2015 Society Magazine - Cambridge in America

Transcription

ST CATHARINE’S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
2015
ST CATHARINE’S MAGAZINE
2015
St Catharine’s College, Cambridge CB2 1RL
Porters’ Lodge/switchboard: 01223 338 300
Fax: 01223 338 340
College website: www.caths.cam.ac.uk
Society website: www.caths.cam.ac.uk/society –
some details are only accessible to registered members
(see www.caths.cam.ac.uk/society/register)
Branch activities: www.caths.cam.ac.uk/society/branches
Published by the St Catharine’s College Society.
© 2015 The Master and Fellows of St Catharine’s College,
Cambridge.
Printed in England by Langham Press
(www.langhampress.co.uk) on
elemental-chlorine-free paper from
sustainable forests.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Editorial .................................................................................4
College Report
Master’s report ...................................................................8
The Fellowship.................................................................. 14
New Fellows ...................................................................... 16
Retirements and Farewells ........................................... 19
Professor Sir Christopher Bayly (1945–2015)
LittD FBA ........................................................................20
Dr John Roland Shakeshaft (1929–2015) .................. 23
Dr Richard Maitland Laws (1926–2014)
CBE FRS ScD .................................................................. 27
Senior Tutor’s Report ...................................................... 31
Admissions Report .......................................................... 32
Bursar’s Report ................................................................. 33
Alumni and Development Report ............................. 35
Chapel and Chaplaincy Report...................................36
Choir Report ......................................................................38
Kellaway Concerts ...........................................................39
Staff News ..........................................................................39
Graduate Research Seminars ..................................... 40
Photography Competition ........................................... 41
Professor Sir Alan Battersby FRS ................................42
News from the JCR ......................................................... 44
News from the MCR ........................................................45
Societies ..............................................................................47
Sports clubs .......................................................................50
Alleycatz.............................................................................. 57
Kitten Club .........................................................................58
Blues and Colours............................................................59
University Cricket ........................................................... 60
2014 Matriculands .......................................................... 60
New Graduate Students 2014 ......................................63
University Scholarships and Prizes............................65
College Prizes ....................................................................65
College Scholarships ......................................................67
PhDs approved 2014–5 ................................................. 69
Society Report
Society Committee 2015–16 ......................................... 72
The Society President .................................................... 72
Report of 87th Annual General Meeting ................. 73
Accounts for the year to 30 June 2015 ...................... 77
Society Awards .................................................................78
Society Presidents’ Dinner ............................................79
The Acheson-Gray Sports Day 2015 ..........................79
Society Reception in the House of Lords ............... 80
Geographers Dinner 2014 ............................................. 81
Branch News ..................................................................... 81
The Last and the First .................................................... 89
Honours and Awards..................................................... 89
Publications ...................................................................... 91
Selected Reviews .............................................................93
Notices................................................................................ 98
News of Members .........................................................108
The St Catharine’s Guild .............................................. 116
Articles
The Masters ..................................................................... 118
20 Years of Heller Fellowships ................................... 122
Tunku Abdul Rahman (1922) ...................................... 125
Postscript from Alex Ling Lee Soon (1965) ............131
Not Quite An Epilogue .................................................131
College Societies during the Great War................. 133
Second World War Poets at St Catharine’s ............136
The Right to Remain Silent:
Devon Quarter Sessions ........................................ 137
American Football and Cheerleading ....................139
A Token of Concrete Affection .................................. 141
Painting of St Catharine ‘discovered’
in Macclesfield ...........................................................142
Notes & Dates ................................................................. 143
The front cover shows the ‘blood moon’ during the 2015 ‘super moon’
lunar eclipse over St Catharine’s.
The picture was taken at 3.45am on 28 September 2015
by Simon Durrant, College Porter.
3
ST CATHARINE’S MAGAZINE 2015
EDITORIAL
As the Magazine went to press in 2014, the College’s all-weather hockey pitch was
being renewed using a major donation towards the renovation from Peter Boizot
(1950) who funded the provision of the original pitch.
Soon after the beginning of the academic year, a message from Paul Hartle
informed the College that the great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas would have
reached his hundredth birthday on 27 October 2014. The anniversary was suitably
marked. The College’s Welsh Senior Tutor was joined by the College’s Welsh
Master in Chapel to read a handful of poems and a short prose piece about
Christmas by Thomas (Dylan, not Jean).
The following week the Librarians exhibited a selection of books from the library of John
Addenbrooke who gave the College 184 volumes in 1718; somewhat surprisingly, we still have every
one. Naturally, the medical sciences dominate, but the collection also shows our famous alumnus (he
was also a Fellow and, briefly, Bursar) as a man of wide interests. The ten or so items on display included
a first edition of Newton’s Opticks, one of the earliest printed editions of the plays of Sophocles, and
a selection of illustrated works which show the emergence of medicine as a modern discipline. The
Addenbrooke books are now in a purpose-made bookcase in the refurbished Ramsden Room.
Alas, the final tasks associated with publication of the 2014 Magazine taking place in parallel with the
above events did not go as smoothly. I apologise for the late arrival of the 2014 edition to some alumni
and for an unusual number of errors, both typographical and of omission. An Errata section appears
below and inadvertently omitted material is included in this edition, though that is but small comfort to
those whose awards were missed in the appropriate College Report. It is, of course, not a valid excuse,
but my reliable and punctilious proof reader John Shakeshaft was already becoming unwell and sadly
died some months later (see obituary in this Magazine). Furthermore, a couple of promised articles
failed to materialise. I hope very much that this edition is better.
A few matters of College interest were drawn to my attention during the year. Following the death
of former Head of Biochemistry Professor Richard Perham in March 2015, a PhD student from the 1970s
(not a Catsman) reminisced about the Biochemistry Department Christmas Revues and Pantomimes –
apparently all were performed to the able accompaniment of Jean Thomas at the piano.
In May the country went to the polls. In an article about the student vote in the run-up to the election,
the Times reported that the Cambridge City Conservative candidate was approached by a porter
outside St Catharine’s College who loudly castigated her for undermining the political impartiality of
the College. The Times political editor cited this as an example of the difficulty of canvassing students.
However, I noted that the report was in the 1 April edition.
Within these pages you will find reports of how the College fared in the academic year 2014–15 (once
again I am indebted to Chris Thorne for all the student reports) and in Society News you will find a
report of the Society’s Annual Dinner during which many diners surreptitiously watched the England v
Wales rugby match on various electronic devices. Also in that section, thanks are due to Librarian Colin
Higgins for taking on the Book Reviews following the death of John Shakeshaft and also to all those
Society members who sent interesting news snippets. We have a particularly eclectic set of articles this
year. You may read about some irregular Mastership appointments, Tunku Abdul Rahman’s time at Catz
written by his nephew Tunku Farik, College during the Great War, the College WWII poets, an 80-year-old
graduand, Cheerleading and, if you want something more academic, the Heller Fellowships and a report
from a student intern. Enjoy!
Roger Stratford
4
LOUIS SINCLAIR
John Addenbrooke’s books on display in the refurbished Ramsden Room.
Errata
Unfortunately a few errors and omissions occurred in the 2014 Magazine.
t ‘Published by the St Catharine’s College Society’ was omitted from the cover sheet.
t Some of the 2014 College Prizes were omitted (pages 51 and 52). Those omitted are printed
alongside the 2015 Prizes in this Magazine.
t Credits for some photographs were omitted. In particular, the Undergraduate Matriculands
photograph on page 47 was by Lafayette Photography and the New Graduates on page 50 by
JET Photographic.
t The Fellowship list on page 11 is as at October 2014 (not 2013) and some honorifics were omitted.
t The New Graduates list on page 49 is that for 2013 (not 2012).
t Some obituaries to hand at the time were omitted; they are included in this Magazine.
5
COLLEGE REPORT
DANIELLE BRADSHAW
MASTER’S REPORT
DANIELLE BRADSHAW
On the whole 2014–15 has been a steady year
of consolidation and we are none the worse
for that. I thank all my colleagues – Fellows and
staff – as well as all our undergraduate and
postgraduate students for their unstinting efforts,
all contributing to a strong, supportive and very
sociable academic community. Again it was a
pleasure to end the year by conferring degrees
on St Catharine’s graduands on 28 June at the
culmination of three (or four) years of effort. It
was a particularly special day for Keith Beaven
(1953) who had decided it was time to come (from
the USA) to collect his degree, 59 years after
successfully completing Part II of the Geography
Tripos; he tells his colourful story in an article in
this Magazine.
As usual the Magazine is packed with
information about student activities so a brief
summary of the usual academic results, sport and
music will suffice here. The good news is that we
have reversed last year’s very unwelcome dip in
The Master and the Senior Tutor leading the
Tripos results and were one of the main 'upward
procession of 2015 graduands out of College en route
movers' in the published Tompkins table (from a
to the Senate House.
dismal 21st last year to 13th) but we need to regain
our place in the top third, where we should be. That said, 25% of our students gained Firsts this year
and were awarded Scholarships and sent congratulatory letters. While we may be 13th over all this year,
and while it is invidious to single out particular subjects, I hope I can be excused for mentioning that
the largest subject cohort in the College, the 110 or so Natural Scientists, in all their many flavours, were
ranked extremely highly (third of all Colleges this year; second, on a three-year average), with a very
beneficial effect on our ranking. English students, although far fewer, were also ranked highly (fourth
overall; third, on a three-year average). The current first-years performed very much better (ranked a
creditable sixth of all Colleges) than their immediate predecessors, and if they keep this up we should
at least maintain our position next year, and hopefully improve on it. I hear some of you say that league
tables are not everything – and indeed they are not, and they deserve close analysis, and the points
differences in ranking are sometimes very fine – but nonetheless they are with us and a useful safeguard
against complacency. To our delight a number of our students again claimed University Prizes in a range
of subjects for best performance in their Tripos – a wonderful achievement. A list appears towards the
end of this section of the Magazine.
We have talented and enthusiastic musicians from all subjects, including Music, and they continue to
enrich College life, as vocalists, instrumentalists and choristers. The Senior (Burston) and Junior Organ
Scholars, respectively William Fairbairn (music) and Alex Coplan (computer science) deserve special
mention, as of course do our two very hardworking and talented choirs – the College Choir and the Girls’
Choir – who get better and better (if that were possible!). For further details see the Choir report. Some
of their music-making will be captured on a new CD, which will be launched at a concert in London in
8
STEPHAINE CLARKE
time for Christmas. On a final musical note, I was
delighted to spot Peter Mallinson (2005), one of
our previous talented music students and a major
contributor to College music, prominently placed
with his viola in the BBC Symphony Orchestra on
the last night of the Proms.
As for sport – there was the usual high level
of enthusiastic participation across the whole
gamut (see Club reports), with several excellent
performances. But our traditional ‘banker’,
Hockey, has still not quite recovered from last
year; the women won their Cuppers competition
again but the men, although not disgracing
themselves, brought home no silver. There was
a strong showing by the College in athletics
and swimming, with somewhat less strong
performances in soccer, rugby, cricket and on
the river – but the new boat (an eight), made
possible through the continued support of the
A young peregrine falcon calling for food from the
Boat Club by Herb Bate (1963), will hopefully
Master’s Lodge roof, July 2015.
spur on our rowers to regain their previous
form. In University sport the College contributed
massively, with some spectacular individual performances, resulting in 18 Full Blues and 18 Half Blues
– dominated by hockey (four Blues), cricket (two Blues and three Half Blues) and athletics (four Blues,
two Half Blues). Individually outstanding were Priya Crosby (athletics and coxing, winning the colleges
Victor Ludorum cup), Harriet Hall and Alex Craig (fencing for the third year running) and Anni Bates (high
jump Blue and now additionally about to ride for Cambridge in the newly established horse-race against
Oxford at Newmarket in October). Alumnus George Nash (2008; Engineering) is seemingly invincible in
international rowing, with a succession of gold medals, most recently as a member of the winning eight
in the World Rowing Championships in France. Keep them coming, George!
It would be remiss of me not to mention the appearance of a St Catharine’s team on University
Challenge for the first time in many years! See under News in the Society section of this Magazine. In his
usual introductory remarks in the first round of the competition, mentioning notable alumni, it was good
to hear Jeremy Paxman say (in introducing St Catharine’s) ‘…and me!’.
We have been much saddened by the deaths of three of our highly regarded Fellows (obituaries
appear after the list of current Fellows) – two Honorary fellows (Professor Sir Christopher (Chris) Bayly
FBA and Dr Richard (Dick) Laws CBE FRS) and an Emeritus Fellow (Dr John Shakeshaft). Chris Bayly,
distinguished historian of South East Asia, died suddenly of a heart attack a month short of his 70th
birthday, on 19 April, whilst on one of his annual visits to lecture at the University of Chicago. His funeral
at the Cambridge Crematorium on a sunny day, attended by round 200 family members, friends and
colleagues, was followed by a reception, equally well attended, in the McGrath Centre. Donations in
memory of Chris Bayly to the Eric Stokes Fund, established by Chris and Dr John Thompson, in memory
of late Fellow Professor Eric Stokes, currently amount (with Gift Aid) to an impressive £18,000; the
purpose of the Fund is to promote the study of history generally in the College, and more especially
to make grants to graduates who are engaged in research on overseas history. A memorial event to
celebrate the life and work of Chris Bayly will be held sometime in Spring 2016.
9
Dr John Shakeshaft sadly died of cancer at the age of 85 on 6 July 2015 after several months of illness.
Until then he was in College for lunch on a more-or-less daily basis, and is greatly missed, not least by
me personally, for his gentle personality, his unfailing courtesy, his quizzical smile, quiet dry humour,
penetrating and challenging observations, razor-sharp mind, and encyclopaedic knowledge of the
College. John had been a Fellow for 56 years (the last 18 as an Emeritus Fellow) and was Assistant
Director of Research in Radio Astronomy for 33 years until his retirement from the University in 1997. He
served as President of the College (1990–4) and remarkably as Librarian for 42 years. We are delighted to
mark this major contribution and John’s love of books and libraries – reflected in the reading from Carl
Sagan at his funeral – by naming the hitherto ‘nameless’ (new) Library as the Shakeshaft Library. This will
be formally approved by the Governing Body in October.
Dr Dick Laws (1944), distinguished polar researcher and large mammal ecologist, died early in the
year, in October 2014, at the age of 88 and it was an honour to read (from T S Eliot) at his funeral service
in St Edmund’s College chapel. He was elected an Honorary Fellow in 1982 whilst Director of the British
Antarctic Survey (BAS) in Cambridge (following a fascinating career in Africa; see his obituary). Upon
his retirement from BAS he served as Master of St Edmund’s College (1986–97); inevitably St Catharine’s
saw little of him during these years and he was best known to the more longstanding members of the
Fellowship, but everyone enjoyed his watercolours and drawings exhibited, as a tribute to his many
talents and achievements, in the Long Gallery after his death.
On a less sombre note we were delighted to note that four of our Fellows/Fellow Commoners
between them clocked up a third of a millennium in years. Professor Sir Alan Battersby turned 90 during
the year whilst Dr Michael Message, Canon Hugh Searle and Dr Chris Thorne are by comparison spring
chickens at 80. We congratulate them all most warmly and wish them many happy birthdays to come.
Alan’s 90th year was marked by the unveiling of his splendid portrait, painted by Paul Brason, who also
did my portrait a few years ago (also featuring the OCR window and St Catharine’s crest). Alan’s portrait
now graces the Long Gallery and has attracted much favourable comment. At a most convivial 90th
birthday dinner Alan spoke about his life’s journey from relatively humble beginnings to the 1702 Chair
of Chemistry in Cambridge. See the item on Sir Alan later in this section of the Magazine.
As always it is a pleasure to report on the individual successes of Fellows. Professor Chris Clark,
Regius Professor of History, was awarded a knighthood for services to Anglo-German relations and
Professor Eilís Ferran (Law, 1980), was appointed Pro-Vice Chancellor (for Institutional and International
Relations). There was again good news for the College in the annual University promotions round: we
congratulate Dr Mark Elliott on his promotion to Professor and Dr Nora Berend on her promotion to
Reader in the Law and History Faculties, respectively, and Dr David Aldridge and Dr Matt DeJong on
their promotions to Senior Lectureships in the Zoology and Engineering Departments, respectively. And
there were again prizes and awards! Chris Clark won several further prizes for his book The Sleepwalkers
and was also awarded Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Birmingham and Ghent. Dr Hazem
Kandil was awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize (‘for outstanding young scholars’), and Professor John
Pyle and his research team won both the International Impact Award and the Overall Impact Award
from the National Environmental Research Council. Dr Alison Banwell (Bowring Research Fellow) was
awarded a three-year Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellowship and Professor Ron Martin a two-year
Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship. We congratulate all the awardees most warmly.
There have again been comings and goings in the Fellowship. We shall miss Dr Jonathan Gair,
Dr Simon Layton, Dr Amanda Maycock (Junior Research Fellow) and Dr Gerd Van Dijck (Heller Research
Fellow) but offer our very warm wishes and congratulations on their new academic appointments – as,
respectively, Reader in the School of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh; Lecturer in World
History at Queen Mary University of London; joint NERC Research Fellow/University Fellow in the
10
LOUIS SINCLAIR
The display bookcase for John Addenbrooke’s books in the refurbished Ramsden Room.
Department of Earth and Environment at Leeds University; and as a ‘quantitative analyst manager’
with a major global insurance company, modelling complicated risk scenarios. We also said goodbye
to Dr Edmund Godfrey (Radiology Consultant at Addenbrooke’s Hospital) and we thank him for his
year of anatomy teaching to our medical students. Professor Ron Martin retires shortly from his Chair
in Geography in the University and from his Professorial Fellowship at St Catharine’s, and becomes an
Emeritus Fellow on 1 October, 41 years after he first joined the College as a Fellow in 1974. Fortunately
Ron will continue as Wine Steward for another couple of years before handing over to his recently
appointed deputy, Dr David Aldridge. We wish all the leavers well and thank them most warmly for
their contributions to the College and to the Fellowship, and we extend a very warm welcome to all the
newcomers (see New Fellows section for further details).
