John Boys Smith Explained

John Sandwith Boys Smith (8 January 1901 – 3 November 1991) was a 20th-century British priest and academic.[1]

Boys Smith was born in Hordle, Hampshire, in 1901. He was educated at Sherborne School and St John's College, Cambridge. He was ordained in 1927.[2] After a curacy in Sutton Coldfield he returned to St John's where he was to stay until his retirement in 1969. He was its Chaplain from 1927 to 1934; a Fellow from 1927 until 1959; Tutor from 1934 to 1939; Junior Bursar from 1939 to 1944; Senior Bursar from 1944 to 1959; and Master from 1959[3] to 1969. He was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1963 to 1965.[4] In 1968, he was made an honorary fellow of Trinity College Dublin.[5] He died in Herne Hill in 1991.

His aunt was Winifred Boys-Smith, a university professor at Otago University. His brother was Humphry Boys-Smith DSO DSC RNR "one of the most successful Merchant Navy officers serving with the RNR during the second world war."[6] His grandson is Nicholas Boys Smith, founder of Create Streets.

Notes and References

  1. https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp71859/john-sandwith-boys-smith NPG
  2. Crockford's Clerical Directory 1929–30 p1157: London: University Press, 1929
  3. Master Of St. John's College, Cambridge. The Times (London, England), Monday, Nov 02, 1959; pg. 12; Issue 54607
  4. https://www.v-c.admin.cam.ac.uk/role-vice-chancellor/history-vice-chancellorship University web-site
  5. Book: Webb, D.A. . Barlett . J.R.. 1992 . Trinity College Dublin Record Volume 1991 . Dublin . Trinity College Dublin Press . 1-871408-07-5.
  6. Book: Twiston Davies, David . The Daily Telegraph Book of Naval Obituaries . Bounty Books . 2007 . 978-0753715307 . London . 288.