Claude Aurelius Elliott
Encyclopedia
Sir Claude Aurelius Elliott OBE
, MA, (27 July 1888 - 21 November 1973) was Head Master of Eton College
at Windsor
in Berkshire
, and was later Provost
at the same school.
, the only child of Sir Charles Alfred Elliott (1835–1911), the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal
, and his second wife, Alice Louisa. Sir Charles had three sons and a daughter from a previous marriage. From his preparatory school
, Claude Elliott was elected a king's scholar of Eton College in 1902. He had an undistinguished scholastic career at Eton, but on going up to Trinity College, Cambridge
, he discovered a natural bent as an historian
, taking his BA
in 1909, and becoming a Fellow
of Jesus College, Cambridge
in 1910, and a Tutor
in 1914. On 17 June 1913 he married Gillian (d. 1966), the daughter of Frederick Turner Bloxam, chief Chancery Registrar, with whom he had a son, John Nicholas Rede Elliott
(1916–1994), who worked in Military Intelligence
during and after the Second World War, and who was awarded the US
Legion of Merit
for his services to the office of strategic services.
, which interest he practised in Britain, Switzerland
, and France
, hoping one day to climb the Caucasus
and the Himalayas
, but he was prevented from pursuing this by a fall in the Lake District
in 1912 which broke his kneecap and damaged his hand. These injuries did not stop him climbing, but they prevented active service in the First World War. Instead, Elliott served in a Red Cross unit in Flanders
in 1915, after which he spent the remainder of the War at the Admiralty
, being appointed OBE
in 1920 for his War service. After the War he returned to Jesus College, where he served on the University's Financial Board, the General Board, and the Council of Senate.
from 1933 to 1949. His had been an unlikely selection. For example, he was the first Head Master of Eton who was not in holy orders
, and neither his preaching in chapel nor his teaching in school were as impressive as those of his charisma
tic predecessor. However, he was an effective Headmaster who was respected by the school's governing body for his sound judgement and his administrative skill. He was known to his students as 'The Emperor' because of his imposing presence and his coolness towards the majority of his pupils. Elliott made no significant changes to the school, believing that the selection of good and effective teachers as masters was the school's best way forward.
During World War II
some parents suggested that Eton should be moved to a location safe from the bombs of the enemy. If London's poor could not move from London, said Elliott, the Etonians would not move from Eton. Later, in 1940, two bombs did actually fall on Eton, only just missing a library full of studying boys, but this only made him more determined to stand firm. Elliott never did move the school.
In 1949, after sixteen years as Head Master, Elliott was appointed Eton College's Provost, a post he held until 1965. During his fifteen years as Provost he launched an appeal to rebuild and modernise the College. He was responsible for the replacement of the shattered glass in the chapel windows with designs by Evie Hone
and John Piper
. As Provost it was said that he had done more for the fabric of the school than any of his predecessors for five centuries.
where he could see the mountains he loved so well. He was personally acquainted with all the famous climbers of his time. He made forty visits to the Alps
, and numerous other expeditions in Wales
, the Lake District
and Skye
. If it had not been for his earlier climbing injuries he would have taken part in the Everest expeditions of 1921 to 1924. Elliott was President of the Alpine Club
from 1950 to 1952. in that capacity, he selected John Hunt
to lead the successful 1953 Everest expedition.
Elliott was also a successful oarsman, being a member of the Leander Club
. He died at his home, Lower Gatesgarth, Buttermere, on 21 November 1973.
Claude Aurelius Elliott was Knighted
in 1958.
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...
, MA, (27 July 1888 - 21 November 1973) was Head Master of Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
at Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
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...
, and was later Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
at the same school.
Early life
Elliott was born in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the only child of Sir Charles Alfred Elliott (1835–1911), the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal
Bengal
Bengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
, and his second wife, Alice Louisa. Sir Charles had three sons and a daughter from a previous marriage. From his preparatory school
Preparatory school (UK)
In English language usage in the former British Empire, the present-day Commonwealth, a preparatory school is an independent school preparing children up to the age of eleven or thirteen for entry into fee-paying, secondary independent schools, some of which are known as public schools...
, Claude Elliott was elected a king's scholar of Eton College in 1902. He had an undistinguished scholastic career at Eton, but on going up to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, he discovered a natural bent as an historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, taking his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1909, and becoming 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 Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
in 1910, and a Tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
in 1914. On 17 June 1913 he married Gillian (d. 1966), the daughter of Frederick Turner Bloxam, chief Chancery Registrar, with whom he had a son, John Nicholas Rede Elliott
John Nicholas Rede Elliott
John Nicholas Rede Elliott was an MI6 Intelligence Officer; Honorary Attache, The Hague 1938-40; Acting Lieutenant, Intelligence Corps 1940-45; Head of Station, Secret Intelligence Service, Berne 1945-53, Vienna 1953-56, London 1956-60, Beirut 1960-62, a director 1963-69; executive director,...
(1916–1994), who worked in Military Intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
during and after the Second World War, and who was awarded the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
for his services to the office of strategic services.
First World War
As a boy Elliott enjoyed mountaineeringMountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
, which interest he practised in Britain, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, hoping one day to climb the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
and the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, but he was prevented from pursuing this by a fall in the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
in 1912 which broke his kneecap and damaged his hand. These injuries did not stop him climbing, but they prevented active service in the First World War. Instead, Elliott served in a Red Cross unit in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in 1915, after which he spent the remainder of the War at 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...
, being appointed OBE
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 1920 for his War service. After the War he returned to Jesus College, where he served on the University's Financial Board, the General Board, and the Council of Senate.
Eton College
Elliott was Head Master of Eton CollegeEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
from 1933 to 1949. His had been an unlikely selection. For example, he was the first Head Master of Eton who was not in holy orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
, and neither his preaching in chapel nor his teaching in school were as impressive as those of his charisma
Charisma
The term charisma has two senses: 1) compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others, 2) a divinely conferred power or talent. For some theological usages the term is rendered charism, with a meaning the same as sense 2...
tic predecessor. However, he was an effective Headmaster who was respected by the school's governing body for his sound judgement and his administrative skill. He was known to his students as 'The Emperor' because of his imposing presence and his coolness towards the majority of his pupils. Elliott made no significant changes to the school, believing that the selection of good and effective teachers as masters was the school's best way forward.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
some parents suggested that Eton should be moved to a location safe from the bombs of the enemy. If London's poor could not move from London, said Elliott, the Etonians would not move from Eton. Later, in 1940, two bombs did actually fall on Eton, only just missing a library full of studying boys, but this only made him more determined to stand firm. Elliott never did move the school.
In 1949, after sixteen years as Head Master, Elliott was appointed Eton College's Provost, a post he held until 1965. During his fifteen years as Provost he launched an appeal to rebuild and modernise the College. He was responsible for the replacement of the shattered glass in the chapel windows with designs by Evie Hone
Evie Hone
Evie Hone was a Dublin born Irish painter and stained glass artist.She was related to Nathaniel Hone and Nathaniel Hone the Younger. Her most important works are probably the East Window for the Chapel at Eton College, Windsor and My Four Green Fields, now located in Government Buildings...
and John Piper
John Piper (artist)
John Egerton Christmas Piper, CH was a 20th-century English painter and printmaker. For much of his life he lived at Fawley Bottom in Buckinghamshire, near Henley-on-Thames.-Life:...
. As Provost it was said that he had done more for the fabric of the school than any of his predecessors for five centuries.
Later years
On his retirement Elliott continued mountaineering, living in ButtermereButtermere
Buttermere is a lake in the English Lake District in North West England. The adjacent village of Buttermere takes its name from the lake. Historically within the former county of Cumberland, the lake is now within the county of Cumbria. It is owned by the National Trust, forming part of their...
where he could see the mountains he loved so well. He was personally acquainted with all the famous climbers of his time. He made forty visits to the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, and numerous other expeditions in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
and Skye
Skye
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
. If it had not been for his earlier climbing injuries he would have taken part in the Everest expeditions of 1921 to 1924. Elliott was President of the Alpine Club
Alpine Club (UK)
The Alpine Club was founded in London in 1857 and was probably the world's first mountaineering club. It is UK mountaineering's acknowledged 'senior club'.-History:...
from 1950 to 1952. in that capacity, he selected John Hunt
John Hunt, Baron Hunt
Brigadier Henry Cecil John Hunt, Baron Hunt KG, PC, CBE, DSO, was a British army officer who is best known as the leader of the successful 1953 British Expedition to Mount Everest.-Early life and career:...
to lead the successful 1953 Everest expedition.
Elliott was also a successful oarsman, being a member of the Leander Club
Leander Club
Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world. It is based in Remenham in the English county of Berkshire, adjoining Henley-on-Thames...
. He died at his home, Lower Gatesgarth, Buttermere, on 21 November 1973.
Claude Aurelius Elliott was Knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1958.