Thomas Knox-Shaw
Encyclopedia
Thomas Knox-Shaw, CBE
, MC
, (November 1895 – July 1972) was a Fellow
of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
and Master of the College from 1945 to 1957.
and won a mathematics scholarship to Sidney Sussex College. He obtained Firsts
in both parts of the Mathematical Tripos
and was fourth Wrangler in 1908. He was elected to the fellowship of the College in 1909.
at the outbreak of the First World War and served throughout the War both with his regiment and on Brigade
staffs, first in France
and later in Mesopotamia
. He was awarded the Military Cross
.
In 1929 Knox-Shaw became the second Treasurer of the University. He helped steer the University through the period of great development in the 1930s and the difficult period of the Second World War. In particular, Knox-Shaw made extensive reforms to University accounting and its methods of controlling and maintaining the University’s buildings.
He was offered the Vice Chancellorship of Cambridge University but declined.
Knox-Shaw was a deeply sincere but reticent Christian
, and did much to beautify the College chapel and to increase its importance in the life of the College.
During his time as Master, Knox-Shaw also served as a member of the Board of Finance of the Diocese of Ely
, was a trustee of the Cambridge Mission to Delhi and a very active member on the committee of the Universities' Mission to Central Africa
.
Knox-Shaw also played an important part in the early developments of the National Health Service
in the Cambridge
area, and in 1954 was awarded a CBE
for his work.
On his retirement in 1957 Knox-Shaw moved into a nearby college flat, and continued to dine regularly in College and take part in its social life.
His name is commemorated in the Knox-Shaw Room, one of the College's principal meeting rooms, and Tomminox, one of the Boat Club's racing shell
s.
His gifts to the College include the picture of Oliver Cromwell
which hangs in the College Hall.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, (November 1895 – July 1972) was 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 Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
and Master of the College from 1945 to 1957.
Early life
Knox-Shaw was educated at Blundell's SchoolBlundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
and won a mathematics scholarship to Sidney Sussex College. He obtained Firsts
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
in both parts of the Mathematical Tripos
Cambridge Mathematical Tripos
The Mathematical Tripos is the taught mathematics course at the University of Cambridge. It is the oldest Tripos that is examined in Cambridge.-Origin:...
and was fourth Wrangler in 1908. He was elected to the fellowship of the College in 1909.
First World War
Knox-Shaw joined the York and Lancaster RegimentYork and Lancaster Regiment
-History:It was formed in 1881 through the amalgamation of two other regiments:*65th Regiment*84th RegimentThe title of the regiment was derived not from the cities of York and Lancaster, or from the counties...
at the outbreak of the First World War and served throughout the War both with his regiment and on Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
staffs, first in 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...
and later in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
. He was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
Post war
G. A. Weekes was elected Master of Sidney Sussex College in 1919, and Knox-Shaw succeeded him as mathematics tutor. He was on the council of the Senate of Cambridge University and one of the group of tutors of his generation who actively promoted advances in university policy.In 1929 Knox-Shaw became the second Treasurer of the University. He helped steer the University through the period of great development in the 1930s and the difficult period of the Second World War. In particular, Knox-Shaw made extensive reforms to University accounting and its methods of controlling and maintaining the University’s buildings.
Mastership and later life
Knox-Shaw succeeded Weekes as Master of Sidney Sussex in 1945. He again had to manage the problems of getting a College running smoothly following a war which had scattered the Fellows and left it severely short handed to deal with the influx of new undergraduates.He was offered the Vice Chancellorship of Cambridge University but declined.
Knox-Shaw was a deeply sincere but reticent Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, and did much to beautify the College chapel and to increase its importance in the life of the College.
During his time as Master, Knox-Shaw also served as a member of the Board of Finance of the Diocese of Ely
Diocese of Ely
The Diocese of Ely is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury. It is headed by the Bishop of Ely, who sits at Ely Cathedral in Ely. There is one suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon. The diocese now covers Cambridgeshire and western Norfolk...
, was a trustee of the Cambridge Mission to Delhi and a very active member on the committee of the Universities' Mission to Central Africa
Universities' Mission to Central Africa
The Universities' Mission to Central Africa was a missionary society established by members of the Anglican Church within the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, and Dublin. It was firmly in the Anglo-Catholic tradition of the Church, and the first to devolve authority to a bishop in the...
.
Knox-Shaw also played an important part in the early developments of the National Health Service
History of the National Health Service (England)
The National Health Service in England was created by the National Health Service Act 1946 which actually created a national health service for England and Wales though responsibility for the NHS in Wales was passed to the Secretary of State for Wales in 1969, leaving the Secretary of State for...
in the Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
area, and in 1954 was awarded a CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
for his work.
On his retirement in 1957 Knox-Shaw moved into a nearby college flat, and continued to dine regularly in College and take part in its social life.
His name is commemorated in the Knox-Shaw Room, one of the College's principal meeting rooms, and Tomminox, one of the Boat Club's racing shell
Racing shell
In watercraft, a racing shell is an extremely narrow, and often disproportionately long, rowing boat specifically designed for racing or exercise. It is outfitted with long oars, outriggers to hold the oarlocks away from the boat, and sliding seats...
s.
His gifts to the College include the picture of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
which hangs in the College Hall.