John Comyn Vaughan Wilkes (30 March 1902 – 24 January 1986) was an English educationalist, who was Warden of

Radley College Radley College, formally St Peter's College, Radley, is a public school (independent boarding school for boys) near Radley, Oxfordshire, England, which was founded in 1847. The school covers including playing fields, a golf course, a lake, and ...

and an Anglican priest. Wilkes was born in

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...

, the eldest son of Lewis Chitty Vaughan Wilkes and his wife Cicely Ellen Philadelphia Comyn. His parents were the proprietors of

St Cyprian's School St Cyprian's School was an English preparatory school for boys, which operated in the early 20th century in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Like other preparatory schools, its purpose was to train pupils to do well enough in the examinations (usuall ...

which they had established in 1899. Wilkes was educated at Fonthill East Grinstead, St Cyprians and

Eton College Eton College () is a public school in Eton, Berkshire, England. It was founded in 1440 by Henry VI under the name ''Kynge's College of Our Ladye of Eton besyde Windesore'',Nevill, p. 3 ff. intended as a sister institution to King's College, C ...

, where he was a

King's Scholar A King's Scholar is a foundation scholar (elected on the basis of good academic performance and usually qualifying for reduced fees) of one of certain public schools. These include Eton College; The King's School, Canterbury; The King's School ...

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitar ...

and

Cyril Connolly Cyril Vernon Connolly CBE (10 September 1903 – 26 November 1974) was an English literary critic and writer. He was the editor of the influential literary magazine ''Horizon'' (1940–49) and wrote '' Enemies of Promise'' (1938), which combin ...

followed him to Eton as scholars from his parents' school. Wilkes won a classical scholarship to

Trinity College, Oxford (That which you wish to be secret, tell to nobody) , named_for = The Holy Trinity , established = , sister_college = Churchill College, Cambridge , president = Dame Hilary Boulding , location = Broad Street, Oxford OX1 3BH , coordinates ...

. At Oxford, he won a half blue for golf and played in the

University Golf Match The University Golf Match (commonly known as the Varsity Match) is the annual golf match contested between the Full Blue golf teams from Oxford and Cambridge universities. Dating back to 1878, it is the oldest amateur event in golf, as the first ...

against

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

in 1924 and 1925. In 1925, Wilkes became an assistant master at Eton and from 1930 to 1937 he was Master in College (or housemaster for the King's Scholars) there. In 1937 he became Warden of

, and after the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

he helped arrange for

Eastbourne College Eastbourne College is a co-educational independent school in the British public school tradition, for day and boarding pupils aged 13–18, in the town of Eastbourne on the south coast of England. The College's headmaster is Tom Lawson. Over ...

to be evacuated to Radley from the south coast. In spite of overcrowding, the two schools drew together harmoniously. Wilkes pushed the school forward and was an ardent believer in the duty of public schools to share their benefits with others less fortunate. While at Radley, he took Holy Orders becoming Deacon in 1945 and Priest in 1946. He led the school in the centenary celebration in 1947, and left Radley in 1954 to become a practising clergyman. He was Vicar of

Hunslet Hunslet () is an inner-city area in south Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is southeast of the Leeds city centre, city centre and has an industrial past. It is situated in the Hunslet and Riverside (ward), Hunslet and Riverside ward of Lee ...

, Leeds from 1954 until 1958 where he was concerned with social issues in deprived areas. He was then Vicar of Marlow until 1965. From 1965 to 1967 he was Rector of Preston Bisset, and then Rector of

Great Kimble Great may refer to: Descriptions or measurements * Great, a relative measurement in physical space, see Size * Greatness, being divine, majestic, superior, majestic, or transcendent People * List of people known as "the Great" *Artel Great (born ...

. In 1974 he was recommended for appointment as Bishop of Peterborough, but turned down the offer. He retired in 1977, and went to live in

Hereford Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...

where he died aged 84. Wilkes married Joan Alington, a daughter of

Cyril Alington Cyril Argentine Alington (22 October 1872 – 16 May 1955) was an English educationalist, scholar, cleric, and author. He was successively the headmaster of Shrewsbury School and Eton College. He also served as chaplain to King George V and as De ...

in 1940. Her father was headmaster of Eton and Dean of Durham, and her sisters married Sir

Alec Douglas-Home Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel (; 2 July 1903 – 9 October 1995), styled as Lord Dunglass between 1918 and 1951 and being The 14th Earl of Home from 1951 till 1963, was a British Conservative politician who se ...

, later Prime Minister, and Roger Mynors, who were both Wilkes' contemporaries at Eton.the Peerage.com
/ref> Wilkes' sister Rosemary married cricketer

William Tomlinson William James Vincent Tomlinson (10 August 1901 – 16 May 1984) was an English schoolmaster and cricketer who played first-class cricket for Derbyshire and Cambridge University from 1920 to 1924. Tomlinson was born at Winshill, Derbyshire th ...

who became headmaster of St Cyprians. John and Joan Wilkes' daughter

Kathy Wilkes Kathleen Vaughan Wilkes (23 June 1946 – 21 August 2003) was an English philosopher and academic who played an important part in rebuilding the education systems of former Communist countries after 1990. She established her reputation as an aca ...

was a philosopher and active campaigner for academic freedom in Soviet Eastern Europe.

References

External links

Old Radleian Online 2000 Four Radley wardens
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilkes, John Vaughan 1902 births 1986 deaths People educated at Eton College People educated at St Cyprian's School Alumni of Trinity College, Oxford 20th-century English Anglican priests Wardens of Radley College Eton King's Scholars Teachers at Eton College