Walter Fraser Oakeshott
Encyclopedia
Sir Walter Fraser Oakeshott FBA
(11 November 1903 – 13 October 1987) was a schoolmaster
and Oxford
college head. He is best known for discovering the Winchester Manuscript of Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur in 1934.
(1946–54) and Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford
(1953–72). He was also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1962 to 1964.
Oakeshott joined the Roxburghe Club
for bibliophiles in 1949 and was knighted in 1980. He was a Fellow of the British Academy
and President of the Bibliographical Society
(1966–1968).
was being catalogued, Oakeshott discovered a previously unknown manuscript
copy — this was one of the most important medieval manuscripts discovered in the twentieth century. Newspaper accounts appearing on June 25, June 26, August 25, and September 27, 1934 outlined to the public the unfolding story of the recognition that what Caxton had published in 1485 was not necessarily exactly what Malory had written. The "Winchester Manuscript" is regarded as being mostly, but not always, closer to Malory's original than is Caxton's text, although both derive separately from an earlier copy. Curiously, microscopic
examination of ink smudges on the Winchester manuscript showed the marks to be offsets of newly printed pages set in Caxton's own font, indicating that same manuscript had been in Caxton's print shop. Unlike the Caxton edition, the Winchester MS is not divided into books and chapters. Indeed, in his preface, Caxton takes credit for the division.
Eugène Vinaver
, an already-established Malory scholar, arrived in Winchester on June 27 asking to see the manuscript. Though he was encouraged to produce an edition himself, Oakeshott acknowledged Vinaver's editorial superiority and eventually ceded the project to him. But on the basis of his initial study of the manuscript, Oakeshott concluded as early as 1935 that the copy from which Caxton printed his edition "was already subdivided into books and sections." Based on a more exhaustive study of the manuscript alongside Caxton's edition, Vinaver reached similar conclusions, and in his 1947 edition — polemically entitled The Works of Sir Thomas Malory — Vinaver argued strongly that Malory had in fact not written a single book, but produced a series of Arthurian tales which were internally-consistent and independent works. The unity of the work has been a subject of some controversy among scholars since.
Oakeshott published an account of his remarkable discovery, "The Finding of the Manuscript," in 1963, chronicling the initial event and his realization that "this indeed was Malory," with "startling evidence of revision" in the Caxton edition.
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...
(11 November 1903 – 13 October 1987) was a schoolmaster
Schoolmaster
A schoolmaster, or simply master, once referred to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British public schools, but is generally obsolete elsewhere.The teacher in charge of a school is the headmaster...
and Oxford
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...
college head. He is best known for discovering the Winchester Manuscript of Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur in 1934.
Biography
He was headmaster of St Paul's School, London from 1938–1946, Winchester CollegeWinchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
(1946–54) and Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford
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...
(1953–72). He was also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1962 to 1964.
Oakeshott joined the Roxburghe Club
Roxburghe Club
The Roxburghe Club was formed on 17 June 1812 by leading bibliophiles, at the time the library of the Duke of Roxburghe was auctioned. It took 45 days to sell the entire collection. The first edition of Boccaccio's Decameron, printed by Chrisopher Valdarfer of Venice in 1471, was sold to the...
for bibliophiles in 1949 and was knighted in 1980. He was a Fellow of 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...
and President of the Bibliographical Society
Bibliographical Society
Founded in 1892, the Bibliographical Society is the senior learned society dealing with the study of the book and its history, based in London, England....
(1966–1968).
The Winchester Manuscript of Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur
All editions of the Morte prior to 1934 were based on the edition printed by Caxton. In June of that year, when the library of Winchester CollegeWinchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
was being catalogued, Oakeshott discovered a previously unknown manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
copy — this was one of the most important medieval manuscripts discovered in the twentieth century. Newspaper accounts appearing on June 25, June 26, August 25, and September 27, 1934 outlined to the public the unfolding story of the recognition that what Caxton had published in 1485 was not necessarily exactly what Malory had written. The "Winchester Manuscript" is regarded as being mostly, but not always, closer to Malory's original than is Caxton's text, although both derive separately from an earlier copy. Curiously, microscopic
Microscopic
The microscopic scale is the scale of size or length used to describe objects smaller than those that can easily be seen by the naked eye and which require a lens or microscope to see them clearly.-History:...
examination of ink smudges on the Winchester manuscript showed the marks to be offsets of newly printed pages set in Caxton's own font, indicating that same manuscript had been in Caxton's print shop. Unlike the Caxton edition, the Winchester MS is not divided into books and chapters. Indeed, in his preface, Caxton takes credit for the division.
Eugène Vinaver
Eugène Vinaver
Eugène Vinaver was a literary scholar who is best-known today for his edition of the works of Sir Thomas Malory....
, an already-established Malory scholar, arrived in Winchester on June 27 asking to see the manuscript. Though he was encouraged to produce an edition himself, Oakeshott acknowledged Vinaver's editorial superiority and eventually ceded the project to him. But on the basis of his initial study of the manuscript, Oakeshott concluded as early as 1935 that the copy from which Caxton printed his edition "was already subdivided into books and sections." Based on a more exhaustive study of the manuscript alongside Caxton's edition, Vinaver reached similar conclusions, and in his 1947 edition — polemically entitled The Works of Sir Thomas Malory — Vinaver argued strongly that Malory had in fact not written a single book, but produced a series of Arthurian tales which were internally-consistent and independent works. The unity of the work has been a subject of some controversy among scholars since.
Oakeshott published an account of his remarkable discovery, "The Finding of the Manuscript," in 1963, chronicling the initial event and his realization that "this indeed was Malory," with "startling evidence of revision" in the Caxton edition.
Books by Oakeshott
- Founded Upon the Seas: A Narrative of Some English Maritime and Overseas Enterprises During the Period 1550–1616, by Walter Fraser Oakeshott. Published by Ayer Publishing, 1973. ISBN 9780836972337.
Further reading
About the Winchester manuscript- University of Georgia: English Dept: Jonathan Evans: Walter F. Oakeshott and the Winchester Manuscript. (Contains links to the first public announcements concerning the Winchester manuscript from The Daily TelegraphThe Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
, and The Times Literary SupplementThe Times Literary SupplementThe Times Literary Supplement is a weekly literary review published in London by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation.-History:...
.) - UBC Department of English: Siân Echard: Caxton and Winchester
- Department of English, Goucher College: Arnie Sanders: The Malory Manuscript
External links
- Inventory of the Walter Fraser Oakeshott Papers, 1926–1986 (bulk 1949–1986), Getty Research InstituteGetty Research InstituteThe Getty Research Institute , located at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, California, is "dedicated to furthering knowledge and advancing understanding of the visual arts". A program of the J...
for the History of Art and the Humanities, Special Collections and Visual Resources. - Sir Walter Fraser Oakeshott, photograph by Godfrey Argent, bromideBromideA bromide is a chemical compound containing bromide ion, that is bromine atom with effective charge of −1. The class name can include ionic compounds such as caesium bromide or covalent compounds such as sulfur dibromide.-Natural occurrence:...
print, 17 July 1969, National Portrait Gallery.