OED on CD-ROM



The history of the Oxford English Dictionary (continued)



The First Edition: staff and contributors



1. Contributors


A. This list contains the names of the principal readers before 1884; many of these
began reading as early as 1858. The material which they contributed formed a great part
of the main foundation on which the Dictionary was based. Under some of the names the
number of quotations sent in is given, as an indication of the time and labour expended
by many of these readers.

J. Amphlett, MA, W. J. Anderson (of Fife), G. L. Apperson (of Wimbledon, SW; 11,000),
Col. R. D. Ardagh, Thomas Austin (165,000), Miss E. E. Barry (of London), Revd E. M.
Barry, Mrs Bathoe (of London), A. Beazeley, CE (of Thornton Heath), Revd. W. H. Beckett,
Revd. W. C. Boulter, Revd. G. B. R. Bousfield, BA, The Misses B. M. and L. Bousfield,
Revd. S. J. Bowles, William Boyd (of USA), E. L. Brandreth, Prof. and Mrs Brandt (of
USA), James Britten, FLS, The Misses E. and J. E. A. Brown (of Cirencester), Mrs Walter
Browne (of Worcester), Dr T. N. Brushfield (50,000), R. K. Buehrle (of USA), Miss E. F.
Burton (of Carlisle; 11,400), A. Caland (of Holland), Mrs G. M. E. Campbell (of
Peckham), Dr R. S. Charnock, The Ven. Archdeacon Cheetham, (Dean) R. W. Church, Herbert
Coleridge, Prof. A. S. Cook (of USA), J. M. Cowper (of Canterbury), Revd T. Lewis O.
Davies, MA, Revd Cecil Deedes, MA, H. Dixon (of London), C. E. Doble, MA, William
Douglas (of London; 136,000), Edward Dowden, Revd. J. Eastwood, Miss Eisdell (of
Colchester), Mr and Mrs F. T. Elworthy, The Misses Elworthy, A. Erlebach, BA, H. A.
Erlebach, BA, Revd. J. T. Fowler, DCL, W. Warde Fowler, MA, Miss A. Foxall (of
Birmingham; 11,250), Dr F. J. Furnivall (30,000), W. Gee, jun. (of Boston, USA), H.
Hucks Gibbs, MA (Lord Aldenham), The Hon. and Revd Kenneth F. Gibbs, Hon. Vicary Gibbs,
W. F. Grahame (of Madras), C. Gray (of Wimbledon, SW; 29,000), Mrs C. Gray, Mrs T. H
Green, Revd W. Gregor, MA, Revd. A. B. Grosart, Miss M. Haig (Mrs A. Stuart, of
Edinburgh), Fitzedward Hall, DCL, W. C. Hazlitt, Dr H. R. Helwich (of Vienna; 50,000),
T. Henderson, MA (48,000), S. J. Herrtage, James Hooper (of Norwich), J. D. Howell (of
London), E. C. Hulme (of London), E. Wyndham Hulme (late of HM Patent Office), Miss
Jennett Humphreys (of Cricklewood; 18,700), C. Mansfield Ingleby, Revd Aiken Irvine (of
Ireland), Miss Eva Jackson (of Bishop's Waltham), E. S. Jackson, MA (of Plymouth), P. W.
Jacob (of Guildford), W. W. Jenkinson (of London), Revd. J. B. Johnston, BD, Revd. W. M.
Kingsmill, MA, Revd. E. H. Knowles, Revd. W. Lees, MA (18,500), Miss Lees (of Reigate),
Dr J. Wickham Legg, Dr R. J. Lloyd, Prof. A Lodeman (of USA), W. S. Logeman (of
Cheshire), Revd. W. J. Löwenberg, MA, A. Lyall (of Manchester), Falconer Madan, MA, S.
D. Major (of Bath; 16,000), Revd. A. L. Mayhew, MA, Dr W. C. Minor, Mrs Moore (of
Addlestone), W. Moore (of London), Dr Richard Morris, Horace Moule, Revd C. B. Mount,
MA, Mrs J. A. H. Murray (Lady Murray), H. J. R. Murray (27,000), E. T. R. Murray, J. M.
Norman (of Crawley, Sussex), Cornelius Paine (of Brighton), E. Peacock (of Brigg), H. S.
Pearson (of Birmingham), Revd C. W. Penny, J. Peto (of London), (Sir) W. M. Flinders
Petrie, Prof. G. M. Philips (of USA), H. Phillips, Jun., Ph.D. (of USA), B. W. Pierson
(of USA), Revd J. Pierson, DD (of USA; 46,000), (Sir) Frederick Pollock, LL D, Mr and
Mrs G. H. Pope (formerly of Clifton), Revd C. Y. Potts, Dr R. C. A. Prior (11,700), Sir
John Richardson, KCB, W. M. Rossetti, Mr and Mrs H. F. P. Ruthven, The Misses E. and G.
E. Saunders (of Addlestone), G. A. Schrumpf, BA (of London), Adrian Scott (of USA), Miss
F. E. Scott (of Leamington), G. R. Scott, MA, (Sir) Owen Seaman, A. Shackleton (of
Birkenhead), Revd T. H. Sheppard, Prof. W. W. Skeat, LL D, Revd J. Smallpeice, Dr G. C.
Moore Smith, Miss L. Toulmin Smith, T. C. Snow, MA, A. B. Sprange (of London), W.
Barclay Squire (of London), (Sir) Leslie Stephen, Revd Dr C. W. Stocker, C. Stoffel (of
Amsterdam), (Dr) E. H. Sugden, Revd W. D. Sweeting, Dr W. Sykes, Revd B. Talbot (of USA;
16,600), George Tansley (of London), The Misses Edith and E. Perronet Thompson (15,000),
Alderman Joseph Thompson (of Manchester), Hon. Mrs L. Tollemache, Mrs Toogood (of
Kirkby, Yorkshire), Revd J. T. Toye (of Exeter), Paget Toynbee, D.Litt, Richard Chenevix
Trench, Revd Kirkby Trimmer, MA, Mrs L. J. Walkey (of Leamington), Miss P. Walter (of
Somerset), J. L. Ward, MA (of Burnley), T. Ward (of Northwich), Dr W. W. Webb, Miss M.
Westmacott (of London), Dr R. F. Weymouth, The Misses B. M. and R. Weymouth, Revd G.
Wheelwright, Revd F. Gilbert White, G. H. White (of Torquay; 13,000), R. Grant White (of
USA), R. J. Whitwell, B.Litt (33,000), Miss J. E. Wilkinson and Miss Gunning (of
Cambridge), R.D. Wilson (of London), T. Wilson, MA (of St. Albans), Revd W.B.R. Wilson,
MA (of Dollar), Miss Charlotte M. Yonge

