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John Traill Christie

1899 – 1980

British headmaster and Principal of Jesus College, Oxford

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About John Traill Christie

Lived 1899 – 1980 (aged 80). John Traill Christie was a British writer.

John Traill Christie (18 October 1899 – 8 September 1980) was headmaster of Repton School (1932–37) and Westminster School (1937–50), before becoming Principal of Jesus College, Oxford (1949–67).

Christie married Lucie Catherine, only daughter of Thomas Philip Le Fanu; they had two daughters. The elder was Catherine (born 1935); the younger, Jane (born 1936) married Henry Galton Darwin.

Author Roald Dahl attended Repton from 1929, where, according to Boy: Tales of Childhood, a friend named Michael was viciously caned by headmaster Geoffrey Fisher, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, according to Dahl's biographer Jeremy Treglown, the caning took place in May 1933, a year after Fisher had left Repton and Christie, in fact, was the headmaster concerned.

Hugh Lloyd-Jones, a British classical scholar who became Regius Professor of Greek at Oxford, recounted that, during his years as a student at Westminster School, he had been interested in Modern History before being converted to Classics by Christie.

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Important facts

People in John Traill Christie's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

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Frequently asked questions

Who was John Traill Christie?

British headmaster and Principal of Jesus College, Oxford

When was John Traill Christie born?

John Traill Christie was born on 18 October 1899.

When did John Traill Christie die?

John Traill Christie died on 8 September 1980.

What was John Traill Christie's occupation?

John Traill Christie was a writer.

What nationality was John Traill Christie?

John Traill Christie was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Traill Christie

· Wikidata: Q6261123

· DBpedia: John Christie (headmaster)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Traill Christie. https://biography.guide/john-traill-christie/

MLA: "John Traill Christie." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-traill-christie/.

Chicago: "John Traill Christie." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-traill-christie/.

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