A history graduate studied the doodles of famous alumni at his Oxford University college to edit a book of their witty comments.

Richard Chapman, 22, was asked by Exeter College to edit the book of undergraduates' drawings and comments from the 1950s.

The former student was asked to work on the book by the college after the doodles were compiled by John Speirs and John Leighfield, both 1950s graduates.

The Junior Common Room Suggestion Book still exists today for undergraduates to write comments about different aspects of college life, for the attention of fellow students.

But the 1950s was the book's golden age and contained a series of dialogues and drawings by students who went on to become famous in a number of fields.

These included playwright Alan Bennett, who has written the foreword to the book, TV writer and director Ned Sherrin, and broadcaster Russell Harty.

Mr Chapman said: "Some of the extracts are quite risqué but they are a true reflection of Exeter in the 1950s, at the time an all-male college.

"It's a genuine snapshot of Exeter College at the time."

Rector of Exeter College Frances Cairncross added: "This book is a work of both literary genius and scurrilous schoolboy humour.

"Exeter is proud of the talent of its students, and immensely grateful to the old members who have brought this project to fruition."

The book, entitled The Exeter College JCR Suggestion Book, is now on sale at Blackwell's in Broad Street, and costs £15. It can also be bought from the college's development office.

Mr Chapman, who finished his masters degree in June, added: "Former students came to the launch of the book last month and I enjoyed meeting them — Alan Bennett has written a brilliant foreword but, alas, some of the students from the 1950s who contributed are now dead."