Dr Jessica Gwynne (Fellow in Materials Science) joined us in January, and in October Dr Michael
Amior (2004) joins us as a Fellow and College Lecturer in Economics, Dr Andrew Hillier as a Fellow
in Mathematics, and Dr Charalampos (aka Haris) Psarras as a Fellow and College Associate Teaching
Officer in Law. Also coming on board in October will be two new Junior Research Fellows in Science
– Dr Nagabhushana (aka Rao) Vladamani (Engineering) as a Bowring Fellow, and Dr Glenn Masson
(Molecular Biology/Biochemistry), recent graduate student of this College, as a Henslow Fellow, funded
by the Cambridge Philosophical Society, to whom we express our warm thanks. We were delighted to
elect two new Honorary Fellows during the year, in recognition of their distinction in their respective
fields: Professor Robert Saxton (1972), Professor of (Music) Composition in Oxford, and Professor Sarah
Springman (1975), Professor of Geotechnical Engineering and now Rector at the ETH in Zurich and an
international sportswoman. In addition Dr John Endicott (1964), a civil engineer working in Hong Kong,
was elected a Fellow Commoner; John has for many years been the stalwart convenor of the Asia Pacific
branch of the Society. He has welcomed College members to Hong Kong on more than one occasion
(including a memorable evening when the centrepiece of the wonderful buffet table was a spectacular
ice-sculpture in the form of a Catharine wheel that was still holding its own, albeit diminished, by the
11
JEAN THOMAS
end of the most convivial evening.
As usual I have relished meeting alumni in
College on a number of occasions throughout
the year and hearing news, anecdotes and
reminiscences. The well-attended lunch for
Woodlark Society Members in College in
December was followed in mid-January by
the fifth 1473 Foundation Dinner (at which we
recognise recent major philanthropic giving), this
year kindly sponsored by Neil (1974) and Alison
Ostrer, and in June by the Benefactors’ Garden
Party. The Reunion Dinners (1963–6 in March;
1996–8 in September) and the September Society
Reunion Dinner, where every decade from the
1940s to the present one was represented, were
A gold brooch bequeathed to the Master and
extremely well attended; it was great to see
Fellows by the late Dr & Mrs Evans for the use of
so many in good heart, renewing friendships
the Master or the Master’s wife as appropriate.
and exchanging news. Alumni/Society events
The brooch was given by Dr Evans to his wife on their in London also attracted a good turnout. The
golden wedding anniversary.
first of the year in October saw the second
‘Royal Society evening’ (sponsored this time
by Mark Humphries, 1980) in splendid surroundings, with plenty of time to socialise, and two short
talks (Professor Bill Sutherland (Conservation Biology) and Dr Sriya Iyer (Economics of Religion) which
generated a stream of enthusiastic questions; the corresponding event this coming October will be
held at the neighbouring British Academy. At the other end of the year, party spirit had set in when
around 150 alumni of all ages enjoyed a reception hosted in July by Lord (John) Horam (1957) to mark
his Presidency of the Society. There will be similar events in 2015–16, but I also look forward to renewing
old acquaintances and making new ones amongst our alumni in New York and San Francisco in
December, and then in Hong Kong in April. The highlight of that visit, at which we will be accompanied
by (part of ) the College choir, will be the inaugural Asia Pacific 1473 Dinner (generously sponsored by
Professor David Cheung; 1958) to thank benefactor Members from Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and
possibly even Colombo.
Philanthropy continues to play a crucial role in supporting our teaching posts and research
fellowships, as well as the provision of student bursaries and hardship funds (outlined in the
Development Director’s Report), and this year I was delighted to host a dinner in honour of our good
friends Sir Michael (1955) and Lady (Morven) Heller to celebrate 20 years of continuous funding of the
Heller Research Fellowship in Computer Science; an article about the Heller Fellowships appears later
in this Magazine. We are most grateful for this support, and are very pleased to be advertising now for
the next Heller Research Fellow, to start in October 2016. Increasingly benefactions are also speeding
up much-needed improvements to our buildings and facilities. This year saw the transformational
refurbishment of the Ramsden Room and the Old Lodge basement beneath it (made possible by
generous benefactions from Peter Boizot (1950) and the late Dr Robert Evans (Fellow 1947) and Mrs Betty
Evans). The Ramsden Room now more than passes muster and is much enhanced by the splendidly
housed books given to the College by alumnus, later Fellow and Bursar, John Addenbrooke (1697,
Fellow 1704) shortly before he died in 1719. The continuing annual summer refurbishment at St Chad’s
was more exciting than usual this year, with the start of construction of a much-needed Porters’ Lodge,
12
STEPHANIE CLARKE
Cleaning the pillars of the main gates, before (left) and after (right).
generously funded by the Doty and Price families from New York. No summer would be complete
without scaffolding and this year it was the turn of the stonework on the Chapel side of Main Court to
be spruced up, along with the main-gate pillars, which now positively sparkle in the sunshine. For more
on the building works, see the Bursar’s Report.
Our current fundraising Campaign is approaching its £30M target (just under £3M still to be raised)
with efforts now concentrated mainly on strengthening the Endowment, directly or indirectly.
Thereafter a major focus will be fundraising for expansion in student accommodation, to cater for
fourth-year students and the increase in graduate students anticipated across the University; the Old
Press Site, just across the road, which I have mentioned in previous years, would undoubtedly be the
best place for this expansion. Discussions have been ongoing throughout the year and it is likely that
the University will shortly agree terms that would allow four Colleges (St Catharine’s, Pembroke, Queens’
and Darwin) to take a 200-year lease and build on the site. The advantages for us, landlocked as we are
on the Island Site, are obvious, but to secure our (surely rightful!) place across the road we need to have
secured a sizeable proportion of the ca. £20M cost of our share of the rooms, in gifts or pledges, in the
near future, before the Governing Body will contemplate approving our participation in the project.
This has presented something of a challenge for the Development Director, Bursar and Master over the
summer, but progress has been, and is being, made. Watch this space! Meanwhile I prepare to embark
on my final year as Master, and the College is busy looking for my successor. The last (nearly) nine very
enjoyable years have gone faster than I could ever have imagined; the next Report will be my last!
Jean Thomas
13
THE FELLOWSHIP
As at 1 October 2015, in order of seniority following the Master and President. The latest year of appointment
is given; note that additional years of seniority may be conferred by any previous period as a Fellow.
Official and Professorial Fellows
Professor Dame Jean Thomas ScD FRS FMedSci (2007)
Emeritus Professor of Macromolecular Biochemistry;
Master, DoS in Biochemistry
Dr John A Little (1980) President, DoS in Materials Science
& Metallurgy, Senior Treasurer of the Amalgamated
Clubs
Dr Paul N Hartle (1977) Senior Tutor, College Lecturer in
English
Professor Peter Tyler AcSS FRICS (1983) Professor of
Urban and Regional Economics; DoS in Land Economy
Dr Robert BB Wardy (1984) Reader in Ancient Philosophy;
DoS in Philosophy, DoS in Classics (on leave
Michaelmas)
Professor John A Pyle ScD FRS (1986) Head of the
University Chemistry Department, 1920 Professor of
Physical Chemistry and Co-Director of the Centre for
Atmospheric Science
Dr Patrick R Palmer (1987) Reader in Electrical
Engineering; Dudley Robinson Fellow and DoS in
Engineering
Professor Eilís V Ferran FBA (1987) University Pro-ViceChancellor, Professor of Company & Securities Law; Tom
Ivory Professorial Fellow in Law
Professor Hans van de Ven FBA (1988) Professor of
Modern Chinese History; DoS in Asian & Middle Eastern
Studies (on leave 2015–16)
Dr Philip Oliver (1988) Graduate Tutor, Admissions Tutor,
DoS in Molecular Cell Biology & Genetics
Dr Ian C Willis (1989) University Senior Lecturer; Cousens
Fellow, DoS in Geography
Professor Sir Christopher Clark FBA (1990) Regius
Professor of History; Ostrer Professorial Fellow in History
Dr E Geoffrey Kantaris (1990) Reader in Spanish &
Portugese and Director of the Centre of Latin American
Studies; DoS in Modern & Medieval Languages
Mr Michael F Kitson (1992) University Senior Lecturer; DoS
in Management Studies
Dr Rose A Melikan (1993) College Lecturer in Law, Fellows’
Registrar
Dr Michael PF Sutcliffe (1993) Reader in Mechanics of
Materials; Harold Ridgeon Fellow, DoS in Engineering
Dr John H Xuereb MD FRCP FRCPath (1994) University
Senior Lecturer; DoS in Pathology, Dean
Dr Anthony P Davenport FBPharmacolS (1995) Reader
in Cardiovascular Pharmacology; DoS in Preclinical
Medicine & Pharmacology
Dr Katharine J Dell (1996) Reader in Divinity; DoS in
Theology (on leave Michaelmas & Lent)
14
Dr Caroline Gonda (1996) College Lecturer, DoS in English,
Secretary to the Governing Body (on leave Michaelmas)
Dr Nora Berend (1996) Reader in European History; DoS
in History
Dr David C Aldridge (1997) University Senior Lecturer;
Dawson College Lecturer, DoS in Biological Natural
Sciences, Steward
Dr Richard W Dance (1997) Reader in Anglo-Saxon, Norse
& Celtic; Praelector, DoS in Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic
Dr Peter D Wothers (1997) University Teaching Fellow;
Rushton Fellow, DoS in Chemistry, Graduate Tutor
Professor Mark C Elliott (1998)† Professor of Public Law;
DoS in Law (on leave Easter)
Ms Irena Borzym (1999) Nicholas Handy College Lecturer
and DoS in Mathematics, Tutor
Dr Abigail Brundin (2000) Reader in Italian; DoS in
Modern & Medieval Languages
Dr Sriya Iyer (2000) Bibby Teaching Fellow and College
Lecturer, DoS in Economics
Dr Matthew J Mason (2001) University Physiologist; DoS
in Physiology
Dr Sergei N Taraskin (2002) Harvey McGrath College
Lecturer, DoS in Mathematics for Natural Scientists, DoS
in Computer Science; DoS in Physical Natural Sciences,
Tutor
Dr David Bainbridge (2003) University Clinical Veterinary
Anatomist; DoS in Veterinary Medicine, Tutor,
Admissions Tutor
Dr Harald Wydra (2003) Holden Fellow, College Lecturer,
DoS in Human, Social & Political Sciences (Politics &
International Relations), Tutor
Mr Simon Summers MBA (2005) Bursar
Dr Hester Lees-Jeffries (2006) University Lecturer; DoS in
English, Tutor
Dr Edward Wickham (2006) Director of College Music,
DoS in Music
Dr Gillian Carr (2006) University Senior Lecturer; DoS
in Human, Social & Political Sciences (Archaeology &
Anthropology)
Dr Miranda Griffin (2007) Dawson College Lecturer, DoS in
Modern & Medieval Languages, Admissions Tutor, Tutor
Dr Richard Harrison (2007) Reader in Earth Sciences; DoS
in Geology & Mineral Sciences, Tutor, Health & Safety
Fellow
Dr Jeffrey Dalley (2007) Reader in Molecular & Behavioural
Neuroscience; DoS in Neuroscience, DoS in Psychology
& Behavioural Sciences
Mrs Deborah Loveluck (2007) Director of Development
Dr Ivan Scales (2008) Harvey McGrath College Lecturer,
DoS in Geography (on leave Lent & Easter)
Professor William Sutherland (2008) Miriam Rothschild
Professor of Conservation Biology
Dr Peter Turner (2009) University Lecturer; BakerFellingham Fellow, DoS in Law
Dr Jerome Neufeld (2009) University Lecturer and Royal
Society Research Fellow (Geophysics); DoS in Physics
Dr Robert P Smith (2013) Royal Society Research Fellow;
DoS in Physics & Astrophysics, SCR Secretary
Professor Stuart Althorpe (2010) Professor of Theoretical
Chemistry
Dr Matthew DeJong (2010) University Senior Lecturer;
DoS in Engineering
Dr Fatima Santos (2010) Senior Postdoc Scientist; DoS in
Developmental Biology
Dr Stefan Marciniak (2011) MRC Senior Clinical Research
Fellow; DoS in Preclinical Medicine
Dr Hazem Kandil (2012) University Lecturer; DoS in
Human, Social & Political Sciences (Sociology)
Dr Michael D Hurley (2012) University Lecturer; DoS in
English
Revd David Neaum (2013) Chaplain
Professor Nicholas Morrell FMedSci (2013) Professor of
Cardiopulmonary Medicine; DoS in Clinical Medicine
Dr Timothy Rogan (2013) Violet & Ian Campbell Fellow,
College Associate Teaching Officer, DoS in History, Tutor
*Dr Jessica Gwynne (2015) University Teaching Fellow;
DoS in Materials Science
*Dr Michael Amior (2015) College Lecturer and DoS in
Economics
*Dr Haris Psarras (2015) College Associate Teaching Officer
in Law
*Dr Andrew Hillier (2015) STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellow
(Mathematics)
†
Inducted 1999
Honorary Fellows
Research Fellows
Emeritus Fellows
Dr Alison Banwell (2013) Leverhulme Newton Trust
Early Career Fellow and Bowring Research Fellow in
Geography
Dr Matthew Champion (2014) Jeremy Haworth Research
Fellow in History
Dr David Waddilove (2014) Newton Trust Research Fellow
(Law)
*Dr Glenn Masson (2015) Henslow Research Fellow in
Biochemistry
*Dr Rao Vadlamani (2015) Bowring Research Fellow in
Engineering
Professor AF Beardon (Fellow 1968) (1987)
Professor MDI Chisholm (Fellow 1976) (1996)
Dr DE Keeble (Fellow 1964) (2000)
Professor PR Raithby (Fellow 1983) (2000)
Dr MA Message (Fellow 1962) (2002)
Dr CJR Thorne (Fellow 1963) (2002)
Professor J Bridgwater (Fellow 1969–70 and 1993) (2004)
Dr JA Thompson (Fellow 1971) (2006)
Dr DM Pyle (Fellow 1989) (2006)
Professor DM Broom (Fellow 1987) (2009)
Professor H Elderfield (Fellow 1984) (2010)
Professor RJ Bennett (Fellow 1996) (2011)
Dr RSK Barnes (Fellow 1978) (2011)
Professor RP Gordon (Fellow 1995) (2012)
Professor JD Pickard (Fellow 1990) (2013)
Professor KJ Dalton (Fellow 1997) (2014)
Professor RL Martin (Fellow 1974) (2015)
Sir Peter Hall (1964)
Dr KT Erikson (1973)
Rt Hon. Lord Briggs of Lewes (1977)
Sir Peter Hirsch (1982)
Sir Ian McKellen (1982)
Professor Sir Peter Swinnerton-Dyer (Master 1973–83) (1983)
Professor Sir Graeme Davies (Fellow 1967–77) (1989)
Sir Terence English (Master 1994–2000) (1992)
Mr JRG Wright (Fellow 1978–91, Bursar 1979–87)) (1992)
Professor BE Supple (Master 1984–93) (1993)
Dr Cham Tao Soon (1996)
Professor Sir Michael Peckham (1998)
Dr FRleP Warner (1999)
Professor Sir Jonathan Bate (2001)
Mr JD Paxman (2001)
Professor Sir Alan Battersby (Fellow 1969–92, Emeritus
1992) (2001)
Mr RG Smethurst (2001)
Professor DS Ingram (Master 2000–06) (2006)
Professor Sir Richard Gardner (2007)
Rt Hon. Sir Geoffrey Pattie (Fellow Commoner 2005) (2007)
Professor CFW Higham (2008)
Sir Emyr Jones Parry (2008)
Dr NB Penny (2009)
Professor H Bedelian (2010)
Professor PJ Barnes (2011)
Professor Sir John Baker (Fellow 1971–2011, Emeritus 2011)
(2012)
Professor A Blix (2012)
Mrs R Fairhead (2012)
Mrs J Harris (2012)
Mr H McGrath (Fellow Commoner 2004) (2013)
Mr D Harding (2013)
*Professor Robert Saxton (2015)
*Professor Sarah Springman (2015)
15
Fellow Commoners
Dr GT Cavaliero (1986)
Revd JStH Mullett (1989)
Mr R Stratford (1992)
Mr JB Bibby (1996)
Mr PJ Boizot (1996)
Sir Michael Heller (2003)
Lady Morven Heller (2003)
Mr NF Haynes (2005)
Mr RJ Chapman (2005)
Mr GG Beringer (2008)
Revd Canon HD Searle (2008)
Mr HW Bate (2009)
Mr PA Bowring (2009)
Mr MD Richer (2009)
Lord Horam (2010)
Mr T Adams (2011)
Mr DW Peace (2014)
Professor AG Watts (2014)
*Mr LJ Endicott (2015)
*New and returning Fellows etc: see biographical notes
below. DoS: Director of Studies.
NEW FELLOWS
Michael Amior returns to St Catharine’s as a Teaching Officer in Economics. He
studied at the College as an undergraduate and completed his MSc and PhD at
UCL. He contributed to the Scottish independence debate as an economist at
the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and, since then, he has worked at the Centre for
Economic Performance at LSE. His research is largely empirical, focusing on the
geography of labour markets and migration in both the UK and US.
John Endicott was admitted by Canon Christopher Waddams to read Mathematics
but, like several others, changed after the first year to read Mechanical Sciences
under the guidance of Dudley Robinson and Wylie Gregory. He stayed on to
complete a PhD in Soil Mechanics in 1971. John writes ‘I have pursued a career in
ground engineering mostly involving designs of tunnels and underground railway
stations, now well in excess of one hundred of them, as well as some work on slope
stability and reclamations (such as the 1243 ha site for the airport at Hong Kong).
It was in Hong Kong about 20 years ago that I took over from another engineer,
George Tedbury (1963), as the local Catz representative. Since then I have arranged
dinners whenever there has been a visiting Member and two performances
of the College Choir at the Cathedral. We have about 40 Alumni registered
and sometimes numbers at table have exceeded 30. As the CEO of Maunsell
Geotechnical Services Ltd, I grew the practice to over 500 staff working on ground
engineering in Hong Kong in an engineering office of over 2,000 staff. The practice
merged globally and I stepped down from CEO in 2005. I am still actively employed
by the US-listed consulting company AECOM on projects spread between India
and New Zealand with some visits to the Middle East.’
16
Jessica Gwynne studied Natural Sciences (specialising in Materials Science)
at Robinson College before completing a PhD in biomedical Materials Science.
This was followed by several years of post-doctoral research in the same field
but, despite enjoying research, her real passion was always for teaching. She is
now a Teaching Fellow at the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy,
lecturing to the first, second and fourth year undergraduate students. She is Head
of Year for IA Materials Science and she has supervised both first and second
year Materials Science students for a number of years. Outside work, Jess enjoys
ballroom dancing and is a keen allotment gardener.
Andrew Hillier is currently an STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellow working with the
Solar Physics group at DAMTP. Andrew was an undergraduate at the University
of Leeds and, after completing an MMath, he moved to Japan where he spent
two years as an Assistant Language Teacher at a High School before joining the
PhD course at Kyoto University. Andrew completed his PhD in Astrophysics,
specialising in Solar Physics, in 2011 and then remained at Kyoto University for a
further three years, moving to Cambridge in 2014. Andrew’s research focuses on
the role of magnetic instabilities in the solar atmosphere.
Glenn Masson joined St Catharine’s to research for his PhD, which was recently
completed at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, and for which he was awarded
the St Catharine’s Distinction-in-Research prize. His thesis focused on using new
forms of mass spectrometry to determine how intrinsically disordered proteins
interact with one another and the cell membrane, in order to provide new
therapeutic opportunities for cancer and malaria treatment. Prior to his PhD,
Glenn received an MSc in Biochemistry from the University of Sheffield which
included a year working with AstraZeneca. He is currently researching how to
determine protein structures de novo using mass spectrometry.
Haris Psarras studied law at the University of Athens (LLB, LLM) and was
subsequently called to the Bar in 2006. After completing the MJur at Oxford
he moved to Edinburgh where he pursued a PhD and worked as Tutor in
Jurisprudence at Edinburgh Law School. Following his doctorate he was
appointed Teaching Fellow in Legal Theory at the University of Edinburgh. Haris
joins the Fellowship at St Catharine’s as Associate Teaching Officer in Law and
he will also act as Affiliated Lecturer at the Faculty. His scholarly interests lie in
jurisprudence. His current research focuses on the concept and justification
of the authority of law. Haris has also written on EU Law Theory, the bearing
of principles of justice on private law relationships and some aspects of the
intersection between law and literature.
17
KATIE VANDYCK
Robert Saxton studied at St Catharine’s and at Oxford University with Robin
Holloway and Robert Sherlaw Johnson respectively following guidance from
Benjamin Britten and Elisabeth Lutyens. He is Professor of Composition and
Tutorial Fellow in Music at Worcester College, Oxford. He has written major works
for the BBC (TV, Proms and Radio), LSO and London Sinfonietta and festivals
including Huddersfield, Three Choirs and Cheltenham, and has an extensive
discography. Commissions include the opera The Wandering Jew, Five Motets for
The Clerks and Edward Wickham for the Proms, a song cycle for baritone Roderick
Williams, a string quartet for the Arditti Quartet and a piano cycle for Clare
Hammond.
Sarah Springman completed her MPhil, and part of her PhD on mechanistic
analysis and design for passive lateral loading of piles for bridge abutments,
while at St Catharine’s. After becoming a lecturer in the Engineering Department
and initiating the Language Programme for Engineers, Sarah was appointed
to a chair in geotechnicaI engineering at ETH Zürich, where she learnt German
quickly to teach and research on soil-structure-interaction problems, and on
geotechnical aspects of natural hazards, primarily on degrading permafrost and
landslides. She is an expert on field characterisation, monitoring and modelling,
particularly using a geotechnical centrifuge. She was Officer Commanding of the
Sapper wing of CUOTC and competed internationally in three sports (squash –
Fiji; triathlon and rowing – Great Britain) and, apparently, still holds the College
marathon record.
Nagabhushana Rao Vadlamani completed his PhD in Engineering at Robinson
in July 2014. Subsequently he continued working as a post-doctoral researcher
on a project funded by Rolls-Royce and TSB. Prior to his PhD, Rao worked with
the Digital Mockup team in Airbus India on the safe installation of various
aircraft systems in A350 XWB. He obtained his master’s degree from the Indian
Institute of Technology, Madras, where he specialized in thermal engineering.
Rao’s research involves developing reliable numerical tools to build efficient
components for modern aircraft engines. He is a computational fluid dynamicist
with specific interest in capturing transitional and turbulent flows using highfidelity simulations. In 2013 he and his colleagues were the recipients of the IGTI
Turbomachinery Committee Best Paper Award for their work on transition in low
pressure turbines.
18
RETIREMENTS AND FAREWELLS
Jonathan Gair left at the end of the Lent Term 2015 to take up a Readership in the School of
Mathematics at Edinburgh University.
Edmund Godfrey has resigned his Fellowship and writes to say that he enjoyed his time at Catz
enormously but is unable to continue owing to family commitments. He is very sad to have to go.
Edward King left in January 2015 to take up a Lectureship in Portuguese and Lusophone Studies at
the University of Bristol. He writes that he was very sad to leave St Catharine’s and Cambridge, but
is nevertheless enjoying everything in Bristol. The book he was writing while at Catz has now been
published – Virtual Orientalism in Brazilian Culture.
Simon Layton has been appointed Lecturer in Early Modern Global History in the School of History at
Queen Mary College, London. He writes ‘Chris Bayly’s passing was a devastating blow for many of us.
However, I am being made to feel very warmly welcomed at Queen Mary and I am to pick up where
Chris left off, notably by teaching on the flagship MA course in Global History, espousing the ‘Bayly
School’ more generally to the undergraduates. I am enormously and forever grateful to St Catharine’s,
which has given me a home and a vibrant intellectual community these past seven years, and has set
me up for a wonderful career doing what I love.’
Ron Martin On 1 October 2015 Professor Ron Martin will glide with effortless ease from Professorial
Fellow to Emeritus Professorial Fellow of the College. He will be far from retiring, however. He will
immediately commence work on a major three-year ERSC-funded research project on the Structural
Transformation and Long-Run Economic Growth of Cities, and will simultaneously take up a two-year
Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship to research and write a book on the British economy. He will also
continue as a lead expert on the UK Government Office for Science’s Foresight Programme on the
Future of Cities. In College he will continue as Wine Steward and as Custodian of Works of Art, two
particular tasks he greatly enjoys. In short, he will be as busy as ever
Amanda Maycock has been appointed NERC Independent Research Fellow in the School of Earth and
Environment at the University of Leeds. This is a tenure-track position leading to Associate Professor
upon successful completion of a structured five-year probation period. She says that she will use the
fellowship to expand her research into interactions between atmospheric composition and climate
using state-of-the-art computer models.
Gert van Dijck, whose Heller Research Fellowship ended in 2015, is working for AIG Insurance and
Goldman Sachs in London. See also the article on Heller Fellowships later in this Magazine.
19
PROFESSOR SIR CHRISTOPHER BAYLY (1945–2015)
LITTD FBA
Chris Bayly (Fellow 1970, Emeritus Fellow 2012, Honorary Fellow 2014) was
born 18 May 1945 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and died 19 April 2015 in Chicago.
Professor Sir Christopher Clark writes:
Professor Sir Christopher Bayly, LittD, FBA, who died in Chicago of a heart attack
on 19 April 2015 at the age of 69, was the pre-eminent historian of India and the
British empire and a pioneer in the field of global history. He was also the first
academic ever to be knighted ‘for services to history outside of Europe’. Chris’s
distinction was international, as the long list of his appointments and honours
testifies, but his career was centred on St Catharine’s College, where he was
elected in 1970 to a Fellowship and College Lectureship in History and became Director of Studies in
History. In 1981, Chris Bayly was appointed to the Smuts Readership in Commonwealth Studies, and
thereafter he was appointed to a succession of posts in the Faculty of History, culminating in the Vere
Harmsworth Professorship of Imperial and Naval History in 1992. At the time of his death, he held
concurrently professorships at Chicago, Copenhagen and Queen Mary University of London.
Chris was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, to a family entangled with the recent history of Empire. He
remembered childhood conversations with his London cockney grandfather who had fought during the
First World War in Egypt, Palestine and Turkey. His father had seen service all over the world as a merchant
mariner, including on ships running copra from India. ‘So I had an early introduction to colonial and world
history’, he would later say. The history Chris learned at the Skinners’ School in Tunbridge Wells and as an
undergraduate at Balliol, Oxford, in 1963, was broad in its intellectual horizons but strongly European in
focus. The turn towards a career in Indian history came in 1965, when Chris embarked on a long vacation
journey across land to India, passing through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Forced to avoid the
Indian-Pakistani warzone, he traveled south to Karachi and caught a Shia pilgrimage boat to Basra. ‘I got
a sense of India from the other side’, he recalled in a July 2014 interview. ‘Not dropping out of an aircraft.
India in West Asia, and particularly the Muslim dimension. So that was a very formative experience’.
At St Antony’s, his graduate college, Sarvepalli Gopal and Albert Hourani guided his reading in the
histories of India and the Middle East; the supervisor of his doctoral thesis was Jack Gallagher (also of
Balliol), who was then overseeing a transformation in British imperial history. Chris came to Cambridge
in 1970 at the invitation of Eric Stokes, Smuts Professor of British Commonwealth History, who had been
at St Catharine’s College since 1963. The transfer to Cambridge was arranged, as Chris later recalled, in
the strikingly relaxed way typical of those times: ‘Jack phoned Eric: “Eric, have you got a job there for this
funny person called Bayly that I’ve got?” He said: “Maybe we do”, and that was it.’
Eric Stokes was to be Chris’s most important mentor. In the 1970s, Stokes was moving away from
the issues of principle and ideology that had commanded the attention of his earlier work towards an
approach to Indian history that stressed the importance of landholding structures and the pressures
exerted on them by British systems of revenue management. An interest in the dynamic interaction
between local elites and imperial governments would also be an abiding feature of Chris’s work on
India. Stokes’s unpretentious and likeable scholarly persona was another inspiration. In a touching piece
for the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Chris found words for Stokes, who had died in 1981, that
one might use of Chris himself: ‘His influence as a historian was accomplished not with domineering
patronage, but through humour, self-deprecation, and intellectual inquisitiveness’.
Chris Bayly’s books don’t document results; they track intellectual journeys. ‘This book’, Chris writes at
the opening of Rulers, Townsmen and Bazaars (1983), a study that transformed historical understanding
20
of the impact of British rule in India, ‘grew out of a fascination with the rich pattern of commercial life
still to be found in the tangled lanes of brass-smiths’ stalls and ancient merchant houses which lay
behind the water-front of the city of Benares.’ The stately waterfront mansions of the ghats of Benares
were just a point of disembarkation. What interested him were the tangled lanes behind.
These steps away from the waterfront, into the recesses behind elite networks and smooth
historiographical surfaces, can be traced in every book Chris wrote. Chris was acutely aware of the
intricately layered quality of human societies. Again and again, he offers us vertiginous views through
superimposed social textures. Nothing in what unfolds before our eyes is obvious, because everything is
in motion. Clans and occupational fraternities coalesce into class-like structures; power changes hands:
cosmopolitan oligarchs cede power to merchants, Nanakpanthi Khattris take over from their islamicised
caste fellows; Kannada merchants and Chettis slip into positions once occupied by Armenians and Jews.
Chris saw a piece of agency, a spark of resilience and hope, in everyone who entered his field of vision.
This seething, ever-present mobility made it utterly impossible to think of India as something
stagnant or passive, something to which history or empire simply happened. Chris’s eye was fixed on
those forces of self-organisation and self-reinvention that predated the arrival of the British and would
survive their departure to shape the India of today.
Already in the earliest books on India, Chris had discerned parallels with peasant Egypt, small-town
Meiji-era Japan, and the striving professional classes of nineteenth-century China. These expansive
reflections later fed into the two breakthrough books that shaped and deepened the new field of world
history – Imperial Meridian and The Birth of the Modern World, establishing Chris as one of the foremost
historians of his generation worldwide. Imperial Meridian (1989) marked a transition from highly
textured work on the Indian sub-continent to a new kind of history focused on how the interactions
between great imperial power complexes shaped and was shaped by processes of change within them.
The most historiographically significant work in this mode was The Birth of the Modern World: global
connections and comparisons, 1780–1914 (2003), which not only did much to establish world history as a
scholarly discipline but also altered the conceptual framework of the subject by de-centring the West.
At the heart of The Birth of the Modern World is a narrative of convergence. The book opens with a
powerful evocation of the diversity of bodily practices across the world’s societies at the beginning
of the modern era; the nineteenth century, Bayly argues, saw the rise of global uniformities in the
structures and articulations of states, religions and economic life, visible not only in great institutions
but also in modes of dress and the consumption of food. The book shrinks the distance between ‘the
West’ and ‘the rest’; industrialization, organization, nationalism and the development of the state are
for him ultimately global processes, notwithstanding local specificities. The book registered moments
of heightened difference and antagonism, but for Chris, these were always subordinate phenomena.
Antagonisms flourished precisely because societies were becoming more connected and more alike.
Chris’s account allowed for what he describes as ‘the brute fact of western domination’, but his
book also stressed the limited and temporary character of that domination and insisted on the
‘interdependence’ of diverse processes of change. No one who reads this book can fail to be impressed
by the subtlety and lucidity of the reasoning, the breadth of compass, the attention to reciprocity in
political, economic and social relationships and the well-oiled analytical gears that enabled Chris to
travel elegantly between the local and the global.
And even as he enlarged the scope of his attention, Chris continued to generate fresh insights into
Indian history. Empire and Information (1996), offered a compelling account of British intelligence gathering
in India between 1780 and 1870, showing how the ‘native informants’ recruited by the British actively
shaped the process. In analogous fashion, The Origins of Nationality in South Asia (1998) and Recovering
Liberties (2011) – elucidated how Indians responded as autonomous agents to western nationalism and
21
liberal political and economic thought.
Chris’s books bore the imprint of wide
and humane interests; they were also
methodologically eclectic. As Richard Drayton,
former Research Fellow at St Catharine’s College
and Rhodes Professor of Imperial History at King’s
College London, put it in an obituary for the
Guardian: Chris Bayly had ‘an astonishing capacity
to respond quickly to new perspectives and had
the knack, in particular, of grafting historical ideas
from one specialism to another. He read widely
across the social sciences and had a magpie’s
eye for something brilliant in another discipline’.
Conversation was a crucial part of the gathering
and comparing that drove Chris’s historical
thinking: when discussions with students or
colleagues got interesting, Chris would often pull
out a small crumpled notebook and start scribbling down ideas.
As these observations may suggest, Chris lived in his work. Not for it, but in it. The ‘Bayly mahal’, as
he sometimes affectionately called the home he and his wife Susan founded when they married in
1981, was a place of conversation over work and wine, a conversation anchored in shared passions,
complementary interests and pride in each other’s achievements. And C3 on Main Court, the room Chris
occupied for decades at St Catharine’s College, was much more than an office. Remember the eloquent
objects that gathered there. The model ship his father had built. The tall eighteenth-century Venetian
rosewood slippers decorated in mother of pearl – witnesses to the cultural links between northern Italy,
the Ottoman Empire and China. The beautiful Gandhara head of the Buddha, 1500 years old and carved
by Greek and South Asian artisans in a style native to Eastern Afghanistan – of all the things Chris and
Susan had found together, this was his favourite.
It was in C3 that so many conversations happened, conversations that never failed to take Chris’s
guests to new places. And I’m not referring here just to the sparks that were always falling from Chris’s
forge, but also to his other gifts – gifts of unassuming and attentive friendship. Just a few days after his
death, one of Chris’s former St Catharine’s graduate students, Jayeeta Sharma, wrote: ‘I will never forget
how awkward I felt, as a provincial student from a little place in Northeastern India, how he helped
me to find my moorings, with C3 as a welcoming, warm and beautiful space for talk, laughter, and
hospitality’. Words like this remind us of why Chris was admired and loved in equal measure.
After he had declined the offer by his former students to produce a Festschrift, a conference was
organized in Varanasi (Benares) in January of this year to honour his achievements. Here one could see
Chris at ease and happy in the setting of the civilization that had absorbed and rewarded his attention
for so many years. It is hard to imagine a more fitting acknowledgement: it was on the stone bathing
wharves (ghats) of this beautiful, thronging city that the young Chris Bayly had begun his research into
the mercantile elites of northern India.
We miss Chris Bayly. We miss the books he would have written and the bottles and conversations we
would have shared with him. We miss the sight of him at night, herding families of ducks (ably assisted
on occasions by the Head Porter, Mr Dom Mulcrone) from St Catharine’s College down to the banks of
the River. But we are thankful for the inspiration he was and is, and the College is deeply proud of this
outstanding historian who taught, wrote and flourished here for 43 years.
22
DR JOHN ROLAND SHAKESHAFT (1929–2015)
John Shakeshaft was born on 9 December 1929 in Chelmsford, Essex, and died in
Cambridge on 6 July 2015. John was elected to the Fellowship in 1961 when there were
but sixteen on the Governing Body. He served as College Librarian from 1962–2004
and President 1990–3. He became an Emeritus Fellow in 1997. Dr Peter Wothers writes:
Like many others, my first encounter with Dr John Shakeshaft was as a slightly
terrified eighteen-year-old, sitting across a table from him during my Cambridge
interview, hoping to gain a place at St Catharine’s. Years later, as a Fellow of
the College, I came to realise that, with his rather unique, forthright style of
‘questioning’, many people sitting opposite him for lunch continued to feel as I
did then. John must have interviewed thousands of candidates during his long time as a Fellow here,
a fact that came home to me on finding out that he also interviewed our current President, John Little
(1972), and emeritus Fellow Professor John Pickard in 1963. But I would like to quote from another of our
alumni, physicist-turned-comedian Ben Miller (1985), who recalls his admissions interview with John and
chemistry-Fellow Paul Raithby in his popular science book It’s Not Rocket Science.
