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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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List Of Alumni Of Jesus College, Oxford

Jesus College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its alumni include politicians, lawyers, bishops, poets, and academics. Some went on to become fellows of the college; 14 students later became principal of the college. It was founded in 1571 by Queen Elizabeth I, at the request of a Welsh clergyman, Hugh Price, who was Treasurer of St David's Cathedral in Pembrokeshire. The college still has strong links with Wales, and about 15% of students are Welsh. There are 340 undergraduates and 190 students carrying out postgraduate studies. Old members of Jesus College are sometimes known as "Jesubites".

From the world of politics, the college's alumni include two Prime Ministers (Harold Wilson of Britain and Kevin Rudd of Australia), Jamaica's Chief Minister and first Premier (Norman Washington Manley), a Speaker of the House of Commons (Sir William Williams), a leader of the Liberal Democrats (Sir Ed Davey), a co-founder of Plaid Cymru (D. J. Williams) and a co-founder of the African National Congress (Pixley ka Isaka Seme). Members of Parliament from the three main political parties in the United Kingdom have attended the college, as have politicians from Australia (Neal Blewett), New Zealand (Harold Rushworth), Sri Lanka (Lalith Athulathmudali) and the United States (Heather Wilson). The list of lawyers include one Lord Chancellor (Lord Sankey) and one Law Lord (Lord du Parcq). The list of clergy includes three Archbishops of Wales (A. G. Edwards, Glyn Simon and Gwilym Williams). Celticists associated with the college include Sir John Morris-Jones, Sir Thomas (T. H.) Parry-Williams and William John Gruffydd, whilst the list of historians includes the college's first graduate, David Powel, who published the first printed history of Wales in 1584, and the Victorian historian John Richard Green. The list includes a recipient of the Victoria Cross (Angus Buchanan) and T. E. Lawrence, better known as "Lawrence of Arabia." Yuval Noah Harari, the author of the popular science bestsellers Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2014), Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2016), and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018) was a student at the college. Record-breaking quadriplegic solo sailor Hilary Lister was also a student there, whilst from the field of arts and entertainment there are names such as Magnus Magnusson, presenter of Mastermind, the National Poet of Wales Gwyn Thomas and television weather presenters Kirsty McCabe and Siân Lloyd.

Because women were barred from studying at Jesus College for over four centuries (from its foundation until 1974), this list of alumni consists almost entirely of men.

Alumni

The sub-headings are given as a general guide and some names might fit under more than one category.

Abbreviations used in the following tables
  • M – Year of matriculation at Jesus College (a dash indicates that the individual did not matriculate at the college)
  • G – Year of graduation / conclusion of study at Jesus College (a dash indicates that the individual graduated from another college)
  • DNG – Did not graduate: left the college without taking a degree
  • ? – Year unknown; an approximate year is used for table-sorting purposes.
  • (F/P) after name – later became a fellow or principal of Jesus College, and included on the list of principals and fellows
  • (HF) after name – later became an Honorary Fellow of Jesus College, and included on the list of Honorary Fellows
Degree abbreviations

The subject studied and the degree classification are included, where known. Until the early 19th century, undergraduates read for a Bachelor of Arts degree that included study of Latin and Greek texts, mathematics, geometry, philosophy and theology. Individual subjects at undergraduate level were only introduced later: for example, Mathematics (1805), Natural Science (1850), Jurisprudence (1851, although it had been available before this to students who obtained special permission), Modern History (1851) and Theology (1871). Geography and Modern Languages were introduced in the 20th century. Music had been available as a specialist subject before these changes; medicine was studied as a post-graduate subject.

Politicians and civil servants

Harold Wilson, British Prime Minister

Harold Wilson studied at Jesus College from 1934 to 1937, and was later the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during two periods (from October 1964 to June 1970, and from March 1974 to April 1976). More than 30 other Members of Parliament have been educated at the college, from Sir John Salusbury who was elected as MP for Denbighshire in 1601 to Theresa Villiers who was elected as MP for Chipping Barnet in 2005. Sir Leoline Jenkins, who became a fellow and later the principal of the college, was Secretary of State for the Northern Department from 1680 to 1681 and Secretary of State for the Southern Department from 1681 to 1685. Sir William Williams served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1680 to 1685 and as Solicitor General for England and Wales from 1687 to 1689. Evan Cotton was MP for Finsbury East before holding the position of President of the Bengal Legislative Council from 1922 to 1925. Several Welsh politicians have been educated at the college, some representing constituencies in Wales (such as Sir John Wogan, representing Pembrokeshire at various times between 1614 and 1644) and others working outside Parliament, such as D. J. Williams (a co-founder of the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru). Leader of the Liberal Democrats 2020–present, Sir Ed Davey, was also educated at the college.

Other students at the college have held political offices in other countries. Norman Manley was Chief Minister of Jamaica from 1955 to 1959, and served as its first and only Premier from 1959 to 1962 whilst negotiating its independence. In 2017, former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd began studying for a doctorate on Xi Jinping at the college. P. T. Rajan was Chief Minister of Madras Presidency between April and August 1936. Heather Wilson was the first Old Member of the college to sit in the United States House of Representatives, where she represented New Mexico's 1st congressional district from 1998 to 2009. The Australian politician Neal Blewett was a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1977 to 1994, a Government Minister from 1983 to 1994 and High Commissioner to the UK from 1994 to 1998. Pixley ka Isaka Seme, who studied for a BCL between 1906 and 1909, was one of the founder members of the African National Congress.

Civil servants and diplomats educated at Jesus College include Sir Edgar Vaughan (British Ambassador to Colombia from 1964 to 1966), Gunasena de Soyza (High Commissioner for Ceylon in Britain from 1960 to 1961), Sir Frederick Atkinson (Chief Economic Adviser to HM Treasury from 1977 to 1979), Sir Thomas Williams Phillips (Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour from 1935 to 1944 and Chairman of the War Damage Commission from 1949 to 1959), Eryl Davies (a former Chief Inspector of Schools for Wales), and Christopher Lintrup Paus (a long-time British diplomat in Oslo).

Judges and lawyers

Viscount Sankey

Several prominent judges and lawyers were educated at the college. Viscount Sankey, who was Lord Chancellor from 1929 to 1935, studied for a BA in History and a BCL between 1885 and 1891. Lord du Parcq was appointed as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary in 1946. Sir Richard Richards became Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer in 1817. The Scottish MP and lawyer Lord Murray was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice in 1979. The solicitor Sir David Lewis was Lord Mayor of the City of London from 2007 to 2008. Other lawyers who studied at the college include James Chadwin QC, who defended the Yorkshire Ripper, and Sir Arthur James, who prosecuted the Great Train Robbers and later became a judge of the Court of Appeal. Academic lawyers include J Duncan M Derrett, Professor of Oriental Laws in the University of London from 1965 to 1982, and Alfred Hazel, Reader in English Law at All Souls College, Oxford.

Clergy

At least five former students of Jesus College have become Dean of Bangor Cathedral.
Mallwyd church, where John Davies was rector

Three Archbishops of Wales have studied at Jesus College. A. G. Edwards, the first archbishop of the Church in Wales after its disestablishment, read Literae Humaniores from 1871 to 1874, and was archbishop from 1920 to 1934. Glyn Simon, who was a student from 1922 to 1926, was Archbishop of Wales from 1968 to 1971. He was succeeded by Gwilym Williams, who was archbishop from 1971 to 1982.

