Hugh Trevor-Roper brushed aside newspaper allegations that he landed the job of Oxford's Regius Professor of Modern History in 1957 because of a family connection between him and the Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. In fact, the link was "somewhat tenuous", as the historian noted his sister-in-law's first cousin (Lord Astor) was married to Lady Dorothy Macmillan's niece.

The appointment (which was in the PM's gift) had much more to do with the fact that Macmillan pictured with Lady Alexandra Trevor-Roper in later years was Trevor-Roper's publisher. It was a classic instance of the Old Boy network being made use of. The PM also backed Trevor-Roper in his distinctly dubious determination to remain (which he did intil 1980) in his Christ Church-owned house at 8 St Aldate's, even though his college affilliation ceased on his appointment.

There was what seemed very like quid pro quo three years later when Trevor-Roper led the campaign to secure the Oxford Chancellorship for Supermac thereby keeping out Sir Oliver Franks who many influential figures were trying to shoehorn into the job. Trevor-Roper's letter describing the election is very interesting for those like me who are fascinated to learn how things were done (are done?) in academic Oxford.

It was crucial to bring to Oxford as many Macmillan supporters as possible to vote at the Sheldonian Theatre. T-R writes: "All my ex-pupils turned up, and of course I also wrote to every parent whose son I had ever jobbed into Christ Church. One wrote to me from wildest North Wales 'since you put my candidate in at the tail of the university, the least I can do is help put yours in at the head'; and he duly came, voted, and deposited a crate of champagne at my house en route."

So there you have it: wangling 'the right sort' of undergraduates into Christ Church could not only preserve the dignity of the college (as 'fixers' such as Trevor-Roper doubtless saw it) but also help to stock one's cellars at the same time.