‘It started badly... Dr Shakeshaft asked me a very simple question about Newton’s second law; I
freaked out under that pressure and I came out with the only thing I could think of: “We didn’t do that at
my school.” This is a bit like saying that no one taught you to shampoo at Vidal Sassoon. He tried another
tack and asked me something about electromagnetism; I claimed never to have heard of that either.
Out of sympathy, I think, Paul Raithby took two objects from his pocket and laid them on the table in
front of me: a squash ball and a piece of hard plastic. “If I told you”, he said, “that these two objects have
the same chemical composition…”’ Perhaps aided by his reading earlier on the way to the interview, Ben
impressed the two interviewers and later received an offer. He continues:
‘I had achieved a life ambition: I had won a place at Cambridge to study physics. In actual fact I
was mistaken; what I had in fact won was a place at Cambridge to study chemistry. For on my first
day in harness, I realised that my ambitions didn’t necessarily tie in with those of my new college,
St Catharine’s. I presented myself to John Shakeshaft and announced my intended speciality. “Really?” he
said, with some surprise. “But you gave such an elegant answer to the chemistry question. I’m afraid Paul
rather had you down as one of his!” I begged to differ. “But you didn’t even know what momentum was.”
An off-day, I explained. I lived for Newtonian physics. “Very well,” he said with a sigh. “Welcome aboard.”
He didn’t look up until I was nearly at the door. “Mr Miller?” I turned with great hope in my heart. Could
this be the offer of a scholarship? “What exactly did they teach you at your school?”’
John himself had won a scholarship to read Natural Sciences at St John’s College in 1949, coming
from Caterham School in Essex. After graduating he began his PhD in astrophysics under the direction
of the future Nobel Prize winner, Martin Ryle (see below). Following a three-year Research Fellowship
at his former college, in 1960 John became a University Demonstrator in Physics. That same year, the
Revd Canon CD Waddams wrote to John asking if he might be interested in acting as the Director of
Studies in Physics at St Catharine’s. The College had had associated physicists before John, but in 1961 he
became our first ever Fellow in Physics.
John soon came to identify himself more as a facilitator and began focussing on assisting the running
of the Radio Astronomy Group, and on teaching. He led the teaching committee in the Cavendish,
lectured parts of the physics course and for many years was the Senior Examiner for all parts of the
Tripos – a job he felt needed to be done with proper care and attention. John soon became known for
his great attention to detail (a fact to which the Editor of this magazine can attest). John was thanked by
author Graham Woan in The Cambridge Handbook of Physics Formulas:
23
My greatest thanks though are to John Shakeshaft who, with remarkable knowledge and skill, worked
through the entire manuscript more than once during its production and whose legendary red pen
hovered over (or descended upon) every equation in the book. What errors remain are, of course, my
own but I take comfort from the fact that without John they would be much more numerous.
I believe it was his acute attention to detail, that made him such an outstanding College Librarian.
He took on this job in his second year at St Catharine’s and continued for 42 years until just after his
retirement. When the new dining hall was built in the 60s, what is now the Armitage Room became the
overspill library. There was also a law library in C1, now the Bursar’s room. This was all far from ideal, and
so, in the mid-80s, John oversaw the construction of the ‘New Library’. With the original Sherlock Library
housing books on English literature and modern and medieval languages, the New Library contained
pretty much everything else. And scrupulously up-to-date it was too. I remember receiving regular
snippets from catalogues, all heavily annotated by John indicating which editions the library had and
asking whether I would recommend any of the other newly published texts. John also pressed regularly
for those books that were no longer necessary to be weeded out. I also received in my pigeonhole
newspaper articles that John thought I might be interested in. The remarkable thing was that it was not
just me – John did this for all of us in the Fellowship.
John told me that it was a book that really inspired one of his other passions in life – pottery. The
book was by the master potter Bernard Leach, and it detailed the materials, techniques, and form of
contemporary pottery. John collected pottery for over 60 years. Often attending auctions, he bought
works from all over the world and soon became a most knowledgeable collector. He stopped collecting
only when there was no more room – his vast collection quite literally covered every surface in his
home. With typical generosity, John left his entire collection to the Fitzwilliam Museum and oversaw its
careful rehousing there.
John was deeply immersed in so many different aspects of College life. From my own perspective, I
recall seeing John for many years at the start of the bumps course each summer. As the Custodian of
the College Silver, I note that many items, purchased to meet the needs of the expanding Fellowship,
are engraved ex dono JR Shakeshaft. Whilst not particularly religious himself, he nonetheless generously
contributed to the adornment of the Chapel. Despite being a rather private individual, John really
took being part of the Fellowship of St Catharine’s seriously. He will be greatly missed by us all – not
just for the little articles and notes in our pigeonholes, but also for his quick-witted, fiercely sharp and
sometimes mischievously provoking conversation across the lunch table.
Emeritus Professor Malcolm Longair of the Cavendish Laboratory writes of John Shakeshaft the Radio
Astronomer:
John Shakeshaft was one of the second generation of physicists who joined the fledgling Radio
Astronomy Group in 1952 to carry out a PhD under Martin Ryle’s supervision. The discipline of radio
astronomy scarcely existed at the time. Martin had joined the Cavendish Radio Group immediately
after the War and begun the long process of disentangling the nature of the radio sky. The existence of
discrete sources of radio emission was soon established and by the time John joined the Group it was
known that some of these were associated with rather remarkable astronomical objects, for example,
exploding stars such as the Crab Nebula and what appeared to be colliding galaxies.
When John joined the Group, the second generation of radio interferometers, optimised for surveys
of the radio sky, had been designed. His task was threefold: to complete the electrical construction of
the four-element interferometer, to analyse the survey records, almost all of which had to be done by
hand, and to interpret the results of the survey. Rereading his PhD dissertation, submitted on Christmas
Eve 1956, the care and dedication he invested in compiling the catalogue of 1936 radio sources is very
24
CAVENDISH ARCHIVES
The Cavendish Radio Astronomy Group in 1954. John Shakeshaft is second from the left in the front row. In
the centre row, left to right, are Graham Smith, Martin Ryle and Antony Hewish. Peter Scheuer is fourth from
the right in the back row.
obvious. What became known as the Second Cambridge (2C) Survey of Radio Sources was published in
1955 with John as first author.
To say that the results of the survey caused a furore in the radio astronomical and cosmological
communities would be an understatement. The survey showed that there were many more faint sources
than expected in non-evolving cosmological models. Battle was joined, not only with the proponents
of Steady State Cosmology, but also with the radio astronomers from Sydney who could not reproduce
the Cambridge results. It turned out that the intensities of the faintest sources in the 2C survey had been
overestimated because of the phenomenon of ‘confusion’, the presence of faint unresolved sources in
the beam of the radio telescope when brighter sources were observed.
The Cambridge radio astronomers were well aware of the problem of confusion and Peter Scheuer had
devised an alternative way of analysing the data which confirmed the excess of faint sources – this was all
carefully explained in John’s dissertation. There followed another survey in which John played a major role,
the Third Cambridge (3C) Survey carried out a with the same 2C interferometer at twice the frequency, with
consequently twice the angular resolution to minimise the effects of confusion. This catalogue contained
only 470 sources and became the precursor of the definitive survey of bright sources in the Northern Sky.
The excess of faint sources was still there, but not to the extent inferred from the 2C survey.
It is remarkable how much of the future development of radio astronomy is adumbrated in John’s
dissertation and early papers. But it must have been quite a bruising experience for a PhD student to
be thrust into the midst of the fiery debates between the very strong personalities of Ryle, Hoyle, Gold,
Bondi, Mills and Bolton, to mention only the most prominent of the protagonists.
Subsequently, he made important observations of the polarisation of the radio emission from the
Galaxy and extragalactic radio sources and also the lowest frequency measurements of the Cosmic
Microwave Background Radiation, following its discovery in 1965 – the latter confirmed the thermal
nature of the radiation.
25
From the late 1950s onwards, John played a key support role in fostering the many activities of the
Radio Astronomy Group. He kept track of all the data on radio sources as new surveys appeared, as well
as combing the literature for all the papers relevant to radio astronomy and the new disciplines of high
energy astrophysics and astrophysical cosmology.
A particular service was his editing of radio astronomy papers in the course of their preparation. All of
us became used to draft papers coming back from John with more red ink than the contents of the papers
themselves. The annoying thing was that he was right! Many of us remember with gratitude his insistence
that papers be well written in standard English with correct punctuation. He found his ideal role as editor
of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, although it was strange to many of us how the
unbelievable chaos of his room in the Laboratory contrasted with the punctiliousness of his editing.
He is fondly remembered by many of us as an excellent colleague who provided essential support to
our research activities. His good humour never deserted him.
JEAN THOMAS
Ourania’s son
In piam memoriam John Shakeshaft
Beyond the village margins stretching west
stand telescopes, majestic, silent, like huge ceramic bowls
probing by radio the edges of the universe.
Astronomers receiving signals painstakingly
try to decipher encoded text and punctuation
as did John for thirty-three years
pressing on, feeding the expanding archive as researchers do.
Within the foundation of the Wheel
he found a family, a home, wherein
he quietly grew and flourished for fifty-four years
teaching and nourishing with irenic care countless students,
fostering fellowship for mind and body’s satisfaction,
guarding and expanding Woodlarke’s heritage,
the library most of all
his treasure chest of wisdom for forty-two years;
likewise, as with a giant microscope, scrutinising, year on year,
magazine data where only perfect grammar would satisfy
(a misplaced digit in his funeral Service a last reminder?).
Whether probing to the farthest galaxies,
or nourishing St Catharine’s children,
so patient in every endeavour, so generous in time,
what kindled the fire in the depths of his own universe?
We discovered just a little.
In perseverance we may have sensed quite near
a devoted, long-widowed mother,
or admired those potter’s hands around roughest clay;
or simply stirred ourselves to reach beyond the stars.
The Revd Canon Hugh Searle (1956, Fellow Commoner 2008)
26
John Shakeshaft seated in the Armitage Room
shortly before his death.
DR RICHARD MAITLAND LAWS (1926–2014) CBE FRS SCD
Dick Laws (Matriculated 1944, Honorary Fellow 1982) was born in Whitley Bay,
Northumberland, 23 April 1926 and died in Cambridge 7 October 2014; adventurer,
eminent large-mammal ecologist, conservationist, science administrator and
accomplished artist. Professor Arnoldus Blix writes:
Dick’s father, a former adventurer, lost his leg as a soldier in the Great War
and thereafter could undertake only clerical work, while his mother, who was
awarded an MBE for local political activities, had little time for the children and
Dick soon developed a lust for the independent life of the outdoors which he
soon started to illustrate in ink and later in watercolour.
He was educated at Dame Allan’s School, at first in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and then in Windermere
whence the school was evacuated during the Second World War. Dick continued his outdoor life in
the Lake District as an avid Boy Scout. At school, he captained the school’s rugby team and excelled in
biology, winning a Scholarship to Cambridge.
Dick came to St Catharine’s in 1944 to read Natural Sciences and developed an interest in polar
research, inspired by such local polar luminaries as Colin Bertram, Lancelot Fleming and Brian Roberts.
He played rugby, became a member of the Kittens Club, on occasion studied botany and anatomy,
and finally obtained a First in Part II Zoology in the summer of 1947. Two of Dick’s brothers were also at
St Catharine’s – Peter (Exhibitioner 1937) and Michael (Exhibitioner 1949).
After graduation Dick secured a job as biologist with the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey
(FIDS) and went south on an expedition under the leadership of his mentor to be, Vivian Fuchs, who
landed him as Base Leader on Signy Island in the South Orkneys for two years (1948–9) under austere
27
conditions. There he was to study the biology of the southern elephant seal for which he had to build
his own laboratory from the remains of a derelict Norwegian whaling station. During his tenure at
Signy Island, Dick pioneered a hallmark method for age determination in seals based on annual layers
in teeth which revolutionized studies of the population dynamics of mammals, and a still-used method
for marking seals based on flipper tags. This work was published (in 1952) after his return to Cambridge
in 1949 as a research student at Cats to write up his PhD thesis. However, at the end of the year he
went back south again, this time to the old Norwegian whaling station at Grytviken in South Georgia,
which at that time was still in operation. True to form, en route he stopped in the Falklands to carry out
a comprehensive fur seal survey all around the islands. At South Georgia he also made seal censuses
throughout the island and continued his collection of material from elephant seals throughout 1951–2,
constructing a population model for the species without the aid of computers or even a calculating
machine – it formed the basis for a comprehensive management plan for the elephant seals on the
island. This plan was implemented by the Falkland Islands Government in 1952 and was in operation
with very positive results until the demise of the whaling and sealing industry in 1964.
Returning to Cambridge in early 1953, before defending his thesis (The reproduction of the southern
elephant seal), he took the opportunity to go on a ‘leisure’ trip, this time to the Arctic, for the Fisheries
Laboratory at Lowestoft studying experimental fishing off East and West Greenland, Bear Island, Jan
Mayen and Iceland. On his return, Dick was awarded his PhD in the autumn of 1953. At the same time
he landed his first ‘real’ job with the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) charged with the study of
the great whales. To nobody’s surprise, he soon went south again – on the Norwegian-crewed whaling
factory ship FF Balaena, as biologist and whaling inspector for a seven-month trip (1953–4), spending an
unbroken four months at sea. For Dick this was an epic journey, catching 30-metre, 150-ton blue whales,
at times facing mountainous seas (estimated at up to 25 metres) threatening to overturn the small
‘catcher’ vessel Setter 9 while he was temporarily onboard. He even witnessed the decapitation of a man
when the whale cannon accidentally went off.
Upon his return Dick continued his work on large whales at the NIO as Principal Scientific Officer
over the next seven years until 1961. Here he was strongly involved in developing a hallmark method
for aging large whales based on annual layering in the wax plugs which are found in their ears, partly
working at the whale station at Steinshamn on the west coast of Norway. However, upon publication
of the results, he was for once outmaneuvered by local infighting and did not become an author of the
paper. During his tenure at NIO he did, on the other hand, manage to publish his elephant seal material
from Signy Island and South Georgia in several monographs, and he was for the first time introduced to
the bureaucracies of international meetings of such agencies as the International Whaling Commission
(IWC), later to become a large part of his life.
In 1954 Dick had married Maureen Holmes, the daughter of a former Indian Army soldier, and,
becoming unhappy with the work at NIO, he accepted an offer to become director of a CambridgeUniversity-inspired research programme funded by the Nuffield Unit of Tropical Animal Ecology
(NUTAE) to undertake hippopotamus management and research in the vast Queen Elizabeth National
Park in Uganda. So in 1961 he established himself with wife and two young sons in a palm-log cabin
with a thatched roof of papyrus reeds, where lions snored on the lawn during the night and elephants
had to be chased out of the vegetable patch in the morning. At the time there were some 15,000
hippos in the park, overgrazing and causing severe erosion of the land. Dick undertook population
counts and oversaw the culling of some 1000 hippos annually over a period of five years, giving him
ample opportunity to collect material for a once-only study of hippo reproduction and ecology while
surrounded by African wildlife, often captured in paint on canvas and in black-and-white drawings.
As if this was not enough, encouraged by his successes with the hippo programme, he won
28
acceptance for a similar approach in the Murchison Falls National Park where some 10,000 elephants
were similarly overpopulating and destroying their food supplies. Here, in cooperation with the local
Game Warden, Ian Parker, he studied all aspects of elephant ecology and culled a staggering 2000
elephants which were intensively studied, totally transforming knowledge of elephant biology and
resulting in the classical book (with ISC Parker and RCB Johnstone) Elephants and their habitat. All the
resulting meat was processed and utilized by the local African population and the ivory was sold to
finance the project.
After his work in Uganda, Dick moved on from the wet habitats there to the dry area of Tsavo National
Park in Kenya in 1967. Here the problem was much the same: some 23,000 elephants were overgrazing
the park and the National Park Trustees considered there was a need to cull a large number of animals.
The plan was endorsed by a number of conservationists and subsequently by the Kenyan Government,
but there was growing local opposition, mainly from the Park Warden and tourist interests that wanted
as many animals as possible. It is also conceivable that there was a communication problem over why
mass culling was necessary in a park that was created to protect the elephants from poachers in the
first place. Anyway, Dick, who was appointed director of the programme, started out with a cull of
900 elephants, though the plan called for several thousand. However, although the initial phase of
the project was very successful, opposition and intrigue grew and, when Dick himself was accused
of corruption, he resigned in anger, returning to the UK in 1968 after eight years in Africa. Tragically,
Dick was soon proved right by a severe drought in Tsavo in 1970–1 when an estimated 7000 elephants
starved to death in the park.
Upon his return to England, by now a renowned authority on large mammal ecology, Dick
soon landed a job as head of the Life Sciences Division of his first employer, the FIDS, which in the
meantime had become the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), now under the leadership of his old mentor,
29
recently knighted, Sir Vivian Fuchs. At the time of Dick’s return, BAS was a collection of isolated units,
geographically spread over the country and the research compartmentalized. He therefore immediately
took it upon himself to restructure first the Biology Section and subsequently, as Director from 1973, the
whole organization. Thus, when he retired as Director in 1987, BAS was consolidated in a new building
in Cambridge as a well-organized world-leading organization for polar research, with 400 staff, two
major research ships, several aircraft and five Antarctic bases. In his capacity as Director much of Dick’s
time was spent in international scientific meetings, like the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research
(SCAR), for which he became President (1990–4), and in fights with the Natural Environment Research
Council (NERC) over finance. In fact, when Argentina invaded the Falklands in 1982 the very existence
of BAS was under threat. The war, however, made Dick a valued advisor to Margaret Thatcher, who in
return became a staunch supporter of BAS activities and secured its funding. Dick’s astute conduct
during the crisis won him a CBE in 1983, but debacles with NERC in this period probably cost him a
knighthood.
In spite of the burdens of administration Dick still managed to get out of the office and made almost
annual trips to Antarctica inspecting the numerous bases, overseeing ongoing research and even
carrying out seal research for himself. He published numerous scientific papers and the book Antarctica
– The Last Frontier (1989); he was also editor of several learned books on seals and Antarctic ecology.
He received the Polar Medal in 1976 (with a second clasp in 2001), was elected to a Fellowship of the
Royal Society in 1980 and was awarded a Cambridge ScD 1995.
