Wednesday 13 October 2021

Professor Raoul Franklin CBE (1935-2021)

The College is saddened to announce the death of our Honorary Fellow, Professor Raoul Franklin.

Having completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in New Zealand, Professor Franklin came to Oxford to do a DPhil in Physics at Christ Church. At a time when Physics and Engineering were not seen as far apart, he tutored in both subjects, eventually joining Keble in 1963 as the College’s first Fellow in Engineering Science, just as the Honour School was expanding across the University. Professor Franklin remained at Keble until 1978, holding the post of Senior Dean from 1967 to 1971.

After Oxford, Professor Franklin was appointed Vice-Chancellor of City University, London, where he was also Professor of Plasma Physics and Technology. He remained at City University for 20 years until his retirement in 1998. He was made a Honorary Fellow of Keble in 1980, and appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1995. In 1998, he became a Visiting Professor for the Open University.

Professor Franklin was also active in the City of London’s livery companies and was Master of the Worshipful Company of Curriers in 2002. He played a key role in setting up of a new livery company, the Worshipful Company of Educators, of which he was the Foundation Master in 2001.

A great supporter of Keble and its students, he endowed two prizes in Engineering and the Faith Ivens Franklin Travel Fund for graduates for course-related academic study.

A fuller obituary will follow in the 2022 Record.