
, the first man to run the mile in under four minutes.
Pembroke was described by John Betjeman
, in Summoned by Bells:
on 14 February 1625, the formal blazon
describing it as:
Both James I, as founder of the college, and the Earl of Pembroke are commemorated in the arms. The former, representing the union of the crowns as James I of England and James VI of Scotland, is symbolised by the rose (of England) and the thistle (of Scotland). The three lions rampant are taken from the Earl’s personal coat arms.
(Classics) and Physics
. In particular, the college has had a strong involvement with Management Studies, being the first traditional Oxford College to appoint a Fellow
in the field. The college has maintained a close relationship with the Saïd Business School
and with an intake of eight students per year, has more Economics & Management undergraduates than any other college.
Pembroke is home to a JCR (undergraduate community) notable for its artistic wealth and sporting prowess. The JCR is one of the wealthiest in Oxford due to the purchase and sale of a Francis Bacon
painting in the early 20th century (see below), and has used those funds to support a socially progressive student support scheme and an impressive artistic acquisition programme. The MCR is housed in a suite of historic rooms and is noted for its connections with a wide range of nations. Its current patron is Lord (John) Kerr
, former Permanent Secretary
at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
, British Representative to the European Union and Ambassador to the United States
.
The college is also home to the Emery gallery and the JCR art fund, which is empowered to make significant contemporary purchases for the college.
, cricket
, football
, hockey
and darts
. The MCR has been particularly strong at women's boxing, polo
and cricket.
Pembroke College Boat Club
is one of Oxford's strongest boat clubs, with the men's and women's boats currently both sitting 2nd on the river in Summer Eights
. In 2003, Pembroke became the first college to win the "Double Headship Trophy" for having both men's and women's Eights head the river.
More recently, trans-atlantic relations between the US and the UK have been markedly influenced by Pembroke alumni. John Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard
served as UK Ambassador to the United States from 1995-1997, before being appointed Head of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Philip Lader
served as US Ambassador to the UK from 1997 to 2001. Thus in 1997, both the US Ambassador in London and the UK Ambassador in Washington were former Pembroke students.
Additionally, two former chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Richard G. Lugar, (Republican), and Senator J. William Fulbright
(Democrat), were students of Pembroke, between them chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a 27 year period.
Sir Peter Ricketts
also served as head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2006 until 2010, and will serve as the British Ambassador to France from January 2012.
(The names of current members are followed by links to their College pages)
Colleges of the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford comprises 38 Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university, and all teaching staff and students studying for a degree of the university must belong to one of the colleges...
of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in England
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...
, located in Pembroke Square
Pembroke Square, Oxford
Pembroke Square is a square in central Oxford, England, located to the west of St Aldate's and directly adjoining it.The square is named for Pembroke College, which has its main entrance at the south-west corner of the square, and houses St Aldate's Church which was formerly the library of the...
. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
of £44.9 million.
History
In the early seventeenth century, the endowment of Thomas TesdaleThomas Tesdale
Thomas Tesdale was an English maltster, benefactor of the town of Abingdon in the English county of Berkshire and the primary founding benefactor of Pembroke College, Oxford.-Life and career:...
—a merchant from nearby Abingdon—and Richard Wightwick—a clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
man from Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
—enabled the conversion of the Broadgates Hall, which had been a University hostel for law students since its construction in the fifteenth century, to form the basis of a fully fledged college. The letters patent
Letters patent
Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...
to found the college were signed by King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in 1624, with the college being named after William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, KG, PC was the son of Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke and his third wife Mary Sidney. Chancellor of the University of Oxford, he founded Pembroke College, Oxford with King James. He was warden of the Forest of Dean, and constable of St Briavels from 1608...
, Lord Chamberlain
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
and then-Chancellor of the University.
Following its foundation, the college proceeded to expand around Broadgates, building what is now known as "Old Quad" in the 1600s. Built in stages through the seventeenth century out of the local Cotswold
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, space restrictions saw the south-side of the Quad built directly on top of the old City Wall. A Chapel was built in 1732, and the introduction of further accommodation in 1846, and the Hall in 1848 to designs by Exeter based architect John Hayward
John Hayward (architect)
John Hayward was a Gothic Revival architect based in Exeter, Devon, who gained the reputation as “the senior architect in the west of England”.-Biography:...
created "Chapel Quad"—widely considered one of the most beautiful Quads in the University. The Chapel was designed and built by William Townsend, although the interior was dramatically redesigned by Charles Kempe—a Pembroke graduate—in 1884. Pembroke alumnus Dr. Damon Wells is a significant benefactor of the College over many years; he enabled the restoration of the Chapel in 1972, and continues to support the Chaplaincy and History Fellowship. The Chapel which is still used for regular worship bears his name.
