Frederick Charles Plumptre

Frederick Charles Plumptre (1796–1870) was a Victorian academic and administrator.[1][2] He was Master of University College, Oxford for many years until the end of his life and concurrently Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University for four years.

Radcliffe Quadrangle at University College, an early photograph of 1842–4 by Henry Fox Talbot (1800–1877), taken during the mastership of Frederick Plumptre.

Frederick Plumptre was from an academic family, mainly at Cambridge. He attained a second class degree in Literae Humaniores in 1817 at University College, Oxford, and was elected a Fellow in the same year. He became Dean and Tutor of the college from 1821.

Plumptre had an interest in architecture and served three terms as President of the Oxford Architectural Society. He was involved in the restoration and building of several churches in Oxford. He was also a member of the Delegacy (building committee), established on 8 April 1854, that set up the Oxford University Museum.[3]

Augustus Hare, who matriculated at University College in 1853, said of him:

"It would be impossible to discover a more perfect ‘old gentleman’ than Dr Plumptre, though he was often laughed at. When he was inquiring into any fault, he would begin with, 'Now pray take care what you say, because whatever you say I shall believe.' He had an old-fashioned veneration for rank, and let Lord Egmont off lectures two days in the week that he might hunt – 'it was so suitable.'”[4]

Plumptre Award

The Plumptre Exhibition is awarded by University College each year to students who have demonstrated good academic work, conduct and contribution to College life.

Recipients of the Plumptre Award
Year Exhibitioner Major or minor
2012 Lewis Coenen-Rowe Major
2012 Dan Tomlinson Major
2012 Marie McHugh Major
2013 Aamira Khan Minor
2013 Julia Moehlen Major
2016 Maninderbir Sachdeva Major
2018 Rebecca Williams Minor
2018 Heba Jalil Major
2019 Ffion Price Minor
2020 Heba Jalil Major
2020 Ruqayah Juyel Minor
2021 Sarah Chapman Major

References
  1. M. G. Brock & M. C. Curthoys, Nineteenth-century Oxford, page 654.
  2. Darwall-Smith, Robin, A History of University College, Oxford. Oxford University Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-19-928429-0. Frederick Charles Plumptre and Arthur Stanley: 1836–1850, pages 351–366.
  3. Frederick O'Dwyer, The Architecture of Deane and Woodward, page 158.
  4. Augustus Hare, The Story of My Life, volume I (John Wilson and Son, Cambridge U.S.A., 1896), at pages 386-387


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