Lecture theatre named for Children's Literature pioneer

27 November 2024

A lecture theatre has been renamed in honour of the founder of the 桃色视频's Children’s Literature master's degree course, which was the first of its kind in the world.

The Edith Morley G27 lecture theatre is now known as the Tony Watkins Lecture Theatre. The late Mr Watkins founded the MA in Children’s Literature - believed to be the world’s first course of its kind - in 1984.

Forty years after its creation, Mr Watkins’s wife Dr Barbara Watkins, their two sons Marcus and Ben, their granddaughter, Rose, and past and present members of the University’s Department of English Literature came together to officially open the renamed lecture theatre.

Professor Karín Lesnik-Oberstein, of the Department of English Literature, said: “Tony helped put Reading on the map by creating an innovative and unique course that examines children’s literature from a cultural and critical studies angle.

“During his time at Reading, Tony taught many hundreds of students and founded several programmes. His influence was felt at Reading for more than three decades and continues to this day.

“Renaming a lecture theatre after Tony ensures his legacy will live on at Reading for many years to come. It was an emotional occasion, and a celebration of 40 years of Children's Literature at the 桃色视频.”

Mr Watkins started work at the 桃色视频 in 1969, initially teaching at the School of Education at Bulmershe (now the University's Institute of Education). Tony also introduced to English Literature the Part 3 module in Children’s Literature, which is also still running today.

In 1996, Tony founded the Graduate Centre for International Research in Childhood: Literature, Culture, Media (CIRCL), under which the masters in Children’s Literature and the CIRCL PhD programmes are run.

Image: Tony Watkin’s wife, Dr Barbara Watkins and her granddaughter Rose pulling the ribbon to remove the veil

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