Further expansion of the college came in the 1960s, after the closure of Beef Lane to the north of Chapel Quad. The private houses north of the closed road were acquired by the College in a piecemeal fashion and reversed so that access was only possible from the rear. The new area is now known as "North Quad", which was formally opened in 1962. A modern annex was built near to college on the banks of the Isis
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
at Grandpont
Grandpont, Oxford
Grandpont is a mainly residential area in south Oxford. It is west of Abingdon Road, and consists mainly of narrow streets that run at right-angles to the main road, with terraced late-Victorian and Edwardian houses....
, provides accommodation for almost a hundred undergraduates, usually those in their final year. The building is commonly known as "The GAB", after being named after the diplomat Sir Geoffrey Arthur—a former master of the college (1975–1985).
In 2010. the college began a major new development south of the main site, to which it will be linked by a bridge over Brewer Street
Brewer Street, Oxford
Brewer Street is a historic narrow street in central Oxford, England, south of Carfax.The street runs east-west, connecting with St Aldate's to the east and St Ebbe's Street to the west....
. The new buildings are expected to be completed in 2012.
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson
Samuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
was one of the College's more famous alumni, though he did not complete his degree (he was later awarded an honorary degree by the University); lack of funds forced him to leave Oxford after about a year and a half. Two of his desks and various other possessions are displayed around the college. James Smithson
James Smithson
James Smithson, FRS, M.A. was a British mineralogist and chemist noted for having left a bequest in his will to the United States of America, to create "an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men" to be called the Smithsonian Institution.-Biography:Not much is known...
, whose bequest founded the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
(despite him never having visited the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) was an undergraduate at Pembroke, under the name "James Lewis Macie"—he changed his name to that of his natural father after the death of his mother. Meanwhile Senator J. William Fulbright
J. William Fulbright
James William Fulbright was a United States Senator representing Arkansas from 1945 to 1975.Fulbright was a Southern Democrat and a staunch multilateralist who supported the creation of the United Nations and the longest serving chairman in the history of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee...
, who established the Fulbright Program
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
, was a Rhodes Scholar at Pembroke in the 1920s.
Although he had been an undergraduate at Exeter College
Exeter College, Oxford
Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...
, J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
was a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
of Pembroke from 1925 to 1945, and wrote The Hobbit
The Hobbit
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again, better known by its abbreviated title The Hobbit, is a fantasy novel and children's book by J. R. R. Tolkien. It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim, being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald...
and the first two books of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
during his time there.
Among the College's more recent Masters was Roger Bannister
Roger Bannister
Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister, CBE is an English former athlete best known for running the first recorded mile in less than 4 minutes...
, the first man to run the mile in under four minutes.
Pembroke was described by John Betjeman
John Betjeman
Sir John Betjeman, CBE was an English poet, writer and broadcaster who described himself in Who's Who as a "poet and hack".He was a founding member of the Victorian Society and a passionate defender of Victorian architecture...
, in Summoned by Bells:
- How empty, creeper-grown and odd
- Seems lonely Pembroke's second quad
- Still, when I see it, do I wonder why
- That college so polite and shy
- Should have more character than Queen'sThe Queen's College, OxfordThe Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
- Or UnivUniversity 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...
, splendid in the HighHigh Street, OxfordThe High Street in Oxford, England runs between Carfax, generally recognized as the centre of the city, and Magdalen Bridge to the east. Locally the street is often known as The High. It forms a gentle curve and is the subject of many prints, paintings, photographs, etc...
.
