This is Radcliffe Camera.
It was constructed between 1737 and 1749 with 40,000 pounds (a shit load of money in those days) that were donated by Dr. John Radcliffe upon his death. His intention was to create a library to partner with the Bodleian and he endowed it toward that end. However, it eventually ended up housing exclusively science books, which I imagine is meant to be a tribute to him. The Camera is still an active library but it is not open to the general public.
Mr. Radcliffe was a graduate of University College, which is one of those colleges many people think of when they think of Oxford. He went on to become a doctor and moved to London where he became a very rich man, probably through becoming Royal Physician to William III, Mary II and Queen Anne, among other well heeled individuals. Naturally, he served a stint or two in Parliament.
The most generous Dr. John Radcliffe
While I haven’t found out a lot about Dr. Radcliffe’s personal life it is worth noting that he was “very fond of the drink” and was occasionally “found frequenting public houses with soldiers”, with whom he seemed to enjoy spending some of his off time.
The story goes that once he had to be literally physically carried away, quite drunk (and protesting), in order to provide emergency medical services to someone in need.
Dr. Radcliffe lived until either 62 or 64 years of age depending on which source you read. He never married and died childless, a fact which apparently did not bother him. It has been suggested that he “enjoyed the company of a few close and most trusted of man friends”.
Therefore, I was delighted with how fitting this was when I came across it today:
The little tags all along the fence are individually written tributes to the victims of the recent Orlando mass shootings.
Each one is different and as a whole, they are quite moving. I loved one which said, “I fly beside you, no longer afraid to come out.” Many of them said such simple things as, “No one should have to die because of who they love” or “I love you, whoever you were”.
This particular gentleman was very curious about what they said. He read each one of them carefully even though the woman who accompanied him seemed annoyed with the whole business.
I choose to think that foxy old Dr. Radcliffe would have approved.