Keble College, Oxford

The best-known of Keble's Victorian founders was Edward Pusey, after whom parts of the College are named. The College itself is named after John Keble, one of Pusey's colleagues in the Oxford Movement, who died four years before its foundation in 1870. William Butterfield was appointed architect, and produced a masterpiece of Victorian Gothic. The College is built of red, blue, and white bricks; the main structure is of red brick, with white and blue patterned banding.

Senior Common Room

On its construction, Keble was not widely admired within the University, particularly by the undergraduate population of nearby St John's College (from which Keble had purchased their land). A secret society was founded, entrance to which depended upon removing one brick from the College and presenting it to the society's elders. Some accounts specify that one of the commonest red bricks was necessary for ordinary membership, a rarer white brick for higher-level membership, and one of the rarest blue bricks for chairmanship. The hope was that eventually Keble would be completely demolished.

Keble is mentioned in John Betjeman's poem "Myfanwy at Oxford", as well as in the writings of John Ruskin and John Cleese.

Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States of America (1981-89) was an Honorary Fellow of the College.

[edit] College life

The College publishes a termly magazine called The Brick which is sent to Keble alumni to update them on College life. Students publish an irreverent spoof version on the last Friday of each term, also named The Brick, recording college gossip. Recently the College reported selling its stock of local houses to fund the acquisition of a new building to provide accommodation for a greater number of students. This reverses a trend of the early 1990s when the number of rooms on campus was reduced in order to make conversions into en suite rooms, making them more attractive to conference delegates.

Keble students enjoy a vibrant social life, with a wide range of student run societies. Keble fields a number of sports teams and has flourishing choral and dramatic societies. Furthermore, Keble has a large Dancesport contingent and performs highly against other colleges at Cuppers. The College's reputation has thus been secured as one of the most welcoming and encouraging institutions in the University with the undergraduate body consisting of students from all walks of life.

Like many Oxford Colleges, Keble normally holds a ball every year, which is a major event in the social calendar. The Fun Lovin' Criminals featured at the 1999 ball, and in 2005 the college held a 'Carnival'-themed ball, including the Freestylers. The theme for 2007 is 'Art Deco'.

In 2005, Keble College featured in the national UK press when its bursar, Roger Boden, was found guilty of racial discrimination by an employment tribunal. ([1]). An appeal was launched by the College and Mr Boden against the tribunal's judgement, resulting in a financial out-of-court settlement with the aggrieved employee ([2]).

The current Warden of Keble College, Professor Averil Cameron, M.A., Ph. D., F.S.A., F.B.A., has been appointed a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

[edit] College Buildings

The best-known of Keble's buildings is the distinctive main brick complex, designed by Butterfield. Over the years other significant additions have been added, most notably the modern, brick Hayward and de Breyne extensions by Ahrends, Burton and Koralek. The ABK buildings included the college's memorable, futuristic bar, opened on 3rd May 1977. In 1995, work was completed on the ARCO building by renowned US-born architect, Rick Mather. This was followed by another Mather building, in a similar style, which was opened in 2002.

[edit] The Light of the World

The Light of the World

Keble owns the original of William Holman Hunt's famous painting The Light of the World (1853-54), which lives in a side room of the college chapel. The larger version of the painting in St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a later copy by the artist.