Amelia Jackson

Background

Amelia inherited a fortune both from her father and her first husband, the bulk of which she left to the college.

Career

Her bequest to the college enabled the creation of a fund to provide graduate scholarships and financial aid to students. Amelia Jackson, born Amelia Staines, was the only child of Francis William Staines, a wealthy London merchant. She was brought up in Street Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex.

They had no children but Amelia was a keen musician and an active participant in the social and cultural life of the College.

Her money now supports graduate studentships and junior members suffering hardship. She is the greatest benefactor to Exeter College in modern times.

As a keen amateur musician, she attracted to her drawing room many fine musicians. She entertained every undergraduate to Sunday lunch at least twice a year.

Amelia not only possessed leadership skills but her personality commanded respect and affection from those around her.

After the Rector resigned in 1913 the Jacksons lived at 18 Bardwell Road, north Oxford, where they continued to receive visitors. They also spent much of their time after 1913 in their house in the Lake District, Singleton Park, entertaining visitors with the same characteristic warmth. Amelia’s consideration for people from every walk of life, whether they were distinguished colleagues of her husband’s or the kitchen staff, was one of her most endearing characteristics.

All were treated with kindness and civility.

Senior Studentships

1947: Roger Bannister

1948: G. R. Allen

1949: A. F. Walls

1951: Kenneth Simmonds

1974: Andy Ross

1986: Rachel Falconer

1997: I Brunton

1998: Jonathan Davis, Ruth Griffin

2000: Doctorate. J. Flowerdew, Bonnie Latimer

2001: O. Doctorate. Lan, T. Green

2003: Liam Condon, Micahel A Floyd, Michael J Hugman, Eleni Lianta

2006: Dirk-January Omtzigt

2008: Rachel Harland, Shuo Qu, Nauman Shah

2009: Karen Collis

2010: Ursula Hackett

2011: Akshat Rathi and Matthew McCarthy-Rechowicz

2012: Georgios Anastasiades, Francisca Gale, Francis Hutton-Williams, Michael Mayo, Toni Weis and Steffan Blayney

2013: Emily Dolmans, Myriam Frenkel, Elizabeth Houghton, Max Muir

Other

1998: Isla Gilmour

2001: John Walter.

Achievements

• As Exeter’s First Lady she blossomed in the role of the Rector’s wife, providing a focus for the social and cultural life of the College and, in so doing, won the respect and affection of all who knew her.

Personality

She was intelligent and cultivated and took a lively interest in all the activities of the college.