Education in Oxford

From 1962-65 I studied at Oxford University as an Open Scholar
in Brasenose College (BNC). BNC was founded in 1509.
The college magazine is The Brazen Nose which contained,
in 2003, this page.

In the first and second years, I lived in Brasenose College in
the 12th and 17th staircases respectively, both in the New Quad,
so called although it is centuries old. In the third year, when I
would sit for the Final Honors Schools, I lived in Frewin Hall
an annex of BNC and one time home 1869-70 for the
Prince of Wales who became King Edward VII, 1901-10.
Before Final Honors Schools in 1965, I studied sedulously in the
room with a large window left of the entrance in this picture.

From 1965-68, I lived out of college in North Oxford, now
appointed a Senior Hulme Scholar of Brasenose College with
limited dining rights on high table.

In 2006, I attended a gaudy (Oxonian for reunion) at BNC;
three pictures taken at this gaudy are here.

Examinations while in Oxford

The two most important written exams were in 1963 and in 1965.
In 1963 I sat for the Honour Moderations exam and received
First-Class Honours.
In 1965, I sat for the Final Honours Schools exam and received
B.A, with First-Class Honours, thus completing with 1963 a
"double first". The final exam included six 3-hour written papers,
each graded α, β, γ. First-class honours required at least two α's.
I received six α's, including one rare α+ grade, given for a long
hundred-page essay on "X-ray diffraction" written in three hours.
These 1963 and 1965 exams were held in the Examination Schools.

In 1968, for a thesis entitled Regge Poles and Sum Rules
I received a D.Phil. (Oxonian for Ph.D.) and simultaneously my
1965 B.A. changed, without further examination, into a 1968 M.A.
My doctoral thesis adviser was John Clayton Taylor FRS.

In 1984, on the basis of five chosen physics research articles, I
was awarded an Oxford D.Sc. advanced degree, conferred by
Latin ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre.


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