Patrick Wormald (1947–2007): A Memoir by David Ganz

August 12, 2024 in Announcements, Bembino, Manuscript Studies, Memoirs, Research Group Episodes for The Research Group Speaks, Research Group Speaks (The Series)

Patrick Wormald (1947–2007):
A Memoir by David Ganz

2024 RGME Anniversary Recollections
Part 2

[Posted on 12 August 2024]

Patrick Wormald at one of Wendy Davies’s charter weekends of the Bucknell group at Bucknell, Shropshire, in the late 1980s. Photograph by Rosemary Morris.

Our series of 2024 Anniversary Reflections continues its tributes for people who have contributed to our formation, progress, and the mission over the years.

Part 1 focused on Giles Constable (1929—2021), RGME Honorary Trustee, Colleague, Friend, and Mentor.

Part 2 turns to our long-term Associate Patrick Wormald (1947–2007), Angl0-Saxon Legal Historian, with a Memoir by our Trustee David Ganz. We offer it as a booklet freely for download.

Anniversary Reflections

In 2024, with our year’s theme of Bridges, the RGME celebrates:

  • 25 years as a nonprofit educational organization incorporated in Princeton, New Jersey, and
  • 35 years as an international scholarly organization founded as part of a major research project on “Anglo-Saxon and Related Manuscripts” at The Parker Library of Corpus Christi College in the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Among the ways to mark our anniversary, the RGME continues with its series of Memoirs (including these Parts 1 and 2 in 2024) and prepares an Episode in our online series “The Research Group Speaks” to consider

To register:

The Episode aims to include recollections of people who have gone before us, and whose memory we wish to honor with informal conversation and a roundtable.

Memoir of Patrick Wormald
Angl0-Saxon Legal Historian

In preparation for the Episode in September 2024, David Ganz has offered this Memoir.

“The Schartz–Metterhulme Method:
A Memoir of Patrick Wormald (1947–2007)”
by David Ganz

David began its composition years ago, following the Memorial Service for Patrick in Oxford.  He returned to it recently for us in preparing for our Episode 17.  Additions for the publication include

  • photographs of Patrick, generously provided by Rosemary Morris;
  • David’s description of Patrick’s attention to and use of manuscript evidence and contributions to some RGME events;
  • bibliographical references; and
  • an Afterword by Mildred Budny.

The title takes its name from a short story with that name by Saki, the pen name of Hector Hugh Munro (1870–1916). First published in 1911, “The Schartz—Metterklume Method” appeared in the volume of Beasts and Super-Beasts (1914).

In conjuring up the world and horizons of historians at Oxford in an earlier generation when Patrick Wormald embarked upon his studies, giving shape to their pursuit across a lifetime at the University of Oxford and elsewhere, the Memoir by David Ganz offers perspectives from a near-contemporary of that life’s work, which continued to engage with various of those historians and their antecedents, not least Frederic William Maitland (1850–1906). The Memoir signals Patrick’s attention repeatedly to the evidence of manuscripts, as part of his research, teaching, and publications. Some of his publications long-planned found fruition posthumously after Patrick’s death too soon at the age of fifty-seven.

We publish this Memoir as an RGME Publication, following the principles of our Style Manifesto, set in our digital font Bembino, and freely available for circulation.  (For information about download or printed copies, see below.)

Patrick Wormald on a charter weekend at Bucknell, Shropshire, in the late 1980s. Photograph by Rosemary Morris.

The Memoir as an RGME Booklet

David Ganz’s Memoir of Patrick Wormald is published as an 8-page Booklet as an RGME Publication (August 2024).  You may download it as a pdf in two versions, depending upon your printer, paper stock, and preferences.

  1. as a set of consecutive pages (or pages) for 8 1/2 in. x 11 in. sheets (quarto or letter)
  2. as a foldable booklet (or booklet) for 11 in. x 17 in. sheets (tabloid, ledger, or B size) to fold in half

If you wish a copy of the printed version, please contact director@manuscriptevidence.org.

Note on the Publication

This RGME Publication honors one of our earliest Honorary Invited Associates, the late Patrick Wormald , in a Memoir by another, David Ganz,  who has served as Trustee of our nonprofit educational Corporation since its creation. Both scholars contributed frequently to our Seminars and Workshops in our years at the Parker Library of Corpus Christi College and continued to contribute to events after our move. For example, both spoke for our co-sponsored Colloquium at the British Museum in 2002; Patrick delivered the memorable closing keynote lecture on Anglo-Saxon law.

Patrick Wormald & RGME Events

Patrick’s contributions to RGME events are chronicled on our website.

Patrick Wormald with pipe on hillside at a charter weekend of the Bucknell group at Bucknell, Shropshire, in the late 1980s. Photograph by Rosemary Morris.

RGME Events at which Patrick spoke (or was represented by proxy):

RGME Memoirs and Memorials

David Ganz’s Memoir of Patrick Wormald joins the group of Memoirs, Recollections, and Notices by different authors in printed and digital forms published by the RGME.

Among them, a Booklet (2015) provides

A Blogpost (2014) offers

Another Blogpost (2024) provides

Our webpage for people involved in the RGME includes a section “In Memoriam”

An obituary for our Associate Elizabeth A.R. (“Peggy”) Brown (1936–2024) by her daughter Victoria Phillips can be downloaded here on our website.

Notice of Peggy’s death came in the last days as we were completing preparations for this publication of the Memoir of Patrick Wormald.

Oxford, Bridge of Sighs, with Lamppost. Photograph by Jps3 (25 July 2023). Image via Wikimedia Commons via CC BY SA 4.0 via https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Bridge_of_Sighs_with_Lampost%2C_Oxford%2C_July_25%2C_2023.jpg

RGME Anniversary Reflections:
An Episode for “The Research Group Speaks”

More recollections will form part of the program for Episode 17 of our online series “The Research Group Speaks” on 21 September 2024. Please let us know if you wish to participate.

To register:

Do you have recollections, souvenirs, and photographs that you would like to share of RGME events and people?  Would you like to join the conversation?

Please, if you wish,

We look forward to hearing from you.

*****

Oxford, Christ Church Meadow Walk on a summer day with a view toward Christ Church Cathedral. Photograph by Txllxt TxllxT (18 June 2011). Image via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) via https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oxford_-_Christ_Church_Meadow_Walk_-_Panorama_View_on_Merton_Field_-_Christ_Church_Cathedral_1200_-_Merton_College_Chapel_1450_-_Merton_College_-_Deadman%27s_Walk_03.jpg.

*****

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