THREE hundred years after his death, his name is still one of the most famous in Oxford although you might not actually know much about him.
But this Friday all will be revealed about Dr John Radcliffe thanks to a free exhibition at the Bodleian Library.
Remembering Radcliffe: 300 Years of Science and Philanthropy includes medical instruments, letters and diary entries from different periods of his life.
It will include original designs and models of the Radcliffe Camera, built to meet his dying wish that a library of medical books would be built in the city.
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The exhibition will also include early photographs of buildings bearing his name.
Dr Radcliffe – who died in 1714 aged 61 – was one of the most sought-after physicians of his day and left most of his fortune to city development.
He remains the namesake of the John Radcliffe Hospital and the Radcliffe Camera, which became a Bodleian reading room in 1861.
Curator Stephen Hebron said: “The exhibition explains how an 18th century doctor became one of Oxford’s greatest benefactors.
“Visitors can discover the story behind one of Oxford’s most famous buildings, the Radcliffe Camera, including its origins, its design, how it was built, and its role as a university library.”
The exhibition has been supported by The Radcliffe Trust, formed in 1714 under the will of Dr Radcliffe to manage his charitable interests.
From top, Sir Godfrey Kneller’s portrait of John Radcliffe, c 1712, and the inside of the dome of the Radcliffe Camera
The trust also built the Radcliffe Observatory and the Radcliffe Infirmary, the forerunner of the John Radcliffe Hospital, which closed in 2007.
Trust chairman Felix Warnock said: “If the amazing Dr Radcliffe had done no more than create the Radcliffe Camera as a monument to his memory this would have been an extraordinary achievement. As it is, his endowment of The Radcliffe Trust was, if anything, even more visionary.
“The trust was one of the very first grant-making charities and now stands on the threshold of a remarkable fourth century of philanthropic giving.
“We hope visitors leave enriched and inspired by this truly original and remarkable benefactor.”
The exhibition will be open in the Bodleian Library’s exhibition room from 9am to 5pm, Mondays to Fridays and runs until March 20. On Saturdays it will open from 9am to 4.30pm and on Sundays from 11am to 5pm.
For more information visit bodleian.ox.ac.uk/radcliffe
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