Upon his retirement from BAS in 1987 Dick was elected Master of St Edmund’s House in Cambridge.
This was at the time a rather laid-back religious graduate college with a strong Roman Catholic tradition,
so the election of a declared agnostic as Master was bound to cause tensions. Intrigue and underhand
activities were initially part of the college’s politics, but Dick persevered, the institution gained full
collegiate status and the name was changed to St Edmund’s College; when he retired in 1996 the
infrastructure had been greatly improved and the number of students had grown five-fold.
He subsequently became an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund’s, a status he had already received from
his old College, St Catharine’s, in 1982, additional to Honorary ScD from the University of Bath (1991) and
Foreign Fellowship of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in 1998 – and at Coronation Island
in the South Orkney Islands (60°38’S; 45°38’W) a glacier is named after him.
In his retirement Dick started to write his autobiography, which, alas, was not finished, but
over a thousand pages are available in three volumes at http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/resources/
autobiographies/richardlaws
30
JULIAN JOHNSON
SENIOR TUTOR’S REPORT
After last year’s sabbatical Eastern voyaging, 2014–15 has been a more
conventional – albeit not unexciting – year in the Senior Tutor’s life.
Happily, the rather grim Tripos performance of 2014 has been left behind us, with
a move to the very centre of Mr Tompkins’s League Table, ranked 13th (lucky for
one) of 25 colleges, a ladder-like advance of eight places on last year. The strongest
subjects were English and Natural Sciences, but there were solid showings in
many disciplines, a scattering of starred firsts, and Tripos-toppers in Chemistry and
Management Studies. It was especially pleasing to see the new fresher year come
in sixth among all colleges, and this promises very well for the future.
A new series of St Catharine’s College Lectures was inaugurated, in the handsome setting of the
McGrath Centre, and it was a pleasure to attend the first (the Tom Henn Lecture), by former pupil
Simon Godwin (1994), now flourishing as a freelance theatre director after stints in Northampton and
at the Royal Court. He spoke eloquently about the challenge of the classics to contemporary directors
and his recent production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona at Stratford (the first in the main house for
40 years – now available on DVD); since then, I have seen his productions of Man and Superman and
The Beaux’ Stratagem, both at the National Theatre, and of Richard II at Shakespeare’s Globe. He directs
Hamlet for the RSC at Stratford next year (Shakespeare’s Mortal Quatercentenary).1 The day of the
Globe Richard II was one of the proudest of my professional life, since the matinee performance was
Dominic Dromgoole’s (1982) Measure for Measure; I doubt anyone else can claim to have seen back-toback productions directed by former students in the Globe. Dominic has been a brilliantly successful
Artistic Director at the Globe and his final Shakespeares will be Pericles and The Tempest in the new Sam
Wanamaker Indoor Theatre in the coming season. Ave atque vale.
To wrap up the theatre talk, at Stratford this year Oscar Toeman (2006) was Assistant Director on The
Merchant of Venice and Alison Bomber (1988) did the Voice and Text work on Othello; it’s also been a
delight to see Caroline Horton (2000) twice on stage touring in Cambridge over the past year, once in her
show Islands and the second time in a witty reflection on the Odyssey, Penelope Retold; and Scott Handy
(1987) was cruelly murdered in the first episode of the BBC2 spy series, The Game. Well out of it, frankly.
I attended a fascinating St Catharine’s Lecture by Lord Maurice Glasman (1979) on Tudor and
Contemporary Politics, and excellent Shirley Society talks by Marina Warner and Paula Byrne; the society
also published a beautifully produced issue of its occasional series of writing by College members, Volta.
Lent Term was particularly busy, partly because I team-taught the Part I English Renaissance paper
with my colleague Hester Lees-Jeffries, supervising not only our own students but also all those from
Magdalene (they teach our Medievalists). With the Governing Body’s kindly blessing, I took a few days
out in early February to deliver a conference paper in the USA on the English ‘Factory’ in Japan (1613–23),
an interest arising from my time in Kyoto and now bearing some academic fruit; I’m just finishing
revision of the paper for publication in the Proceedings.
It’s also been a pleasure this year to welcome to College Professor Takayuki Katsuyama and his
family; Takayuki-san is the Shakespeare Professor at Doshisha University in Kyoto, and has been given
Visiting Scholar status at St Catharine’s this year whilst completing a book on Shakespeare and the
representation of non-Christian faiths. The exchange relationship with Doshisha is one the College
1 In order, at least in part, to mark this event, we plan to hold another Reunion Dinner for English alumni next year, on
19 November 2016, and to indulge in a day of Shakespearean celebration, drawing on the talents of the College’s noble
tradition of critics, directors, actors and general lovers of the Man from Stratford. Keep an eye on the College website:
www.caths.cam.ac.uk under alumni events.
31
greatly values, and we will be welcoming another Japanese undergraduate next year, to study Politics.
I have done my bit to help Deborah Loveluck with the ever-more-important tasks of building alumni
relations and fundraising (which are not the same thing), and (notwithstanding possible invidiousness
involved) I can’t not express my personal thanks here for the generosity of Peter Dawson (1961) and his
wife Christina, both for the continuing and enhanced support they have given to the College’s need to
provide Counselling for our students and for the new Jean Thomas PhD Award, an annual full bursary
for a PhD student which will encourage our best to stay with us, in the knowledge that the College can
support them as comprehensively as any other (richer) institution.
It has also been a year of losses, and others will write at length elsewhere about Chris Bayly and John
Shakeshaft. Although I will miss them both, it was John who made the first and lasting impression on
me when, at my Matriculation Dinner some 44 years ago, his opening conversational gambit, after being
introduced to his dining neighbour (me) was ‘What are you reading?’ Me [pridefully]: ‘English’. John: ‘And
what is the use of that?’ He knew how to get a conversation going.
And we’ve just started on the election of a new Master, which is interesting.
Paul Hartle
JULIAN JOHNSON
ADMISSIONS REPORT
In 2014 the College admitted 135 undergraduate students to read the subjects
that we can service. We have no architecture, no history of art, no education and
no linguistics. The statistics are as follows:
Anglo-Saxon, Norse &
Celtic
Asian & Middle-Eastern
Studies
Classics 3yr
Classics 4yr
Computer science
Economics
Engineering
1
4
1
0
3
6
12
English
Geography
History
Human, Social &
Political Sciences
Land Economy
Law
Mathematics
Medicine
10
7
5
5
2
8
8
11
Modern & Medieval
Languages
Music
Natural Sciences
Philosophy
Psychological &
Behavioural Sciences
Theology
Veterinary Medicine
8
2
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2
As we have over 650 applicants every year, easily increasing our applications when the University has
proved less attractive, the question of selection must be addressed. We receive data from each applicant
that is processed by the Cambridge Admissions Office. Each college receives an Excel spreadsheet full
of the data for each candidate applying for a particular subject. Thus the medicine spreadsheet has 96
columns of data and 1600 rows of candidates. For those students with GCSE and year-12 exam data,
they are rank ordered. Extensive research has shown that those with year-12 marks greater than 93% are
more likely to get high Tripos marks. Many colleges use this as a benchmark and only interview those
with more than 93% in those subjects relevant to the subject they are applying to read. For sciences we
require A*A*A, and for the arts & humanities A*AA; for those offering the International Baccalaureate we
require 777 at the higher level. Each candidate summoned to Cambridge has two interviews, historically
a tutorial interview and a subject interview. Nowadays there are two subject interviews. Eventually, after
much discussion, we make about 150 offers. Whilst this strategy is designed to prevent over-reliance
upon the interview, some Fellows distrust the spreadsheets.
Extracurricular activities tell us that a good scholar can manage time well. Several alumni regret the
marginalization of team sports, a result of the sale of sports fields of state schools and the alienation
32
1
1
6
of schoolteachers by government ministers. Of those who arrived in Michaelmas 2014, 108 were from
the UK, 19 were from the EU and 9 from outside the EU; 70 were female and 66 were male. Many of the
undergraduates need financial help and the College is most grateful for the generous support of alumni.
Graduate Students
Every year we offer College membership to 80–90 graduate students. About 50 are registered for
one-year taught courses, 16 are clinical medics and vets, and the rest are PhD students. They are an
international bunch with academe as their creole. In the past they would all have been given College
accommodation, but, due to policy changes, we are unable to house all of them now that priority
is given to 4th-year undergraduates. There is little money available for Masters degrees in the arts &
humanities and alumni have magnificently contributed to help fund several bursaries for both MPhil
students and PhD students. Again, we are very grateful for such generosity.
Philip Oliver
JULIAN JOHNSON
BURSAR’S REPORT
Those Members who attended recent Reunion weekends may have noticed two
significant changes in Main Court, the refurbished Ramsden Room and Basement,
and the cleaned stonework.
The Ramsden Room. Whether you know the large ground floor room in Old
Lodge as the JCR or the Ramsden Room, anyone who visited it a couple of years
ago would surely agree that it was tired and in need of a thorough makeover. The
work was to include refreshing the basement, which contains the main Island Site
laundry as well as showers and toilets. The Governing Body decided to allocate
LOUIS SINCLAIR
33
34
SIMON SUMMERS
an earlier gift from Peter Boizot (1950, Fellow Commoner 1996) towards the College fabric, and a recent
legacy from Dr and Mrs Evans to fund the project. Robert Evans was a Fellow 1947–77 and then Emeritus
Fellow until his death in 2005; his widow Betty died in December 2012. We are very grateful for the
support which made the works feasible.
After some debate it was agreed that the Room itself should be capable of handling four main types
of functions, based on the heavy use of recent years: both boardroom and café-table style meetings;
smaller lectures of say 30–40; and receptions. After a brief competition RH Partnership, who had worked
so successfully on the McGrath Centre, were selected. All architectural competitions bring out both
sound and more wacky ideas – my favourite this time was a furniture lift from the basement into the
corner of the Room, reminiscent of those used on aircraft carriers!
As to the decoration of the new Room, the College has been unable to find pictures of the Room
from before its use as the JCR in the 1970s – do you have any? The absence of historic information
was actually quite helpful in obtaining agreement to a simple classical style of décor and furniture,
with some interesting features. The project began in July 2014 and ran for longer than planned due to
unexpected issues in the basement. That did, however, provide plenty of time for debate in College
about colour schemes and particularly the choice of carpet. There is an urban legend that one of the
other ancient colleges once spent five years choosing a pair of curtains; at some points this did seem to
be a benchmark for our own carpet selection process! The Room required an AV system which has been
concealed in a new suspended ceiling above an exciting new chandelier. Portraits of Fellows from the
past are being hung in the Room – just how long can it take to clean a painting?
The basement has been transformed and student feedback is very positive. We were also able to
provide storage for furniture and a graduates’ locker room close to the MCR.
The well-known furniture maker Luke Hughes provided an excellent suite of flexible furniture for the
various intended uses. But for many, the pièce de résistance of the whole project is a bookcase at the
western end of the Room, which now displays John Addenbrooke’s splendid collection of medical and
other books, his bequest to the College, but something which has been stored for many years out of sight
in the Rare Books Store beneath Hall (now there’s a subject for a future Magazine article – the Store, that is).
Stonework in Main Court. Pollution had taken its toll on the look of Main Court, and three years ago
we began stone-cleaning work on the west side. In the first year progress was slow, in part because the
sandstone is so soft, but eventually the magic poultice formula was identified and, in the last two years,
work has been swift and effective. Some replacement of stones was also necessary, seen most easily on
the Chapel steps and around the SCR bay window.
The most striking parts of the new look for me
are the fresh clean faces looking down on us from
the SCR walls and the range of beautiful colours
of stone to be found in the archway into Queen’s
Lane – but come and make up your own minds.
Juggling the current demands to fund
education and research with the duty of
preserving our heritage will never be easy, but I
hope that on your next visit to College you take
the chance to look more closely at the beautiful
stonework, and the Ramsden Room, and that you
will agree with me that they are both projects
which future Students and Fellows will deem to
have been successful.
The McGrath Centre. I have been asked on several occasions whether the McGrath Centre has
contributed to the growth of our external conference business, now an important part of the finances
of almost every college. Many of you will have seen how the Centre has benefited the life of the College
itself, both for formal lectures and other meetings, and as a regular venue for informal occasions from
memorial service receptions to exhibitions and student functions – even the May Ball 'silent disco'.
The Centre is also proving a very popular space for external functions. The Judge Business School in
particular is a regular user, with a large group in residence even as I write. There is no doubt that the
future growth of our conference business lies in moving up-market towards a greater emphasis on
executive functions, and the Centre is the cornerstone of our marketing effort.
Simon Summers
TIM RAWLE
ALUMNI AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT
In the last twelve months, the alumni events programme run by the Alumni and
Development Office has welcomed nearly 900 Members to events in the USA,
Hong Kong, Singapore, and the UK. Particular highlights have been: the Law and
Geography Dinners, which were both very well-attended; the networking event
in London hosted by Garrett Curran (1991), featuring a presentation by Dr Jerome
Neufeld (2009; Fellow, 2011) on carbon sequestration; and our Ten Years On dinner
in February, when I was joined by many Directors of Studies welcoming back
our Members who matriculated in 2005. In spring 2015, I attended our annual
supper parties in Hong Kong and Singapore, kindly hosted by Dr John Endicott
(1964; Fellow Commoner, 2015) and Alex Ling (1965) respectively. Our regular programme of reunions
and celebrations held in College continues in 2016 with reunions for matriculands of 1982–4 (Saturday
2 April) and 1967–70 (Saturday 17 September). You can find full listings for reunions up to 2017 on the
College website. Finally, we continue our programme of subject dinners with English on Saturday
19 November 2016 and Natural Sciences in both November 2016 and November 2017. I would also
particularly like to highlight the evening reception organised by the St Catharine’s College Society at the
Inner Temple on 14 June 2016, hosted by Society President Guy Beringer (1973; Fellow Commoner, 2008).
I am delighted to report that the St Catharine’s Campaign total now stands at £27.2 million. The
Campaign was launched in 2009 to enable the College to continue to flourish in several key areas –
Buildings, Teaching, and Student Support – and as we near our total of £30 million we are truly amazed
by the impact our Members’ gifts have had in these key areas. The pie chart on the right shows how
Members have chosen to designate their gifts since the beginning of the Campaign; many gifts to the
General Endowment have also been directed towards the Teaching and Student Support funds. As
well as several transformative gifts this year totalling £3.5 million, donations and pledges to the Annual
Fund have now cumulatively reached over £1.7 million since the start of the St Catharine’s Campaign.
The number of Members choosing to give to their College continues to increase, and in the last twelve
months 18% of our Members made a gift – 13% of those for the first time. In January we were delighted
to welcome four new Members to the 1473 Foundation, which recognises gifts to the College of £50,000
or above and are very much looking forward to our special 1473 Foundation Gala in Hong Kong in April
2016, to celebrate a number of major gifts from our Members in the Asia Pacific Region.
As a result of this extraordinary generosity, this year we have been able to support our students with
a wide range of annual grants for hardship, research, travel and sports, and to invest in the College’s
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Sport, Music and Other Funds (£1.3M)
Annual Fund (£1.7M)
Buildings (£7.9M)
Teaching (£7.9M)
Student support (£2.3M)
General Endowment/Unrestricted Funds (£5.9M)
The running totals for the St Catharine’s Campaign as at 31 August 2015.
academic future by funding a new set of graduate bursaries, including the Jean Thomas PhD award. We
now offer five MPhil bursaries (£10,000 each) and up to three PhD bursaries (£10,000 or £20,000pa each),
and are confident that these awards will enable us to sustain the highest standards of academic life,
both by attracting the best students from across the world, and by ensuring our students can gain the
greatest possible benefits from their time at St Catharine’s.
If you are considering making a philanthropic gift this year, I would urge you to consider giving to
St Catharine’s, which exists to educate the most able students, regardless of wealth or background. Our
alumni take up leading roles in all walks of life, and by donating, you will be investing in the future of
the world’s economy, arts, healthcare, science, and much more. As we look forward to 2016, I do hope
we will be able to welcome you back to a College event, and wish you all the best for the new year.
Deborah Loveluck
JULIAN JOHNSON
CHAPEL AND CHAPLAINCY REPORT
36
Without doubt the most memorable service held in the Chapel this year was
Choral Evensong on Remembrance Sunday in this the anniversary year of the
beginning of World War I. Our preacher that evening was our very own Professor
Sir Christopher Clark, recently elected as Regius Professor of History and author
of an authoritative account of the events and circumstances that led to the
war. In his sermon he suggested that ‘We might take note of the words spoken
by Abraham Lincoln over the dead of another civil war. That our task is not to
consecrate the ground already hallowed by their sacrifice, but “highly to resolve
that these dead shall not have died in vain”. Our task is not to mark what has
finished, but rather to rise to the challenge of what is unfinished. To make ourselves and the society we
inhabit worthy of the immensity of their sacrifice.’ In an election year in which we have been reminded
of the potency of nationalism he enabled us to hear within a European context the words of Jesus
enjoining us to love one another and not to be servants but friends.
Remembrance is a feature of Michaelmas Term and we continued a tradition of inviting back the
family members of alumni who died in the previous year to remember their loved ones with us as a
College at All Soul’s tide.
We baptised Nathaniel Darling (2014) on the feast of Pentecost and married Jessica Porter (2004) and
George Davies at the beginning of the summer before work commenced on cleaning the brick and
stonework on the Chapel side of Main Court and replacing some of the crumbling stonework on the
steps to the Chapel.
The Chapel community has remained in good heart with a burgeoning group of Chapel Wardens to
assist with the running of the Chapel and ministry of welcome. I rarely say morning or evening prayer by
myself with a faithful group of students coming either regularly or semi-regularly. This has been one of
the great pleasures of the year as the rhythm of prayer in the beautiful space of the Chapel anchors the
day. We sit along the south side of the chapel affording us at the beginning of Michaelmas and for most
of Easter terms a view of the Wisdom Window by Tom Denny, the details of which still surprise after
nearly two years of regular admiration. Towards the end of the summer research period we had a choir
reunion at which the festivities in the bar after dinner ceded for a while to a late night Chapel singing
session with a full-throated exuberance. The current choirs are in such good voice that it makes me look
forward to choir reunions in years to come!
