Dr Ralph Townsend

An Australian by birth, Dr Townsend was educated at Scotch College , Perth , from which he won a Commonwealth Scholarship to the University of Western Australia , where he read English. He then undertook graduate studies at the University of Kent at Canterbury , before holding teaching appointments briefly at Dover College and Abingdon School .

From 1978-1985 he was at Oxford, first as Senior Scholar at Keble College, then as Junior Research Fellow, Tutor and Dean of Degrees at Lincoln College. He taught in the Theology Faculty at Oxford . He moved to teach at Eton College in 1985, leaving as Head of English to become Head Master of Sydney Grammar School in 1989.

While in Sydney Dr Townsend was Patron of the Australian Musicians' Academy and President of the New South Wales Classical Association. He was Headmaster of Oundle School (the largest co-educational boarding school in the country) from 1999-2005, where he is credited for having raised that school’s academic and cultural standards and its national profile.

He has written books, reviews and articles in the area of religious literature and church history. He became an honorary life member of the National College of Music in 2006.

back to top / click here for previous page