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8 unusual facts about Balliol College


Courtenay Ilbert

Ilbert was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, where he was Hertford, Ireland, Craven, and Eldon law scholar.

Dana Porter

After graduating from the University of Toronto in 1921, Porter went to England to continue his studies at Balliol College, Oxford from which he graduated with a Master's degree in 1923.

George Basevi

He carried out some work for Balliol College, Oxford including a Gothic ceiling for the chapel, and was invited to design a whole new frontage for the college, but the plans were never carried out, due to the intervention of a faction amongst the fellows who commissioned an alternative set of plans from Pugin.

Israel's Department Store

Following the takeover of the store, Wilfrid Israel, who had run the business with his brother, emigrated to England, where he took up a research position at Balliol College, Oxford.

Joanna Sime

Sime was coached by her late father, Max Sime, a Graduate of Balliol College, Oxford, and a well known psychologist for his innovative work in Cognitive ergonomics and human-computer interaction.

Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead

Later, he graduated from Balliol College, Oxford, where he obtained his Master of Arts degree in 1880.

Samuel Shem

Bergman was a Rhodes Scholar at Balliol College, Oxford in 1966, and was tutored by Denis Noble FRS, cardiac physiologist and later head of the Oxford Cardiac Electrophysiology Group.

William Theodore Heard

He was educated at Fettes College of which his father (Rev William Augustus Heard) had been Headmaster, and at Balliol College, Oxford where he rowed.


Alfred Marshall

Marshall returned to Cambridge, via a brief period at Balliol College, Oxford during 1883–4, to take the seat as Professor of Political Economy in 1884 on the death of Henry Fawcett.

Charles James Lyall

Educated initially at King's College School and then King's College London, in 1863 Lyall went on to study Greats at Balliol College, Oxford, from which he graduated in 1867 with a BA degree.

Claude Montefiore

He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, where he obtained a first-class honours degree in the classical final examination, and where he came under the influence of Benjamin Jowett and T. H. Green.

Dervorguilla Records

It was named in honour of Dervorguilla of Galloway, who founded Balliol College, Oxford in 1263: two of the three founders were at the College when they started the company.

Edmond Warre

He was educated at Eton, where he was an exact contemporary of Algernon Charles Swinburne, and then at Balliol College, Oxford, where he had a distinguished university career, taking a double first (1856 and 1859).

Francis Ruddle

Other work by Ruddle during his career includes Thorpe Hall (Peterborough), Thicket Priory, Ripon Cathedral, the Queen's private chapel at Windsor Castle, All Saints' Church, Oakham, the chapel at Balliol College, Oxford and the former British Embassy in Constantinople (Istanbul).

George Hourani

George spent his early years studying Greek and Latin language and literature, winning successive scholarships at the Mill Hill School and Balliol College, Oxford, and developing an interest in philosophy and international affairs.

John Alfred Spender

He was educated at Bath College and Balliol College, Oxford, where he did well in his studies but missed a first in Greats due to illness.

Joseph Macleod

Joseph Macleod was the son of Scottish parents, and was educated at Rugby School and Balliol College, Oxford.

Keith Feiling

The son of Ernest Feiling and Joan Barbara Hawkins, Keith Grahame Feiling was educated at Marlborough College, Marlborough, Wiltshire, England and Balliol College, Oxford.

Michael J. Sandel

A high achiever, he was the President of his senior class at Palisades High School (1971), graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Brandeis University with a Bachelor's degree in politics (1975), and received his doctorate from Balliol College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar, where he studied under philosopher Charles Taylor.

Oxford Internet Institute

The Oxford Internet Institute was founded in 2001 by Derek Wyatt, then MP for Sittingbourne and Sheppey, and Andrew Graham, Master of Balliol College.

Oxford University Mountaineering Club

The Oxford University Mountaineering Club (OUMC) was founded in 1909 by Arnold Lunn, then a Balliol undergraduate.

Paul Almond

Paul Almond attended Bishop's College School, McGill University and Balliol College, Oxford University, where he read Philosophy, Politics, Economics, edited the University magazine Isis and played for the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club.

Rajani Palme Dutt

Dutt was educated at The Perse School, Cambridge and Balliol College, Oxford, where he obtained a first class degree in classics after having been suspended for a time due to his status as a conscientious objector in World War I.

Simon Hornblower

Born in 1949, he was educated at Eton College, where he was a scholar, at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he took first-class honours in 1969, and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he took first-class honours in Literae Humaniores in 1971 (BA and hence subsequently MA) and a DPhil in 1978 with a thesis entitled Maussollos of Karia.

Sir Arthur Steel-Maitland, 1st Baronet

The second son of Colonel E. H. Steel and Emmeline, daughter of General Henry Drummond, Steel-Maitland was educated at Rugby and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he was a classical Scholar and Eldon Scholar in 1899.

Somerset de Chair

He was educated at The King's School, Parramatta in New South Wales between 1923 and 1930 before attending Balliol College, Oxford.

The Rock Pool

Connolly dedicated the book to Peter Quennell, who had been at Balliol College with him and who wrote the introduction to the 1981 reprint.

Trinity College Boat Club

Another nineteen years passed with rowing at Trinity growing in its importance within the college, until finally during the Eights in 1861, Trinity bumped University College, Oxford, BNC, Exeter and finally Balliol College to go Head of the River.


see also

Frances Freeling Broderip

He was born at Wells, Somersetshire, in 1814, educated at Eton, and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he took his B.A. 1837, M.A. 1839, became rector of Cossington, Somersetshire, 1844, and died at Cossington on 10 April 1866.