Sir John Cecil Masterman OBE (12 January 1891 – 6 June 1977) was a noted academic, sportsman and author. His highest-profile role was as Vice-Chancellor of the University of … See more

Masterman was born in Kingston upon Thames, and educated at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, and Dartmouth, then at Worcester College See more

An Oxford Tragedy
In 1933, he wrote a murder mystery novel entitled An Oxford Tragedy, set in the fictional Oxford college See more

When World War II broke out, Masterman was drafted into the Intelligence Corps. After investigating and producing a report into the evacuation of Dunkirk, Masterman was appointed as a Civil Assistant in MI5. Within MI5 he was the chairman of the Twenty Committee, … See more

Information about the double-cross system remained secret after the war. In 1958 Masterman began pressing the British intelligence establishment for permission to publish a book about it. Roger Hollis, the head of MI5 at that time, refused to authorize … See more

• An Oxford Tragedy, 1933 (mystery)
• Fate Cannot Harm Me, 1935
• Marshal Ney: A Play in Five Acts, 1937 See more

On retiring from the Provostship, Masterman moved into a college-owned building on Beaumont Street, which he lived in until his death. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered on the lake of Worcester College. See more