Thomas Gaisford

Who was Thomas Gaisford?

Thomas Gaisford was an English classical scholar.

He was born at Iford Manor, Wiltshire, and educated at Hyde Abbey School, Winchester before entering the University of Oxford in 1797, becoming successively student and tutor of Christ Church. In 1811, he was appointed Regius Professor of Greek in the University. Taking orders, he held the college living of Westwell, Oxfordshire, and other ecclesiastical preferments simultaneously with his professorship. From 1831 until his death, he was Dean of Christ Church.

As curator of the Bodleian Library and principal delegate of the Oxford University Press, Gaisford was instrumental in securing the cooperation of distinguished European scholars as collators, notably Bekker and Dindorf. Among his numerous contributions to Greek literature may be mentioned, Hephaestion's Encheiridion; Poëtae Graeci minores; Stobaeus' Florilegium; Herodotus, with variorum notes; Suidas' Lexicon; Etymologicum Magnum. Eusebius's Praeparatio evangelica and Demonstratio evangelica. In 1856, the Gaisford prizes, for Greek composition, were founded at Oxford to perpetuate his memory.