Percy Manning (1870-1917) studied at New College, Oxford from 1888, eventually gaining his degree in 1896, the delay caused at least partly by Manning being distracted by his archaeological interests.

Of independent means, Manning settled in Oxford and devoted himself to archaeological and historical research. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and was a stalwart of the Oxford Archaeological and Historical Society, serving as honorary secretary from 1891-1898, and vice-president in 1899 and 1914. He was a founder member of the Oxford University Brass Rubbing Society (later the Oxford University Antiquarian Society), and vice-chairman in 1895 and 1899-1912.

Manning also started his own collection, which by the end of his life ranged from his archaeological finds to original manorial records, artworks and an extensive library of books relating to Oxfordshire. He published articles in journals like the Folklore and kept meticulous notes of his research and findings relating to the folklore and customs of Oxfordshire, employing Thomas James Carter, a retired brickmaker and self-taught palaeontologist, to keep him apprised of archaeological finds and to do the ethnographic fieldwork among working people that Manning found difficult (partly because of the gulf in class and partly because of a speech impediment).

Along the way, Manning revived the custom of morris dancing, re-assembling and equipping the Headington Quarry morris dancers for a performance in Oxford in March 1899. The dancers crossed paths with Cecil Sharp in December 1899, an event which marked the beginning of the English folk music revival.

During the first world war, Manning was posted to guard the Southampton docks while serving as a sergeant in the Oxford and Bucks national reserve - he died of pneumonia in Southampton in February 1917.

(This biographical history is derived from Michael Heaney, ‘Manning, Percy (1870–1917)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004.