 In 1949 Wheeler was appointed Honorary Secretary of the British Academy after <unk> G. Kenyon stepped down from the position . According to Piggott , the institution had " <unk> drifted into <unk> without the excuse of being venerable " , and Wheeler devoted much time attempting to <unk> the organisation and ensured that Charles Webster was appointed President . Together , Wheeler and Webster sought to increase the number of younger members of the Academy , increasing the number of <unk> who were permitted to join and proposing that those over 75 years of age not be permitted to serve on the organisation 's council ; this latter measure was highly controversial , and though defeated in 1951 , Wheeler and Webster were able to push it through in 1952 . In doing so , Piggott stated , Wheeler helped rid the society of its " self @-@ perpetuating <unk> " . To aid him in these projects , Wheeler employed a personal assistant , Molly Myers , who remained with him for the rest of his life . 
