Thomas Cockman facts for kids
Reverend Dr. Thomas Cockman (1675–1745) was an important scholar and leader at the University of Oxford in England. He was the head, or Master, of University College, Oxford, one of Oxford's oldest colleges.
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Thomas Cockman's Early Life and Education
Thomas Cockman started his studies at University College, Oxford in 1692. After finishing his first degree, he became a Fellow of the college from 1701 to 1713. A Fellow is a senior member of the college who teaches and does research.
In 1705, Thomas Cockman also served as a Rector at Chidingstone in Kent. A Rector is a type of church leader, similar to a priest, who is in charge of a local church.
The Disputed Leadership of University College
Thomas Cockman's time as Master of University College was not simple. Another person, William Dennison, also claimed to be the Master between 1722 and 1729. There were two elections in 1722, and both were disputed, meaning people disagreed with the results.
How the Dispute Was Settled
To solve the problem, Thomas Cockman asked for help from the Crown, which means the King or Queen of England. In 1729, the Crown officially declared Thomas Cockman to be the rightful Master of University College.
This decision was based on an old belief that King Alfred the Great had founded University College. This idea started in the late 1380s, but many people still believed it in Cockman's time. The court ruling meant that the Crown, not the university, should be the one to settle arguments for University College.
A New History of the College
Because of this dispute, a college historian named William Smith decided to write a true history of University College. He wanted to show that the story about King Alfred founding the college was just a myth.
Smith's book, called The Annals of University College, was published in 1578. It was the first detailed and scholarly history of an Oxford college. However, Thomas Cockman did not like the book. He called it "the private opinion of a partial disgusted old man," meaning he thought Smith was biased and upset.
The Celebration Painting
In 2008, University College bought a special painting that shows Thomas Cockman. This painting had stayed in Cockman's family for many years before being sold at an auction house called Sotheby's.
The painting is believed to be a celebration of Thomas Cockman winning his appeal to the Crown in 1729. It shows him and his supporters celebrating their victory. His brother, John Cockman, who likely paid for the painting, is also in the picture with other Fellows of University College. The artist who painted it was Benjamin Ferrers.
