Upton lectures
Anticipation in College for the forthcoming Upton Lecture by Professsor Susan James on 'Fake News: Learning from Spinoza' is absolutely tangible but what exactly are the Upton lectures and why are they held here?
The Upton lectures and lectureships were established thanks to a bequest to College from the late Professor Charles Barnes Upton (1831-1920) (portrait to the right). Upton had long been connected with Manchester College, having enrolled at the College in 1853 when it was located in London. He completed his BA and ministerial training in College before moving to Liverpool for work. The then Principal, James Martineau, invited him back to teach philosophy in College in 1875, where he remained in his teaching post until he retired in 1903. He died in 1920 but remained close to the College staff.
In his bequest he provides funds for the establishment and maintenance of two lectureships to be held in connection with the college, one in philosophy and the other in religion. The lectures were to be known as “The Jemima Upton Lectureship in Philosophy” and “The Martha Jane Upton Lectureship in Religion”. Jemima and Martha Jane were his sisters.
There is scant information about Martha Jane Upton, after whom the religion strand of the lectures are named, apart from that she died in 1918 aged 84, however details about her sister, Jemima, are a little more forthcoming. In her obituary (Christian Life, 1916) it notes that she was for many years the headmistress of the day schools attached to Gravel Pit Chapel, Hackney ‘where her strong character and penetrating sympathy made a deep impression.’ She was also active in the Mansford Street Mission, Bethnal Green, retaining an interest in it after her move (presumably with her brother) to Oxford. She arranged for children at the Mission to visit Littlemore in Oxford and stay in local cottages. She was also involved (Superintendent for over a decade) in the Charles Street Institute, found in the poorest part of Oxford, and was elected to the Littlemore Parish Council when the council was first open to women.
The Upton lectures were established at the beginning of the 1920s and were one of several named and special lecture series that were held in College at the beginning of the 20th century. The College at this time was a socially progressive and intellectually curious place. There were nearly equal male and female students in College with a strong international student cohort (India, Japan, States and NZ). Two principals, Estlin Carpenter and L.P. Jacks, were instrumental in establishing the College as a place known for its open-minded and liberal approach. Carpenter was Principal 1906-1915 and Jacks Principal 1915-1930. They both invited distinguished speakers to College to give public lectures.
Carpenter was particularly interested in Comparative Religion and Eastern religious traditions, inviting eminent speakers from other religious traditions to speak at College. Rabindranath Tagore came to speak as did Abdu'l-Bahá, head of the Baháʼí Faith. Jacks area of expertise was philosophy and his role as editor of the Hibbert Journal meant that celebrated individuals were invited to College to speak; these included William James, Paul Sabatier and Josiah Royce all of whom delivered Hibbert Lectures in Oxford.
Jacks was the Principal when the Upton bequest established the lectures. It was his suggestion that Evelyn Underhill was invited to deliver the inaugural Upton Lecture in 1921. She delivered her lectures entitled “The life of the Spirit and the Life of To-day” and became the first woman to lecture on Theology in the University. Other leading speakers at College include Professor Radhakrishnan, William James, Prof Paul Tillich, Albert Schweitzer, R. H. Tawney as well as others.
While the Upton lecture series and lectureship did continue throughout the war and beyond into the 1950s, as the college grew smaller and considered its future the Upton lectures fell into abeyance. The lecture were revived by the current Principal in the academic year 2021/22 when Jeanette Winterson was invited to deliver the Martha Upton Lecture in Religion on the very same subject as the first lecture ‘The life of the spirit and the life of to-day’. Winterson’s lecture was held 100 years after Underhill’s inaugural Upton lecture.
We are delighted that the first revived 'Jemima Upton lecture in Philosophy' will be delivered by Professor Susan James FBA on the subject Fake News: Learning from Spinoza.
Letter from Jacks to Evelyn Underhill (Mrs Moore) inviting her to deliver the first Upton Lecture. He writes 'the lectureship having been founded in memory of two women it is thought appropriate to invite a woman to give the first lectures under the Trust on one of the two subjects. It was at my suggestion, which I made with great pleasure and confidence, that it was decided to convey the first invitation to you. I sincerely hope you will accept it'.)
Tagore and Jacks in College, 1930. This photograph is of the second visit that Tagore made to Manchester College, Oxford.
Poster advertising the Upton lectures,1939. There are several posters for different years in the archive. All lectures were open to students in college, University members and the public.
Poster advertising the Upton lecture, 2023. Professor James will be delivering the first Jemima Upton Lecture in Philosophy since the series was revived.
