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All About History Books
The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.
The Newcastle Journal 11/01/1902 reports:-
DURHAM COLLEGE OF SCIENOE.
MEMORIAL TO OLD STUDENTS
Yesterday there were unveiled at the College of Science memorial tablets to two old students of the College, viz., David Oliphant and Clarence Lindsay. The former lost his life at Pekin during the recent trouble while assisting in the defence of the Legations. The latter heroically sacrificed his life some years ago at Kimberley in the endeavour to rescue workers from a burning mine.
The memorial tablets are of bronze, and each is surrounded by a wrought spray of bay and oak, and surmounted by the College Arms in enamel. The tablets have been executed by the Handicrafts Company, which is an organisation springing from the art department at the College.
The unveiling ceremony was performed by the president of the Old Students' Union, Mr W. W. Maxwell. Present were Principal Gurney, several of the Professors of the College, and many old and present students.
Around 1876 David Oliphant was born.
On 5th July 1900 David Oliphant (age 24) was killed during the Boxer Rebellion, specifically the Siege of the Legation. ""The Queen heard with feelings of admiration and pride of the manner in which Mr David Oliphant fought side by side with the marines in the defence of the legation during the four eventful weeks, and how he sacrificed his life in devotion to others." Extract from a letter sent by Queen Victoria to his father. Student of the College of Science in this city 1894-1897"
Dundee Evening Post 12/07/1900:
British besieged.
St. Andrews men in Pekin.
Mr Nigel Oliphant and Mr David Oliphant (deceased), whose names were published yesterday as being British subjects shut up in Pekin, are the sons of Mr T. T. Oliphant. Queen Mary's St. Andrew's. Mr Nigel Oliphant is a member of the Imperial Bank of China, and seemingly left Tientsin for Pekin few days before railway communication with the capital were finally broken. Mr David Oliphant is described in the list as student interpreter but that is not strictly accurate. He completed his examinations a student April 1899, and was at once promoted to 3rd Assistant in the Chancery. In April this year he was again promoted 2nd assistant and Mr Russell, who is also mentioned as a student interpreter, having just completed his examinations as a student, was appointed 3rd assistant.
The Dundee Evening Telegraph 14/07/1900:
ST ANDREWS MEN AT PEKIN.
The news of the reported massacre of all foreigners in Pekin was received yesterday in St Andrews with extreme regret, largely from the fact that two gentlemen, Mr Nigel Oliphant and Mr David Oliphant (deceased), sons of T. T. Oliphant, Queen Mary's, are resident there. Up to last night Mr Oliphant had received no official information that the worst had befallen his sons, and on this account was hopeful of better tidings. Mr Nigel Oliphant is 26 years of age, and is employed in the Imperial Bank; while Mr David, who is 24 years of age, is on the Chancery staff of the Legation.
The Dundee Evening Telegraph 17/07/1900:
SCOTTISH RESIDENTS IN PEKIN.
As has previously been mentioned, Mr Nigel Oliphant and Mr David Oliphant, sons of Mr T. T. Oliphant, Queen Mary's, Andrews, were amongst the residents in Pekin. Both are natives of St Andrews, having been born at St. Mary's, an ancient house at the east end of South Street [Queen Mary's House, 4 South Street [Map]], where the unfortunate Queen is believed to have lodged during one or more of her visits to St Andrews, and which her grandson Charles II, occupied when he was there in July 1650.
Mr Nigel Oliphant was born in December 1874 and at one time intended to adopt the medical profession, but eventually in the spring of last year, having been offered an appointment in the Chinese postal Department by Sir Robert Hart, he proceeded to Tientsin. Here he remained until the end of May this year, when he was appointed to a post in the Imperial Bank of China at Pekin and went there only a few days before the place was isolated.