Admissions scandal
In March 2002 two Oxford fellows resigned after allegations that they had offered a place to an undercover reporter in return for a donation of £300,000. Rev John Platt, chaplain of Pembroke, and Mary-Jane Hilton, head of fund-raising, apparently attended a taped meeting where the offer was made to a journalist, posing as a wealthy banker father of a fictitious son.Coat of arms
The arms of Pembroke College were granted by the College of HeraldsCollege of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
on 14 February 1625, the formal blazon
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
describing it as:
“Per pale azureAzureIn heraldry, azure is the tincture with the colour blue, and belongs to the class of tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of horizontal lines or else marked with either az. or b. as an abbreviation....
and gulesGulesIn heraldry, gules is the tincture with the colour red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of vertical lines or else marked with gu. as an abbreviation....
three Lyons rampantCharge (heraldry)In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
ArgentArgentIn heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it...
, in a Cheife party per pale Argent and OrOr (heraldry)In heraldry, Or is the tincture of gold and, together with argent , belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". In engravings and line drawings, it may be represented using a field of evenly spaced dots...
, in the first a Rose Gules, in second a Thistle of Scotland proper”.
Both James I, as founder of the college, and the Earl of Pembroke are commemorated in the arms. The former, representing the union of the crowns as James I of England and James VI of Scotland, is symbolised by the rose (of England) and the thistle (of Scotland). The three lions rampant are taken from the Earl’s personal coat arms.
Courses
Pembroke offers a broad range of courses, covering almost all the subject areas offered by the university; exceptions include Literae HumanioresLiterae Humaniores
Literae Humaniores is the name given to an undergraduate course focused on Classics at Oxford and some other universities.The Latin name means literally "more humane letters", but is perhaps better rendered as "Advanced Studies", since humaniores has the sense of "more refined" or "more learned",...
(Classics) and Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. In particular, the college has had a strong involvement with Management Studies, being the first traditional Oxford College to appoint a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
in the field. The college has maintained a close relationship with the Saïd Business School
Saïd Business School
Saïd Business School is the business school of the University of Oxford in England, located on the north side of Frideswide Square on the former site of Oxford Rewley Road railway station. It is the University's centre of learning for graduate and undergraduate students in business, management...
and with an intake of eight students per year, has more Economics & Management undergraduates than any other college.
The JCR and MCR
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
painting in the early 20th century (see below), and has used those funds to support a socially progressive student support scheme and an impressive artistic acquisition programme. The MCR is housed in a suite of historic rooms and is noted for its connections with a wide range of nations. Its current patron is Lord (John) Kerr
John Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard
John Olav Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard GCMG , a former diplomat, is Deputy Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell and an independent member of the House of Lords.-Background and education:...
, former Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
, British Representative to the European Union and Ambassador to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The college is also home to the Emery gallery and the JCR art fund, which is empowered to make significant contemporary purchases for the college.
Sport
The college has a strong sporting reputation across the university. Recent years have seen the JCR achieve particular success at rugbyRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
, cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, hockey
Hockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
and darts
Darts
Darts is a form of throwing game where darts are thrown at a circular target fixed to a wall. Though various boards and games have been used in the past, the term "darts" usually now refers to a standardised game involving a specific board design and set of rules...
. The MCR has been particularly strong at women's boxing, polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
and cricket.
Pembroke College Boat Club
Pembroke College Boat Club (Oxford)
Pembroke College Boat Club is the rowing club for members of Pembroke College, Oxford, and is one of the top boat clubs in Oxford with regular success for both men and women...
is one of Oxford's strongest boat clubs, with the men's and women's boats currently both sitting 2nd on the river in Summer Eights
Eights Week
Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the Saturday of the fifth week of Trinity term...
. In 2003, Pembroke became the first college to win the "Double Headship Trophy" for having both men's and women's Eights head the river.
Diplomacy
The college has a particularly rich association with diplomacy. Thomas Randolph famously served as ambassador for Elizabeth I in Scotland from 1559, where he acquired the friendship of Mary Queen of Scots until he was accused of supporting the rebellion of James Stuart.More recently, trans-atlantic relations between the US and the UK have been markedly influenced by Pembroke alumni. John Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard
John Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard
John Olav Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard GCMG , a former diplomat, is Deputy Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell and an independent member of the House of Lords.-Background and education:...
served as UK Ambassador to the United States from 1995-1997, before being appointed Head of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Philip Lader
Philip Lader
Philip Lader was the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom and as of 2010 is chairman of WPP Group plc, a global media and communications firm....
served as US Ambassador to the UK from 1997 to 2001. Thus in 1997, both the US Ambassador in London and the UK Ambassador in Washington were former Pembroke students.
