R J Whitwell
Encyclopedia
Robert Jowitt Whitwell B.Litt. (31 August 1859 – 15 May 1928) was a British
medievalist
who made significant contributions to lexicography
.
, where Edward's brother John
was the local MP from 1868 to 1880. In April 1884 Robert married Louisa Crommelin Brown, a Glaswegian
, with whom he had two daughters and one son. By 1898 they had moved to Oxford
, where they lived at 70 Banbury Road
, a few doors away from the editor of the OED
. In 1914 their younger daughter, Louisa Crommelin Roberta Jowitt Whitwell, married the Marquess of Tavistock
, who had studied history at Oxford. Robert died in May 1928, and his wife Louisa died in January 1945.
, submitting some 17,000 quotation slips between 1879 and 1884; by the time the first volume was published in 1888, his slip total was the 7th highest at 33,000. His academic life was, however, based at Oxford University
, where he received a B.Litt. from Corpus Christi
before becoming associated with New College
. In 1901 he was Honorary Secretary of the Oxford Architectural and Historical Society
, and in 1907 he was listed as a tutor in Modern History with colleagues including H. W. C. Davis
, G. Baskerville, F. Madan
, R. L. Poole, R. Rait
, and A. L. Smith
.
Whitwell made his greatest contribution to scholarship in 1913. Frustrated with the standard dictionary of medieval Latin
, Du Cange
's Glossarium (1678), he petitioned the British Academy
to use the third 5-yearly International Congress of Historical Studies to propose "an adequate and complete dictionary of the language, based on the best authorities and compiled on modern scientific principles" with the collaboration of "historical scholars of all countries". The petition was signed by 82 British scholars, including the editors of the OED, and Whitwell was duly allowed to put the proposal to the first plenary session of the Congress, held in the Great Hall of Lincoln's Inn.
The American historian J. F. Jameson
, reporting on the Congress, warned that the task that Whitwell envisaged "could not be hopefully undertaken with resources less formidable than those of the International Union of Academies
". The First World War
made cooperation on such a scale impossible, but it was indeed the IUA who revived Whitwell's suggestion in 1920, and by the time he died in May 1928 a coordinated effort from over ten countries was well under way. His death was noted with regret at the sixth 5-yearly International Congress of Historical Studies by Charles Johnson, who said that Whitwell "not only actively promoted the whole [international] scheme but was a zealous member of the committee [on British medieval Latin
after 1066
] and a generous contributor of excerpts."
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
medievalist
Medieval studies
-Development:The term 'medieval studies' began to be adopted by academics in the opening decades of the twentieth century, initially in the titles of books like G. G. Coulton's Ten Medieval Studies , to emphasize a greater interdisciplinary approach to a historical subject...
who made significant contributions to lexicography
Lexicography
Lexicography is divided into two related disciplines:*Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionaries....
.
Personal
Robert Jowitt Whitwell was born in August 1859 to Mary Ann Jowitt and Edward Whitwell. The Whitwell family were based in KendalKendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
, where Edward's brother John
John Whitwell
John Whitwell was an English Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1880.Whitwell was the son of Isaac Whitwell of Kendal and his wife Maria Fisher daughter of William Fisher of Thorpe Hall, Leeds. He was educated at the Kendal Friends School and at the Darlington...
was the local MP from 1868 to 1880. In April 1884 Robert married Louisa Crommelin Brown, a Glaswegian
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, with whom he had two daughters and one son. By 1898 they had moved to Oxford
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...
, where they lived at 70 Banbury Road
Banbury Road
Banbury Road is a major arterial road in Oxford, England, running from St Giles' at the south end, north towards Banbury through the leafy suburb of North Oxford and Summertown, with its local shopping centre. Parallel and to the west is the Woodstock Road, which it meets at the junction with St...
, a few doors away from the editor of the OED
James Murray (lexicographer)
Sir James Augustus Henry Murray was a Scottish lexicographer and philologist. He was the primary editor of the Oxford English Dictionary from 1879 until his death.-Life and learning:...