Conversation and debate characterise the Monday evening discussion groups with topics ranging
from scriptural interpretation through doctrinal disputes about judgement and hell to sexual ethics
– the mixed group of believers, doubters and disbelievers continue to ensure I am kept on my toes.
We have also had more focused bible studies and formation groups to give the opportunity for those
who wish to grow and deepen their faith as well as question and interrogate it. I also took a group of
students on a study retreat to the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield after Easter – giving space
for reflection, time for study and the opportunity for prayer.
The College Communion services once a term followed by Chapel Suppers only just fit into the SCR
for dinner now but provide all the liveliness we have come to expect. We also held a teaching service
for the Girls’ Choir termly eucharist to extend the sterling work that the Director of Music does in
introducing the junior choir members to the faith and practice of the church through music.
This Easter Term we have held a sermon series on Faith in Science having five guest preachers who
are ordained but who did doctoral work in the natural sciences to preach on how they reconcile their
faith with scientific research. They have continued what has proved to be a wonderfully diverse group
of guest preachers this year, allowing voices from different parts of the Church to be heard. They have
challenged and encouraged the students and, I hope, given them a sense of the breadth of the Christian
faith’s expression.
Along with these highlights the worship of God has continued with weekly Choral Eucharist and
Evensong on Sundays in term, two choral mid-week services and the regular pattern of daily prayer. The
Chaplaincy is never dull and I am still very much aware of the privilege and responsibility of presenting
God within this community.
David Neaum
37
JULIAN JOHNSON
CHOIR REPORT
38
I write this in between pleasurable sessions of editing; the object of my scrutiny
not being an academic paper, I’m pleased to say, but the Choir’s imminent CD
release: an anthology of Christmas music, due to appear in good time for your
Yule-tide stockings.
The process of recording is not just about taking an audio snapshot of an
ensemble; it is a creative process, one which over the course of hours and days can
enrich performances and enrich the musicians involved. Certainly the choirs at St
Catharine’s – both Student and Girls’ – shifted into a new gear when confronted
with microphones, and their achievement will be heard not only in the 60 minutes
of music committed to the forthcoming Resonus CD, but also in the quality of the choir in the coming year.
Credit for this must go in no small part to the organ scholars – William Fairbairn and Alex Coplan –
and deputies – Freddie Brown and Ben Cox – who stood in for me during a short Sabbatical I took in
the middle of the year. This was not merely a question of holding the fort, but also of making daring
and adventurous forays into new territories. In terms of repertoire, the choirs have been as eclectic as
ever: everything from 15th century motets to the contemporary, via Bach, Poulenc and a smattering of
old Edwardian favourites. The programme that the students took on their trip to Venice in the summer
could thus boast a heritage almost as rich as our surroundings: Monteverdi in St Mark’s, Schütz in San
Pietro di Castello, and – for most of us the highlight – Byrd in Santa Maria dei Miracoli. In providing
the stimulus for this trip, and a well-appointed, well-positioned apartment, we have to thank Douglas
Blausten (1971) and his wife Maxine.
No foreign trip for the Girls’ Choir this year; instead, it was our turn to host the ensemble from the
Piarist School in Szeged, Hungary, which so generously welcomed us last year. Concerts in Oxford,
London and Cambridge provided the opportunity to revisit a programme of folk songs from both
countries, along with some impromptu dancing. The highlight of the year, however, must surely be the
live broadcast on Radio 3’s The Choir in March; in
which the choir premiered a song by Rhiannon
Randle, the soloist for which was Sarah Connolly.
Sarah, along with Dame Jean Thomas, Rona
Fairhead, Sophie Kinsella and Dame Mary Archer,
have kindly agreed to act as Patrons to the choir,
and with their support we hope to continue
expanding the profile of the choir, as well as
giving the boys a run for their money.
In short, many irons thrust into the fire over
the last year are still there: another Hungarian
adventure, this time with the student choir, is
scheduled for December; a London concert on
8 December will launch the first disc of a threedisc series on the Resonus label; and plans are
afoot for further interesting collaborations.
The year end is not, in this instance, the end of
the cycle of development which the choirs are
enjoying. Watch this space.
The final Venice concert in San Giovanni
Edward Wickham Elemosinario.
KELLAWAY CONCERTS
It is a source of pride that our regular audience members for the Kellaway Series seldom know precisely
what to expect from one of our concerts. It is, naturally, expected that the quality of recitals by
internationally acclaimed pianist Philip Fowke or by BBC Symphony Orchestra violist Peter Mallinson are
going to be of the highest standard. But some of the repertoire offered will not be on even the keenest
collector’s play-list. And that, in a city of such knowledgeable audiences as Cambridge, is something of
an achievement.
We started with home-grown stars: a programme given by our finest undergraduate musicians, many
of whom hold Kellaway Instrumental Scholarships. This featured three pianists, whose quality was partly
explained by the second recital of the season, given by their teacher Philip Fowke. I have rarely heard the
chapel Steinway played with such panache as in the sequence of show-stoppers that he offered as a finale.
The College Choir gave two concerts during the season; the first a warm-up to their recording
sessions (see Choir Report), the second a Passiontide meditation which included a premiere by Ben Cox
(2007), a former organ scholar, who also conducted the performance. The choir were again involved in
William Whitehead’s organ recital, a celebration of Bach’s Orgelbüchlein which included contemporary
additions to the famously incomplete set of chorale preludes.
We are, of course, spoilt for traditional, Anglican-style choral music in Cambridge. What the London
Bulgarian Choir offered, therefore, was a corrective to the view that that’s the only, or even the best, way to
do it. This choir, led by the charismatic Dessislava Stefanova, makes a sound quite unlike anything you would
hear in a Prayer Book evensong; and not one I would encourage trying at home. It was a thrilling event.
Edward Wickham
IGOR CHODUR
IGOR CHODUR
STAFF NEWS
Deputy Head Porter Dennis Pope (pictured left) retired in January 2015 after
21 years’ service with the College. Dennis started as a Lodge Porter in June 1993
after being with the Ambulance Service for a number of years. He was recruited
to the Deputy Head Porter post in January 2006.
Phil Dean (Clerk of Works) retired in May 2015 after over 14 years. He was
the first appointment with that title – previous posts with similar duties were
Maintenance Supervisor or Manciple. Phil joined the College in 2001 after 21 years
with construction company Rattee & Kett.
Porter Barry Clarke left in February 2015 after seven years at Catz.
Sue Musk (née Nightingale, pictured left) left in March 2015 after 16 years at Catz
working in Catering Administration.
39
GRADUATE RESEARCH SEMINARS
The Graduate Research Seminar provides an opportunity for our graduate students and research
fellows to discuss their work before an astute and very friendly audience. The diverse audience of expert
insiders and interested outsiders also gives speakers an opportunity to hone their communication skills,
and for the rest of us to be exposed to unfamiliar problems, methodologies and theories.
Michaelmas Term
t Dean Holt (PhD in Chemistry) All Aboard the Pineapple Express; using catalysis to assemble drugs
t Dr Matthew Champion (Research Fellow in History) The music of the clock: towards a history of time
and sound in Late-Medieval Europe
t Simon Wright (PhD in Physics) Why are we here? Investigating matter-antimatter asymmetry with
the LHCb experiment
t Eleanor Chan (PhD in History of Art) Early Modern Diagram Stylistics, or How I Learned to Stop
Worrying and Love the Diagram – the rise of visual aids in early science
Lent Term
t Ismahan Suleiman (PhD in Physiology, Development & Neuroscience) Morphogenesis of the avian
neural plate
t Victoria Mascetti (PhD in Surgery) The interface of pluripotent stem cells and mammalian
development – a Chimaera?
t Rudolph Ng (PhD in History) The global coolie trade between China and Latin America in the
nineteenth century
t Julia Schaeffer (PhD in Physiology, Development and Neuroscience) Spinal nerve segmentation
during vertebrate embryogenesis
Easter Term
t Dr Hiram Morgan (Visiting Scholar from University College Cork) Ireland in 1518: the story of an
unscheduled Habsburg visit and its ramifications
t Dr Owen Holland (PhD in English) William Morris’s Utopianism: Propaganda or Pre-figuration?
t Dr David Waddilove (Research Fellow in Law) ‘He will judge the peoples with equity’: the Elizabethan
Court of Chancery
40
PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
ROBERT COLE
The College Photography Competition is held
in the Lent Term each year and judged over the
Easter break. The theme for 2015 was College
Life and the judges were College President John
Little (head judge), Miranda Griffin and Simon
Summers.
The winning picture (seen to the right) was
alumnus Robert Cole (2007); 2nd (uppermost,
below) was postgraduate student Jonathan
McCree-Grey; 3rd (lower, below) was IT Technician
Igor Chodur.
JONATHAN MCCREE-GREY
IGOR CHODUR
41
PROFESSOR SIR ALAN BATTERSBY FRS
Two special events associated with Sir Alan occurred in 2015.
A portrait
In February a portrait of Alan was unveiled. It had been commissioned by the College as Alan is the most
decorated St Catharine’s scientist to date, having been awarded the Royal Society’s Royal and Copley
medals; former scientists so honoured include Faraday, Darwin, Einstein and, more recently, Sanger and
Crick. See an article in the 2012 Magazine about Alan’s international medals.
Paul Brason was the chosen artist because his portrait of the Master attracted such universal acclaim
– all were delighted when Paul enthusiastically accepted this second St Catharine’s commission. Alan’s is
only the fourth painting of a Fellow in the last fifty years, the others being a small sketch of Alfred Steers,
Emeritus Professor of Geography, undertaken in 1985 by the acclaimed artist Michael Noakes, and two in
oils, one of Peter Boizot in 2002 and the other of Bevil Mabey in 2003, both Fellow Commoners and both
painted by Suresh Patel.
At the unveiling of the finished portrait, Alan spoke of the visits Paul made to Cambridge and how
they became firm friends during the sittings. ‘We both agreed early on that it would be good to have
something in the portrait that connected to my scientific work and we wondered about using a
molecular model of vitamin B12, but that would have filled the entire canvas. So we decided instead
to use the small molecular model you see at the bottom left of the portrait. For the chemists, this
molecular model represents porphobilinogen – the substance that is a very early starting material
for the construction of vitamin B12 in living systems. Interestingly this same small molecule is also the
starting material from which haem of haemoglobin is built in our bodies and, in addition, it is used
to build chlorophyll in green plants. So you can see that it is a rather important substance and I spent
PAUL BRASON
42
over thirty years of my scientific career working on it and on all the far more complex materials built
from it. Paul and I also discussed having something set in the background related to one of my other
interests. We considered gardening (a spade?), hiking in mountains (boots?), music, literature etc. until
we reached fly fishing. This sounded perfect and so, with the books, a fly reel stands on a volume of
the internationally famous book on trout. The chosen location was the OCR and there we can see the
connection to the College with the Wheel.’
The portrait was subsequently exhibited at the 2015 Annual Exhibition of the Royal Society of Portrait
Painters in London.
90th Birthday
In March, a celebratory Fellow’s Dinner was held to mark Alan’s 90th birthday in 2015. After the meal, Alan
spoke about his early life in the 1920s and 1930s. The following extracts are based on that speech.
‘I was born in Leigh, a cotton and mining town about 15 miles from Manchester. My father was a
small independent builder who was able to give my mother just three pounds each week. With this
she managed to keep the family fed and healthy; indeed, she was a genius at financial management. I
had a sister and a brother, and we lived in a small semi-detached house at the end of a row of terraced
housing with no electricity.
‘I took the 11-plus examination and entered Leigh Grammar School – a very good school, especially
for mathematics, physics, chemistry and English. I enjoyed my school days and my examination results
were good enough for entry into the Sixth Form. However, war broke out two years earlier and this
greatly affected my thinking. There was a large war factory in my town where electric cables for aircraft,
warships, tanks and so on were manufactured. I decided to leave school to work in this factory to help
with the war effort and, at the same time, add my wage to the small family finances. The school was
appalled, but I stuck with it. I worked in the Control Laboratory at a weekly wage of 17/6 – a little under a
pound. However, soon it became clear that all the interesting work was being done by graduates and all
the boring routine tests were being done by me. I was the dogsbody.
‘I had made a bad mistake and I needed to go to University, but I only had the equivalent of O-levels.
So I set up a correspondence course leading to the equivalent of A-levels at that time, the Higher School
Certificate. All my mathematics, physics and chemistry had to be learned from textbooks guided by
unseen tutors. After two or three years I took the HSC examination and the results were amply good
enough for university entrance.
‘However, my family could not possibly pay for me to study at a university. I had to win a scholarship
and so I visited my former Headmaster at the Grammar School. After I had admitted my mistake
in leaving school, he was soon on my side and suggested that I try for a Lancashire Technological
Scholarship which would cover all the costs. Then his face fell on reading that the closing date was a
month previously and the examination was the following Saturday. He immediately telephoned the
Director of Education for Lancashire (he went straight to the top!) and the eventual outcome was that I
was allowed to take the examination – fortunately I was successful. Those are two key men in my career;
the Headmaster who was willing to do all he could to support me and the Director of Education who
was willing to be flexible. Without them, I would probably not be with you today in St Catharine’s.
‘I was accepted by the University of Manchester to study chemistry; an excellent choice as the
Chemistry Department was then one of the best in the country with Alex Todd as Professor of Organic
Chemistry – he later moved to Cambridge where I joined him in 1969 (later I was elected to the 1702
Chair, the one that Todd himself had held). I graduated from Manchester with First Class Honours in
Chemistry and from that point onwards, my career took a more conventional academic route in sharp
contrast to what had gone before.’
43
NEWS FROM THE JCR
The past year for JCR Committee has been as busy as ever. True to form there was continued success
on the charities front thanks to efforts of Amelia Schofield and Saliha Shariff, the charities officers.
Catz remains one of the most active colleges in this respect with new and old initiatives receiving
widespread College support. At the start of the year, Catz students were the most generous participants
in the RAG Blind Date charity event, an outstanding achievement given our modest size. Whether Catz is
Cambridge’s romantic hub or just a lonely-hearts club we can’t say. However, our dedication saw us beat
other colleges such as Kings and Trinity in a stunning contribution of over £1,000 to the cause. Amongst
the many different initiatives pioneered this year was the Catz Gives 5 pledge. This is a campaign
which invites St Catharine’s students to pledge to give 5% of their future income to good causes after
they graduate, with mystery donors promising additional amounts. More information can be found on
the website catzgives5.strikingly.com.
Following the crisis that hit Nepal in late April, the JCR ran a Nepal Earthquake Relief collection that
raised over £160 in its first week. The amount was then brought up to £210 by a generous non-College
sponsor. Through different events during the year, a further £218 was raised for Cambridge Hub and a
further £140 for the charity Mind.
The JCR Committee also pioneered a new position, that of Academic Affairs Officer. This new post,
initiated and now held by Emma Copley, provides an additional strand to the support system for
students during their time at Cambridge and complements the work of the JCR Welfare Team. The
holder now sits on the Education Committee and coordinates with Directors of Studies as well as
students to aid their communication and devise strategies to enable students to take full advantage of
all the academic opportunities the University has to offer.
One of the longest projects and greatest achievements of the past year has been the successful
removal of the gendered dress code for Formal Hall. This was recently accepted by the Governing Body
and will enable students to dress in the appropriate clothing they feel comfortable in as opposed to
the previous gendered dress code. The initiative was presented to College by Charlie Northrop (MCR)
and the new dress code was successfully introduced with further help from the JCR President Eli Bond,
Scott Warin and Arnav Kapur (JCR Vice Presidents), and MCR Presidents Ellie Chan and Natasha Watts.
As the first college in Cambridge to adopt such a dress code, the initiative has sparked wide support
and interest from both local and national press, with other colleges likely to follow suit next year and
featuring in a Huffington Post article. We’re delighted with the new inclusive policy and would like to
thank the Fellowship for all their support, in particular Dr Elliott (the Dean) whose help with the precise
wording of the dress code was all-important.
Sports and Societies have also had another typically successful year, the highlight of which was a
fantastic Varsity Sports Day with Worcester, our sister college in Oxford. This was organised by Leah
Grace (Sports and Societies Officer) and was an all-day affair with rugby, hockey, football, lacrosse,
tennis and netball; it saw more than 30 Catz Students competing at Worcester in Oxford. Although Catz
triumphed in the hockey, tennis and mixed netball, some hard fought draws and narrow losses meant
that Worcester came away overall victors. All the more reason to set the record straight when we hold
the event here in Cambridge next year! Leah must also be congratulated on her organisation of Catz first
ever ECG heart screening event which enabled students both from Catz and other colleges to have their
hearts examined and checked for abnormalities. The event was very well-received and provided a great
opportunity for Catz athletes and non-athletes alike to find out more about the health of their hearts at
no cost! New Sports and Societies Officer Andy Rees also organised a College-wide gym survey which
prompted an unprecedented number of responses. In response to the survey, the JCR has now secured
44
funds to improve the gym to make it a more versatile and friendly space for all JCR users next year.
The welfare team have continued to build on the success of past years in Michaelmas introducing
the first Consent Workshops (written and coordinated by Eli Bond) for all fresher students. The Consent
Workshops, which were held at a number of colleges, gained widespread support both within the
University and in the national news, with more colleges hoping to sign up next year. During the stress
of exam term, Georgina Sergi and Eli Bond (Female Welfare Officers) worked on offering ‘stress-busting’
events. Our fortnightly Mindfulness sessions saw a turnout in excess of 30 students, and the weekly Yoga
classes, run for free in the McGrath centre, were equally popular.
A successful proposal presented to the Governing Body by the JCR and MCR Presidents obtained
permission to hold an inaugural St Catharine’s College Garden Party. After a lot of work and planning,
the JCR organised this in May Week; it was for the whole Catz community including the JCR, MCR,
Fellows and staff. It was a lovely day in the sun, with over 300 in attendance. A red-carpeted main court
hosted live music, a giant chessboard, Pimms, Champagne and an array of tasty dishes to celebrate the
end of exam season in style. The party was only made possible by the work of Entertainment Officers,
Clarry Taylor, Charlie Briggs, Iona Charlton and Harry Elliot, alongside our Treasurer, Shreyas Gopal. It was
a wonderful event and I would like to thank College for their permission. Receiving a positive response
on all fronts, we are hopeful that the event will be held again the year after the May Ball in 2017.