Additionally, two former chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Richard G. Lugar, (Republican), and Senator J. William Fulbright
J. William Fulbright
James William Fulbright was a United States Senator representing Arkansas from 1945 to 1975.Fulbright was a Southern Democrat and a staunch multilateralist who supported the creation of the United Nations and the longest serving chairman in the history of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee...
(Democrat), were students of Pembroke, between them chairing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a 27 year period.
Sir Peter Ricketts
Peter Ricketts
Sir Peter Forbes Ricketts, GCMG is a senior British diplomat who currently serves as National Security Adviser to HM Government...
also served as head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 2006 until 2010, and will serve as the British Ambassador to France from January 2012.
Notable former students
- King Abdullah II of Jordan, current ruler of Jordan
- William AdamsWilliam Adams (master)William Adams D.D. was Fellow and Master of Pembroke College, Oxford.- Early years :He was born at Shrewsbury, of a Shropshire family, and at the early age of thirteen was entered of Pembroke College, where he took his master's degree, April 18, 1727, and obtained a fellowship...
, religious writer and essayist - Patience AgbabiPatience AgbabiPatience Agbabi is a British poet and performer with a particular emphasis on the spoken word. Although her poetry is hard-hitting in addressing contemporary themes, her work often makes use of strong formal constraints, including traditional poetic forms...
, performance poet - Michael BettaneyMichael BettaneyMichael John Bettaney was an intelligence officer working in the Counter-espionage branch of MI5 who was convicted at the Old Bailey in 1984 of offences under section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 after passing sensitive documents to the Soviet Embassy in London and attempting to act as an...
, a former MI5MI5The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
intelligence officer convicted of Official Secrets offences in 1984 - Francis BeaumontFrancis BeaumontFrancis Beaumont was a dramatist in the English Renaissance theatre, most famous for his collaborations with John Fletcher....
, playwright - Gaspar BergmanGaspar BergmanGaspar Bergman is a Canadian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive approach to narrative film making. While Bergman's subject matter is highly varied, many of his films feature stories of Holocaust survivors....
, film director - William BlackstoneWilliam BlackstoneSir William Blackstone KC SL was an English jurist, judge and Tory politician of the eighteenth century. He is most noted for writing the Commentaries on the Laws of England. Born into a middle class family in London, Blackstone was educated at Charterhouse School before matriculating at Pembroke...
, jurist and barrister - Edmund BonnerEdmund BonnerEdmund Bonner , Bishop of London, was an English bishop. Initially an instrumental figure in the schism of Henry VIII from Rome, he was antagonized by the Protestant reforms introduced by Somerset and reconciled himself to Roman Catholicism...
, bishop, known as 'Bloody Bonner' - Kevin BrennanKevin Brennan (politician)Kevin Denis Brennan is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Cardiff West since 2001, and was a Minister of State at both the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Children, Schools and Families before the 2010 general election...
, Labour politician, MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Cardiff WestCardiff West (UK Parliament constituency)Cardiff West is a borough constituency in the city of Cardiff. It returns one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post voting system... - Thomas BrowneThomas BrowneSir Thomas Browne was an English author of varied works which reveal his wide learning in diverse fields including medicine, religion, science and the esoteric....
, seventeenth-century author - William CamdenWilliam CamdenWilliam Camden was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and officer of arms. He wrote the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.- Early years :Camden was born in London...
, antiquarian and historian - Oz ClarkeOz ClarkeRobert "Oz" Clarke is a British wine writer, television presenter and broadcaster.-Biography:Clarke’s parents were a chest physician and a nursing sister. He was brought up near Canterbury with a brother and a sister. Clarke became a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral and subsequently won a choral...
, oenophile and broadcaster - David CracknellDavid CracknellDavid Cracknell is a media and reputation management expert and former journalist in the United Kingdom. Formerly Political Editor of The Sunday Times, he is currently head of his own public relations firm, Big Tent Communications...
, former Sunday Times Political Editor - Mary CreaghMary CreaghMary Helen Creagh is a British Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament for Wakefield since 2005. She was appointed to the shadow cabinet on 7 October 2010.- Background :...
, Labour politician - Julian CritchleyJulian CritchleySir Julian Michael Gordon Critchley was a British Conservative Party politician.Born in Islington, the son of a distinguished neurosurgeon, as a boy Critchley was brought up in Swiss Cottage, north London, and Shropshire, where he attended preparatory school, and later Shrewsbury School...
