This term we embarked on a new initiative: The Library and Archives “In Conversation” Series, where a student or former student quizzes an “expert” in front of an audience. We decided to launch the “conversations” with an exploration of the books and life at Brasenose of Thomas Traherne, 17th century poet. We had Nam Rao (recent English student at Brasenose, and now a post-graduate at St John’s College, Oxford) as the interviewer, and author Dr Julia Smith as the expert.
Thomas Traherne was born in Hereford in 1636 or 1637 and said to be the son of a shoemaker. He was educated at Hereford Cathedral School before coming to Brasenose College in 1652. When Traherne arrived at Brasenose the University was recovering from a period of great unrest following the Civil War. The College was physically much smaller in those days but Traherne was able to witness a major College development during his lifetime: the building of the Library and Chapel. Records in the Archives (see image) show that he made a contribution of twenty shillings, not an insignificant amount for man of his background, towards the new buildings indicating perhaps that he was rather fond of the place.
During the event, Nam and Julia discussed the books we had on display, exploring a number of themes. Although there was insufficient time to investigate the text of Traherne’s work in depth, those who beforehand had little or no knowledge of the subject of the “conversation” went away with insight in to Brasenose life at the time and to the background of Traherne’s works, particularly the two 17th century books that were on display. Furthermore, it was clear from the interest in the items that accompanied the talk, together with lively discussion, that the audience was delighted to view the books and documents on display. We were very happy that Dr Smith and Nam Rao thoroughly enjoyed participating in the event.
Reflecting on the evening, Nam said: “It was a pleasure to be a part of an event which showcased the College's books and its history. It was also a great opportunity for me to be able to engage with a topic that is beyond the focus of my doctoral research, but in which I have an enduring interest!”
For more information on Traherne, see the Oxford Traherne project