Particular thanks must go to Simon Summers (Senior Bursar), Charlotte De Buriatte and the catering
team and Richard Malley for all their assistance and support.
It has been a characteristically busy and exciting year for St Catharine’s College JCR, which has many
plans already in the pipe-line for Michaelmas 2015 and beyond. I have enjoyed my time immensely as
JCR President and have high hopes that the next academic year will be just as fruitful. My thanks once
again to all the JCR Committee and to others within the Catz community who have offered the JCR so
much of their time, support and advice this year.
Eli Bond (President)
NEWS FROM THE MCR
This was a back-to-basics year for the MCR. We found ourselves with a bigger intake than ever in
October, and so we were determined to address the rapidly evolving needs of our immensely diverse
and rich community of graduates, and to ensure we did what we could to integrate them into the
College community. As our community continues to grow, it is becoming increasingly important to
ensure that new graduates experience the benefits of the close-knit and enthusiastic group that makes
Catz the fantastic place that it is. After an immensely successful and expansive year in 2013–14, we
came to the helm determined to consolidate bonds within College, and create some truly solid and
collaborative relationships. Following on from the fantastic work of the previous year’s committee, we
once again invited fourth year undergraduates to become Associate Members of the MCR. We were
delighted that 40 fourth-years chose to join our ranks, which has again inspired many of them to stay on
for postgraduate study, and forged many strong friendships.
Galvanised by the success of this new connection with the JCR, we have spent much of this year
looking at issues common to the JCR and MCR. This new perspective has brought about some really
fruitful outcomes, not least our new gender-neutral Formal Hall dress code. Special mention must go to
Charlotte Northrop, our Formal Hall Officer, and to Mark Elliot, the Dean, who have worked tirelessly from
the beginning of the academic year to ensure that everyone’s concerns were met and that this fantastic
45
innovation was implemented with appropriate sensitivity to the traditions of Formal Hall. Charlotte, with Eli
and Arnav from the JCR, drafted, re-drafted, and ultimately produced a dress code that now discriminates
in only a sartorial sense. We hope that many colleges will follow our example in the years to come.
Another, less sensational but no less important, innovation came in the form of our very own
commemoration of Magna Carta: a fully elucidated Bedders’ Charter. The work of housekeeping within
all College accommodation is utterly invaluable, and a good relationship with your bedder is arguably
one of the hidden gems of life at Cambridge. Working with Sharon Goodchild, Head of Housekeeping,
we have produced a comprehensive list of bedders’ duties, both for our new students and for our
bedders themselves, in order to facilitate a good relationship from the moment our new students arrive.
We were pleased to expand our already comprehensive Formal Hall repertoire with the first Heritage
Talk, provided for us by Fellow Professor Sir Chris Clark. This talk gave our new students a chance to see
one of Catz best in action, and to eat in the SCR, the historic former dining hall. Professor Clark gave
us a breathtakingly comprehensive potted version of his best-selling Sleepwalkers book, which was
followed by a delicious French supper concocted by the College catering staff. Following the success of
this event, another is in train for the coming academic year. Also in the preliminary stages of planning
are a green formal, a cross-dressing formal to celebrate our new dress code, and a bigger swap with
Worcester College, Oxford. In the meantime, our Food & Drink Officer, Sarah Förster, brought us firmly
into the twenty-first century by replacing our traditional sherry pre-prandials with prosecco and
raspberries. Whilst this move has proved to be perhaps the most controversial innovation of the year, it
has also sparked a fruitful dialogue about the merits of different beverages which promises to fuel predinner conversation for many years to come. The sherry is dead, long live the sherry.
The traditional calendar of MCR events had commenced with a lively Freshers’ Week calendar
including the ubiquitous but much-beloved Wine & Cheese evening, Pub Golf and a Rubik’s Cube
Bop, which the committee worked tirelessly to pull off. Our Burns Night Formal and Ceilidh Bop, the
established jewel in the MCR social calendar, was particularly spectacular this year thanks to the
diligence of Social Secretaries Amanda Kennedy and Blaine Landis, who not only managed to secure
the Cambridge University Ceilidh Band on the busiest Saturday of the year, but also really showed us
how to ceilidh with flair! Sunday treats, film nights and particularly our casual, weekly Sunday night Mini
Seminars continue to be a huge success, with further plans for an all-day Mini Conference well under
way! The social life of the MCR really continues to thrive.
All this, of course, could not have been achieved without the continuing support from people across
College, not least the graduate tutors, Dom and the porters; Martin, Lynne, Tony and all the Hall staff;
Richard Malley, Phil Dean and the maintenance guys; Kathy Malley, and Sharon and housekeeping.
Our thanks, as ever, to our Committee (pictured, right): Treasurer Sebastian Steingass, Secretary Josh
McTigue, Computer Officer Ryan Griffiths, Welfare
Officer Rudolph Ng, External Officer Fedir Kiskin,
Green Officer Rocio Lopez, and to Charlotte,
Sarah, Amanda and Blaine, for their enduring
enthusiasm and willingness to tackle whatever
the bewildering world of graduate politics has
to throw at them. It has been a pleasure to work
with everyone in College, and to lay down the
foundations for a close, inclusive and vibrant MCR
as it continues to grow.
Natasha Watts and Ellie Chan
(MCR Co-Presidents)
46
SOCIETIES
Careers Society
Christian Union
The Catz Careers Society built on its already successful
model for the academic year 2014–15, adding a number
of speaker events and student workshops to the Annual
Dinner which takes place each February. These six speaker
events proved to be very popular with students.
In Michaelmas Term, we welcomed: Mary Monfries, a tax
partner at PwC; Catherine Leech, a personal injury lawyer;
and Lawrence Thackwray (2006), currently on the Civil
Service Fast Stream, working in the Ministry of Defence.
David Peace (1966, Fellow Commoner 2014) also provided
freshers with an introduction to the St Catharine’s College
Society at the beginning of October.
In Lent Term, we welcomed three alumni: Andrew
Jack (1985), section editor of the FT; Rona Fairhead (1980),
Chairwoman of the BBC Trust; and Andrew Scadding
(1967), CEO of the Thai Children’s Trust. They spoke about
their careers and provided current members of College
with advice and insight into their fields. A workshop,
entitled Finding a Career that Fits, aimed at those not yet
decided on a career path, was run at the end of Lent Term
by Keith Cocker (1972) and Wendy Hirsh for 25 students in
the McGrath Centre. The workshop was a great success,
and many students commented on how useful they found
it, in giving them a better sense of their own values and
how this could help shape their search for a future career.
The Annual Dinner in February was once more an evening
enjoyed greatly by all. Now in its fourth year, we welcomed
professionals from a wide range of sectors for the traditional
four-course dinner in Hall. The evening began with a
champagne reception in the McGrath Centre, followed by an
overview of the St Catharine’s College Society by David (its
Secretary), and a chance for each of the guests to give a short
introduction and synopsis of their career. This year we tried
to expand the opportunities students had for networking by
printing business cards with contact details for each student
to give to guests they met and wanted to stay in contact
with. As has been the case every year, the limited student
places on offer were oversubscribed within minutes; such
enthusiasm is a testament to the popularity and value of the
event for current students.
All the events and services which we provide for the
College are only made possible by the generosity and
goodwill of alumni, family and friends, and we would like to
extend our thanks to all of those who helped throughout
the year. Thanks must also be extended to David Peace and
Tony Watts (1960, Fellow Commoner 2014), without whom so
much of what the society does would not be possible, and
also to the student committee. Pippa Stevens (2012), Harriet
Macleod (2013), Belinda Saunders (2013) and Katya Warwick
(2014) have put a huge amount of time and effort into all of
our events, and I am extremely grateful for their support.
President: Laura Spenceley
Catz Christian Union is a group of Christians from different
backgrounds and churches. We aim to bring Christians
together and to share the message and love of Jesus
in Catz. We are a part of the University-wide Christian
Union known as CICCU. We have various weekly meetings
including prayer meetings and a College Group, where we
worship and read the Bible together as well as encourage
one another and organise College events. We put on
various events for students to explore Christianity for
themselves. These included a ‘Text-a-Toastie’, where people
ordered a toastie of their choice and asked a question
about Christianity, and a garden party with various stands
displaying different aspects of the Christian Faith. We
also organised Church breakfasts in partnership with the
Chaplain to help freshers find out about the different
Churches in Cambridge. We have been encouraged this
year to see many students getting involved in Christian
Union and engaging with Christianity. It has been a
wonderful experience and we hope to see Christian Union
continue to grow.
Reps: Iain Ross and Lucy Gimson
Engineering Society
In normal engineering style, St Catharine’s College
Engineering Society started the year by presenting our
new freshers their very own Catz hard-hats. This was
to enable us to outclass other colleges at the infamous
first-year structural project, which Catz have won for the
previous two years. On top of this, SCCES continued to
ensure its engineers did not just see the four walls of the
lecture hall, by having a golf-theme pub crawl that saw
us visit seven different college bars, as well as a meal at
Sesame during Freshers’ Week.
Finally, to celebrate all the achievements of our
undergraduates, graduates and engineer Fellows, we had
our black-tie annual dinner at the end of Lent Term. This
was followed with the traditional game of ‘Bear, Ninja,
Cowboys’ to select the new President – Ben Clayton.
President: Amy Chodorowski
John Ray Society
The John Ray Society has hosted a number of interesting
lectures throughout the year from a variety of subject
areas. The first talk was given by Catz alumnus Stan Boland
(Physics 1978) on the subject of technology start-ups,
after his wealth of experience from leading three tech
businesses and creating 650 high-value jobs. We also
welcomed Professor Daniel Wolpert, who gave a lecture
on the complex nature of the brain’s control of movement,
especially under conditions of uncertainty.
In Lent Term, Catz Fellow Dr Jerome Neufeld spoke
about the fluid dynamics of CO2 sequestration, a topic
47
which is becoming increasingly important as we begin to
store CO2 in deep saline aquifers as a mitigation strategy
for dealing with increased CO2 emissions and global
warming. Catz alumnus Dr Martin Stanton (1957) gave
an interesting seminar on setting the cell membrane
potential, a topic of particular importance to the
neuroscientists and physiologists.
The John Ray Society and Chemsoc joined to welcome
Sir Martyn Poliakoff (from the Nottingham periodic table
videos). He gave a lecture on utilising solvents in new
ways in the area of green chemistry. Our final talk of
the year was given by Lord Robert Winston. This was a
somewhat unconventional lecture, involving a slideshow
of Renaissance artwork, and discussing how artists
portrayed various genetic abnormalities, such as dwarfism,
acromegaly and Down’s Syndrome.
On a smaller scale, we put on an Internships evening,
where third-years described their summer work
experience to second-years and gave tips on how to apply
for internships and lab placements. There were also subject
evenings, where people in the older years gave their
advice and opinions on their subject choices to people in
the years below. We had plenty of social events, beginning
the year with an evolution-themed NatSci pub crawl in
Freshers’ Week. We hosted a book sale in Michaelmas, with
the usual copious amounts of snacks, wine and apple juice.
Chris Kerr very kindly donated his chemistry textbooks to
the John Ray Society for the book sale, and we will donate
the money raised (£150) to charity. One of the highlights of
the year was the annual dinner. At the dinner, we handed
over to the new presidents, Becky Martin and Emma
Copley. After exams, they hosted a great garden party
on Sherlock Court, with delicious food, Catz apple juice,
prosecco and Pimms. It was a relaxed few hours for people
to sit in the sun and chat with other NatScis.
Presidents: Bethany Christian-Edwards,
Maddie Winder, Robert Trivasse
Law Society
Michaelmas 2014 saw the return of the Annual Law Society
Trip to London, which was kindly sponsored by Freshfields.
The day began with a trip to the United Kingdom Supreme
Court – unfortunately there were no Justices about for a
quick chat! We all enjoyed seeing the building where some
of the pivotal cases in the British Legal System get decided
– and even got to sit in the Justices’ seats; who knows,
some of the Catz lawyers may end up there some day?
Following this, we made our way to Fleet Street where
we had a session with Freshfields on being a commercial
lawyer, and they enticed us in with a lovely dinner close by.
It was a most enjoyable day for all who took part! We were
very fortunate this year in Lord Kerr, Justice of the Supreme
Court and former Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland,
accepting our invitation to be the guest speaker at our Law
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Society Annual Dinner. It was interesting to hear about
his work at the Supreme Court, as well as some of the
more amusing anecdotes from his time there. Our Lecture
Series continues to be successful. This year speakers have
included Charles Harpum, who spoke about the Lawrence
v Fen Tigers case, and ex-Catz lawyer Arron Walthall (2001),
who spoke about his time in Bermuda as part of the
Pegasus Scholarship.
President: Rhiannon Lockwood
MedSoc
A highly successful year for the Medical Society had an
important theme: a dialogue between the preclinical
and clinical medics. This was initiated at the first event
of Michaelmas Term, the ‘Electives Evening’, in which the
finalists shared their experiences as medical students
abroad. Later in the term, Mr Stephen Price, a consultant
neurosurgeon at Addenbrooke’s, gave a unique insight
into his fascinating speciality. We learnt about the nature
of the daily work of a neurosurgeon as well as how to
become one. In addition, the fifth-year medics gave several
‘Clinical Talks’ in which they discussed interesting and
unusual cases they had encountered during their studies.
These talks gave the preclinical medics an opportunity to
explore the diverse range of medical specialities and to
appreciate the importance of their early scientific training
within the Tripos framework, linked to decision-making in
clinical scenarios.
The ‘Pizza Nights’ of the Michaelmas and Easter Terms
proved to be popular and valuable social occasions for
the members of the MedSoc community. This year’s
Annual Dinner was held in the SCR during Lent Term and
was attended by medics and vets from all years as well
as a good number of Fellows. On this evening, we had
the privilege of hearing our Medical Guest of Honour,
Professor Peter Barnes (1966, Honorary Fellow 2011), speak
on Accelerated Ageing and Multimorbidity. Professor Barnes,
the author of over a thousand peer-reviewed publications,
has been the most highly cited respiratory researcher
in the world over the last twenty years. Our Veterinary
Guest of Honour, Fellow Dr David Bainbridge, gave an
entertaining talk on the art of writing books aimed at a lay
audience based on his experience as the author of several
acclaimed works of popular science. The final event of the
year was the MedSoc Barbecue, which was held on Jesus
Green as the Easter Term drew to a close.
I would especially like to express my gratitude to Catz
Fellow Professor Nicholas Morrell, who has generously
offered much of his time and invaluable expertise in
overseeing the activities of the MedSoc. Indeed, the
enthusiasm of both student members and Fellows is
directly responsible for the achievements of the society.
President: James Wilkinson
Music Society
It has been another busy, varied, and exciting year for
the Music Society. The regular acoustic open-mic nights,
Chill in the Chapel, have remained popular, and provided
a wonderful opportunity to showcase the astonishing
amount of musical talent at Catz.
The first major event of the year was the Christmas
concert, given to a packed Chapel, featuring a wideranging programme including Toploader and Tchaikovsky,
Nat King Cole and the Nutcracker, and festive medleys
galore. Catzapella treated us to a particularly noteworthy
performance comprising a potted history of Christmas
carols, and have continued to grow from strength to
strength over the course of the year, which culminated in a
series of joint performances with Newnham Voices.
Lent Term saw the Music Society host ensemble Pro
Victoria, an exciting new early-music vocal group, for a
concert of Lent and Passiontide music, including Tallis’s
Lamentations of Jeremiah. The group were very well
received by the unexpectedly large audience. The end of
term saw the presidential handover, which is now held by
mathematician and organisation enthusiast, James Dougal.
Easter Term was the busiest of the year, with the society
playing host to Stimmung, a celebration of Film, Music,
Poetry, Art, and Dance. The evening culminated with a
performance of Stockhausen’s rarely performed avantgarde vocal composition of the same name, given with
aplomb by the Facade Ensemble. In addition to this, the
traditional May Week concert proved as popular as ever,
with an afternoon including extracts from Les Miserables,
Pomp and Circumstance, and, most importantly, industrial
quantities of Pimms, strawberries, and cream.
President: James Bartlett
Shirley Players
Following its revival in late 2013, the Shirley Players had
another successful year at the fringes of the Cambridge
amateur dramatics scene. Though our output for this year
consisted only of one production, Fairest Creature by our
very own Ciaran Chilingworth, it was nevertheless (and
if we do say so ourselves) a triumph. For this production
we were lucky enough, following the success of last year’s
production of TS Eliot’s Murder In The Cathedral, once again
to be allowed to perform in the College Chapel, for which
privilege we are eternally indebted and grateful to the
Chaplain for his generosity, support and patience.
President: Douglas Tawn
Shirley Society
This has been a year of upholding time-honoured
traditions and inventing new ones. Following the former
Presidents’ successful revival of the creative writing
magazine Volta, the society has produced another edition
this year, with contributions from members inspired by
the theme Night. The magazine was launched and the
title announced in November 2014, at an exclusive society
formal complete with candles and personalised menus,
which we hope will prove the first of many annual Shirley
dinners. With illustrations by the Senrab Collective, as well
as by Shirley co-President Ruth Hobley, this year’s edition
of Volta was released in June, at the society’s May Week
picnic in Grantchester.
Following in the footsteps of Don Paterson, Lavinia
Greenlaw and Michael Symmons Roberts, to name but
three, the award-winning poet Jo Shapcott visited the
society in March 2015, delivering a wonderfully engaging
reading of some of her most recent writing, as well as
poems from the earlier collections Of Mutability and
Tender Taxes. We were delighted to be able to host two
other speakers this year, whose interests and specialisms
ranged widely. Novelist and mythographer Marina Warner
visited the society in November 2014, enchanting us with
a discussion of her recent research into the history of the
fairy tale. In January 2015, meanwhile, the biographer Paula
Byrne joined us to offer an insight into her current project,
exploring the potential uses of literature in treating
mental health difficulties; Paula’s talk was of particular
interest in relation to the College’s Mindfulness initiative.
