Fred Oakley was born on 26 August 1892 and educated at Queen Elizabeth School, Mansfield between 1906 and 1912. He passed the Cambridge senior local matriculation examination in 1911 and entered University College Nottingham in 1912 to undertake an intermediate arts teacher training course. The college archive report on his school practice (Reference: UE 1/6) states that he was 'a smart, well spoken teacher' who could be 'highly recommended'. Oakley qualified as a teacher in 1914.
Oakley returned to University College in 1919 to study for a history degree. He joined the committee of the Students' Union in 1920 and became president a year later. He was joined at college by his sister Ruth (born c.1900) in 1922, and brother John Brailsford (born c.1908) in 1923. Fred Oakley's career after he left the college in 1922 is not recorded here.
From the guide to the Photographs and personalia of Fred Oakley (1892-fl 1922), former student of University College Nottingham, 1912-1959, 1912-1959, (The University of Nottingham)
