Neil Ripley Ker (; 1908–1982) was a scholar of

Anglo-Saxon literature Old English literature refers to poetry and prose written in Old English in early medieval England, from the 7th century to the decades after the Norman Conquest of 1066, a period often termed Anglo-Saxon England. The 7th-century work ''Cædmon ...

. He was Reader in Palaeography at the University of Oxford and a fellow of

Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College (, ) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford. It was founded in 1458 by William of Waynflete. Today, it is the fourth wealthiest college, with a financial endowment of £332.1 million as of 2019 and one of the s ...

until he retired in 1968. He is known especially for his ''Catalogue of Manuscripts Containing Anglo-Saxon'', which is praised as a milestone in Anglo-Saxon manuscript study.

Biography

Ker was born in

Brompton, London Brompton, sometimes called Old Brompton, survives in name as a ward in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London. Until the latter half of the 19th century it was a scattered village made up mostly of market gardens in the county of ...

, and was educated at

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 ...

and

, completing a BA in English Language and Literature in 1931 and a BLitt in 1933. During the

Second World War 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 was a

conscientious objector A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. The term has also been extended to object ...

. In 1945 he was elected a fellow of Magdalen College and in 1946 University Reader in Palaeography. In 1968 he retired from his roles at Oxford to focus on his largest work, ''Medieval Manuscripts in British Libraries''. He completed the first two volumes and most of the third and left a draft of the fourth.

Legacy

Annually, the

British Academy The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national academy for the humanities and the social sciences. It was established in 1902 and received its royal charter in the same year. It is now a fellowship of more than 1,000 leading scholars span ...

awards grants in Ker's name to scholars who publish books "that include analysis of the distinctive features of original manuscripts."

Publications (selected)

*1941: ''Medieval Libraries of Great Britain'' *1954 ''Fragments of Medieval Manuscripts Used as Pastedowns in Oxford Bindings'' *1957: ''Catalogue of Manuscripts Containing Anglo-Saxon'' *1960: ''English Manuscripts in the Century after the Norman Conquest'' *1964: ''Medieval Libraries of Great Britain''; 2nd ed. *1969: ''Medieval Manuscripts in British Libraries''; vol. 1 *1977: ''Medieval Manuscripts in British Libraries''; vol. 2

References

External links

Neil Ripley Ker on WorldCat
Anglo-Saxon studies scholars British medievalists English palaeographers 1908 births 1982 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of Magdalen College, Oxford Fellows of Magdalen College, Oxford Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Fellows of the British Academy {{UK-nonfiction-writer-stub

Biography

Legacy

Publications (selected)

References

Further reading

External links