Oxford College Finances, 1871-1913: A Reply
R Engel perhaps underplays the extensive common ground between us, which I can best illustrate by quoting from my original article. My interest stemmed from a concern with the agricultural depression; and Tables I, 2, 3, 7-9 are intended to illustrate the decline in rents and the growing costs of obtaining them. The "reality of the late nineteenth century agricultural depression . . . comes through very clearly in the accounts in such forms as 'arrears and remissions of rent', salary cuts [of which I give examples],references to suspended fellowship, and the like. Moreover all colleges had some agricultural property, but not all were fortunate enough to own potential building land" (pp. 63 7-9). Further, "collegiate circumstances varied greatly ... Such variations are lost in the overall picture: but in the days before intercollegiate financial assistance one college's good fortune was of only the most indirect benefit to another" (p. 632). Among the examples I give of impoverished colleges was Downing (Cambridge) which "passed its dividend for three years in the i890's" (p. 64I); the case of Wadham was perhaps less drastic, but it had many similarities. And I conclude: