Sir Oliver Popplewell (15 August 1927 – 6 June 2024)

It is with much sadness that the Principal and Fellows of Harris Manchester College have learnt of the death of Sir Oliver Popplewell. Sir Oliver was an Honorary Fellow of the College; with a distinguished career as a High Court judge, chairing the Bradford City stadium fire inquiry, amongst other notable cases.

Sir Oliver’s other claim to fame was as one of the oldest mature students at the University of Oxford, and certainly our oldest student, when he read for a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics here at Harris Manchester College, in his 76th year.

All in college send their condolences to his wife, family, and friends.

For those interested to learn more about his time at the College in the early 2000s, then the book ‘Hallmark, a Judge’s Life at Oxford’ by Oliver Popplewell is available in the HMC library.