Sidney Holgate

Sidney Holgate
CBE
Master of Grey College, Durham
In office
1959–1980
Succeeded byEric Halladay
Personal details
Born9 September 1918
Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, England
Died17 May 2003(2003-05-17) (aged 84)
EducationHenry Mellish School
Hatfield College, Durham
Military service
AllegianceUnited Kindom
Branch/serviceRoyal Air Force
Years of service
1942 to 1945
UnitRoyal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch)
Battles/warsSecond World War

Sidney Holgate, CBE (9 September 1918 – 17 May 2003) was a British mathematician and academic administrator.

Biography

Holgate was born on 9 September 1918 in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, England.[1] He was educated at Henry Mellish School. He won a scholarship to Hatfield College, Durham, where he studied mathematics and eventually became "senior man" (i.e. president of the junior common room).[1] He was also President of the Durham Union for Michaelmas term of 1940.[2] He graduated with a first class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1940.[3] He remained at Durham to train as a teacher and competed the Diploma in the Theory and Practice of Teaching (DThPT) in 1941.[3]

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Holgate was found unacceptable for wartime service on medical grounds.[1] After graduation, he instead taught for a year at Nottingham High School.[1] However, in 1942, he returned to Durham as a lecturer to teach mathematics and navigation to Royal Air Force aircrew cadets.[1][3] As such, he was commissioned in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch), serving from 1942 to 1945.[3] During this time he continued his studies and completed a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1943.[3] He also undertook research "on the application of complex variables to problems in elasticity" and completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1945.[1]

In 1946, Holgate became secretary of the Durham Colleges; in that role, he was the senior administrator of the University's colleges in the city of Durham, excluding King's College in Newcastle.[4] He was then master of Grey College, Durham from its foundation in 1959.[4] Grey College was the first postwar college established in Durham, and he oversaw its development from construction onwards.[1] He additionally served as pro-vice-chancellor and sub-warden of Durham University from 1964 to 1969.[1][4] He retired in September 1980, and was succeeded as master of Grey College by Eric Halladay.[5]

In addition to his full-time work at Durham University, Holgate was involved with the Open University (OU) from its foundation until his retirement.[1] He was a member of its academic advisory committee from 1969 to 1981, serving as its vice-chair from 1972 to 1975 and its chair from 1975 to 1977.[3] The OU awarded him an honorary Doctor of the University (DUniv) degree in 1980.[3]

In the 1981 New Year Honours, Holgate was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).[6]

Holgate married Isabel "Belle" Armorey in 1942.[3] They did not have any children.[1] He died on 17 May 2003, aged 84.[1] He had been living in a nursing home in Durham at the time of his death.[7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Sidney Holgate". The Times. 10 June 2003. Retrieved 11 March 2018.
  2. ↑ Campbell, P. D. A. (1952). A Short History of the Durham Union Society. Durham County Press. p. 17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Holgate, Dr Sidney, (9 Sept. 1918–17 May 2003), Founder Master of Grey College, University of Durham, 1959–80; Member, Academic Advisory Committee, Open University, 1969–81 (Vice-Chairman, 1972–75; Chairman, 1975–77)". Who Was Who. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U20487. Retrieved 4 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 "Dr Sidney Holgate 1918–2003: First Master of Grey College". News. Durham University. Archived from the original on 10 December 2007. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  5. ↑ "Appointments: Head of Houses". Durham University Gazette. XXV (2). Durham University: 4–6. 31 January 1981. Retrieved 23 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "No. 48467". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1980. p. 8.
  7. ↑ "No. 56988". The London Gazette. 2 July 2003. p. 8231.
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