Documents obtained through Freedom of Information requests reveal that Oxford University engaged in extensive efforts to solicit over £12 million in donations from the late Max Mosley, a prominent figure in motorsport and a controversial personality due to his family's historical ties to fascism. The solicitations, which occurred despite internal and external outrage, highlight a complex relationship between the university and the Mosley family.
In July 2019, Alan Rusbridger, then Principal of Lady Margaret Hall (LMH) at Oxford, sent a confidential email to Max Mosley seeking significant funding for a project. Rusbridger's email, described as "gushing, sycophantic," proposed that an £80,000 donation would complete project financing, while over £2 million could endow the scheme in perpetuity. He suggested naming the program after Mosley's late son, Alexander, as an incentive.
This pursuit of funds was controversial due to the Mosley family's past. Sir Oswald Mosley, Max's father, was the leader of the British Union of Fascists and had ties to Adolf Hitler. Historical documents suggest Oswald Mosley received funds from Mussolini and Hitler and later profited from dealings with anti-Semites. Max Mosley himself was exposed for his involvement in a 1961 election pamphlet containing racist statements and for his past support of apartheid in South Africa. Despite these revelations, Oxford colleges actively pursued donations.
Between 2011 and 2021, the Alexander Mosley Charitable Trust (AMCT), established by Max Mosley in memory of his son who died in 2009, provided substantial sums to Oxford. St. Peter's College received over £1.1 million to endow a fellowship in engineering and financed a new student accommodation block, initially planned to be named Alexander Mosley House. Max Mosley also pledged £6 million to endow a Professorial Chair in Biophysics.
Internal university communications show awareness of the potential for negative publicity. One official described the PR strategy for when "the brown stuff hits the fan." Despite concerns raised by academics, students, and alumni, including a former vice-master of St. Peter's College who cited his family's history with the Holocaust, the university largely defended its acceptance of the funds.
In November 2021, following public revelations and protests from Jewish organizations and Black Lives Matter, the AMCT trustees decided to remove the Mosley name from all gifts. However, Oxford University's Vice-Chancellor stated that the university would not return any money, arguing that the funds in the trust had "nothing to do with Oswald Mosley" and that the outrage was being "whipped up." Documents suggest the university believed its due diligence had found no connection between the AMCT money and Oswald Mosley.
Despite the university's efforts to downplay the controversy and retain the donations, critics argued that Max Mosley never fully renounced his father's legacy or his own past associations. The provenance of the funds, linked by some to the family's historical dealings, remained a point of contention.
The new accommodation block at St. Peter's College is now occupied by students, with no visible acknowledgment of its benefactor. However, in 2021, the Mosley family's name was inscribed on the Clarendon Arch, a historically significant site at the university, marking a tangible legacy of the controversial donations.