, journalist and Conservative politician - Denzil DaviesDenzil DaviesDavid John Denzil Davies is a former British Treasury Minister . He served for 35 years as the Member of Parliament for Llanelli for the Labour Party from 1970 to 2005, and is a member of the Privy Council.-Early life:He attended Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys in Carmarthen, and then...
, Labour politician - Maria EagleMaria EagleMaria Eagle is a British solicitor and Labour Party politician. She is the Member of Parliament for Garston and Halewood, having been the MP for Liverpool Garston from 1997 to 2010....
, Labour government minister - J. William FulbrightJ. William FulbrightJames William Fulbright was a United States Senator representing Arkansas from 1945 to 1975.Fulbright was a Southern Democrat and a staunch multilateralist who supported the creation of the United Nations and the longest serving chairman in the history of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee...
, Democratic U.S. Senator representing ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River... - David Allen GreenDavid Allen GreenDavid Allen Green is an English lawyer and writer. He is also legal correspondent for the New Statesman; and blogs as "Jack of Kent"....
, lawyer and legal writer - Tim Griffin, Republican Member of Congress representing ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
- Charles Hawtrey (19th century actor)
- George Procter HawtreyGeorge Procter HawtreyGeorge Procter Hawtrey was a British actor, playwright and pageantmaster. His father was Reverend John William Hawtrey, headmaster of the Alden House School at Slough. He was educated at Eton College and Pembroke College, Oxford. Hawtrey's two brothers, William and Charles, were also actors. He...
, actor and playwright - Michael HeseltineMichael HeseltineMichael Ray Dibdin Heseltine, Baron Heseltine, CH, PC is a British businessman, Conservative politician and patron of the Tory Reform Group. He was a Member of Parliament from 1966 to 2001 and was a prominent figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major...
, former Conservative Deputy Prime Minister and publisher - Walter IsaacsonWalter IsaacsonWalter Isaacson is a writer and biographer. He is the President and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C. He has been the Chairman and CEO of CNN and the Managing Editor of TIME...
, author and President and CEO of the Aspen InstituteAspen InstituteThe Aspen Institute is an international nonprofit organization founded in 1950 as the Aspen Institute of Humanistic Studies. The organization is dedicated to "fostering enlightened leadership, the appreciation of timeless ideas and values, and open-minded dialogue on contemporary issues." The... - Samuel JohnsonSamuel JohnsonSamuel Johnson , often referred to as Dr. Johnson, was an English author who made lasting contributions to English literature as a poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer...
, lexicographer, biographer, writer, poet
- Roz KaveneyRoz KaveneyRoz Kaveney is a British writer of both fiction and non-fiction, and editor. She was born male but changed to and thereafter has lived as a female...
(as Andrew J. Kaveney), writer - Charles Kempe, Victorian stained glass designer.
- John Kerr, Baron Kerr of KinlochardJohn Kerr, Baron Kerr of KinlochardJohn Olav Kerr, Baron Kerr of Kinlochard GCMG , a former diplomat, is Deputy Chairman of Royal Dutch Shell and an independent member of the House of Lords.-Background and education:...
, diplomat - Philip LaderPhilip LaderPhilip Lader was the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom and as of 2010 is chairman of WPP Group plc, a global media and communications firm....
, former American Ambassador to the UK, businessman - Richard G. Lugar, American Republican Senator
- Sir John Mummery, Lord Justice of Appeal
- Viktor OrbánViktor OrbánViktor Orbán is a Hungarian populist and conservative politician and current Prime Minister of Hungary...
, Hungarian Prime Minister 1998-2002, 2010- - Tarik O'ReganTarik O'ReganTarik O'Regan , full name Tarik Hamilton O'Regan , is a British composer, partly of Algerian extraction. His compositions number over 90 and are partially represented on 22 recordings which have been recognised with two GRAMMY nominations. He is also the recipient of two British Composer Awards...
, composer - John PymJohn PymJohn Pym was an English parliamentarian, leader of the Long Parliament and a prominent critic of James I and then Charles I.- Early life and education :...
, parliamentarian and critic of Charles I of EnglandCharles I of EnglandCharles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles... - Peter RickettsPeter RickettsSir Peter Forbes Ricketts, GCMG is a senior British diplomat who currently serves as National Security Adviser to HM Government...