. In 1914 their younger daughter, Louisa Crommelin Roberta Jowitt Whitwell, married the Marquess of Tavistock
Hastings Russell, 12th Duke of Bedford
Hastings William Sackville Russell, 12th Duke of Bedford MA , nicknamed Spinach Tavistock, was the son of Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford....
, who had studied history at Oxford. Robert died in May 1928, and his wife Louisa died in January 1945.
Academic
In his twenties, while he was still living in Kendal, Whitwell became a prolific voluntary contributor to the OEDOxford English Dictionary
The Oxford English Dictionary , published by the Oxford University Press, is the self-styled premier dictionary of the English language. Two fully bound print editions of the OED have been published under its current name, in 1928 and 1989. The first edition was published in twelve volumes , and...
, submitting some 17,000 quotation slips between 1879 and 1884; by the time the first volume was published in 1888, his slip total was the 7th highest at 33,000. His academic life was, however, based at Oxford University
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...
, where he received a B.Litt. from Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
Corpus Christi College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom...
before becoming associated with New College
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
. In 1901 he was Honorary Secretary of the Oxford Architectural and Historical Society
Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society
The Oxfordshire Architectural and Historical Society has existed in one form or another since at least 1839, although with its current name only since 1972. Its annual publication Oxoniensia has been produced since 1936.-Overview:...
, and in 1907 he was listed as a tutor in Modern History with colleagues including H. W. C. Davis
Henry William Carless Davis
Henry William Carless Davis, CBE, FBA was a British historian, editor of the Dictionary of National Biography, and Oxford Regius Professor of Modern History.-Early career:...
, G. Baskerville, F. Madan
Falconer Madan
Falconer Madan was Librarian of the Bodleian Library of Oxford University.Falconer was the fifth son of George and Harriet Madan. He was educated at Marlborough College and Brasenose College, Oxford, where he took part in Oxford and Cambridge Chess matches in 1873 and 1874, and won the University...
, R. L. Poole, R. Rait
Robert Rait
Sir Robert Sangster Rait Kt. CBE DL was a Scottish historian, Historiographer Royal and Principal of the University of Glasgow.-Early life:...
, and A. L. Smith
Arthur Lionel Smith
Arthur Lionel Smith was a British historian at the University of Oxford.A. L. Smith studied at Balliol College, Oxford from 1869–74, where he became, Fellow in 1882, Dean in 1907, and was Master 1916–1924....
.
Whitwell made his greatest contribution to scholarship in 1913. Frustrated with the standard dictionary of medieval Latin
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. Despite the clerical origin of many of its authors,...
, Du Cange
Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange
Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange or Ducange was a distinguished philologist and historian of the Middle Ages and Byzantium....
's Glossarium (1678), he petitioned the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
to use the third 5-yearly International Congress of Historical Studies to propose "an adequate and complete dictionary of the language, based on the best authorities and compiled on modern scientific principles" with the collaboration of "historical scholars of all countries". The petition was signed by 82 British scholars, including the editors of the OED, and Whitwell was duly allowed to put the proposal to the first plenary session of the Congress, held in the Great Hall of Lincoln's Inn.
The American historian J. F. Jameson
J. Franklin Jameson
John Franklin Jameson was an American historian, author, and journal editor who played a major role in the professional activities of American historians in the early 20th century.-Early life:...
, reporting on the Congress, warned that the task that Whitwell envisaged "could not be hopefully undertaken with resources less formidable than those of the International Union of Academies
Union Académique Internationale
The Union Académique Internationale is the oldest and largest federation of Academies having a national character and created for international cooperation...
". The First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
made cooperation on such a scale impossible, but it was indeed the IUA who revived Whitwell's suggestion in 1920, and by the time he died in May 1928 a coordinated effort from over ten countries was well under way. His death was noted with regret at the sixth 5-yearly International Congress of Historical Studies by Charles Johnson, who said that Whitwell "not only actively promoted the whole [international] scheme but was a zealous member of the committee [on British medieval Latin
Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources
The Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources is a lexicon of Medieval Latin, published by Oxford University Press for the British Academy, and sometimes referred to as simply the Dictionary of Medieval Latin or the Medieval Latin Dictionary. After decades of preparatory work, the...
after 1066
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
] and a generous contributor of excerpts."