Alfred Brotherston Emden
Encyclopedia
Alfred Brotherston Emden (1888–1979) was an Oxford University historian and Principal of St Edmund Hall from 1929 to 1951. He published widely on matters concerning St Edmund Hall and the medieval church. His generous gifts, and lifelong association with the Hall are honoured with his name being conferred on several buildings and rooms within the college.
- a barrister and county-court judge - was born on 22 October 1888 in West Ealing
, Middlesex
. He held a scholarship at The King's School, Canterbury
(1903–1907) and Lincoln College
, Oxford University
from where he graduated in 1911 with a second class degree in modern history.
After his graduation, he qualified for the bar at the Inner Temple but instead of practicing law, ran a home for disadvantaged boys in Sydenham from 1913 to 1915 and thereafter became schoolmaster at Strand School, Brixton. Shortly after taking up his last post, he enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and served as an Able Seaman on the destroyer HMS Parker. In 1919, while still enlisted, he accepted a tutorship in Modern history at St Edmund Hall, Oxford.
and in 1920, Vice Principal. He was to remain with the Hall for another thirty years. He developed an intense interest in the history of St Edmund Hall on which he produced an article in the St Edmund Hall Magazine which he founded in 1920. In 1927 he published An Oxford Hall in Medieval Times - a standard history of the college that was republished in 1968 and remained in print until 1972.
In 1929, he was appointed principal on the retirement of Dr G.B. Allan
and shortly thereafter the death of Allan's chosen successor. Emden oversaw the restoration of the old buildings of the Hall and the completion of the quad
in 1934 with buildings on its southside. A reorganisation of the Hall's constitution in 1937 saw the acquisition of its freehold from Queen's College
which had held it since 1557. Emden tutored in medieval history until 1939.
During the Second World War, Emden was placed in charge of the Oxford University Naval Division as a Lieutenant-commander having persuaded the Admiralty
to raise such divisions in several British universities. During his war service, he accompanied a submarine patrol in the Bay of Biscay.
. His retirement did not curtail his academic career and from 1957 to 1959 published A Biographical Register of the University of Oxford to A.D. 1500 with a similar work on Cambridge University in 1963. This was followed in 1967 by a Survey of Dominicans in England and in 1974 a supplement to A Biographical Register of the University of Oxford to A.D. 1501-1540.
A.B. Emden died on 8 June 1979 a bachelor at his home in Headington
, Oxford - a home he shared with his mother until her death in 1955. He left the bulk of his £400,000 estate to St Edmund Hall and his ashes are interred in the college's ante-chapel.
Early life
Emden, the eldest son of Alfred Charles EmdenAlfred Charles Emden
Alfred Charles Richard Emden, was a barrister and County Court judge best remembered as the author of the building law text The Law relating to Building Leases and Building Contracts which was first published by Stevens and Haynes in London in 1882. Subsequent editions appeared into the 1980s...
- a barrister and county-court judge - was born on 22 October 1888 in West Ealing
West Ealing
West Ealing is a place in the London Borough of Ealing in west London.-History:West Ealing in its present form is less than 100 years old....
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
. He held a scholarship at The King's School, Canterbury
The King's School, Canterbury
The King's School is a British co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils in the historic English cathedral city of Canterbury in Kent. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and the Eton Group....
(1903–1907) and Lincoln College
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
, Oxford University
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
from where he graduated in 1911 with a second class degree in modern history.
After his graduation, he qualified for the bar at the Inner Temple but instead of practicing law, ran a home for disadvantaged boys in Sydenham from 1913 to 1915 and thereafter became schoolmaster at Strand School, Brixton. Shortly after taking up his last post, he enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and served as an Able Seaman on the destroyer HMS Parker. In 1919, while still enlisted, he accepted a tutorship in Modern history at St Edmund Hall, Oxford.
