There are two Merton Professorships of English in the University of Oxford: the Merton Professor of English Language and Literature, and the Merton Professor of English Literature. The second was created in 1914 when Sir Walter Raleigh's chair was renamed. At the present day both Professorships are associated with Merton College, but Dame Helen Gardner held her post in association with Lady Margaret Hall. The occupants of the chairs have been: The University of Oxford (usually abbreviated as Oxon. ... Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. ... Lady Margaret Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. ...

Merton Professor of English Language and Literature

1885 – 1916: Arthur S. Napier (1853-1916)

1916- 1920: vacant

1920 – 1945: H. C. K. Wyld (1870-1945)

1945 – 1959: J. R. R. Tolkien John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE (January 3, 1892 – September 2, 1973) was an English philologist, writer and university professor who is best known as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. ...

1959 –1980: Norman Davis

1980 – 1984: vacant.

1984 – present: Suzanne Romaine

Merton Professor of English Literature

1914 – 1922: Walter A. Raleigh (1861-1922) Sir Walter Alexander Raleigh was a scholar and author circa 1900. ...

1922 - 1928: George Stuart Gordon (1881-1942)

1929 – 1946: David Nichol Smith (1875-1962)

1947 – 1957: F. P. (Frank Percy) Wilson (1889-1963)

1957 – 1966: Nevill Coghill (1899-1980) Nevill Coghill (1899-1980) was a British literary scholar, known especially for his modern English version of Geoffrey Chaucers Canterbury Tales. ...

1966 – 1975: Helen Gardner (1908-1986) Helen Gardner (1909-1986) was an English literary critic. ...

1975 – 2002: John Carey This is not the John Carey that goes to Starpoint. ...

2002 - present David Norbrook David Norbrook (born 1 June 1950) is Professor of Renaissance English Literature at Oxford University. ...

Sources

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

The Times.