B. A large number of those included in the above list continued to supply quotations for
many years while the Dictionary was in progress. The readers given below began their
work after 1884.

F. J. Amours (of Glasgow), Revd J. Bell, DD (of Auchtermuchty, NB), F. H. Butler (of
London), W. J. Bryan (of Oxford), P. M. Campbell, C. H. Chadwick (of London), Miss Ellen
Channon, Prof. Albert H. Chester (of USA), Revd Andrew Clark, MA, Miss Susan Cunnington,
Miss Ada Dewick, B. W. Dexter, James M. Dixon (of Japan), Edward S. Dodgson, MA, John
Dormer (of London), R. Duncan (of Crowthorne, Berks.), Revd Henry Ellershaw (of Durham),
Miss Ellis (of Oxford), J. H. Everett, Miss E. Fowler (of Doncaster), Wendell P.
Garrison (of USA), I. R. Gillespie (of Newcastle-on-Tyne), Miss Geraldine H. Gosselin
(of London), Miss Hellier R. H. Gosselin (of London), Col. C. Gray (of London), H. F.
Hall (of Oxford), J. D. Hamilton, R. Oliver Heslop (of Northumberland), Revd J. W.
Hooper, MA, Alfred H. Huth (of Oxford), Miss Ingall (of Manchester), Albert Jacka, Miss
Constance Jacob, George Joicey (of Gateshead-on-Tyne), (Sir) J. K. Laughton, R. E.
Leader, Halkett Lord (of USA), L. Marcan, Albert Matthews (of USA), H. A. W. Millar (of
Oxford), W. Payne (of Hayward's Heath), Miss C. Pemberton (of Austria), James Platt,
jun., Revd C. Plummer, Miss H. M. Poynter (of Oxford), Richard B. Prosser (of London),
Mrs Rackham (of Cambridge), John Randall (of London), Dr W. H. D. Rouse, Abrm.
Shackleton (of Birkenhead), H. F. M. Simpson (of Edinburgh), J. Challenor Smith (of
London), Miss L. M. Snow, E. V. Stocks (of Durham), Miss E. H. Taylor (of Suffolk),
John. J. Thompson, Miss S. M. Unwin, C. R. Wilkins, Miss Wilson (of London), Edward S.
Wilson (of Hull), C. B. Winchester, W. N. Woods, BA (of London)