St Edmund Hall
After arriving at the Hall in 1919, Emden was appointed BursarBursar
A bursar is a senior professional financial administrator in a school or university.Billing of student tuition accounts are the responsibility of the Office of the Bursar. This involves sending bills and making payment plans with the ultimate goal of getting the student accounts paid off...
and in 1920, Vice Principal. He was to remain with the Hall for another thirty years. He developed an intense interest in the history of St Edmund Hall on which he produced an article in the St Edmund Hall Magazine which he founded in 1920. In 1927 he published An Oxford Hall in Medieval Times - a standard history of the college that was republished in 1968 and remained in print until 1972.
In 1929, he was appointed principal on the retirement of Dr G.B. Allan
Gerald Burton Allen
Gerald Burton Allen was a British scholar and a Church of England priest and bishop.-Life:Allen was born into a clerical family, being the eldest son of The Reverend T.K. Allen, sometime Vicar of Weyhill. He was educated at Cheltenham College, later serving as a member of the College Council ...
and shortly thereafter the death of Allan's chosen successor. Emden oversaw the restoration of the old buildings of the Hall and the completion of the quad
Quad
Quad may refer to:-Architecture:*Quadrangle in architecture, e.g., on a university campus*Quad, a dormitory room or suite housing four residents...
in 1934 with buildings on its southside. A reorganisation of the Hall's constitution in 1937 saw the acquisition of its freehold from Queen's College
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...
which had held it since 1557. Emden tutored in medieval history until 1939.
During the Second World War, Emden was placed in charge of the Oxford University Naval Division as a Lieutenant-commander having persuaded the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
to raise such divisions in several British universities. During his war service, he accompanied a submarine patrol in the Bay of Biscay.
Retirement
After World War II, Emden's health started to fail and he resigned his Principalship at the age of 63 and was succeeded by his Vice-Principal Rev. J.N.D. KellyJohn Norman Davidson Kelly
John Norman Davidson Kelly FBA was a prominent academic within the theological faculty of Oxford University and Principal of St Edmund Hall, Oxford between 1951 and 1979 during which the Hall transformed into an independent constituent college of the University and later a co-educational...
. His retirement did not curtail his academic career and from 1957 to 1959 published A Biographical Register of the University of Oxford to A.D. 1500 with a similar work on Cambridge University in 1963. This was followed in 1967 by a Survey of Dominicans in England and in 1974 a supplement to A Biographical Register of the University of Oxford to A.D. 1501-1540.
A.B. Emden died on 8 June 1979 a bachelor at his home in Headington
Headington
Headington is a suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames Valley below. The life of the large residential area is centred upon London Road, the main road between London and Oxford.-History:...
, Oxford - a home he shared with his mother until her death in 1955. He left the bulk of his £400,000 estate to St Edmund Hall and his ashes are interred in the college's ante-chapel.
Selected bibliography
- Emden, A.B. [1927] (1968) An Oxford hall in medieval times : being the early history of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford : Clarendon Press, 322 p.
- Emden, A.B. (1932) An account of the chapel and library building, St. Edmund Hall, Oxford : written in the year of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the consecration of the chapel, Oxford : Printed by John Johnson at the University Press, 73 p.
- Emden, A.B. (1957) A biographical register of the University of Oxford to A.D. 1500: vol. 1. A.-E., Oxford : Clarendon Press, ISBN 0-19-951562-X
- Emden, A.B. (1958) A biographical register of the University of Oxford to A.D. 1500: vol. 2. F.-O., Oxford : Clarendon Press, ISBN 0-19-951563-8
- Emden, A.B. (1959) A biographical register of the University of Oxford to A.D. 1500: vol. 3. P.-Z., Oxford : Clarendon Press, ISBN 0-19-951564-6
- Emden, A.B. (1963) A biographical register of the University of Cambridge to 1500, Cambridge University Press, 695 p
- Emden, A.B. (1967) A survey of Dominicans in England based on the ordination lists in episcopal registers (1268 to 1538), Institutum historicum ff. praedicatorum Romae ad S. Sabinae. Dissertationes historicae, 18, Rome : S. Sabina, 497 p.
- Emden, A.B. (1974) A biographical register of the University of Oxford, A.D.1501-1540, Oxford : Clarendon Press, ISBN 0-19-951008-3
- Emden, A.B. (1977) Medieval decorated tiles in Dorset, London : Phillimore, ISBN 0-85033-191-9