, diplomat - Win Rockefeller, American philanthropist, Lt. Governor of ArkansasArkansasArkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
- William ShenstoneWilliam ShenstoneWilliam Shenstone was an English poet and one of the earliest practitioners of landscape gardening through the development of his estate, The Leasowes.-Life:...
, 18th Century poet - Radek Sikorski, Polish politician and current Minister of Foreign Affairs
- James SmithsonJames SmithsonJames Smithson, FRS, M.A. was a British mineralogist and chemist noted for having left a bequest in his will to the United States of America, to create "an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men" to be called the Smithsonian Institution.-Biography:Not much is known...
, mineralogist, benefactor of the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. - John SnaggeJohn SnaggeJohn Derrick Mordaunt Snagge OBE was a long-time British newsreader and commentator on BBC Radio.Born in Chelsea, London, he was educated at Winchester College and Pembroke College, Oxford, where he obtained a degree in law. He then joined the BBC, taking up the position of assistant director at...
, BBC newsreader and commentator - The Rt Revd Thomas Shaun Stanage, DDThomas StanageThomas Shaun Stanage was Bishop of Bloemfontein in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa from 1982 to 1997.-Biography:Stanage was born in Ireland in 1932 and was educated at Pembroke College, Oxford and Cuddesdon College .He was ordained deacon in 1958, priest in 1959 and bishop in 1978 and went...
, Anglican Bishop in South Africa - Samuel John StoneSamuel John StoneSamuel John Stone was an ordained minister in the Church of England, chiefly remembered for his hymn The Church's One Foundation....
, Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter (The Church's One FoundationThe Church's one foundationThe Church's One Foundation is a Christian hymn written in the 1860s by Samuel John Stone.The hymn was written as a direct response to some teaching, considered unorthodox at the time, by John William Colenso, first Bishop of Natal, which created schism within the church in South Africa...
) - Honeysuckle WeeksHoneysuckle WeeksHoneysuckle Weeks is a British actress, best known for her starring role as Samantha Stewart in the British TV series Foyle's War, since 2002.-Background:...
, actress - George WhitefieldGeorge WhitefieldGeorge Whitefield , also known as George Whitfield, was an English Anglican priest who helped spread the Great Awakening in Britain, and especially in the British North American colonies. He was one of the founders of Methodism and of the evangelical movement generally...
, leader of the Methodist movement in the eighteenth century - Mom Rajawongse Sukhumbhand Paripatra, Governor of Bangkok
Academics, fellows, and teachers
- R. G. CollingwoodR. G. CollingwoodRobin George Collingwood was a British philosopher and historian. He was born at Cartmel, Grange-over-Sands in Lancashire, the son of the academic W. G. Collingwood, and was educated at Rugby School and at University College, Oxford, where he read Greats...
- John EekelaarJohn EekelaarJohn Eekelaar was a law lecturer specialising in family law. In 2005 he retired from teaching after a forty-year career at Oxford University...
(F.B.A.British AcademyThe British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
) * - Peter J. King *
- Martha KleinMartha KleinMartha Klein is a philosopher, specialising in the intersection of the philosophy of mind and moral philosophy, and especially in the question of the freedom of the will....
* - John Richard Krebs, Baron KrebsJohn KrebsJohn Richard Krebs, Baron Krebs FRS is a world leader in zoology and more specifically bird behaviour. He is currently the Principal of Jesus College, Oxford University...
(F.R.S.) - Piers MackesyPiers MackesyPiers Gerald Mackesy is a British military historian who taught at the University of Oxford.-Early life and education:...
, military historian, F.B.A. - Christopher MelchertChristopher MelchertChristopher Melchert is an American non-Muslim Islamic scholar, specialising in Islamic movements and institutions, ninth to tenth centuries C.E. He is University Lecturer in Arabic and Islam at the University of Oxford's Oriental Institute, and is Fellow in Arabic at Pembroke College,...
* - Naci Mehmet
- Guy Newbury *
- Zbigniew Pełczyński
- J. R. R. TolkienJ. R. R. TolkienJohn Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
- Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia (Timothy WareTimothy WareKallistos Ware is an English bishop within the Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarchate and one of the best known contemporary Eastern Orthodox theologians. From 1982 to his retirement in 2001 he held the position of Bishop of Diokleia...
) - Robin Wilson (mathematician)