Skip to main content

Former officers of the College

  • Presidents

    • 2012-24: Baroness Joan Bakewell, MA (Cantab)
    • 2002-12: Professor Eric Hobsbawm
    • 1998-2002: Baroness Smith of Gilmorehill, MA
    • 1993-98: The Rt Hon Lord Healey of Riddlesden, CH, MBE
    • 1989-93: Lord Young of Dartington, BSc(Econ), MA, PhD
    • 1983-89: The Baroness Lockwood of Dewsbury, HonDLitt, HonDSc
    • 1952-83: The Rt Hon Lord Denning, LLD, DCL, FBA
    • 1947-50: Field-Marshal The Rt Hon Earl Wavell, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, LLD
    • 1942-44: The Most Rev and Rt Hon William Temple, PC, Archbishop of Canterbury
    • 1935-36: HRH The Duke of York
    • 1929-33: The Rt Hon Viscount Burnham, GCMG, CH, LLD, DLitt
    • 1919-28: The Rt Hon Viscount Haldane of Cloan, KT, OM, FRS
    • 1903-15: The Rt Hon Lord Alverstone, GCMG
    • 1888-97: The Rt Hon The Earl of Northbrook, GCSI
    • 1841-88: William Lloyd Birkbeck, MA, QC
    • 1823-41: George Birkbeck, MD

  • Principals, Masters and Vice-Chancellors

    • 2024-present: Sally Wheeler, OBE, MRIA, FAcSS, FAAL (Vice-Chancellor)
    • 2003-23: David Latchman, PhD (Master and Vice-Chancellor)
    • Oct-Dec 2002: Francis Ames-Lewis, BSc, MA, PhD (Acting Master)
    • 1998-2002: Timothy M M O’Shea, BSc, PhD (Master)
    • May-Dec 1997: Richard J Evans, MA, DPhil, LittD, FRHistS, FBA (Acting Master)
    • 1987-97: Baroness Blackstone, BSc(Soc), PhD, HonDLitt, HonDUniv, HonLLD (Master)
    • 1979-87: W G Overend, PhD, DSc, CChem, FRSC (Master)
    • 1977-79: Tony J Chandler, MSc, PhD, MA (Master)
    • 1968-77: Ronald C Tress, CBE, BSc (Econ), DSc, LLD, DSc (SocSc), DUniv (Master)
    • 1966-68: Kenneth Hare, PhD, LLD (Master)
    • 1951-65: Sir John Lockwood, MA, PhD, LLD (Master)
    • 1950-51 and 1965–66: E H Warmington, MA, FRHistS (Acting Master)
    • 1943-50: H Gordon Jackson, DSc, FZS (Master)
    • 1939-43: John P R Maud, MA (later Lord Redcliffe-Maud) (Master)
    • 1918-39: George Senter, PHD, DSc, FlC (Principal)
    • 1896-1918: G Armitage-Smith, MA, DLit (Principal)
    • 1885-96: George M Norris, ISO, LLB (Principal) (formerly Chairman of the Executive and Manager 1873–85)

  • College secretaries

    • 2005-present: Keith Harrison
    • 1999-2005: Reverend Brian Roberts
    • 1988-99: Christine Mabey, OBE, BA, PhD
    • 1979-88: R E Swainson, MA
    • 1952-79: Arnolfo John Caraffi, BSc
    • 1919-52: George Francis Troup Horne, BA
    • 1906-19: Herbert Wells Eames
    • 1872-1906: William Henry Congreve
    • 1866-72: George M Norris, ISO, LLD
    • 1863-66: Thomas J Pearsall
    • 1830-63: Andrew MacFarlane
    • 1824-30: Robert Christie
    • 1824: James L Flather