Will Spens
Encyclopedia
Sir William Spens, CBE
was an eminent educationalist in the mid twentieth century, academic and Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
.
on 31 May 1882, one of four sons of John Spens and Sophia Nicol, Spens was educated at Rugby and King's College, Cambridge
, graduating in natural sciences. Elected a Fellow
of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
in 1907, he spent the rest of his working life in Cambridge, apart from wartime service
between 1915 and 1918 with the Foreign Office, for which he was awarded the CBE
in 1919, was made a chevalier of the Légion d’honneur
by the French and appointed an officer of the Crown of Italy
.
Elected Master
of Corpus
in 1927 he was Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
from 1931 to 1933 and then chaired the consultative committee of the Board of Education
(known in retrospect as the Spens Report) which recommended the tri-partite split of secondary schooling into grammar, technical and modern varieties.
During the Second World War he was Regional Commissioner for Civil Defence for the Eastern Region, which prompted and exacerbated rumours that the cellars of Corpus
extend across (and indeed further than) the entire college campus and that the college was to be used as the centre of operations for East Anglia
in the event of a German occupation.
Spens retired in 1952.
in 1912; they had 4 children; a son and three daughters, one of whom died in infancy.
Spens died on 1 November 1962.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
was an eminent educationalist in the mid twentieth century, academic and Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
.
Life
Born in GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
on 31 May 1882, one of four sons of John Spens and Sophia Nicol, Spens was educated at Rugby and King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
, graduating in natural sciences. Elected 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 Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
in 1907, he spent the rest of his working life in Cambridge, apart from wartime service
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
between 1915 and 1918 with the Foreign Office, for which he was awarded the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1919, was made a chevalier of the Légion d’honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
by the French and appointed an officer of the Crown of Italy
Order of the Crown of Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
.
Elected Master
Master (college)
A Master is the title of the head of some colleges and other educational institutions. This applies especially at some colleges and institutions at the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge .- See also :* Master A Master (or in female form Mistress) is the title of the head of some...
of Corpus
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
in 1927 he was Vice Chancellor of the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
from 1931 to 1933 and then chaired the consultative committee of the Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
(known in retrospect as the Spens Report) which recommended the tri-partite split of secondary schooling into grammar, technical and modern varieties.
During the Second World War he was Regional Commissioner for Civil Defence for the Eastern Region, which prompted and exacerbated rumours that the cellars of Corpus
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
extend across (and indeed further than) the entire college campus and that the college was to be used as the centre of operations for East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
in the event of a German occupation.
Spens retired in 1952.
Personal
Spens married Dorothy Teresa, daughter of John Richardson SelwynJohn Richardson Selwyn
John Richardson Selwyn was a rower and became the second Bishop of Melanesia and the second Master of Selwyn College, Cambridge. He made significant financial contributions along with others to the construction of the Southern Cross No...
in 1912; they had 4 children; a son and three daughters, one of whom died in infancy.
Spens died on 1 November 1962.