The Right Honourable Sir Henry Enfield Roscoe P.C., D.C.L., F.R.S.: A Biographical SketchThorpe, T. E. (Thomas Edward)
Science
The Right Honourable Sir Henry Enfield Roscoe P.C., D.C.L., F.R.S.: A Biographical Sketch
Thorpe, T. E. (Thomas Edward)
Roscoe, Henry E. (Henry Enfield), 1833-1915
(2) To grant to each of such incorporated colleges a share in the
government of the university, depending only upon its magnitude and
efficiency, in accordance with the suggested Constitution.
(3) To be graciously pleased to allow the said university to be called
the Victoria University.
In the various conferences needed to reach this solution the late Sir
Arthur Rücker, who acted as one of the representatives of the Yorkshire
College, took an active and leading share, and it was in no small degree
due to his tact, urbanity, and diplomatic skill that it was secured.
In reference to this matter the present Master of Peterhouse, Sir A. W.
Ward, who was at the time Principal of the Owens College, bears the
following testimony:
“I remember very well how admirably he conducted the case of the
Yorkshire College, which was at first adverse to our wishes at
Manchester, and afterwards was conjoined with our own application. He had
great difficulties to contend against; for the Yorkshire College seemed
to be opposing our application for a university charter without being
able to set up a similar claim for itself, and the federal principle to
which resort was ultimately had was by no means free from objections.
He had, if I remember right, very effective parliamentary support,
especially in the late Mr. W. E. Forster, and then, or afterwards, in the
late Lord Ripon. But he was the active representative of Leeds, and the
virtual success of the action of the College was very largely due to him.
“Personally he was a man of great charm of manner and a very pleasant as
well as effective speaker.”
The deputation presenting the joint memorials waited upon the Lord
President, who was accompanied by the Marquis of Salisbury, on May 5,
1879. It was headed by the Duke of Devonshire, as president of the Owens
College, and the Archbishop of York, as representing the Yorkshire
College, and consisted of noblemen and gentlemen of influence connected
with the two counties; representatives of different denominations,
municipalities, scientific and educational bodies, as well as other
gentlemen interested in higher education. It received the customary
promise “that the proposal should have the most attentive consideration
of Her Majesty’s Government.”
The various steps in the procedure needed to obtain a royal charter
are many and devious. They need only be indicated by stating that they
seem expressly designed to afford abundant occupation for lawyers. The
following letter from Roscoe, sent to the writer from the Athenæum Club,
and dated June 19, 1879, bears upon this point:
It is most important that you should at once get a Petition to
“The Queen in Council” drawn up and sent to the Parliamentary
Agents for presentation. We are doing so. The Duke of
Devonshire will sign our petition, and yours in identical terms
should be signed by the Archbishop [of York] and Lord Frederick
Cavendish.
…
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account