New University additions to Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
08 Jan 09
The latest update of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography was published today (Thursday 8 January), adding more than 200 entries on noteworthy men and women who died in 2005.
Oxford University features prominently in the new update, with biographies of alumni such as former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath, Dame Cicely Saunders, the creator of the modern hospice movement and author John Fowles, best known for his novel The French Lieutenant’s Woman.
Notable Oxford tutors and researchers that have been added include Sir Richard Doll, the epidemiologist best known for establishing the link between smoking and lung cancer; regius professor of medicine from 1969 and a founder of Green College who was commemorated by the Richard Doll Building. His article has been written by Sir Richard Peto, of the same institute. Others include Sir Rees Davies, Chichele Professor of Medieval History - whose article has been written by Professor R.J.W. Evans, Regius Professor of History and finally, Sir Bill Deakin, historian and founder of St Antony's College.
Other well-known additions to the Oxford DNB include former Prime Minister James Callaghan, actor Sir John Mills, footballer George Best, entertainer Ronnie Barker and politicians Robin Cook and Mo Mowlam.
Following the January 2009 update of 215 new biographies, the Oxford DNB includes 51,924 articles in the life stories of 56,862 people are now told. 10,532 biographies include a portrait image of the subject and 13,185 authors have contributed to the Dictionary.
The Oxford DNB is published in print (63 million words in 60 volumes) and online – which is updated in January, May, and October each year. Since April 2006 the complete Oxford DNB has been available to 48 million residents in England and to all residents of Northern Ireland via their public libraries. There is further extensive public library access in other parts of the United Kingdom and worldwide. Remote log-ins allow library readers to consult the online Oxford DNB from home, or from anywhere.
The Dictionary is a research project of the University of Oxford, published and funded by Oxford University Press.