Peter Bayley at University College, Oxford, 1997

Peter Charles Bayley (25 January 1921 – 3 November 2015) was an English literary critic and academic. He was a fellow at University College, Oxford (1949–1972), the first Principal of Collingwood College, Durham (1972–1978), and Professor of English at the University of St Andrews (1978–1985).

Early life

Bayley was born on 25 January 1921. He was educated at The Crypt School, Gloucester, and University College, Oxford, where he was a Sidwick Exhibitioner (1940–41). He undertook war service during the Second World War (1941–46).

Academic career

He was subsequently a Junior Research Fellow (1947–49), then a Fellow and

Praelector A praelector is a traditional role at the University of Cambridge and the University of Oxford. The role differs somewhat between the two ancient universities. University of Cambridge At Cambridge, a praelector is the fellow of a college who forma ...

in English (1949–72), and Keeper of the College Buildings at University College. He was made an

Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

Fellow of the college in 1985. Bayley was the author of books on and

Edmund Spenser Edmund Spenser (; 1552/1553 – 13 January 1599) was an English poet best known for ''The Faerie Queene'', an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen of ...

,Bayley, Peter C., ''Edmund Spenser: Prince of Poets''. Hutchinson Education, 1971. . 19th century novelists, and

John Milton John Milton (9 December 1608 – 8 November 1674) was an English poet and intellectual. His 1667 epic poem '' Paradise Lost'', written in blank verse and including over ten chapters, was written in a time of immense religious flux and political ...

. '' The Times Literary Supplement'' wrote of his book on Spenser as being "''a packed but lucidly written book which will be of permanent value to all students, and indeed readers, of Spenser''". He also edited the '' University College Record'' for a number of years. While a don at Oxford, Bayley oversaw the activities of the Oxford University Dramatic Society (OUDS) and the University College Players. He produced '' He Who Gets Slapped'' by Leonid Andreyev for the Univ Players in 1953. He was a Curator of the University Theatre and Chairman of the University Theatre Appeal Committee. Bayley was the tutor of the author

V.S. Naipaul Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul (; 17 August 1932 – 11 August 2018) was a Trinidadian-born British writer of works of fiction and nonfiction in English. He is known for his comic early novels set in Trinidad, his bleaker novels of alienati ...

.French, Patrick
Patrick French's biography of VS Naipaul: Naipaul's friendship with Paul Theroux
''

Daily Telegraph Daily or The Daily may refer to: Journalism * Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks * ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times'' * ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...

'', 23 March 2008.

References

1921 births 2015 deaths Alumni of University College, Oxford Fellows of University College, Oxford English literary critics English theatre managers and producers People educated at The Crypt School, Gloucester English male non-fiction writers 20th-century English businesspeople {{UK-theatre-stub