Other bishops to have held office in Wales include Francis Davies, Roy Davies, John Harris, and Morgan Owen (who were all Bishops of Llandaff), Humphrey Humphreys, Daniel Lewis Lloyd and Humphrey Lloyd (who were Bishops of Bangor), William Lloyd and John Wynne (who were Bishops of St Asaph), and John Owen and William Thomas (who were Bishops of St David's). William Havard was a Welsh rugby international before becoming Bishop of St Asaph, then Bishop of St David's.

Former students of the college to have become bishops outside England and Wales include Rowland Ellis (Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney from 1906 to 1911), Richard Meredith (Bishop of Leighlin from 1579 to 1597), and John Rider (Bishop of Killaloe 1612 to 1632). In the twentieth century, bishops to have studied at the college include Kenneth Cragg (assistant Bishop of Jerusalem from 1970 to 1973), John Dickinson (assistant Bishop of Melanesia from 1931 to 1937), Gordon Roe (Bishop of Huntingdon from 1980 to 1997), Alwyn Williams (Bishop of Durham from 1939 to 1952 and Bishop of Winchester from 1952 to 1961), and Clifford Woodward (Bishop of Bristol from 1933 to 1946 and Bishop of Gloucester from 1946 to 1953).

Several former students have been appointed as cathedral deans; many others became parish priests in Wales and elsewhere in the Anglican church, some also finding time for other activities such as writing poetry or pursuing antiquarian interests. At least five have been Dean of BangorHenry Edwards, Henry James, Evan Lewis, John Pryce and James Vincent. Llewelyn Hughes was Dean of Ripon from 1951 to 1967, Alex Wedderspoon was Dean of Guildford from 1987 to 2001, and Wesley Carr was Dean of Westminster Abbey from 1997 to 2006. Edmund Meyrick, who studied at the college between 1656 and 1659, became Treasurer of St David's Cathedral; his bequest founded the college's Meyrick scholarships for students from North Wales, and scholarships from this fund are still awarded. The lexicographer John Davies of Mallwyd, who translated the Bible into Welsh, studied at the college. In the mid-19th century, some Anglican priests were influenced by John Henry Newman and converted to Roman Catholicism, including David Lewis; Edmund Ffoulkes converted too, but later went back to Anglicanism, becoming vicar of the University Church of St Mary the Virgin in Oxford. John David Jenkins, who was Canon of Pietermaritzburg for a time, was later nicknamed the "Rail men's Apostle" for his ministry to railway workers in Oxford. David Thomas, a priest in Gwynedd, was instrumental in the foundation of a Welsh church in the Welsh settlement in Argentina.

Some students have become ministers in other denominations of Christianity. Methodists include David Charles and Christopher Bassett; Baptists include Gwilym Davies (the first person to broadcast on the radio in Welsh, in 1923); Welsh Presbyterians include William David Davies and Gwilym Edwards; Unitarians include John Islan Jones; and Catholics include John Hugh Jones and the Benedictine monk and poet Sylvester Houédard.

Military personnel

T. E. Lawrence, Lawrence of Arabia
Military personnel educated at the college
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
Sir Henry Bagenal 1572/3 DNG Bagenal left without taking a degree to support his father, who was marshal of the army in Ireland, and succeeded him in 1590. He was mortally wounded at the Battle of the Yellow Ford in 1598.
Angus Buchanan 1913 1921 BA Jurisprudence (initially Literae Humaniores) Buchanan won the Victoria Cross (1916) for conspicuous bravery in rescuing a severely wounded officer under fire. He was blinded when shot in 1917. On returning to the college in 1919, he read law and became president of the Jesus College Record.
Jenkin Jones 1639 DNG Captain in the Parliamentarian army during the English Civil War, and a Puritan preacher
Sir Charles Kemeys, 2nd Baronet 1632 DNG Royalist who fought during the English Civil War, attacking Cardiff and defending Pembroke Castle
T. E. Lawrence 1907 1910 BA Modern History (1st) "Lawrence of Arabia"
Henry Lloyd 1736? 1739? ? 18th-century soldier who fought for various European countries (switching sides in the Seven Years' War) and whose writings on military theory were studied by George Washington and George S. Patton
Jim Mauldon 1938 1947 BA Mathematics (1st) Studies interrupted by military service during the Second World War, during which he won the Military Cross; later became Professor of Mathematics at Amherst College in the United States
Sir Edward Morgan, 1st Baronet 1616 1619 BA Royalist who held a commission during the Bishops' War and the English Civil War, before being captured at Hereford and suffering the sequestration of his estate
Thomas Morgan 1790 ? Matriculated from Wadham College; a naval chaplain who was injured during the Glorious First of June battle and involved in the Spithead mutiny before becoming chaplain of the naval dockyard at Portsmouth
Anton Muttukumaru 1928 1931 BA PPE (4th) First Ceylonese-born officer to serve as Commander of the Ceylon Army (1955–59)
Chris Parry 1972 1975 BA Modern History Rear admiral and military strategist

Celticists

Sir John Morris-Jones
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
Ellis Evans (F/HF) 1952 1954 Graduate scholar Jesus Professor of Celtic (1978–1996)
R. Geraint Gruffydd (HF) 1948 1953 DPhil Professor of Welsh at University of Wales, Aberystwyth (1970–1979) and Director of the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies (1985–1993)
William John Gruffydd 1899 1903 BA English (2nd) (3rd in Classics Honour Mods) Professor of Celtic at the University of Wales, Cardiff (1918–1946) (succeeding Thomas Powel, below); Liberal MP for the University of Wales constituency (1943–1950)
William Henry Harris 1910 1913 BA Theology (1913, 2nd), BLitt (1913) Precentor, canon and treasurer of St David's Cathedral; also professor of theology briefly before becoming professor of Welsh at St David's College, Lampeter
George Henderson 1896 1899? BLitt Gaelic scholar and Church of Scotland minister, who became a lecturer in Celtic at the University of Glasgow
John Jenkins 1787? Welsh priest and antiquarian, known as Ifor Ceri, who helped to establish eisteddfodau in Wales in the early nineteenth century; graduated from Merton College
Bedwyr Lewis Jones 1956 1959? ? Professor of Welsh at the University of Wales, Bangor
John Jones 1814 1818 BA Mathematics (2nd) Welsh clergyman and scholar (bardic name Ioan Tegid), who transcribed the Red Book of Hergest for Lady Charlotte Guest
Henry Lewis 1910? 1912? ? Professor of Welsh at University College, Swansea (1921–1954)
John Lloyd-Jones 1907 1909? BLitt First Professor of Welsh at the National University of Ireland, Dublin
Derec Llwyd Morgan (F/HF) 1964 1969 DPhil Professor of Welsh (1989–1995) then vice-chancellor and principal (1995–2004), University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Sir John Morris-Jones (F) 1883 1888 BA Mathematics (3rd, 1887), then research in Welsh Professor of Welsh at University College of North Wales, Bangor (1895–1929), who had been awarded a one-year scholarship for research in Welsh with John Rhys
John Owen 1872 1876 BA Mathematics (2nd) (2nd in Mods in Classics and in Mathematics) Professor of Welsh (1879–1889) and principal (1892–1897) at St David's College, Lampeter before becoming Bishop of St David's (1897–1926)
Sir Thomas (T. H.) Parry-Williams (HF) 1909 1911 BLitt Professor of Welsh at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth (1920–1952)
Thomas Powel 1869 1872 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd) Professor of Celtic at University College, Cardiff (1884–1918) (succeeded by William John Gruffydd, above)
Llywarch Reynolds 1868 1875 BA Welsh solicitor and Celtic scholar; many of the antiquarian manuscripts he collected are now held by the National Library of Wales
Sir John Rhys (HF/F/P) 1865 1869 BA Literae Humaniores (1st) First Jesus Professor of Celtic (1877–1915)
Evan Thomas 1891 1895 BA Theology (2nd) Professor of Welsh at St David's College, Lampeter (1903–1915), where he helped to revive the position of Welsh in the college and curriculum
John Williams 1832 1838 BA Mathematics (4th, 1835), MA (1838) Priest and Welsh scholar (bardic name Ab Ithel), who edited Y Gododdin and completed Aneurin Owen's edition of Annales Cambriae

