William Dennison (academic) facts for kids

William Dennison was a person who worked at Oxford University. He was also a leader there. He became the head of University College, Oxford, but there was a big argument about it.

Who was William Dennison?

William Dennison was a smart person who worked at Oxford University. He was a "Fellow" at University College, which means he had a special job there. He also helped manage the college.

The Big Election Dispute

When the old head of University College, named Arthur Charlett, passed away in 1722, two people wanted to be the new "Master" (the leader) of the college. These two people were William Dennison and Thomas Cockman.

First, they had an election in December 1722. Thomas Cockman won by just a few votes. But then, someone complained that the election didn't follow the rules of the college.

What Happened Next?

Because of the complaint, another election was held very soon after. This time, William Dennison was in charge of the election, and he was chosen as the Master.

However, Thomas Cockman's name had already been officially written down as the Master. So, both men thought they were the rightful leader! They both complained to the main boss of Oxford University, called the Vice-Chancellor. The Vice-Chancellor decided that William Dennison should be the Master.

The Final Decision

But the argument didn't stop there! The problem became so big that it went all the way to the King or Queen (the "Crown") to decide. It took a long time, until 1729, for the final decision to be made. In the end, the King or Queen decided that Thomas Cockman should be the Master, not William Dennison.

This was a very unusual time for University College. It was the only time in its history that two different people claimed to be the Master at the same time!