The Watson Chair Lectures

Nearly two centuries ago, in 1814, peace was established between the United States and Britain, after a period of variable turbulence beginning with the Revolution.

Nearly a century ago, 1914 was seen by men and women of influence on both sides of the Atlantic, as an occasion to celebrate a hundred years of lasting peace between, arguably, the two most powerful nations of the time. From this initiative, came:

The establishment of the Watson chair in 1919 was widely welcomed after the close trans-Atlantic co-operation during the First World War. The article alongside printed in the Observer is just one of many articles written about it at the time

The inaugural Watson Chair lecture was delivered by Viscount Bryce, a long-established advocate of close relations between the two nations, in 1921 on ‘The Study of American History’
Thereafter, the lectures were delivered at leading universities (Oxford, London), a City livery hall, at RIBA and at the American Embassy.  From their institution in 1921 until 1939, courses of generally six lectures were given annually, alternately by eminent Americans and Britons, including politicians, university presidents and professors, concluding with the architect, Frank Lloyd Wright. The series resumed after World War II with Walter Lippmann the well respected journalist.

The series became quite academic during the period 1965-87 when it was hosted by the University of Leicester. After this, only one lecture was given in 1995 by Daniel Boorstin on George Washington himself.
Today both countries have changed, becoming multi-ethnic, diverse societies with a wider range of links and more complex issues to confront within the context of their relationship. The links between the two nations are manifested now in a range of organisations and associations, the majority of which have a political, business or academic focus.  But the Manor’s role, as expressed by the Marquis of Cambridge at its opening to the public in 1921, is to be “a centre of friendship and goodwill ..between the British and American peoples” so when The Sulgrave Manor Board determined in 2005 to re-launch the Watson Chair lectures it did so as an annual focus for the "promotion of better knowledge and understanding of Anglo-American relations, past, present and future" amongst a wider public than generally have access to the academic consideration of these issues.

The first lecture in the new series was held on November 18th, 2005 at Sulgrave Manor with the eminent economist, journalist and historian, Peter Jay speaking on the US, UK and Europe today.  Peter Jay described his Watson Chair Lecture as an exploration of "what the development of the European Union as a political identity aiming to exercise political power and influence on the global stage, together with a changing political culture in the USA, should imply and does imply for British foreign policy, for US European policy and for British engagement in Europe." 

Eminent lecturers have spoken annually since on freedom of expression, art, terrorism, governance and immigration - topics which concern both nations but on which they have different perspectives.