Classicists and archeologists

John Garstang
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
William Boyd Dawkins (HF) 1854 1860 BA Natural Science (1st) Geologist and archeologist
John Craig 1908 1912 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd) Firth Professor of Latin at the University of Sheffield (1930–1952)
Percy Dodd (F) 1907 1911 BA Literae Humaniores (1st) Lecturer at Leeds University then a college fellow; career cut short by ill-health
Edward Edwards 1743 1747 BA Cleric, with a particular interest in Xenophon's Memorabilia
Thomas Iorwerth Ellis 1920 1923 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd) Academic at University College, Swansea, St David's College, Lampeter and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth; secretary of the New Wales Union for 25 years; publications included a biography of his father T. E. Ellis
Sir Emrys Evans 1913 1915? BLitt First professor of classics at Swansea University, later principal of University College, Bangor
John Garstang (HF) 1895 1899 BA Mathematics (3rd) Archeologist
Harold Arthur Harris 1921 1925 BA English (1st) (1st in Classics Honour Mods) Professor of Classics at St David's College, Lampeter(1934–1968)
Barri Jones 1955 1963 BA Literae Humaniores; DPhil Classical scholar and archaeologist
Griffith Hartwell Jones 1879 1883 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd) Professor of Latin at the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, Cardiff, chairman of both the National Eisteddfod Association and the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion
Terence Mitford 1923? 1927? BA Literae Humaniores Archeologist at the University of St Andrews, with a particular interest in Cyprus; an officer in the Special Air Service during the Second World War
Percy Seymour (F) 1910? 1912 BA Literae Humaniores (1st) Australian classicist, and college bursar (1930–1935)
John Strugnell 1947 1954 BA Literae Humaniores, MA Oriental Languages Dead Sea Scrolls scholar, and Professor of Christian Origins at Harvard Divinity School

Geographers, geologists and cartographers

St Alban Hall, to which John Evans transferred after his matriculation at Jesus College
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
J. N. L. Baker (F) 1913 1922 BA Modern History (1920), Diploma in Geography (1921), BLitt Geographer, with particular interest in the history of geography, College Bursar and geography tutor, and author of Jesus College 1571–1971
John Evans 1773 Transferred to St Alban Hall; a Welsh surgeon and cartographer, who reprinted his father's celebrated maps of North Wales and later produced his own edition
James Fairgrieve 1891 1895 BA Mathematics (2nd) Human geographer and educator
John House 1937 1940 BA Geography (2nd) Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at Oxford (1974–1983)
Henry Yule Oldham 1882 1886 BA Natural Science (Animal Morphology) (2nd) Geographer who conducted the definitive version of the Bedford Level experiment in 1901, proving that the earth was a sphere
Robert Steel (F/HF) 1934 1937 BA Geography (1st) Professor of geography at the University of Liverpool (1957–1974), then principal of the University College of Swansea (1974–1982)
David Williams 1810 1814 BA Anglican priest in Bleadon, Somerset and geologist who wrote extensively of the geology of the west of England

Historians and antiquarians

John Richard Green
Sir Thomas Herbert
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
Warren Ault (HF) 1907 1910 BA Modern History (2nd) One of the college's first two Rhodes Scholars; taught history at Boston University from 1913 to 1957, becoming Huntington Professor of History
Theo Barker 1941 1948 BA Modern History (1st) Social and economic historian, who was a professor at the University of Kent and the London School of Economics
James Burke 1957 1961 BA English (3rd) Science historian
George Wingrove Cooke 1830 1834 BA Literae Humaniores (4th) Barrister and historian, whose first book (Memoirs of Lord Bolingbroke) was written whilst Cooke was an undergraduate
William Cronon 1976 1978 DPhil Historian of environmental change, Bancroft Prize winner and MacArthur Fellow who completed his doctorate in unusually short time of two years
Sir Goronwy Edwards (F/HF) 1909 1913 BA Modern History (1st) Welsh historian who become Director of the Institute of Historical Research and Professor of History at the University of London
John Ellis (F) 1690 1696 BA (1693), MA (1696) Welsh cleric and antiquarian
Richard Ellis 1898 1902 BA Assistant librarian of the National Library of Wales, whose main research interest was the life and work of Edward Lhuyd
Thomas Ellis (F) 1640 1646 BA (1644), MA (1646) Welsh clergyman and historian
Richard Evans (HF) 1966 1969 BA Modern History (1st) Historian, specialising in modern German history, who was principal defence expert witness for Deborah Lipstadt when she was sued for libel by David Irving
Richard Farrington 1720 1724 BA Welsh priest and antiquarian, with a particular interest in Caernarfonshire; Chancellor of Bangor Cathedral
Albert Goodwin (F) 1924 1928 BA Modern History (1st) Professor of Modern History at the University of Manchester
John Richard Green (HF) 1856 1859 Pass degree Historian, author of A History of the English people (four volumes)
Sir John Rigby Hale (F/HF) 1945 1948 BA Modern History (1st) (top of year) Historian of the Renaissance
Yuval Noah Harari 1999 2002 DPhil Historian, author of the popular science bestsellers Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2014), Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2016), and 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (2018).
Sir Thomas Herbert, 1st Baronet 1622? DNG Gentleman of the bedchamber to Charles I, who wrote an account of the last two years of the king's life entitled Threnodia Carolina
Edward Ernest Hughes 1899? 1902 BA Modern History (2nd) The first Professor of History at University College, Swansea (1926–1944)
Colin Jones 1967? 1971 BA Modern History and Modern Languages (French) Professor of History at Queen Mary, University of London since 2006
John Jones 1804 1808 ? Cleric in Caernarfonshire and antiquarian
Maldwyn Jones 1946 1949 BA Modern History (1st) Commonwealth Professor of American History, University College, London (1971–1988)
John Lloyd 1753 1757 BA Cleric (at Caerwys and Nannerch) and antiquarian
John Le Patourel 1928 1933 BA Modern History (1st, 1931), DPhil ( Professor of Medieval History at the University of Leeds (1945–1970), with a particular interest in the history of the Channel Islands
John Duncan Mackie 1904 1908 BA Modern History (1st) Professor of Scottish History and Literature, University of Glasgow (1930–1957) and Historiographer Royal (appointed in 1957)
John Mason 1938 1947 BA Modern History (1st) Studies interrupted by war service; Student (i.e. Fellow) of Christ Church, Oxford 1957–1987; historian of the Norman Conquest and of his home town of Bridgnorth, Shropshire
John Morris 1932 1935 BA Modern History (2nd) Lecturer in Ancient History at University College, London
Nicholas Owen 1769 1776 BA (1773), MA (1776) Welsh Anglican clergyman and antiquarian
Glen O'Hara 1993 1997 BA Modern History (1st, 1996), MSc Economic and Social History (Distinction, 1997) Senior Lecturer in Modern History, Oxford Brookes University
Henry Parry 1786 1790 BA Welsh cleric and antiquarian
William Parry (F) 1706 1712 BA (1709), MA (1712), BD (1719) Antiquarian and rector of Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire
John Pettingall 1725 1728 BA Antiquarian and priest
Albert Pollard (HF) 1887 1891 BA Modern History (1st) (2nd in Classics Honour Mods) Captain of Boats whilst at college; a historian, particularly of Henry VIII, and former Assistant Editor of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
David Powel 1571? 1576 BA (1573), MA (1576), BTh and DTh (1583) Matriculation college unknown, but moved to Jesus on its foundation and thought to be the first person to graduate from Jesus; published The Historie of Cambria, now called Wales, the first printed history of Wales (1584)
Rice Rees (F) 1822 1828 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd, 1826), MA (1826) Cleric and author of The Welsh Saints (1836)
Henry Rice 1607 1607 BA Matriculated 10 days before graduation; a gentleman at the court of King Charles I, whose writings included a Life of Sir Rhys ap Thomas, one of his ancestors
William Rider 1745 BA Matriculated from St Mary Hall before transferring to the college; a cleric and writer, whose 50-volume work A New History of England was later described as one of the vilest Grub Street compilations ever published
Susobhan Sarkar 1923 1925 BA Modern History (1st) Indian historian, who was Professor of History at Presidency College, Calcutta (1932–1956), Jadavpur University (1956–1961) and Calcutta University (1961–1967)
David Thomas 1852 1856 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd) Canon of St Asaph and Archdeacon of Montgomery; wrote History of the Diocese of St Asaph, the first such history of a Welsh diocese
John Thomas 1755 1758 BA Welsh cleric and antiquarian, who collected and transcribed manuscripts, and wrote a History of the Island of Anglesey (1775); elder brother of Richard Thomas, who also attended the college
Richard Thomas 1771 1775 BA Welsh cleric and antiquarian, who collected and transcribed manuscripts; younger brother of John Thomas, who also attended the college
Arthur Wade-Evans 1893 1896 BA Historian of early Britain, the Celtic church and medieval Welsh law
Thomas Wilkins 1641 1661 ? (Law) Welsh cleric and antiquarian, from whose collection of manuscripts the Red Book of Hergest was donated to the college after his death
Alfred Wood 1919 1923 BA Modern History (1st, 1921), BLitt (1923) Professor of History at the University of Nottingham (1951–1960)
William Wynne (F) 1688 1691 BA Welsh cleric who wrote a History of Wales (1697), a revised version of David Powel's history; younger brother of the priest Robert Wynne

