News from the OED Archives

F. J. Furnivall, James Murray's predecessor as editor of the OED, was an enthusiastic reader of newspapers and many scraps snipped from his favourite daily reading are found in the slip collections at Oxford. He spotted a quotation illustrating the use of 'blue n.' (a person who has represented the University in rowing, cricket, etc.) in the Daily News of 18 January 1882, in an article discussing the qualities of the young men who might crew the Oxford and Cambridge boats that year: Ainslie, of Oriel, who has rowed two consecutive years in the Trial Eights, will probably be tried, and may be successful in winning his blue.

Furnivall cut this out and sent it to James Murray in Oxford, where it was in time chosen, suitably abbreviated, for use in the Dictionary. But long before this part of the OED, BATTER-BOZ, was published in March 1887, Ralph St. John Ainslie of Oriel had left Oxford for a career as a schoolmaster in the north of England. He was a young man of considerable talent, a noted musician, both as a singer and cornet player, an accomplished artist, and also a keen sportsman. He was captain of his college Boat Club and rowed three times in the Trials for the University Eight, but sadly never won his blue. The use of this quotation in the OED, recording his hopes of sporting success, seemed only to emphasize his failure. He eventually became a headmaster in Liverpool, but ill-health forced his early retirement and he died in 1908, aged only 47, leaving a widow and young family.

The sad tale of Ainslie's blue and the OED was frequently repeated by the disappointed sportsman. It is recounted in his obituary, and described by a contemporary as the 'one fly in his ointment'.