John Barron (classicist)

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = John Barron

| honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|FSA|MAE}}

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| order = 7th

| office = Master of St Peter's College, Oxford

| term_start = 1991

| term_end = 2003

| predecessor = Gerald Aylmer

| successor = Bernard Silverman

| order2 =

| office2 = Director of the Institute of Classical Studies

| term_start2 = 1984

| term_end2 = 1991

| predecessor2 = Eric Handley

| successor2 = Richard Sorabji

| birth_name = John Penrose Barron

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1934|4|27}}

| birth_place = Morley, Yorkshire, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|2008|8|16|1934|4|27}}

| death_place = London, England

| citizenship =

| nationality = British

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| education = Clifton College

| alma_mater = Balliol College, Oxford

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}}

John Penrose Barron, {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|FSA|MAE}} (27 April 1934 – 16 August 2008) was a British classical scholar. He was Director of the Institute of Classical Studies, University of London from 1984 to 1991, and Master of St Peter's College, Oxford, from 1991 to 2003.{{cite web|title=John Barron |url=http://www.sal.org.uk/obituaries/johnbarron |work=Obituaries |publisher=Society of Antiquaries of London |access-date=26 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427043843/http://www.sal.org.uk/obituaries/johnbarron |archive-date=27 April 2014 }}{{cite book |title=Barron, Prof. John Penrose |url=https://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540891.001.0001/ww-9780199540884-e-6660 |website=Who Was Who |publisher=Oxford University Press |access-date=21 May 2019 |date=1 December 2016|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U6660 |isbn=978-0-19-954089-1 }}

Early life and education

Barron was born on 27 April 1934 in Morley, Yorkshire, England.{{cite news|last1=Reisz|first1=Matthew|title=John Barron, 1934–2008|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/people/obituaries/john-barron-1934-2008/403749.article|access-date=17 May 2016|work=Times Higher Education|date=2 October 2008}} He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, an all-boys private school in Wakefield, and at Clifton College, then also an all-boys independent school in Bristol.{{cite news|title=Professor John Barron|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/2641044/Professor-John-Barron.html|access-date=17 May 2016|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=28 August 2008}} He matriculated into Balliol College, Oxford, in 1953; he had originally intended to study law but was convinced by a college tutor to switch to Lit. Hum. (Classics). Among his tutors were Kenneth Dover and Russell Meiggs. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a first class Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1957. He remained at Oxford to study for a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree under the supervision of Antony Andrewes, which he completed in 1961. His doctoral thesis was on the early history of Samos, and was titled The history of Samos to 439 B. C..{{cite thesis|last1=Barron|first1=J. Penrose|title=The history of Samos to 439 B.C.|url=https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:2d176392-d095-4470-8c08-78fa0c9316fc|website=Oxford University Research Archive|date=12 September 1961 |publisher=University of Oxford|access-date=16 February 2017}}

Academic career

Barron began his academic career in 1959, having been appointed an assistant lecturer in Latin at Bedford College, London: he was promoted to lecturer in 1961. In 1964, he joined University College, London as a lecturer in archaeology.{{cite news |last1=Griffin |first1=Jasper |title=Obituary: John Barron |url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2008/sep/19/highereducation |access-date=21 May 2019 |work=The Guardian |date=18 September 2008}} He was appointed Reader in Archaeology and Numismatics in 1967.

In 1971, he was appointed Professor of Greek Language and Literature at King's College, London: he was therefore appointed to a chair at the unusually young age of 37. He was Head of the King's Department of Classics from 1972 to 1984, and Dean of its Faculty of Arts from 1976 to 1980. He then moved into leadership positions in the wider University of London, serving as Director of the Institute of Classical Studies from 1984 to 1991, and Dean of the Institute for Advanced Study from 1989 to 1991. He was "instrumental in setting up the University of London Institute for Advanced Study", a body which brought together the various research institutes of the university: it would go on to become the School of Advanced Study.

