Stubbs Society
Encyclopedia
The Stubbs Society is the oldest historical society in the University of Oxford
, named in honour of the Victorian historian, William Stubbs
. When an American, Samuel Brearly, introduced the idea of the 'seminar' to Oxford in 1882, his initiative became, first, the Oxford Historical Seminar, and then, in 1884, the Stubbs Society. Functioning as a 'proving ground for future leaders and the founders of new fields of enquiry', the Stubbs fostered critical thinking and intellectual curiosity, under the aegis of dons such as Sir Charles Oman
, E. A. Freeman, and with members including such future doyens of the historical profession as James Tait, Sir Charles Harding Firth
, and Frederick York Powell
.
The society's 'Transactions', largely extant from 1894 in the Bodleian Library
, reveal much about its character; but the society resists easy characterisation. The early model may have overtones of the gentleman's club, with one blackball
in six enough to prevent election as a member; yet when the idea of a club tie was mooted, only one member voted in its favour, and women were invited to join with alacrity. Equally, if some of the talks and debates are replete with naivety and sui generis moral judgement, discussion was often insightful, sophisticated, and culturally inflected: for instance, a paper on Lollardy
, delivered in the 1910s, provoked suggestions that Lollardy was a rhetorically-constructed vehicle for the condemnation of the enemies of the Lancastrian regime—a thesis broadly similar to that advanced by recent historians of the Lollards such as Paul Strohm. The Stubbs Society, then, seems to have been a vigorous intellectual space, necessarily coloured by its setting, but nonetheless (indeed, in some respects, all the more) worthy of attention.
In over a century of continual activity, the Stubbs was addressed by a series of eminent historians in meetings famous, sometimes notorious, for the combative discussion that ensued after a paper had been read. Conrad Russell recalled an occasion when Geoffrey Elton was the speaker:
Senior members included historians of such diverse political persuasions as Christopher Hill
and Hugh Trevor-Roper, and speakers were equally diverse, ranging from Joseph Needham
on the history of Chinese science, to Veronica Wedgwood
on the Seventeenth Century. Despite such endurance and vitality, however, the society evanesced.
The Stubbs Society was revived in 2009. Its purpose is much the same as it was in its heyday: to provide students with an opportunity to meet (and discuss) with the greatest names in the historical profession; to broaden intellectual horizons; and, perhaps, to militate against depersonalisation and focus on a syllabus that can sometimes attach to the tutorial system in changing times. Undergraduates, postgraduates, visiting students and fellows are all welcome at the society's meetings.
Speakers for 2009-2010 included Quentin Skinner
(London), Jonathan Riley-Smith
(Cambridge), Peter Burke
(Cambridge), Rosamond McKitterick
(Cambridge), Christopher Clark
(Cambridge, Sir Keith Thomas
(Oxford) and Thomas Bisson (Harvard) and Professor Norman Stone
. Professor Christopher Wickham
is the Senior Member, and the committee is formed by William Kelley (President), Marco Paoletti (Secretary), and Hamish Hunter (Treasurer).
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...
, named in honour of the Victorian historian, William Stubbs
William Stubbs
William Stubbs was an English historian and Bishop of Oxford.The son of William Morley Stubbs, a solicitor, he was born at Knaresborough, Yorkshire, and was educated at Ripon Grammar School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated in 1848, obtaining a first-class in classics and a third in...
. When an American, Samuel Brearly, introduced the idea of the 'seminar' to Oxford in 1882, his initiative became, first, the Oxford Historical Seminar, and then, in 1884, the Stubbs Society. Functioning as a 'proving ground for future leaders and the founders of new fields of enquiry', the Stubbs fostered critical thinking and intellectual curiosity, under the aegis of dons such as Sir Charles Oman
Charles Oman
Sir Charles William Chadwick Oman was a British military historian of the early 20th century. His reconstructions of medieval battles from the fragmentary and distorted accounts left by chroniclers were pioneering...
, E. A. Freeman, and with members including such future doyens of the historical profession as James Tait, Sir Charles Harding Firth
Charles Harding Firth
Sir Charles Harding Firth was a British historian.Born in Sheffield, he was educated at Clifton College and at Balliol College, Oxford...
, and Frederick York Powell
Frederick York Powell
Frederick York Powell , was an English historian and scholar.- Biography :Frederick York Powell was born in Bloomsbury, London. Much of his childhood was spent in France and Spain, so that he early acquired a mastery of the language of both countries and an insight into the genius of the people...
.
