BIRTH | William A. Spooner, July 22

Rev. William A. Spooner

July 22, 2020—On this day in 1844, Rev. William Archibald Spooner was born, in Grosvenor Place, London. 

He was the first non-Wykehamist to attend New College, Oxford since it was founded in 1379. 

Spooner found a good home. He remained at New College for 60 years, lecturing on ancient history, philosophy (especially Aristotle’s Ethics) and divinity. He served as Warden from 1903 to 1924. 

Today, he is mostly remembered because of his unwanted fame as someone who frequently got his words mixed up.

The official Brief History of New College considers Spooner’s reputation to be unfair but not baseless. 

Evidence is sparse that Spooner ever said the many Spoonerisms attributed to him. Roy Harrod said that Spooner exceeded all the heads of Oxford and Cambridge he had known "having regard to his scholarship, devotion to duty, and wisdom." However, Warden Spooner was indeed sometimes absent-minded.

Among famous “Spoonerisms”:

• He is said to have toasted “our queer dean” instead of “our dear Queen.”
• At the pulpit, he was said to have called upon Jesus as a “shoving leopard” instead of a “loving shepherd.”

Spooner, while not taking kindly to his reputation, did admit to one Spoonerism. He was referring to the hymn “Conquering Kings Their Titles Take,” but said: “The Kinkering Congs Their Titles Take.”

Another Spoonerism is authenticated. Discussing the impact of “the rate of wages,” Spooner is quoted as saying: “The weight of rages will press hard upon the employer.”

Other quotations have been attributed to Spooner in his obituaries and in collections of his sayings:

• “It’s roaring with pain” for “it’s pouring with rain.” 
• “That’s just a lack of pies” for “pack of lies.” 
• They have a “plaster man” to overcome the problem, for “master plan.”
• "It is kisstomary to cuss the bride" (...customary to kiss the bride)^.
• ”I am tired of addressing beery wenches" (weary benches)
• "Mardon me padam, this pie is occupewed. Can I sew you to another sheet?" (Pardon me, madam, this pew is occupied. Can I show you to another seat?)
• "You have hissed all my mystery lectures, and were caught fighting a liar in the quad. Having tasted two worms, you will leave by the next town drain" (You have missed all my history lectures, and were caught lighting a fire in the quad. Having wasted two terms, you will leave by the next down train).

Other absent-minded behavior has been authenticated. He was said to have invited a don to tea, "to welcome Stanley Casson, our new archaeology Fellow". "But, sir," the man replied, "I am Stanley Casson". "Never mind," Spooner said, "Come all the same.” 

He also said:

• "Was it you or your brother who was killed in the Great War?" 
• "He came to a sad end—eaten by missionaries!" 

Democrat presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson used a Spoonerism in 1952. Rev. Norman Vincent Peale objected to Stevenson’s having divorced his wife several years earlier. Stevenson responded: “I find the Apostle Paul appealing and the Apostle Peale appalling.”

Sources

"From the archive, 1 September 1930: Obituary: Dr WA Spooner". The Guardian. September 1, 1930.

Fun with Words. "Spoonerisms – History of spoonerisms". fun-with-words.com.

Hayter, William. Spooner: A Biography. London: W.H. Allen, 1977.

Marlin, John Tepper. "New College," Oxford College Arms. Boissevain Books, 2020, 4th ed., p. 58.

New College, Oxford. The 'Brief History of The College. Says Dr. Spooner "almost certainly never uttered a 'Spoonerism,' but equally certainly had a number of curious verbal traits."

Setterfield, Ray. “Spoonerism? Or just a lack of pies?” On This Day, July 1, 2016. https://www.onthisday.com/articles/spoonerism-or-just-a-lack-of-pies.

"Spooner, William Archibald (1844–1930), college head | Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". www.oxforddnb.com. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36219.

"The Best Spoonerisms," The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/spoonerisms-best-spooner-lines/.

The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations (3rd edition, 1979).

Who was Dr. Spooner of "spoonerism" fame? From The Straight Dope website.