William Macbride Childs
Encyclopedia
William Macbride Childs was an English
academic administrator and historian, who was involved in the foundation of the University of Reading
and who served briefly as its first vice-chancellor
.
Childs was born, on 3 January 1869, in the village of Carrington
, situated some 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Boston
in Lincolnshire
. He was the son of the Revd William Linington Childs, vicar of Carrington, and his second wife, Henrietta Fowles Bell. He had no brothers or sisters, but had a stepbrother and two stepsisters by his father's first marriage. He attended Portsmouth Grammar School and graduated from Keble College
of the University of Oxford
in 1891.
In 1892 Childs served briefly as a secretary to Sir Arthur Dyke Acland, who at the time was Vice-President of the Committee on Education
, the cabinet
post that then supervised education in the United Kingdom
. In 1893 he became a lecturer
in history at the University College in Reading
, being promoted to vice-principal in 1900.
In 1903 Childs succeeded Halford Mackinder as principal of the college. He made it his aim to turn the college into a University, working to this end by attracting students from a distance with hostels and, eventually, halls of residence. He also raised funds from prominent local residents, including George William Palmer
and Alfred Palmer
, both proprietors of Huntley & Palmers
, and Harriet Loyd-Lindsay, wife of Robert, 1st Baron Wantage. His first application for a charter, in 1920, was turned down, but a second application, in 1925, succeeded. In 1926, when the University of Reading
officially received that charter, Childs became the first vice-chancellor, being born aloft by his students and carried around the grounds.
Childs retired at the age of 60, in 1929. He died on 21 June 1939 at his home at Hermitage
in Berkshire
. Childs Hall, a hall of residence on the University of Reading's Whiteknights Park
campus, is named in honour of William Macbride Childs.
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...
academic administrator and historian, who was involved in the foundation of the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
and who served briefly as its first vice-chancellor
Chancellor (education)
A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
.
Childs was born, on 3 January 1869, in the village of Carrington
Carrington, Lincolnshire
Carrington is a village and civil parish located about 7 miles north of the town of Boston, Lincolnshire, England. The village was created a township in 1812, after the drainage of the West Fen in 1802, and became a civil parish in 1858....
, situated some 8 miles (12.9 km) north of Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. He was the son of the Revd William Linington Childs, vicar of Carrington, and his second wife, Henrietta Fowles Bell. He had no brothers or sisters, but had a stepbrother and two stepsisters by his father's first marriage. He attended Portsmouth Grammar School and graduated from Keble College
Keble College, Oxford
Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall...
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 1891.
In 1892 Childs served briefly as a secretary to Sir Arthur Dyke Acland, who at the time was Vice-President of the Committee on Education
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....
, the cabinet
Cabinet of the United Kingdom
The Cabinet of the United Kingdom is the collective decision-making body of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom, composed of the Prime Minister and some 22 Cabinet Ministers, the most senior of the government ministers....
post that then supervised education in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 1893 he became a lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
in history at the University College in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, being promoted to vice-principal in 1900.
In 1903 Childs succeeded Halford Mackinder as principal of the college. He made it his aim to turn the college into a University, working to this end by attracting students from a distance with hostels and, eventually, halls of residence. He also raised funds from prominent local residents, including George William Palmer
George William Palmer (England)
George William Palmer was a member of the Palmer family, proprietors of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit manufacturers of Reading in England....
and Alfred Palmer
Alfred Palmer
Alfred Palmer was a member of the Palmer family, proprietors of the Huntley & Palmers biscuit manufacturers of Reading in England.He was the son of George Palmer and his wife, Elizabeth Sarah, the daughter of Robert Meteyard...
, both proprietors of Huntley & Palmers
Huntley & Palmers
Huntley & Palmers was a British firm of biscuit makers originally based in Reading, Berkshire. The company created one of the world's first global brands and ran what was once the world’s largest biscuit factory. Over the years, the company was also known as J...
, and Harriet Loyd-Lindsay, wife of Robert, 1st Baron Wantage. His first application for a charter, in 1920, was turned down, but a second application, in 1925, succeeded. In 1926, when the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
officially received that charter, Childs became the first vice-chancellor, being born aloft by his students and carried around the grounds.
Childs retired at the age of 60, in 1929. He died on 21 June 1939 at his home at Hermitage
Hermitage, Berkshire
Hermitage is a village and civil parish, near to Newbury, in the English county of Berkshire.-Location and communications:The civil parish is made up of a number of settlements: Hermitage village, Little Hungerford and Wellhouse, in 2003 these consisted of some 1,154 people in 444 houses, although...
in 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...
. Childs Hall, a hall of residence on the University of Reading's Whiteknights Park
Whiteknights Park
Whiteknights Park, or the Whiteknights Campus of the University of Reading, is the principal campus of that university. The park covers the area of the manor of Earley Whiteknights, also known as Earley St Nicholas and Earley Regis.Whiteknights Park is some two miles south of the centre of the town...
campus, is named in honour of William Macbride Childs.