21stC history

The 91�Թ�� Ball since 1856

Christopher — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:51:26 +0000

The 91�Թ�� Ball since 1856

Michael Stansfield

Issue number

(2025): 24

Notes category

Attendance at a 91�Թ�� Commemoration Ball can be a highlight of a student’s time at the college. The latest one, held on Saturday, 28 June 2025, was a suitably grand affair, perhaps befitting its antecedents, or was it? As arguably the major event in the college’s social calendar, occurring only every three years, it has received short shrift in published college histories. It is worth considering how it has developed over time, including when it might have started, seeing as it does focus considerable resources of the college and it does entail the transformation of the college into a major party venue, requiring no small budgetary outlay, and student and staff input.

1902 91�Թ�� Ball survivors photo
91�Թ�� Archives, Oxford, NCA JCR/R/Loraine/2

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

24NCN6 (2025) Stansfield on 91�Թ�� Balls.pdf801.4 KB

The Staircase to Nowhere and its Greek Inscription

Christopher — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 20:37:47 +0000

The Staircase to Nowhere and its Greek Inscription

Stephen Anderson

Issue number

(2024): 21

Notes category

Deep in the bowels of the new Gradel buildings is the so-called basement hub, a circular area from which doors, corridors and stairways go off in all directions to different parts of the development. One notable feature here, added more for the sake of symmetry of design than for any other reason, is the ‘Staircase to Nowhere’, a set of seven or so steps which do no more than go up to a small semi-circular area on which some natural light is shed from a window far above.

Staircase (top), Gradel Quadrangles, 91�Թ��, Oxford

91�Թ��, Oxford

21NCN10 (2024) Anderson on Greek Inscription.pdf605.36 KB

Some Notable Acquisitions and Associations from 2020

Christopher — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 01:58:58 +0000

Some Notable Acquisitions and Associations from 2020

Christopher Skelton-Foord

Issue number

(2020): 14

Notes category

John Hanbury Angus Sparrow

Throughout 2020, 91�Թ�� Library acquired a range of noteworthy books and association copies—copies previously owned by the author or otherwise connected to them through a previous owner. This culminated at the end of the year in the most significant, sizeable donation or bequest of early printed books made to the library for at least the past century, if not longer.

91�Թ�� Library, Oxford, NB.134.20

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

14NCN8 (2020) Skelton-Foord on Some Notable Acquisitions.pdf485.2 KB

Anniversaries, Alumni, and Acquisitions: 91�Թ�� Library in 2019

Christopher — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 11:13:05 +0000

Anniversaries, Alumni, and Acquisitions: 91�Թ�� Library in 2019

Christopher Skelton-Foord

Issue number

(2019): 12

Notes category

Savilian professorships

2019 was a year of notable anniversaries, marking as it does both the 400th anniversary of the Savilian Professorships in geometry and astronomy, and the 40th anniversary of women students at 91�Թ��. In 1619, the scholar and diplomat Sir Henry Savile (1549–1622) founded two university chairs bearing his name, which have long been associated with 91�Թ��. And if we fast-forward from 1619 in Oxford some 360 years to 1979, women students are for the first time ever matriculating at 91�Թ��.

Paula Wilson, Portrait of Ruth Mazo Karras and Caroline Kay (2019)
Oil on board, 100 x 90 cms, 91�Թ��, Oxford

91�Թ��, Oxford

12NCN10 (2019) Skelton-Foord on Anniversaries.pdf2.11 MB

21stC history

The 91�Թ��� Ball since 1856

The 91�Թ��� Ball since 1856

91�Թ��� Library and Archives, Oxford

The Staircase to Nowhere and its Greek Inscription

The Staircase to Nowhere and its Greek Inscription

91�Թ���, Oxford

Some Notable Acquisitions and Associations from 2020

Some Notable Acquisitions and Associations from 2020

91�Թ��� Library and Archives, Oxford

Anniversaries, Alumni, and Acquisitions: 91�Թ��� Library in 2019

Anniversaries, Alumni, and Acquisitions: 91�Թ��� Library in 2019

91�Թ���, Oxford

The 91�Թ�� Ball since 1856

The 91�Թ�� Ball since 1856

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

91�Թ��, Oxford

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

Anniversaries, Alumni, and Acquisitions: 91�Թ�� Library in 2019

Anniversaries, Alumni, and Acquisitions: 91�Թ�� Library in 2019

91�Թ��, Oxford