Historical Dreadnoughts by Barry Gough

Author:Barry Gough
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781473814967
Publisher: Pen and Sword

Marder’s college rounds brought him into contact with many historians. Of young Paul Kennedy, he had the highest opinion, and, in correspondence and discussion, Kennedy shared with Marder many references on German naval history of the period. Much mutual profit resulted. The same was true with Martin (now Sir Martin) Gilbert, recently appointed, in succession to Randolph Churchill, official biographer of Sir Winston Churchill. Marder and Gilbert met at Merton, the latter’s college. At All Souls, Max Beloff, historian and specialist in government, sought Marder’s commiseration about some heavy-handed review he had received. Michael Howard, the military historian reviewing Marder’s books, was a fellow there, too. Gretton was now at University College as bursar.

And so went this Oxford year of delight and discussion. It was all potentially very heady. There was the Rhodes Trust Dinner with the Eastman professor in his rightful chair, New Year’s Day dinner at Balliol, then the Royal Navy Club of 1765 and 1785 banquet in the Connaught Rooms, Kingsway, London, on 5 February 1970, with Captain Andrew Yates presiding, and other events, including the annual Balliol ‘gaudy’, or year’s end festivities, for members of the college. But too soon the academic year concluded, with Marder making his quiet exit from Eastman House in July, destined for Irvine and its mounting problems, notice of which he received from Sam McCulloch and others. Campus problems in the United States were rampant as Marder headed home; they would only get worse.

Of Marder’s time in Balliol, one of its fellows, the historian Richard Cobb, wrote with deep affection:

The Arthur that we came to know in Balliol seemed far removed from the exalted personage of immense public reputation that had preceded him like a light cruiser scouting squadron. He was quiet, gentle, and rather stately. In any room, he was a presence, even before he opened his mouth. He loved Oxford and loved Balliol. What he most enjoyed were public occasions, the more elaborate the better. He seldom missed Thursday guest nights, which he invariably enriched by his urbanity and by his eagerness to communicate; and he was deeply shocked, even outraged, when the College, in one of its intermittent bouts of self-punishment and pleasure-hating, decided to suppress free wine at the Consilium Dinner. He did not protest publicly about this act of uncouth Puritanism; he was far too conscious of his status as a visitor to the College ever to make such a public stand. But, in private, he did not hide his feelings of outrage. It was not what he would have expected of Balliol, or of Oxford, nor would it have happened in the wardroom of a battleship. He complained quietly, but in measured and stately tones. His own enjoyment in College life was matched by the enjoyment that Jan and he had in entertaining Fellows and their wives and University colleagues at Eastman House. Lunch or dinner there was an elaborate exercise in courtesy and sheer enjoyment. Arthur’s gravity would combine quite admirably with Jan’s warmth and easy friendliness.

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