Language and literature academics

Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
Fred Bachrach 1948 1951? DPhil Dutch art and literature academic
William Brice 1939 1946 BA Geography (1st) Studies interrupted by war service; an ethnographer and linguist who worked on Linear A
Angus Cameron 1961 1968 BA (1963), BLitt (1968) Canadian Rhodes Scholar, who lectured at Mount Allison University after achieving his BA before returning for a post-graduate degree, his thesis being entitled "Old English nouns of colour: a semantic study"; a lexicographer of Old English and a professor at the University of Toronto
J. P. Collas 1929 1934 BA French (1st, 1932), BLitt (1934) Norman-French scholar and Professor of French at Queen Mary College, London (1953–1976), regarded as one of the leading philologists of his generation
John Fleming 1958 1961 BA English (2nd) Former Professor of English at Princeton University
Andrew Goatly 1969 1972 BA English (2nd) Professor of English at Lingnan University, Hong Kong
Stephen Thomas Knight 1959 1962 BA English (2nd) Professor of English at Cardiff University with a particular interest in medieval literature, Robin Hood and King Arthur
Reuben Levy 1912 1914 BA Oriental Studies (2nd) Professor of Persian at the University of Cambridge
Meirion Pennar 1965? 1968? DPhil Welsh literature academic and poet
Graham Pollard 1921 1924 BA Modern History (3rd) Bookseller and bibliographer; Reader in Bibliography at the University of Oxford (1961)
Richard Sayce 1934 1937 BA French and German (1st) Reader in French Literature at Oxford, and a Fellow of Worcester College
William Davies Thomas 1911 1913 BA English (1st) Professor of English at the University of Saskatchewan (1919–1921), and the first Professor of English language and literature at University College, Swansea (1921–1954)
Leslie Walton 1918 1926 BA Spanish (1st) (1920), BLitt (1926) Forbes Reader in Spanish at the University of Edinburgh, head of the Department of Hispanic Studies

Philosophers and theologians

The St David's Building at the University of Wales, Lampeter, where Paul Badham was appointed a professor in 1991
The Samuel Wadsworth Russell House at Wesleyan University, home to the Philosophy department, where Philip Hallie was a professor from 1965 to 1988
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
Paul Badham 1962 1965 BA Theology (2nd) Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Wales, Lampeter since 1991
J. E. Daniel 1919 1925 BA Literae Humaniores (1924, 1st), BA Theology (1925, 1st) Welsh theologian (a professor at Bala-Bangor Theological Seminary) who was also chairman of Plaid Cymru (1939–1943)
William David Davies 1915 1923? BA Literae Humaniores (2nd, 1921), BA Theology (1st, 1922), BD Welsh Presbyterian minister who was the first Welsh non-conformist to obtain a BD from Oxford, and who turned down a university tutorship in theology since it required membership of the Church of England; Professor of the history of religions and the philosophy of religion at the United Theological College Aberystwyth (1928–1933)
Walter Evans-Wentz 1907 1909? BSc in Folklore Anthropologist and writer who made a particular study of Tibetan Buddhism
S. H. Hooke (HF) 1907 1912 BA Theology 1910 (1st), BA Oriental Languages (2nd) Biblical scholar, who was Professor of Old Testament Studies at the University of London
Hywel Lewis (HF) 1933 1935 BLitt Welsh philosopher and theologian, who was Professor of the History and Philosophy of Religion at the University of London (1955–1977)
Henry Maurice (F) 1664 1668 BA (1668), MA (1671), BD (1679), DD (1683) Treasurer of Chichester Cathedral, who was elected Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford shortly before his death in 1691
Huw Owen 1944 1949 BA Theology (2nd) Welsh Presbyterian minister, who was Professor of Christian Doctrine at King's College London (1971–1983)
Robert Owen (F) 1838 1845 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd, 1842), MA (1845), BD (1852) Theologian and antiquarian, who wrote An Introduction to the Study of Dogmatic Theology and Institutes of Canon Law but who was forced to resign his fellowship after an allegation of immorality
Philip Hallie 1949 1951 BLitt Fulbright Scholar from the United States; William Griffin Professor of Philosophy and Humanities at Wesleyan University (1965–1988)
Griffith Powell (F/P) 1581 1593 BA (1584), MA (1589), BCL Aristotelian philosopher
Clement Rogers 1885 1889 BA Theology (2nd) Professor of Pastoral Theology at King's College, London (1919–1932)
Cecil Weir 1927? 1930 DPhil Theologian who was Professor of Hebrew and Semitic Languages, Glasgow at the University of Glasgow (1937–1968)

Mathematics, medicine and science

Nigel Hitchin

Mathematicians to have studied at Jesus College include Nigel Hitchin (Savilian Professor of Geometry at Oxford since 1997), the Canadian Jonathan Borwein and Jim Mauldon (who taught at Oxford before moving to the United States to teach at Amherst College, Massachusetts). David E. Evans is Professor of Mathematics at Cardiff University, and H. W. Lloyd Tanner was Professor of Mathematics and Astronomy at one of its predecessor institutions, the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire. Several noted individuals from biology, botany and zoology were educated at the college, including the Welsh clergyman Hugh Davies (whose Welsh Botanology of 1813 cross-referenced the Welsh-language and the scientific names of plants), Edward Bagnall Poulton (Professor of Zoology at Oxford) and James Brontë Gatenby (Professor of Zoology at Trinity College, Dublin). Frank Greenaway was Keeper of the Department of Chemistry at the Science Museum in London for over 20 years, and the physicist Chris Rapley was appointed director of the museum in 2007. Other physicists who are Old Members of the college include Michael Woolfson (a former Professor of Physics at the University of York) and Edward Hinds (whose work on ultra-cold matter won him the Rumford Medal of the Royal Society in 2008). Edwin Stevens, who studied Natural Science at the college, went on to design the world's first wearable hearing aid, and Sir Graham Sutton became director-general of the Meteorological Office.