2. Sub-editors


The sub-editing of the material falls into two periods, viz. that done under the
direction of Dr Furnivall between 1862 and 1879, and that carried on during the years
while the Dictionary was in course of publication. The following list gives the
sub-editors of the later period, but it should be noted that some of these (e.g. H. H.
Gibbs, W. M. Rossetti, Revd T. H. Sheppard, Revd J. Smallpeice) were also at work during
the earlier years. For the earlier period mention should further be made of Revd W. P.
Bailey, Revd S. J. Bowles, Edward Dowen, W. Gee, jun. (of Boston, USA), W. F. Grahame,
J. D. Howell, Revd Aitken Irvine, E. S. Jackson, Revd E. H. Knowles, Revd J. E.
Middleton, Richard Morris, Horace Moule, Revd A. S. Palmer, Revd Ralph Proud, C. W.
Staunton, Dr W. Woodham Webb, Revd G. Wheelwright, G. A. White, Miss Charlotte M. Yonge.
Most of these were also readers in the early history of the Dictionary.

W. J Anderson, portions of M and P (1880-1900), Revd G. B. R. Bousfield, BA, portions of
F, G, and R, large part of W (1880-96), Walter Browne, portion of S (1881), Samuel
Taylor, portion of H (1881-2), A. W. Longden, portion of H (1881-4), A. Lyall, portion
of T (1881-5), Revd. T. H. Sheppard, BD, portion of M, the whole of U and V (1881-5), P.
W. Jacob, portions of D, E, P, Q, R, and S (1881-6), T. Henderson, MA, portions of B and
C (1881-7), T. Wilson, portions of I and T (1881-7), E. C. Hulme, portions of C and L
(1881-90), Mrs L. J. Walkey, portions of D and W (1881-92), Revd W. B. R. Wilson, MA,
portions of C, revised former sub-editing of T, most of V, and part of W (1881-1919),
Charles Gray, portion of S (1882), Revd C. Y. Potts, portion of L (1882), W. Welch,
portion of T (1882), F. T. Elworthy, portion of D (1882-3), Revd J. J. Smith, MA,
portion of M (1882-3), Miss M. Westmacott, portion of T (1882-3), James Britten, FLS,
portion of P (1882-4), H. H. Gibbs (Lord Aldenham), portions of C, the whole of K and Q
(1882-4), H. M. Fitz-Gibbon, portion of H (1882-5), Revd W. Gregor, MA, the whole of J
(1882-5), E. Warner, portion of L (1882-5), G. A. Schrumpf, portion of H (1882-6), H. S.
Tabor, portions of I and W (1882-9), G. L. Apperson, portions of B and C (1882-91), Revd
A. P. Fayers, BA, portions of B and N (1882-91), Mrs G. H. Pope, portions of C and N
(1882-91), Revd J. Smallpeice, MA, portion of M, and X, Y, Z (1882-94), A. Sweeting,
portion of T (1882-96), Revd W. H. Beckett, portion of W (1882-1901), Miss J. E. A.
Brown, portions of B, C, D, and P, the whole of I (1882-1907), J. W. W. Tyndale, portion
of D (1883-4), R. F. Green, portion of N (1883-8), A. Hailstone, portions of C and N
(1883-90), Revd W. J. Löwenberg, MA, portions of O and P (1883-96), E. L. Brandreth,
portions of G, H, and N, the whole of K (1883-1900), (Prof.) F. E. Bumby, portion of N
(1884), W. M. Rossetti, portions of B and L (1884), Revd Prof. W. W. Skeat, portion of R
(1884), Revd W. E. Smith, portion of D (1884), Dr Brackebusch, portions of B (1884-5),
E. Gunthorpe, portions of A and B (1884-5), The Hon. and Revd S. W. Lawley, MA, portion
of M (1884-5), Dr R. J. Lloyd, portion of H (1884-93), Revd C. B. Mount, MA, portions of
A, B, C, D, and V, revised former sub-editing of J and the large part of P (1884-1908),
Joseph Brown, MA, portion of M, revised former sub-editing of portions of S and U
(1884-1914), Revd C. G. Duffield, portion of T (1885), Revd T. D. Morris, MA, portion of
G (1885), Revd (Dr) E. H. Sugden, portion of I (1885-7), J. Peto, portions of C, F, and
H (1885-92), Mr and Mrs W. Noel Woods, BA, portions of B, C, and H (1885-92), Miss M.
Haig (Mrs A Stuart), portion of O (1885-93), R. M. M'Lintock, portion of P (1885-96),
James Bartlett, BA, revised former sub-editing of G and portions of M, O, R, and S
(1888-1908), Revd Canon R. Morris, DD, portion of I (1889-92), John Dormer, portions of
D and S (1890-1906), Miss Edith Thompson, portion of C (1891), H. A. Nesbitt, BA,
portions of N and O (1893-5), C. B. Winchester, revised former sub-editing of P, S, and
V (1905-8), Mrs W. A. Craigie (Lady Craigie), revised arrangement of U (1917-18)


