The Inaugural George Cawkwell Memorial Lecture took place in Oxford on 6 March 2025. The lecture was given by Professor Paul A Cartledge, Emeritus A G Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at the University of Cambridge and former Salvesen Junior Fellow at Univ.

The lecture was held in memory of Univ Emeritus Fellow Mr George Cawkwell (1919-2019), a beloved figure at University College, Oxford and a true giant in the field of Ancient History. Amanda Brookfield (1979, English) has kindly provided a report of the event.

On 6 March, lucky attendees – there was more demand than space! – from George’s vast network of erstwhile colleagues, students, friends and admirers, packed into the auditorium in the Ioannou Classics Centre on St Giles’ for a treat of a lecture from Paul Cartledge, A G Leventis Professor of Greek Culture Emeritus at Cambridge. Tantalisingly titled, A Tarnished Dawn? Sparta, George Cawkwell (the King) and I, Professor Cartledge’s talk brought George vividly to life, in all his brilliance and self-effacing glory, while also offering a chillingly timely and fascinating analysis of the hijacking of the “myth” of Sparta by contemporary extremists.

Brains abuzz and hearts full, the drinks reception afterwards was the perfect opportunity for sharing George-memories with old friends. A framed photograph of George, in full lecture-flow at a podium – kindly made and gifted by William fforde (1975, Classics) – was unveiled by Baroness Valerie Amos, Master of University College, and then it was off to the Alington Room for a fittingly splendid dinner and more tributes. Among the guests, to the delight and gratitude of the College, was George’s daughter, Sarah Cawkwell.

Throughout the evening, the respect and affection for George was palpable. His legacies in the fields of scholarship and pedagogy remain irrefutable and were beautifully saluted. But this joyful memorial gathering also bore testimony to the unquantifiable gifts of kindness, integrity, and constancy in friendship, which he showed to each one of us fortunate enough to have crossed his path.

You can watch a video of the lecture below.

Published: 1 April 2025

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