John Peile
English philologist (b. 24 April 1838 [N.S.] in Whitehaven; d. 9 October 1910 [N.S.] in Cambridge).
Peile was educated at Repton, St. Bees School and Christ's College, Cambridge. After a distinguished career (Craven scholar, senior classic and chancellor's medallist), he became fellow and tutor of his college, reader of comparative philology in the university (1884–1891), and in 1887 was elected master of Christ's College. He took a great interest in the higher education of women and became president of Newnham College.
As Vice-Chancellor of Christ's College, Cambridge University, in 1892 he extended an invitation to Tchaikovsky to receive his honorary doctorate.
Correspondence with Tchaikovsky
One letter from Tchaikovsky to John Peile has survived, dating from 1892, which has been translated into English on this website:
- Letter 4812b – 4/16 December 1892, from Saint Petersburg.
2 letters from Peile to the composer, dating from 1892 and 1893, are preserved in the Tchaikovsky State Memorial Musical Museum-Reserve at Klin (a4, Nos. 3289 and 3290).
