Prefatory Note

Summary

Although this book takes some account of the changes brought about by the New Statutes, it reflects in the main the procedure prior to 1 October 1926.

The writer desires to express his obligations to the late Vice-Chancellor (Dr Seward, Master of Downing College), to the Rev. the Master of Corpus (Dr Pearce), to the Master of Christ's (Sir A. Shipley), to the late Registrary (Dr Keynes), to his successor (Mr E. Harrison), to the Senior Esquire Bedell (Mr R. Hamblin Smith), to Mr S. C. Roberts, to Mr S. Gaselee (for special help), and to the courteous officials at the various University buildings.

Indebtedness is also acknowledged to many former officials–Esquire Bedells and Registraries–who have left memoranda: notably to Matthew Stokes and to John Buck, whose MSS were printed by Dean Peacock in his Observations, etc. (1840). It is usual specially to mention Adam Wall, of Christ's, who in 1798 issued a volume on University Ceremonies, and Henry Gunning, who reedited the same in 1828; but these writers failed to recognise their obligations to John Beverley, another member of the same college, who had already in 1788 published An Account of the different Ceremonies observed in the Senate House, etc.

An admirable article on the same subject was compiled by Dr Tanner, in that remarkable volume, The Historical Register of the University of Cambridge.