2026 Manchester Lecture tells story of architects who built the College
2026 Manchester Lecture tells story of architects who built the College
This year’s Manchester Lecture took place on 9 March and told the story of the Worthington family of architects who designed and built the College’s original buildings in Oxford, which opened in 1893.
The lecture was delivered by William Whyte, Professor of Social and Architectural History at the University of Oxford and a Fellow of St John’s College. His wide-ranging talk explored the Worthington family’s architectural influences and legacy, as well as the impact that strong links to Unitarianism and Manchester had on their work.
Professor Whyte focused on three members of the family: Thomas Worthington, the founder of the family firm; his son, Percy Scott Worthington, who, alongside his father designed and built the College’s main quad, as well as a later addition, the Arlosh Hall; and his younger brother Hubert Worthington, who was responsible for many later buildings around Oxford.
His talk also looked at the guarded reception that the buildings, described by Professor Whyte as “unlike anything else in Oxford at the time”, and the then-Manchester College itself were given by the University.
The Manchester Lectures were inaugurated in 2024 and are designed to prompt reflection and discussion on the College’s surprising and often radical history. They are generously supported by the Manchester Academy Trust.
This year’s talk was introduced by Harris Manchester’s Chaplain, the Rev Claire MacDonald, who also moderated questions from a large audience. It was held in the College’s Chapel, which was, fittingly, designed and built by the Worthingtons.
