Francis Fortescue Urquhart
Encyclopedia
Francis Fortescue Urquhart (1868–1934) was an English academic, the first Roman Catholic to act as a tutorial fellow in the University of Oxford
since the 16th century.
in Switzerland, the son of David Urquhart
and Harriet Angelina Fortescue
. His father died in 1877, and his uncle Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford
played an important role in bringing him up; his middle name Fortescue was added in recognition. He was educated at Beaumont College, Old Windsor
, and Stonyhurst College
, before becoming a student at Balliol College, Oxford
.
He acquired the nickname "Sligger" as an undergraduate, around 1892. He was lecturer in history (from 1895) and Fellow (from 1896), at Balliol, later becoming Dean. He settled into a life as a "college man", spending much of his time entertaining students, who he would also take on "reading parties" to his chalet at Chamonix
in the vacation. Undergraduates who were in some way in his circle included Harold Macmillan
, Evelyn Waugh
, Cyril Connolly
, Anthony Powell
, Harold Nicolson
, Quintin Hogg
and many others. He is often taken as having influenced the fictional characters of Mr Samgrass in Waugh's Brideshead Revisited
and, more closely, Sillery in Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time
, as well as a character of Walter Pater
's.
Francis Fortescue Urquhart: a Memoir by Cyril Bailey, was published by Macmillan and Co. in 1936.
, the Journal of Theological Studies, and the Dublin Review
, and wrote articles for the Catholic Encyclopedia
, but, as the college history puts it "he made no direct contribution of his own to historical scholarship".
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...
since the 16th century.
Life
He was born near GenevaGeneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
in Switzerland, the son of David Urquhart
David Urquhart
David Urquhart was a Scottish diplomat and writer.. He was a Member of Parliament 1847-52.-Early life and family:...
and Harriet Angelina Fortescue
Harriet Angelina Fortescue
Harriet Angelina Fortescue was a British writer on international affairs.She was the wife of diplomat David Urquhart and wrote numerous articles in his publication, the Diplomatic Review, under the signature of Caritas. A Memoir of Mrs. Urquhart was written by Maria Catherine Bishop.-External...
. His father died in 1877, and his uncle Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford
Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford
Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue, 2nd Baron Clermont and 1st Baron Carlingford KP, PC , known as Chichester Fortescue until 1863 and as Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue between 1863 and 1874, Lord Carlingford from 1874 to 1887 and Lord Clermont after 1887, was a British statesman and Liberal...
played an important role in bringing him up; his middle name Fortescue was added in recognition. He was educated at Beaumont College, Old Windsor
Old Windsor
Old Windsor is a large village and civil parish in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in the English county of Berkshire.-Location:...
, and Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
, before becoming a student at Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
.
He acquired the nickname "Sligger" as an undergraduate, around 1892. He was lecturer in history (from 1895) and Fellow (from 1896), at Balliol, later becoming Dean. He settled into a life as a "college man", spending much of his time entertaining students, who he would also take on "reading parties" to his chalet at Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
in the vacation. Undergraduates who were in some way in his circle included Harold Macmillan
Harold Macmillan
Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....
, Evelyn Waugh
Evelyn Waugh
Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh , known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, travel books and biographies. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer...
, Cyril Connolly
Cyril Connolly
Cyril Vernon Connolly was an English intellectual, literary critic and writer. He was the editor of the influential literary magazine Horizon and wrote Enemies of Promise , which combined literary criticism with an autobiographical exploration of why he failed to become the successful author of...
, Anthony Powell
Anthony Powell
Anthony Dymoke Powell CH, CBE was an English novelist best known for his twelve-volume work A Dance to the Music of Time, published between 1951 and 1975....
, Harold Nicolson
Harold Nicolson
Sir Harold George Nicolson KCVO CMG was an English diplomat, author, diarist and politician. He was the husband of writer Vita Sackville-West, their unusual relationship being described in their son's book, Portrait of a Marriage.-Early life:Nicolson was born in Tehran, Persia, the younger son of...
, Quintin Hogg
Quintin Hogg
Quintin Hogg was an English philanthropist, remembered primarily as a benefactor of the Royal Polytechnic institution at Regent Street, London now known as the University of Westminster.-Early life:...
and many others. He is often taken as having influenced the fictional characters of Mr Samgrass in Waugh's Brideshead Revisited
Brideshead Revisited
Brideshead Revisited, The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder is a novel by English writer Evelyn Waugh, first published in 1945. Waugh wrote that the novel "deals with what is theologically termed 'the operation of Grace', that is to say, the unmerited and unilateral act of love by...
and, more closely, Sillery in Powell's A Dance to the Music of Time
A Dance to the Music of Time
A Dance to the Music of Time is a twelve-volume cycle of novels by Anthony Powell, inspired by the painting of the same name by Nicolas Poussin. One of the longest works of fiction in literature, it was published between 1951 and 1975 to critical acclaim...
, as well as a character of Walter Pater
Walter Pater
Walter Horatio Pater was an English essayist, critic of art and literature, and writer of fiction.-Early life:...
's.
Francis Fortescue Urquhart: a Memoir by Cyril Bailey, was published by Macmillan and Co. in 1936.
Works
Urquhart was a contributor to The MonthThe Month
The Month was a monthly review, published from 1864 to 2001, which for almost all of its history was owned by the English Province of the Society of Jesus and edited by its members.-History:...
, the Journal of Theological Studies, and the Dublin Review
Dublin Review (Catholic periodical)
The Dublin Review was an influential Catholic periodical founded in 1836 by Michael Joseph Quin, Cardinal Wiseman and Daniel O'Connell. Quin had the original idea for the new journal, soon persuading Wiseman to lend his support, and next enlisting O'Connell whose Catholic Emancipation campaign he...
, and wrote articles for the Catholic Encyclopedia
Catholic Encyclopedia
The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia and the Original Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language encyclopedia published in the United States. The first volume appeared in March 1907 and the last three volumes appeared in 1912, followed by a master index...
, but, as the college history puts it "he made no direct contribution of his own to historical scholarship".