Other academics

The memorial stone to Henry Foulkes in the college chapel
The memorial stone to Francis Mansell in the college chapel
Thomas Pardo, Principal of Jesus College (1727–1763), and also Chancellor of St David's Cathedral (1749–1753)
John Tudno Williams
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
John Adair 1969? 1971 BLitt Author and academic on leadership studies; Professor of Leadership Studies at the University of Surrey (1979–1984); visiting professor at the University of Exeter (1990–2000); Honorary Professor of Leadership at the China Executive Leadership Academy in Pudong since 2006
Henry Bould (F) 1621 1624 BA (1621), MA (1624) Named as one of the founding scholars in the college's charter (1622); Fellow (1623–1628)
Joseph Clearihue 1911 1914 BA Jurisprudence (2nd, 1913), BCL (3rd, 1914) Canadian Rhodes scholar, who later became a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and a county court judge; also chairman of the council of Victoria College, British Columbia (which became the University of Victoria under his leadership)
Sir Goronwy Daniel (HF) 1937 1940 DPhil Permanent Under-Secretary of the Welsh Office (1964–1969), Principal of University of Wales, Aberystwyth (1969–1979)
Walter Jenkin Evans 1875? 1878 BA Principal of Carmarthen Presbyterian College (1888–1927)
Robert Gentilis 1603 BA Academic and translator who matriculated from Christ Church at the age of eight, graduated at the age of twelve and became a Fellow of All Souls at seventeen; eldest son of Alberico Gentili, the Italian jurist and Regius Professor of Civil Law
Lewis Gilbertson (F) 1833 1839 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd, 1836), MA (1839), BD (1847) Vicar in parishes in Cardiganshire, and also served as Vice-Principal
Joseph Hoare (F/P) 1727 1733 BA (1730), MA Prebend of Westminster Abbey; died after being scratched by his cat
David Hughes (F/P) 1770 1776 BA (1773), MA (1776), BD (1783), DD (1790) Principal (1802–1817)
Henry Foulkes (F/P) 1790 1797 BA (1794), MA (1797), BD (1804), DD (1817) Principal for 40 years (1817–1857)
Francis Heiser 1903? 1907 BA Theology (2nd) Principal of Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone (1920–1922), Principal of St Aidan's Theological College, Birkenhead (1929–1950)
Wilfred Hinton 1908? 1910? BA Professor of Political Economy at the University of Hong Kong (1913–1929), Director of Studies for the Institute of Bankers (1929–1949), and an expert in Far Eastern international affairs
George Howells 1895? 1898? BLitt Principal of Serampore College, India (1907–1932)
Gwilliam Iwan Jones 1923 1926 BA Modern History (2nd) Colonial civil servant who photographed life in Nigeria in the 1930s, later becoming an anthropologist and Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge
Maurice Jones (F/HF) 1882 1886 BA Divinity (1st, 1886), BD (1907), DD (1914) Welsh clergyman and principal of St David's College, Lampeter (1923–1938)
Thomas Jones 1827 1832 BA Librarian of Chetham's Library, Manchester (1845–1875)
William Jones (F/P) 1694 1700 BA (1697), MA (1700), BD (1708), DD (1720) Principal (1720–1725)
Deepak Lal 1960 1965 BA PPE (1962), BPhil (Economics, 1965) Development economist; James S. Coleman Professor of International Development Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles since 1991
Llewelyn Lewellin 1818 1827 BA Literae Humaniores (1st, 1822), MA (1824), BCL (1827), DCL (1829) First Principal of St David's College, Lampeter (1828–1878), also Dean of St David's (1843–1878)
Harold Loukes 1930 1934 BA English (1st) Taught at the University of Delhi before spending 30 years in the Department of Education at Oxford, most of them as Reader in Education
Francis Mansell (P) 1607 1611 BA (1609), MA (1611) Elected a Fellow of All Souls in 1613; Principal of Jesus College on three occasions
Rupert Morris 1861 1865 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd) Principal of Carmarthen Training College (1869–1876), headmaster of Godolphin School (1876–1884); clergyman and antiquarian
Humphrey Owen (F/P) 1718 1733 BA (1722), MA (1725), BD (1733), DD (1763) Bodley's Librarian (1747–1768)
Thomas Pardo (F/P) 1707 1711 BA (1708), MA (1711), BD (1719), DD (1727) Chancellor of St David's (1749–1753)
David Parry 1701 1708 BA (1705), MA (1708) Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum (1709–1714)
John Price 1754 1760 BA (1757), MA (1760), BD (1768) Bodley's Librarian for 45 years (1768–1813)
Theodore Price (F) 1586? 1591 BA (1588), MA (1591) Prebend of Westminster Abbey and principal of Hart Hall, Oxford
Robert Rowthorn 1957? 1962? BA Mathematics (1st), BPhil Economics Professor of Economics at the University of Cambridge and Fellow of King's College, Cambridge (1991–2006)
Robert Skidelsky, Baron Skidelsky (HF) 1958 1965 BA Modern History (2nd, 1961), DPhil Social Studies Economist and biographer of John Maynard Keynes
Sir Ben Bowen Thomas (HF) 1920 1922 BA Modern History (2nd) Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Department of the Department of Education (1945–1963), President of University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (1964–1975)
John Lloyd Thomas 1930 1932 BA Theology (2nd) Principal of St David's College, Lampeter (1953–1975)
Llewellyn Thomas (F) 1860 1865 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd) Welsh cleric, poet and scholar, who was the college's Welsh reader, senior tutor and vice-principal
David Williams 1898? 1903 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd, 1902), BA Theology (2nd, 1903) Welsh Calvinistic Methodist minister and professor at the United Theological College Aberystwyth
John Tudno Williams 1957 1960 BA Theology (2nd) Lecturer, then principal (1998–2003) of the United Theological College Aberystwyth, and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Wales (2006–2007)
William Christopher Wordsworth 1899? 1903 BA Literae Humaniores (1st) Professor of political economy (and later principal) of the Presidency College, Calcutta, who was also a journalist for The Statesman and The Times