The society's 'Transactions', largely extant from 1894 in the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, reveal much about its character; but the society resists easy characterisation. The early model may have overtones of the gentleman's club, with one blackball
Blackball
Blackball, black-ball or black ball may refer to:-Society and culture:* Blackballing, ostracizing someone socially, e.g. prevention of finding local or field-specific employment, blacklisting from a club or other organization, etc-Geography:...
in six enough to prevent election as a member; yet when the idea of a club tie was mooted, only one member voted in its favour, and women were invited to join with alacrity. Equally, if some of the talks and debates are replete with naivety and sui generis moral judgement, discussion was often insightful, sophisticated, and culturally inflected: for instance, a paper on Lollardy
Lollardy
Lollardy was a political and religious movement that existed from the mid-14th century to the English Reformation. The term "Lollard" refers to the followers of John Wycliffe, a prominent theologian who was dismissed from the University of Oxford in 1381 for criticism of the Church, especially his...
, delivered in the 1910s, provoked suggestions that Lollardy was a rhetorically-constructed vehicle for the condemnation of the enemies of the Lancastrian regime—a thesis broadly similar to that advanced by recent historians of the Lollards such as Paul Strohm. The Stubbs Society, then, seems to have been a vigorous intellectual space, necessarily coloured by its setting, but nonetheless (indeed, in some respects, all the more) worthy of attention.
In over a century of continual activity, the Stubbs was addressed by a series of eminent historians in meetings famous, sometimes notorious, for the combative discussion that ensued after a paper had been read. Conrad Russell recalled an occasion when Geoffrey Elton was the speaker:
The first time I met Geoffrey Elton was when I was a postgraduate in 1960. After addressing the Stubbs Society in Oxford, he faced a concerted assault, begun "while Lawrence is getting his anti-tank gun into position". I rashly wandered into the cross-fire and defended him.
Senior members included historians of such diverse political persuasions as Christopher Hill
Christopher Hill
Christopher Hill may refer to:*Christopher Hill , English bishop*Christopher J. Hill, International Relations scholar, Professor and Director of the Cambridge Centre of International Studies*Christopher R. Hill, U.S. Ambassador in Iraq...
and Hugh Trevor-Roper, and speakers were equally diverse, ranging from Joseph Needham
Joseph Needham
Noel Joseph Terence Montgomery Needham, CH, FRS, FBA , also known as Li Yuese , was a British scientist, historian and sinologist known for his scientific research and writing on the history of Chinese science. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1941, and as a fellow of the British...
on the history of Chinese science, to Veronica Wedgwood
Veronica Wedgwood
Dame Veronica Wedgwood OM DBE was an English historian who generally published under the name C. V. Wedgwood...
on the Seventeenth Century. Despite such endurance and vitality, however, the society evanesced.
The Stubbs Society was revived in 2009. Its purpose is much the same as it was in its heyday: to provide students with an opportunity to meet (and discuss) with the greatest names in the historical profession; to broaden intellectual horizons; and, perhaps, to militate against depersonalisation and focus on a syllabus that can sometimes attach to the tutorial system in changing times. Undergraduates, postgraduates, visiting students and fellows are all welcome at the society's meetings.
Speakers for 2009-2010 included Quentin Skinner
Quentin Skinner
Quentin Robert Duthie Skinner is the Barber Beaumont Professor of the Humanities at Queen Mary, University of London.-Biography:...
(London), Jonathan Riley-Smith
Jonathan Riley-Smith
Jonathan Simon Christopher Riley-Smith, K.St.J., Ph.D. MA, Litt.D., FRHistS is an historian of the Crusades, and a former Dixie Professor of Ecclesiastical History...
(Cambridge), Peter Burke
Peter Burke
Peter Burke is a British historian and professor.He was born to a Roman Catholic father and Jewish mother . He was educated by the Jesuits and at St John's College, Oxford, and was a doctoral candidate at St Antony's College...
(Cambridge), Rosamond McKitterick
Rosamond McKitterick
Rosamond Deborah McKitterick is one of Britain's foremost medieval historians, since 1999 Professor of Medieval History in the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society...
(Cambridge), Christopher Clark
Christopher Clark
Christopher M. Clark is an Australian historian working in England. He was educated at Sydney Grammar School, the University of Sydney and the Freie Universität Berlin.-Life:...
(Cambridge, Sir Keith Thomas
Keith Thomas (historian)
Sir Keith Vivian Thomas is a Welsh historian, best known as the author of Religion and the Decline of Magic and Man and the Natural World.-Biography:...
(Oxford) and Thomas Bisson (Harvard) and Professor Norman Stone
Norman Stone
Norman Stone is a British academic, historian, author and is currently a Professor in the Department of International Relations at Bilkent University, Ankara...
. Professor Christopher Wickham
Christopher Wickham
Christopher John Wickham, FBA is Chichele Professor of Medieval History in the University of Oxford and Fellow of All Souls College.-Biography:...
is the Senior Member, and the committee is formed by William Kelley (President), Marco Paoletti (Secretary), and Hamish Hunter (Treasurer).
External links
- http://www.history.ox.ac.uk/lecturelist/stubbs.htm The Stubbs Society's page on the Oxford History Faculty website.