Walter Oakeshott
| Sir Walter Fraser Oakeshott | |
|---|---|
| Born | Walter Fraser Oakeshott 11 November 1903 South Africa |
| Died | 13 October 1987 (aged 83) Eynsham, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom |
| Education | Tonbridge School, Kent & Balliol College, Oxford |
| Genre | Classics |
| Subject | Criticism |
| Notable works |
|
| Spouse | Noël Rose Moon (1928–1976) [her death] |
| Children | Twin sons and two daughters |
Sir Walter Fraser Oakeshott FBA (11 November 1903 – 13 October 1987) was a schoolmaster and academic, who was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. He is best known for discovering the Winchester Manuscript of Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur in 1934.
Oakeshott was born on 11 November 1903 in South Africa, the second son of doctor Walter Oakeshott and his wife Kathleen. His father practised in Lydenburg, Transvaal. After the death of his father, his mother brought the family back to England. From 1917 Oakeshott was educated at Tonbridge School, where he eventually became School Captain (Head of School). He won a Classics exhibition to Balliol College, Oxford in 1922, graduating in 1926 with first class honours in Greats.
After graduation, Oakeshott taught at various schools. His first post was at Tooting Bec School, London, followed by the Merchant Taylors' School in 1927. From 1931 to 1938 he worked for Winchester College as an Assistant Master, where in 1934 he made his discovery of the Winchester Manuscript in their Fellows' Library. From 193–1937 he took a leave of absence from teaching to serve on an inquiry into unemployment sponsored by the Pilgrim Trust, the findings of which were written up as Men without Work by William Temple (1938).
Following the enquiry, Oakeshott returned to teaching, becoming High Master of St Paul's School, London in 1939, where he supervised the school's evacuation to Crowthorne in Berkshire. In 1946 he returned to Winchester College as headmaster, where he remained until elected Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford in 1954. He remained in this post until 1972, but also served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford between 1962 and 1964. His portrait was made by Jean Cooke, who had been commissioned for the work by Lincoln College.
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