In 1991, Barron was elected the 7th Master of St Peter's College, Oxford. He would go on to serve two five-year terms and a two-year extension, before retiring in 2003. During his time as master, he increased the number of female students at his college from fewer than 30 percent to almost half.{{cite news |title=Professor John Barron: classical scholar and an early supporter of the expansion of the university system |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article4628277.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525012134/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article4628277.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 May 2010 |access-date=21 May 2019 |work=The Times |date=29 August 2008}} He also greatly expanded the physical footprint of the college, adding three new buildings. He also attempted to add the former Oxford Prison to the portfolio but this was vetoed by the college's governing body.{{cite news |last1=Barron |first1=Katie |title=Professor John Barron: Former Master of St Peter's, Oxford |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/professor-john-barron-former-master-of-st-peters-oxford-924464.html |access-date=21 May 2019 |work=The Independent |date=10 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110129051351/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/professor-john-barron-former-master-of-st-peters-oxford-924464.html |archive-date=29 January 2011}} He was also Chairman of the Conference of Colleges, the association of Oxford Colleges, from 1993 to 1995,{{cite web |title=About the Conference of Colleges |url=http://www.confcoll.ox.ac.uk/html/main/about_the_conference.html |website=The Conference of Colleges |publisher=University of Oxford |access-date=21 May 2019}} and Chairman of the University of Oxford's Admissions Committee from 1997 to 2000. As the latter, he aimed to widen the university's intake, and encouraged an increase in the number of state educated students.

In retirement, he was an honorary fellow of St Peter's College, Oxford and a visiting professor at King's College, London.

Personal life

In 1962, Barron married Caroline Mary Hogarth, a medieval historian. She is the granddaughter of David George Hogarth, a noted archaeologist and decorated naval intelligence officer. Together they had two daughters.

After a short time living with pancreatic cancer, Barron died on 16 August 2008 in London, England: he was aged 74.{{cite ODNB |last1=Goldman |first1=Lawrence |authorlink1=Lawrence Goldman |title=Barron, John Penrose (1934–2008) |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-99526 |access-date=21 May 2019 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/99526 |date=4 October 2012 }}

Selected works

{{cite book |last1=Barron |first1=John P. |title=Greek Sculpture |date=1965 |publisher=Studio Vista |location=London}}
{{cite book |last1=Barron |first1=J. P. |title=Silver Coins of Samos |date=1966 |publisher=The Athlone Press |location=London |isbn=978-0485110807}}
{{cite book |last1=Barron |first1=John |title=An Introduction to Greek Sculpture |date=1981 |publisher=Athlone |location=London |isbn=9780485111965}}
{{cite book |last1=Barron |first1=John Penrose |title=From Samos to Soho: The Unorthodox Life of Joseph Georgirenes, a Greek Archbishop |date=2017 |publisher=Peter Lang |location=Bern |isbn=9783034317887}}
{{cite book |last=Barron |first=John P. |editor-last=Doll |editor-first=Peter M. |title=Anglicanism and Orthodoxy 300 Years after the 'Greek College' in Oxford |date=2006 |publisher=Peter Lang |location=Oxford |pages=79–112 |chapter=Chapter 3: Archbishop Joseph Georgirenes and the Prehistory of the Greek College |isbn=9783039105809}}

References

External links

[https://www.spc.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/inline-files/SPP25%20-%20The%20Papers%20of%20Professor%20John%20Barron.pdf St Peter's College – Archives: The Papers of Professor John Barron]

{{succession box

| title=Master of St Peter's College, Oxford

| years=1991 to 2003

| before=Gerald Aylmer

| after=Bernard Silverman

}}

Category:1934 births

Category:2008 deaths

Category:Academics of Bedford College, London

Category:Masters of St Peter's College, Oxford

Category:Classical scholars of the University of London

Category:People from Morley, West Yorkshire