Educators

Herbert Armitage James
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
Alan Aldous 1942 1948 BA English (2nd) Headmaster of Leeds Grammar School (1970–1975)
Edward Barnwell 1830 1834 BA Mathematics (1st) Headmaster of Ruthin School (1839–1865), succeeding Charles Williams
Edmund Brice 1648 1650 BA Translator and schoolmaster, and follower of the Christian mystic John Pordage
John Caldicott 1851 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd, 1851), BA Mathematics (3rd, 1851), BD and DD (1874) Matriculated from Pembroke College; Anglican priest and headmaster of Bristol Grammar School
J. R. Cohu (F) 1876 1880 BA Literae Humaniores (1st, 1880), MA (1883) Headmaster, clergyman and writer on biblical topics
William Weekes Fowler 1873 BA Matriculated at New College before transferring to Jesus with a scholarship; a clergyman, headmaster (of Lincoln School) and entomologist who was President of the Incorporated Association of Head Masters and President of the Entomological Society of London
Daniel Harper (F/P) 1840 1844 BA Mathematics (1st) Headmaster of Cowbridge Grammar School (1847–1850) and Sherborne School (1851–1877)
John Haycraft 1948 1951 BA Modern History (2nd) English language teacher and founder of International House World Organisation
Herbert Armitage James 1863 Transferred to Lincoln College when he won a scholarship in 1864; later headmaster of Rugby School and President of St John's College, Oxford
Robert James 1924 1928 BA Literae Humaniores (1st) Son of Henry James, Dean of Bangor; High Master of St Paul's School (1946–1953) and Headmaster of Harrow School (1953–1971)
Harold Littler 1907? 1910 BA Modern History (2nd) Anglican priest and headmaster of Sir William Turner's School, Coatham
Daniel Lewis Lloyd 1862 1867 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd) (1867), MA (1871) Headmaster of Dolgelley Grammar School, Friars School, Bangor and Christ College, Brecon; later Bishop of Bangor
Edward Owen 1746 1752 BA (1749), MA (1752) Welsh priest and translator, who was headmaster of the grammar school in Warrington
Owen Owen 1873 1877 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd) Headmaster in Oswestry who became the first Chief Inspector of the Central Welsh Board for Intermediate Education
Morgan Phillips 1907? 1911 ? Headmaster of Ruthin School (1930–1935)
Owen Price 1649 Graduated from Christ Church, Oxford; Master of Magdalen College School, Oxford and writer of educational books
Ernest Salter Davies 1891 1895 BA Literae Humaniores Director of Education for Kent for 20 years and writer on educational matters
Thomas Thomas 1824 1827 BA Welsh cleric ("Thomas of Caernarfon") who helped to found schools in Caernarfon; the father of Llewellyn Thomas
James Vincent 1735 1739 BA Welsh cleric and schoolteacher, who was Master of the Friars School, Bangor; grandfather of James Vincent, who also attended the college
Charles Williams (F/P) 1823 1827 BA Literae Humaniores (1st) Headmaster of Ruthin School (1831–1839), Principal (1857–1877)
John Williams (F) 1777 1783 BA (1781), MA Cleric in north Wales and master of the Free school in Llanrwst (1790–1812)
Peter Bailey Williams 1785 1790 Cleric in north Wales whose Sunday school in Llanrug was the first in the county; graduated from Christ Church in 1790
Robert Dewi Williams 1892? 1896? BA Headmaster of Clynnog Fawr School, which moved to become Clwyd College, Rhyl; a Presbyterian minister and writer

Artists and writers

A balding clergyman in gown and clerical garb, holding an open book in his left hand
John Blackwell
A well-dressed young man, pictured outdoors against a cloudy colourful sky, dressed in a brown high-buttoned jacket and waistcoat, with frilly shirt collar and cuffs
Thomas Jones
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
Tom Becker 1998 2001? BA Modern History Won the 2007 Waterstone's Children's Book Prize for his first novel, Darkside
John Blackwell 1824 1828 BA Welsh poet and writer, using the bardic name Alun
William Boyd (HF) 1975 1978 DPhil Novelist and screenwriter; left college accommodation and started work in 1978 when grant ran out, and has said "I never really left Jesus – I sort of drifted away."
Alan Brien 1943 1950 BA English Literature (2nd) Journalist and critic, author of Lenin; whilst at college, produced a film (Our College) commissioned by the Jesus College Record as a gesture of thanks to an American university that had sent a food parcel
William Lucas Collins 1833 1840 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd, 1838), MA (1840) Clergyman and contributor to Blackwood's Magazine
John Davies 1641 DNG Moved to St John's College, Cambridge during the English Civil War; a translator of works in French, Spanish and Latin who also wrote an account of the Civil War
James Davis 1723 1732 BA (1726), MA (1729), BM (1732) Physician and satirist
David Ellis 1794 DNG Welsh clergyman, poet and transcriber of manuscripts, who was at the college from March to June 1794
Daniel Evans (F) 1810 1817 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd, 1814), MA (1817), BD (1824) Welsh poet, known as Daniel Ddu o Geredigion
John Evans 1789 1792 BA Wrote four works about the topography of Wales
Thomas Floyd 1589 – 1599 MA (1596), BCL (1599) Matriculated (1589) and BA (1593) from New Inn Hall, Oxford before moving to Jesus College; author of The picture of a perfit common wealth, describing as well the offices of princes and inferior magistrates over their subjects, as also the duties of subjects towards their governors (1600)
Gwyneth Glyn 1999 2002 BA Philosophy and Theology (1st) Singer and poet, Welsh Children's Bard (2006–2007)
Sylvester Houédard 1941 1949 ? Studies interrupted by war service; a Benedictine monk and poet (known as "dom silvester houédard" or "dsh")
James Howell 1610 1613 BA Writer (notably of Dodona's Grove)
Philip Hubbard 1929 1933 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd) Author of 16 novels and two books for children; winner of the Newdigate Prize for English verse (1933)
Edward Hughes 1794 1800 BA (1797), MA (1800) Welsh poet (bardic name Y Dryw), who won prizes at the Denbigh Eisteddfodau of 1819 and 1828
Thomas Rowland Hughes 1928 1931 BLitt Welsh novelist, whose thesis was entitled "The London Magazine from 1820 to 1829"
John Jenkins 1905 1908 BA Theology (2nd) (1908), DLitt (1932) Welsh poet (bardic name Gwili) and theologian; Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales (1932–1936)
Brian John 1959 1965 BA Geography (2nd, 1962), DPhil Author of the historical-fiction series Angel Mountain Saga, whose DPhil was on the Ice Age in Wales
Thomas Jones 1759 DNG Left in 1761 to become a painter on the death of his uncle, at whose instigation he was studying for ordination
Tobias Jones 1992 1995 BA Modern History and English (1st) Author (of The Dark Heart of Italy) and journalist
David Lewis 1698 1702 BA Poet, whose collections of poetry also included works by Alexander Pope and John Dyer
Evan Lloyd 1751 1757 BA (1754), MA (1757) Satirical poet, whose works led to his imprisonment and hampered his career in the church
Owen Martell 1998 1999 Meyricke Graduate Scholarship Welsh author, translator, musician. Recipient of the . Winner 2001 Welsh Book of the Year Award for Cadw dy ffydd, brawd, (Strong and Prophetic; Gomer, 2000). Second novel, Dyn yr Eiliad (The Other Man; Gomer, 2003), short-listed in 2004. Dolenni Hud (Welsh Knot; Gomer, 2008) short stories in collaboration with photographer Simon Proffitt (another Jesus Alumnus). Translated Martin Crimp's Attempts on Her Life, (produced Sherman Cymru theatre, Cardiff, 2009). Third novel Intermission (Heinemann, 2013), written in English (has been translated into French, German and Spanish).  He was co-editor of the Welsh-language review of books, O’r Pedwar Gwynt.
Roland Mathias 1933 1939 BA Modern History (1st, 1936), BLitt Welsh poet, short story writer and editor of The Anglo-Welsh Review (1961–1976), whose BLitt thesis was entitled "The Economic Policy of the Board of Trade 1696–1714"
Dom Moraes 1956 1959 BA English (3rd) Indian writer, poet and columnist
John Morgan 1704 1708 BA Clergyman and poet (who was known as John Morgan Matchin after his appointment to a position in Matching, Essex) and author of Myfyrdodau bucheddol ar y pedwar peth diweddaf ('Devout musings on the four last things') (1714)
Sir Lewis Morris (HF) 1851 1856 BA Literae Humaniores (1st) Anglo-Welsh poet, who was the first student to obtain 1st in Classics in both Mods and Finals for 30 years
Arthur Nortje 1965 1967 BA English South African poet, who returned to the college to study for a BPhil but died in 1970 before completing the course
Goronwy Owen 1742 DNG Welsh poet who was hardly resident at the college `
Philip Palmer 1979 1982? BA English British science fiction writer
Henry Perry 1579 1583 MA (1583), BTh (1597) Initially a member of Balliol College; a Welsh priest and writer
Edward Pierce 1650 1657 BA (1655), MA (1657) Welsh clergyman and satirist
Angharad Price 1990 1997? BA, DPhil (Modern Languages) Prize-winning Welsh novelist and lecturer at Bangor University
Rhys Prichard 1597 1602 BA Welsh poet and clergyman, known as Yr Hen Ficer ("The Old Vicar"), and author of Canwyll y Cymry ("The Welshmen's Candle")
William Rees 1889 1892 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd) Welsh priest and writer
David Richards 1774 DNG Welsh poet (bardic name Dafydd Ionawr) and schoolmaster, who only spent one term at the college
Thomas Richards 1708 1711 BA Canon of St Asaph's Cathedral, who was also a writer and satirist
John Roberts 1792 1796 BA Welsh cleric and writer
Erasmus Saunders 1690 1696 BA (1693), MA (1696), BD (1705), DD (1712) Welsh priest and writer
Francesca Simon 1977 1980? BA Old English Language and Literature American author of the Horrid Henry series of books
Charles Symmons 1794 DD Welsh priest and writer; a graduate of the University of Cambridge who was incorporated at Oxford in order to take his DD after being involved in controversy at Cambridge
Gwyn Thomas 1959 1966 DPhil Welsh poet, appointed National Poet of Wales in 2006
Nathaniel Thomas 1747 1750? BA Welsh writer; editor and proprietor of the St James's Chronicle in London, and editor of Robert Ainsworth's Latin Dictionary
Len Tyler 1971 1974? BA Geography Crime writer
Henry Vaughan 1641? DNG Welsh poet and doctor; college records unclear on entry date
Thomas Vaughan 1638 1646/7 BA (1642), graduate scholar until 1646/1647 Welsh clergyman, poet and writer
William Vaughan 1592 1605 BA (1595), MA (1597), BCL (1600), DCL Welsh writer and colonial investor
John Walters 1777 1781 BA Welsh clergyman and poet
Hugh Williams 1740 1744 BA Welsh clergyman and writer
Morris Williams 1832 1835 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd) Welsh writer (bardic name Nicander) and clergyman
Nathaniel Williams 1672 1676 BA Welsh writer whose works include A Pindaric Elegy on the famous Physician Dr. Willis
William Wynn 1727 1735 BA (1730), MA (1735) Welsh cleric and poet
Ellis Wynne 1692 1695? BA, possibly MA too, possibly in Law Welsh clergyman and writer, particularly remembered for Gweledigaetheu y Bardd Cwsc ("Visions of the Sleeping Bard")
Edwin Yoder (HF) 1956 1958 BA PPE (2nd) American Rhodes Scholar, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing (1979)