Mr David Oliphant (deceased) was born in July 1876 and after leaving school spent two winter sessions at the University of St Andrews and the summers in France and Germany. In 1895 he went to reside with Principal Gurney, of the Durham College of Science at Newcastle upon Tyne under whose able tuition he was prepared for open competitive examinations for student interpreterships in the Far East, and Her Majesty's Consular Service in China, Japan and Siam being supplied in this way. In March 1896 he went in for the examination and came out fifth on the list and was offered one of the vacancies in Siam, but declined it and went in again at the next examination in November and came out second on the list of a large number of candidate and only a few marks behind the first. Having chosen China for his future career, he proceeded to Pekin early in 1897 and had since greatly distinguished himself in acquiring the most difficult of all languages. At the end of his first year he took the prize of £50 open to the students of his year and that of £100 at the end of the second year. In ordinary course he would then have gone as a Consular Assistant at one of the treaty ports but Sir Claude Macdonald decided to keep him in Pekin do that he might continue his studies in Chinese. He was accordingly appointed to an assistantship in the chancery of the Legation, and when Sir Claude was at home on sick leave last year Mr David Oliphant acted as Private Secretary to Mr Bax Ironside, the Charge D'Affaires in Sir Claude's place. While thus acting he accompanied Mr Ironside on an official visit to Wei-Hai-Wei, where the Admiral, Sir Edward Seymour, then was with a great part of the Chinese Squadron. Early in the present year Mr Oliphant was, on the special recommendation of Sir Claude Macdonald, promoted to be a full second class assistant in the Consular service but was kept on in the chancery office of the Legation.
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The Newcastle Daily Chronicle 28/11/1901 reports:
MEMORIAL TO ONE OF THE STUDENTS' CORPS.
Tablet unveiled in Newcastle
At St Nicholas cathedral, Newcastle [Map], yesterday, the Vicar of Newcastle (Canon Gough) on behalf of the students attending the Durham College of Science unveiled a memorial to the late Mr David Oliphant, a member of the Students Corps of the 3rd V.B.N.F. who met his death in the defence of the Legation at Peking.
There was a large gathering amongst those being present being Principal Gurney, Professors Lebour, Bedson, Stroud, Duff and Middleton; Messrs Hatton, Thornton, Meek, Collins, Latham and F.H. Pruen (secretary) of the College, Mr G. Renwick, M.P., Dr Page (College of Medicine), the Vicar of Newcastle, the Rev Canon Southwell, the Rev WH Ainger, the Rev A Boot, Capt. Fisher, Lieut. Renwick, Mr W Cochrane, Ald. TG Gibson and the members of the Student' Corps of the V.B.N.F. in uniform and students in their college robes.
The service was very brief and impressive. After a hymn and a prayer, the Vicar of Newcastle unveiled the tablet which is of brass, surmounted with the word "Altiora" the crest of the Oliphant family which dates back some 800 years. The arms consist of three silver crescents on a red shield.
The inscription on the tablet is as follows "David Oliphant killed at Peking July 5 1900 Aged 24 years. The Queen heard with admiration and pride of the manner in which Mr David Oliphant fought side by side with the marines in the defence of the Legation during the four eventful weeks and how he sacrificed his life in the defence of others.' Extract from a letter sent by the Queen to his father." At the bottom of the plate are the arms of the school and the words "A student at the College of Science in this city 1894-7."
David Oliphant was in Peking, with the Marines and when volunteers were asked for to cut down trees, he along with several others, volunteered. When the Chinese were discovered to be creeping in their direction orders were issued for the men to retire. The late Mr Oliphant had but one more tree to cut down and he stayed to finish his task, with the result that he met his death.
Earl Grey (age 50) inaugurated the fund for the memorial.
During the service the band of the corps played the National Anthem. The congregation remained standing throughout the proceedings.
Albert Henry George Grey 4th Earl Grey: On 28th November 1851 he was born to Charles Grey and Caroline Eliza Farquhar. On 9th June 1877 Albert Henry George Grey 4th Earl Grey and Alice Holford Countess Grey were married. She by marriage Countess Grey. On 9th October 1894 Henry George Grey 3rd Earl Grey died. His nephew Albert succeeded 4th Earl Grey, 4th Viscount Grey of Howick in Northumberland, 4th Baron Grey of Howick in Northumberland, 5th Baronet Grey of Howick in Northumberland. On 29th August 1917 Albert Henry George Grey 4th Earl Grey died. His son Charles succeeded 5th Earl Grey, 5th Viscount Grey of Howick in Northumberland, 5th Baron Grey of Howick in Northumberland, 6th Baronet Grey of Howick in Northumberland. Mabel Laura Georgiana Palmer Countess Grey by marriage Countess Grey.
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