3. Assistants


The names of these are here divided into three groups, indicative of the relative length
of time during which they were engaged on the work. As will be seen from the dates
given, those included in the first group were for many years members of their respective
staffs, and by their knowledge and experience contributed immensely to the progress of
the work. The staff to which each was attached is indicated by the initial letter of the
editor's name (M. = Murray; etc.).

Walter Worrall, BA (1885-1933; M., B., O.), A. T. Maling, MA (1886-1927; M., O.), C. G.
Balk (1885-1913; M.), G. F. H. Sykes, BA (1885-1903; M., B.), W. J. Lewis (1889-1933;
B., O.), F. J. Sweatman, MA (1890-1933; M., O.), H. J. Bayliss (1891-1932; B., C.), C.
T. Onions, MA, D.Litt. (1895-1914; M., B.; 1914-Editor), L. F. Powell, MA, (1901-21;
C.), J. W. Birt (1906-33; O.), George Watson, Hon. MA (1907-27; C.), Miss E. R. Steane
(Mrs L. F. Powell) (1901-32; C., O.), Miss Rosfrith N. R. Murray (1902-29; M., C., O.),
Miss Elsie M. R. Murray (Mrs R. A. Barling) (1899-1920; M, O.), Miss E. S. Bradley
(1897-1932; B., O.).

G. R. Carline (B.), P. T. J. Dadley (O.), James Dallas (B., O.), Alfred Erlebach, BA
(M.), (Dr) G. F. S. Friedrichsen (M.), R. Girvan, MA (C.), Dr A. B. Gough (M.), Miss I.
B. Hutchen (C.), (Revd) A. H. Mann, MA (M.), (Dr) Hereward T. Price (M.), J. M. Ramsay,
MA (C.), F. R. Ray (C.), (Revd) H. E. G. Rope, MA (M., C.), H. F. P. Ruthven (M.), A. R.
Sewell (M., B.), J. H. Smithwhite, BA (C.), (Dr) E. J. Thomas (C.), Charlton Walker, BA
(B.), F. A. Yockney (M., O.).

Revd Dr P. H. Aitken (M.), F. S. Arnold, MA (B.), T. Z. D. Babington, BA (M.), Dr E.
Brenner (M.), W. J. Bryan (M.), (Prof) F. E. Bumby (M.), C. G. Crump, BA (M.), W. J.
Fortune (O.), G. G. R. Greene, MA (M.), E. Gunthorpe (B.), Miss M. D. Harris (M.), S. J.
Herrtage (M.), Revd J. B. Johnston, BD (M.), W. Landells (M.), Revd R. H. Lord, MA (M.),
E. N. Martin (C., O.), G. F. Maxwell (C.), Revd George H. Morrison, DD (M.), Miss Hilda
Murray, MA (M.), George Parker (M.), P. J. Philip (M.), M. L. Rouse (M.), Miss Scott
(M.), H. R. Simpson (O.), K. Sisam, B.Litt., MA (B.), Miss Skipper (M.), E. E. Speight,
BA (M.), S. A. Strong, MA (B.), (Prof.) J. R. R. Tolkien (B.), Miss A. M. Turner (B.)

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