Broadcasters and entertainers

Siân Lloyd
William Terriss
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
Elwyn Brook-Jones 1930? 1933? ? West End, film and TV actor, whose roles included "The Voice" (the hero's opponent) in the children's TV series Garry Halliday
Greg Childs 1973 1976 MA English Children's television producer and advocate
Douglas Cleverdon 1922 1926 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd) Radio producer and bookseller
Ronald Frame 1975 1979 B Litt Scottish author
Ian Gillies 1946 1949 BA Modern History (2nd) Quiz question-setter, who was "Mycroft" on BBC Radio 4's Brain of Britain
Arturo Goetz 1971 DNG Argentinian actor who studied for a DPhil in Economics, but his scholarship finished before his thesis was complete
Siân Lloyd 1979? DNG ITV national weather forecaster who left after 1 year of a BLitt in Celtic Studies
Magnus Magnusson (HF) 1948 1951 BA English (2nd) Television presenter (including Mastermind) and writer
Inder Manocha 1985? 1980s (late) BA Modern History Comedian and actor
Glyn Mathias 1963? 1966? BA Political Editor of Independent Television News (1981–1986) and BBC Wales (1994–1999); the Electoral Commission's Commissioner for Wales (2001–2008)
Norman Matthews 1922 1926 BA Theology (2nd) Chancellor of Llandaff Cathedral (1952–1964) and one of the panellists on the BBC show "The Brains Trust"
Kirsty McCabe 1996? 1999? postgraduate work on climate change BBC national weather forecaster on radio and television
Andre Ptaszynski 1972 1975 BA English Television and theatre producer, and Chief Executive of the Really Useful Group
Francine Stock (HF) 1976 1980 BA Modern Languages Journalist and broadcaster; the college's first female honorary fellow
William Terriss 1865? DNG Actor, known for his swashbuckling roles, who was murdered outside the Adelphi Theatre in 1897 by an unstable and struggling actor
Jim Waterson 2008 2011 BA History Journalist; Deputy Editor of Buzzfeed
John Wood 1950 1953 BA Jurisprudence (3rd) Actor, member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Tony Award winner in 1976

Musicians

Norwich Cathedral, where Michael Nicholas was organist and master of choristers for 23 years
Musicians educated at the college
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
John Edwards 1825 1830 BA Welsh cleric and hymn-tune composer, most notably of Rhosymedre (named after his parish)
David Evans 1725? 1731 BA (1728), MA (1731) Welsh priest, scholar and musician
Thomas Fielden 1905 1909? BA Music, BMus College organ exhibitioner; Professor of Pianoforte at the Royal College of Music (1921–52)
David Ffrangcon-Davies 1876 1881 BA Baritone singer who needed several attempts to pass his exams
Paul Jones 1960? DNG Singer with Manfred Mann
Michael Nicholas 1957 1960 BA Music (2nd) Organ scholar at college; organist and master of the choristers at Norwich Cathedral (1971–94); Chief Executive of the Royal College of Organists (1994–97)
William Reed 1929 1934 BA Literae Humaniores (2nd, 1933), Diploma in Education (1934), DMus (1939) English composer who studied with Herbert Howells
Alan Rowlands 1946? 1949? BA Chemistry Pianist specialising in the work of John Ireland
Denis Stevens 1940 1949 BA Music A musicologist (with a particular interest in Monteverdi); editor of Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1959–63) and Professor of Music at Columbia University (1964–76); studied languages (1940–42) then music after his war service (1942–46)
Blanc Wan 2012 2013 MSt Music Performance A pianist and acclaimed writer; chief editor of The Pianist magazine; studied at Oxford then research on Russian Piano School in London; Professor of Piano at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Sports people

The Wales team for the first Welsh international rugby match in 1881, with Aneurin Rees seated on the far left of the middle row
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
Tony Ambrose 1951 1954 BA Natural Science (Engineering, 4th) British rally driver who was given a red MG sports car by his father for winning a scholarship to the college
Ranjit Bhatia 1957 1959 BA Mathematics (3rd) Indian athlete who competed in the 1960 Summer Olympics (marathon and 5000 metres)
Trevor Brewer 1948 1952 BA Chemistry (2nd) Welsh rugby union international, winning three caps (1950–1955); rugby "Blue" in 1951
Bailey Davies 1905 1908 BA Mathematics (3rd) Welsh rugby union international, winning one cap (1907); rugby "Blue" three times (1905–1907)
Jenkin Alban Davies 1906? 1909 BA Theology (3rd) Welsh rugby union international, winning seven caps (1913–1914); did not win a "Blue"
Sir David William Evans 1885 1888 ? Welsh rugby union international, winning five caps (1899–1891); rugby "Blue" twice (1887 and 1888); later became a solicitor and was knighted for public services to Wales
Walter Rice Evans 1887 1890? ? Welsh rugby union international, winning three caps (1890–1891); rugby "Blue" in 1890
William Frederick Evans 1876 1883 BA Theology (3rd, 1880), MA (1883) Welsh rugby union international, winning two caps (1882 and 1883); did not win a "Blue"
Arthur Evanson 1880 1884 BA (1884), MA (1887) English rugby union international, winning four caps (1882–1884); the college's first rugby "Blue" (twice, 1880 and 1881), and its only English rugby international
Gwyn Francis 1919 1921 BA French Welsh rugby union international, winning two caps (1919 and 1924); rugby "Blue" in 1919, and part of the college team (along with William Havard) that won the inter-college cup in 1920
William Havard 1919 1921 BA Modern History College chaplain (1919–1921) who won his 'Blue' for rugby and represented Wales against New Zealand Services in 1919 (his only international) before becoming Bishop of St Asaph (1934–1950) and Bishop of St David's (1950–1956)
Vivian Jenkins 1930 1933 BA Literae Humaniores Welsh rugby union international, winning fourteen caps (1933–1939) and one for the British and Irish Lions, who was the first Welsh full-back to score a try in an international match; rugby "Blue" three times (1930–1932); also played cricket for Glamorgan
Kenyon Jones 1930 1933 BA Modern History (2nd) Welsh rugby union international, winning one cap (1934); rugby "Blue" twice (1931 and 1932)
Thomas Babington Jones 1871 1875 BA Mathematics (4th) Played first-class cricket for Oxford University CC; cricket "Blue" in 1874
Charles Lewis 1872 1879 BA (1876), MA (1879) Welsh rugby union international, winning five caps (1882–1884); a triple "Blue" (cricket, hammer and hurdles, but not rugby)
Hilary Lister 1991 1996 BA Biochemistry Quadriplegic solo sailor – the first quadriplegic sailor to cross the English Channel
James Page 1919 1923 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd, 1922), BA Jurisprudence (4th, 1923) President of the Jesus College Jesus College Record and Captain of Boats whilst at college; rowing coach and secretary of the Amateur Rowing Association (1952–1972)
Conway Rees 1891 1894 BA Modern History (3rd) Welsh rugby union international, winning three caps (1892–1894); rugby "Blue" three times (1891–1893) and the first Welshman to captain Oxford University RFC
Aneurin Rees 1877 DNG Welsh rugby union international, winning one cap in the first international match involving Wales (1881); did not win a "Blue"
George Robinson 1879 1883 BA Theology (3rd) Played first-class cricket for Oxford University CC; cricket "Blue" three times (1881–1883)
John Strand-Jones 1898 1901 ? Welsh rugby union international, winning five caps (1902–1903); rugby "Blue" three times (1899–1901)
Barney Williams 2004 2006 Diploma in Legal Studies; MSc Management Studies Canadian rower (winning a gold medal at the 2003 World Championships and a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics) who was part of the winning crew for the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race in 2005 and 2006

Other people in public life

John Aspinall's grave and memorial at Howletts Wild Animal Park
Beau Nash
Name M G Degree Notes Ref.
John Aspinall 1947 DNG Zoo owner (Howletts Zoo and Port Lympne Zoo) and gambler, who boasted of never attending a lecture whilst at Oxford, and who missed his final examinations to go to the races at Ascot
Sir John Carter (HF) 1958 1961 BA Mathematics (2nd) Chief Executive of Commercial Union (1994–1998) and Chairman of the National House Building Council since 2002
Sir Geoffrey Cass (HF) 1951 1954 BA PPE (2nd) Chief Executive of Cambridge University Press (1972–1992) and Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company (1985–2000)
Geraint Talfan Davies 1963 1966 BA Modern History Chair of Welsh National Opera, formerly Controller of BBC Wales and Chair of the Arts Council of Wales
Rajeeb Dey 20052004 2008 BA Economics and Management Businessman who won the "02 X Young Entrepreneur of the Year" award in 2009
Ffion Hague 1986 1989 BA English Writer and wife of former Conservative Party leader William Hague
Sir Bernard Miller (HF) 1923 1927 BA Modern History (1st) Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership (1955–1972)
Alec Monk (HF) 1962 1965 BA PPE (2nd) Chairman and Chief Executive of Gateway (1981–1989) and Chairman of Charles Wells (1998–2003)
Beau Nash 1692 DNG A dandy and social celebrity who was allegedly dismissed from the university for an "intrigue" with a local woman, although college records have no evidence that he was sent down
Roger Parry 1976 1978? MLitt Media entrepreneur and Chairman of YouGov
Sir Owen Roberts (HF) 1854 1858 BA Literae Humaniores (3rd) Clerk to the Clothworkers' Company (1866–1907, Master 1909); prime mover in setting up the City and Guilds of London Institute and chairman of the London Polytechnic Council
Crispian Strachan 1968 1971 BA Jurisprudence Chief Constable of Northumbria Police (1998–2005)
John Wynne 1688 DNG Industrialist and philanthropist

Fictional students of Jesus College

Tobias Smollett, author of The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
Students at the college in fiction
Character Author Notes Ref.
Sir David Metcalfe QC Jeffrey Archer A character in the play Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Ruth Gilmartin William Boyd A principal character in Restless, who in Chapter 4 calls at her college in Turl Street; the novel is set in 1976, when Jesus College was the only Turl Street college admitting women; Boyd has also said "When, in my fiction, I have had to place a character at an Oxford college it has always been Jesus – sometimes disguised (as in my novel An Ice-Cream War) sometimes overtly identified (as in my novel Any Human Heart)"
Logan Mountstuart William Boyd A character in the novel Any Human Heart, who studies History at Jesus College in the 1920s and is awarded a third-class degree
Cedric Downes Colin Dexter A Fellow of Brasenose in the novel The Jewel That Was Ours, who reveals that he was an undergraduate at Jesus, which he describes as "one of the less fashionable colleges"
Sir Watkin Phillips, Bt. and others Tobias Smollett Phillips is mentioned in The Expedition of Humphry Clinker (1771), an epistolary novel, as the recipient of letters from another Jesus College man, Jery Melford. There is no evidence that Phillips or Melford were based on real people, but other Jesus College men in Melford's letters (Griffy Price, Gwyn, Mansel, Basset and "our old friend Barton") may be based on individuals attending Jesus College in the 1720s and 1730s.
Mark Treasure David Williams A detective in various novels by Williams; his Jesus College tie is recognised by a Welsh parson in Divided Treasure