It was a privilege to be able to host such interesting and
varied talks by these eminent speakers, and the society is
immensely grateful to them for finding time in their busy
schedules to share their thoughts and words with us.
Although the assertion is rarely qualified with anything
as mundane as an actual date, the Shirley Society prides
itself on being the Oldest Literary Society in Cambridge.
Shirley is ultimately set apart from the rest of Cambridge’s
(admittedly thriving) literary society scene, however, by
its weekly Show & Tell meetings, at which members from
different subjects and years gather to share and discuss
writing – their own or other people’s – relating to a
particular given theme. This year’s meetings have ranged
from the festive and food-related Mulled Wine and Mince
Pies, to a curmudgeonly moratorium on Valentine’s Day
entitled Absolutely No Sonnets. The co-Presidents would
like to thank the society’s members for humouring their
obscure and whimsical themes, and for the vital part
they have all played in keeping this delightfully convivial
tradition alive.
Presidents: Ruth Hobley and Rachael Hodge
Steers Society
Once again the Steers Society has had a great year, and we
were delighted to welcome another excellent cohort of
enthusiastic geographers. At the beginning of Michaelmas
Term we held the traditional safari-themed expedition
around a number of Cambridge watering holes. This was a
great opportunity for the incoming first-years both to get
to know the other geographers and to begin to develop an
understanding of the Cambridge landscape. Later in the
term we had a meal before the Christmas break.
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In Lent Term we held the dissertation advice evening,
using the excellent presentation equipment in the
McGrath Centre. After presentations from the Fellows, the
undergraduates were given an insight into how the thirdyears’ dissertations were progressing after their fieldwork
over the summer. This year topics included an investigation
into the collective memory of the First World War in
Tanzania, sustainable-fisheries management in Belize and
tree-coring for evidence of masting events in Poland.
In February we welcomed back Nick Brown (1978) to
our annual black-tie dinner held in the SCR. Currently
Chief Operating Officer at London Underground, since
graduating from St Catharine’s in 1981 Nick has held many
prestigious management positions. His very interesting
post-dinner speech reflected this, spanning topics from
the Dubai Metro to Boris Bikes, and we were very fortunate
that he was able to spare his time to meet with the society.
President: Robert Pellow
SPORTS CLUBS
Association Football
The 2014–15 season was mostly one to forget. The squad
had lost a number of experienced first-team players the
previous year; having only just avoided relegation from
Division 1, it was clear from the start that this would be a
very tough year. The other major change for the start of
this year was the decision to drop the Catz 3rd team from
the League, due to dwindling interest (the previous year a
number of games had been forfeited). We hope, however,
that this is only a temporary withdrawal.
For the 1st XI, the season did not get off to the best of
starts. A couple of early season injuries left the squad very
thin. Defeat on the first weekend to Jesus was followed by
a very tightly fought contest with Trinity Hall, which ended
in a 1–0 loss – this result against one of the weaker teams
in the League proved to be costly. Low on confidence, the
team headed into a run of fixtures against some of the top
teams in the League, with heavy losses incurred against
St John’s, Selwyn and Pembroke before our Cuppers match
against Girton. Against this Division 2 opponent, we hoped
to get our first win of the season, but despite one of the
most spirited performances, leading 2–0 and 3–2 at times,
we went down to an undeserved last minute 4–3 defeat,
leaving us without a win all term. Rejuvenated after a
long Christmas break, we knew that at least two wins
were necessary to retain our position in the top League of
college football, but despite more confident performances,
it was not to be. Relegation was confirmed at the
second-to-last weekend of the season, with a 3–0 loss to
Downing. The last game of the season, despite having had
the potential to have been the proverbial relegation sixpointer, ended up becoming a dead rubber against King’s,
but it was pleasing nonetheless to earn a 3–2 victory to lift
us off the bottom for the final League table.
The 2nd XI had a mixed season, also struggling to really
get going. Despite encouraging turnouts, performances
were modest, leaving the team floundering towards the
bottom of the Division 5. By the end of the season, the
two teams had picked up only seven points between
them, a tally which did not seem justified given a lot of
50
the performances all year. Despite the lack of success on
the field, the players and everyone involved with the club
had an enjoyable year, with socials more than making up
for the less enjoyable games at weekends. Next year the
target will obviously be to bounce both teams back into
reputable divisions.
Captain: Stuart Cummings
Athletics
It was another good year for both new and returning
members. The year began with Cuppers in October 2014,
when the College made an uncharacteristically slow start.
The men’s team members usually placed about fifth in each
discipline, including promising fresher Gareth Goh with
his alarming-looking hurdling; overall the men thus placed
fifth. The women, as usual, did better, with many high
placings (first Becky Martin – pole vault, second Anni Bates
– high jump, Kiara de Kremer – javelin, Emma Cullen – shot,
third Helena Bolton Jones – hurdles, Rhiannon Lockwood
– discus, Rebecca Martin – 3000m, fresher Kloe Storrie –
javelin). University captain Emma Cullen ran in the relay,
which Catz won comfortably, but otherwise saved herself
for later triumphs; without her extra contribution Catz
women lost narrowly (127–134) to Emmanuel. A little later,
on Oxford soil at the Freshers’ Varsity Match, representing
the College were Ben Cottam, who won the pole vault, Kloe
Storrie in the javelin and Gareth Goh, competing in both
the 110m hurdles and the long jump. All three helped CUAC
to a win for both men and women against the dark side.
Winter conditioning was important throughout the
colder months, and helped to secure another victory
against Oxford at the indoor IVFEAR match in March.
St Catharine’s once again made up a significant proportion
of the Cambridge team with Ben (pole vault), Anni (high
jump), Gareth (hurdles), Phillip Crout, Priya Crosby and
Rebecca Moore (distance relays), Kiara (javelin), Becky and
Rebecca Hulbert (pole vault). Special congratulations also
to Emma who broke the match record in the 60m and was
part of the 4x60m and 4x200m teams which also both
broke match records.
The successes in IVFEAR were followed by the muchanticipated week in Tenerife for this year’s warm-weather
training. The training and preparation in Tenerife clearly
paid off for several athletes including Anni Bates who later
in April jumped a personal best, and Blues height of 1.65m
for Achilles at the LICC match. This also becomes the new
all-time College high-jump record, which she hopes to take
higher next season. In the Summer Term, Catz had athletes
at the British Universities and Colleges championships,
where Becky Martin came 14th in the pole vault, Priya
Crosby finished 9th in the 2000m steeplechase and Phillip
Crout had a fantastic race to finish 4th in the 5000m.
The highlight of the year undoubtedly was the Varsity
Match, this year hosted on home turf at Wilberforce Road,
Cambridge. A 4–0 victory over Oxford speaks for itself and
with 12 members of St Catharine’s competing for one or
other of the teams, the College was certainly pivotal in
this landslide win. Special mention goes to Phillip Crout
who ran a superb race to smash the much-vaunted Oxford
competition in the 5000m and to Priya Crosby who won
the steeplechase; both achieved Blues times, Priya thus
adding to her collection of Blues in several sports. Emily
Brady won the pole vault for the Blues team, as did Kiara
de Kremer and Becky Martin for the women’s second
team, the Alligators. But once again it was our captain,
Emma Cullen, who stole the show; in her last year at
Cambridge she beat both the 100m and 200m Varsity
Match records, narrowly missing the win in the 200m (by
two hundredths of a second) to fellow CUAC sprinter and
previous women’s captain, Alice Kaye. The final match of
the season was against Harvard and Yale. Here Oxford and
Cambridge combine to compete as ‘Achilles’ against some
fantastic athletes from across the Pond. From St Catharine’s
Philip Crout, Priya Crosby, Emily Brady and Anni Bates
represented Cambridge. It was a great match with ten
records broken. Harvard-Yale thoroughly deserved their
win in both men’s and women’s matches.
It has been an incredible year of Athletics both for the
University and the College and despite the loss of so many
College athlete stalwarts this year (Rebecca Hulbert, Emily
Brady, Emily Goodband, Emma Cullen, and Helena BoltonJones) we look forward to a bright future. Anni Bates
will follow on from Emma Cullen as University Women’s
captain, keeping St Catharine’s at the heart of University
Athletics, while Gareth Goh takes over as College captain
and hopes to return the College to its rightful place by
winning Cuppers in 2015–16.
Captain: Anni Bates
Badminton (Men)
After the very successful 2013–14 season, Catz Men’s
Badminton had a lot to live up to. After a promising start,
the first team was sadly substantially reduced by injuries,
leaving us short of players for the remainder of the first
term. Although our second team players did a stellar job,
by standing in at the last minute, we were unfortunately
relegated at the end of the first term. However, with
the team almost fully recovered to full strength by the
beginning of Lent Term, the firsts took the second division
by storm, thrashing every team we came across, to top the
table and earn our rightful place in the first division again.
In Cuppers, the Men’s team played some amazing matches
before finally losing out to Wolfson in the third round. The
Mixed team, on the other hand, made it to finals day and,
after beating Girton in the semi-finals (yes, we finally beat
Girton!), went on to win the title.
The second team, despite numerous new recruits,
struggled to field a full team in Michaelmas, dropping
down to Division 5 before maintaining a comfortable
position in the middle of the table in Lent Term. The very
enthusiastic third team maintained their position in the
seventh division throughout both terms, with numerous
players also stepping up when called upon, when needed,
by the first and second teams.
Maintaining tradition, Catz once again remains one of
the most enthusiastic badminton clubs in the University
with abundant training sessions booked each week, giving
everyone a chance to play as often as they wish. Fielding four
men’s teams, everyone had the chance to play in the League,
have loads of fun and play some amazing badminton. Thanks
to everyone who made it such a great season!
Captain: Steph Potten
Badminton (Women)
2014–15 has been another enjoyable and successful year
for Catz Ladies’ 1st Badminton team. In particular it has
been exciting to see our newest members learn from the
skills and knowledge of more experienced players. This
allowed considerable improvements by team members
over the course of the year culminating in a strong
performance by all pairs during the Cuppers competition.
The team has held its place in the bottom half of Division 1,
winning a total of 23 games, some of them by very close
margins. Next year the team hopes to build on this success,
under the direction of the new captain Katherine Newton.
Captain: Rachel Marshall
Boat Club (Overall)
It would be fair to say that this year has very much
been one of transition for the club. With many of our
experienced oars-men and women graduating the
previous year, the club has had to work hard to bring many
new athletes up to a competitive level in a very short
period of time. Although it never ceases to amaze me
how quickly the club was able to develop the six novice
boats we had in Michaelmas Term, unfortunately the lack
of experience is telling in many of our results this year.
However, there have been many great developments in
the club over the past twelve months, which should lay the
foundations for successful years in the future.
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January saw 15 club members attend our inaugural
international training camp in Seville, Spain. This was a
huge success, and we made many new Spanish friends
whilst on a fantastic regatta course running through the
heart of the historic city. We look forward to returning in
2016. Our off-Cam experiences continued through the year,
with crews representing the College at both the Men’s and
Women’s Head of the River Races in London, and the Head
of the Nene in Peterborough. This year was also the first for
several years that the club has sent a crew to Henley Royal
Regatta. The crew of Chris Eddy, Chris Quarton, James
Wagstaff, Robert Trivasse, Beth Cullimore-Pike (cox) and
Alistair Nelson (coach) competed in the Prince Albert Cup
for academic coxed fours.
At University level, the club can proudly claim to be
most successful. All three of our trialists earned their seats
and the right to compete against Oxford. Priya Crosby
(cox, CUWBC Lightweights), Alistair Nelson (cox, CULRC)
and Sarah Lucas (bow, CUWBC Lightweights) all returned
to College with silverware. The latter also represented
Cambridge at Henley Women’s Regatta, in the lightweight
single sculls.
I must also extend our greatest of thanks to our
alumni, supporters, and in particular our sponsor Argus
Fire through Herb Bate (1963), for continuing to support
the club; the funding has enabled us to purchase a
brand new Filippi eight for our men’s squad. Along with
the appointment of a new men’s head coach and two
coaches for our novice squads, the club will be in good
order for the coming year. Soon, the club will also begin
a fundraising campaign in partnership with the College
Alumni & Development Office, to raise money to replace
our aging men’s and women’s coxed fours. Although we
must bid farewell to a number of our athletes this year, as
Scott Fitzgerald said in The Great Gatsby ‘Life starts all over
again when it gets crisp in the fall.’ I hope that 2015–16 will
bring the club good fortune, and I look forward to once
again seeing SCCBC climbing the (often slippery) bumps
ladders. In Lent Term we will be holding our biennial
alumni dinner and row, and I hope many of our former
members and supporters will join us in celebrating our
club. It has been a true pleasure to captain the club this
year and finally I must thank the outgoing committee for
all their hard work. For the wheel!
Overall Captain: Jonathan McCree-Grey
Boat Club (Men)
The men’s squad this year has had some notable successes
as well as a few disappointments. We had a strong group of
novices in Michaelmas Term who, through hard work and
braving the early morning river, placed 3rd in the Novice
Fairbairn’s Cup with the second novice boat coming 4th
in their Division. The senior men also placed a respectable
12th and 7th (first and second boat respectively). This term
also saw SCCBC run its first training camp; we took a group
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of senior rowers and coxes to Seville in Spain for five days
of rowing on their gloriously wide river. It proved to be a
valuable training opportunity – the huge amount of fun
and the warm sunny days in January weren’t too bad either.
Lent Term led to a number of talented novices moving
straight into the 1st Boat and saw us compete in two
off-cam races. Peterborough Head of the Nene was a
new experience for the entire crew; a really valuable and
enjoyable day, saw us place 4th in a gruelling 5k head
race. We also took a crew to the Head of the River Race in
London in March for the first time in a number of years – it
was quite awe-inspiring to see 350 crews on the Thames
and a really memorable row.
As the days grew longer and warmer the men of SCCBC
took to the water for the final term of the year, all of the
crews trained incredibly hard and so it was very satisfying
to enter four crews into the May Bumps. Sadly, the crews
were collectively bumped more times than we would like;
however, there were numerous personal achievements
that the crews can be proud of. Overall, I am extremely
pleased with the dedication and effort put in by everyone
this year. Looking ahead we have a committed group of
rowers next year who can build on the work done this
year; we also have the exciting prospect of both a new
boat and coach both arriving in September to take us to
new heights.
Mens’ Captain: Robert Trivasse
Boat Club (Women)
Graduation last year took many of our more senior
rowers so this year the women’s squad was in a process of
rebuilding. Fortunately we have some really good novices
coming through, which means that we are currently
setting ourselves up for the next couple of years. The
results of both Lent and May Bumps did not give the
squad its just deserts. Everyone trained hard and gave
their all, but unfortunately this year the outcome was
most unwelcome. Spoons in the Lents for W1 was most
disappointing, but luckily we narrowly avoided double
spoons with an amazing row-over in the face of repeated
overlap as Jesus took out Selwyn from behind. The results
from Mays mean that W1 are still in the first division and in
a very exciting position for next year, from which we can
hopefully drive our way back up the table!
As far as squad depth is concerned, in Michaelmas we
had a racing four and a ‘social’ four. Lent Term saw two
eights and Easter Term saw three (two boats from the
senior squad and a ‘champagne boat’ made up of Whiskers
and AlleyCatz). Unsurprisingly only two boats got on,
with the same results for both W1 and W2 (each down
three). The Lents W1 crew went again this year to compete
on the Tideway in the Women’s Eights Head of the River
Race. We finished a respectable 252nd beating a number
of universities and ranking slightly higher than our men’s
crew (who came 254th!) – Catz solidarity again! Although
the results were not as impressive as in the past, it was a
great experience for everyone involved, especially those
who had only learnt to row in Michaelmas. The first boat
also went to Peterborough to race the Head of the Nene,
beating several other colleges.
Last year’s captain Sarah Lucas (2011) rowed for CUWBC,
beating Oxford in the Women’s Lightweight boat, along
with its cox Priya Crosby (2010). Sarah then competed at
Women’s Henley, qualifying in her lightweight single scull.
She won her first race in a time equal to the course record
– an amazing feat! Unfortunately she lost in the next race,
but an outstanding performance nonetheless.
Captaining this year has been both challenging and
rewarding. At the start of this year the senior squad was
especially small (in number if not in heart) but they have
flourished along with the novices and hopefully we have
laid the foundations for the squad to grow and thrive
into the strong women’s squad that the Club deserves. Of
course this would not have been achievable if it wasn’t
for the support of our fantastic alumni and College, our
brilliant Boatman (to whom I am yet to give a problem he
cannot solve) and to our W1 coach, Georgie Plunkett, who
has stuck by us and helped us make the progress we have
this year. The 2014–15 results are really not representative
of the effort our wonderful girls have put in this year and I
look forward to next year when we have an opportunity to
really show everyone what Catz is capable of.
Womens Captain: Beth Cullimore-Pike
Card and Board Games
The ‘relaunch’ of a dying Card Games Society as the new
Catz Card and Board Games Society was met with great
enthusiasm, much to my delight, with over a dozen
regulars meeting several times a term, to while away
evenings in both cheerful co-operation and light-hearted
rivalry. Designed partly to introduce a range of colourful
and engaging games to a Catz contingent (woefully
starved of anything more fun than the drawn-out agony of
a game of Monopoly), we have had some great moments
over the year – racing camels, fleeing sinking islands,
exploring haunted ruins, working together to survive
hellish deserts, to name but a few of the more memorable
games; and of course, betraying friends and foe alike at
every turn.
President: Michael French
Cricket
The College had a disappointing season: four games
played, four games emphatically lost. If you were hoping
the SCCCC season might provide some cricketing joy
to match England’s destruction of the Aussies, then
unfortunately you will have been disappointed.
Starting with a match against a strong Fitz side, the
Catz season began well with captain Mills winning the
toss. Williams and Diesel put together a firm partnership
with Sam Hart adding fireworks as he continually chopped
accurate bowling to the fence. Despite good bowling by
Thompson, Mills and Diesel, the sea of University Cricket
stash was the foreboding warning of the inevitable: a loss
by three wickets.
The next game was a repeat of traditional college rivalry,
as we took on the Red Boys of St John’s. This was to be our
final game of Cuppers 2015. John’s batted first but not until
after a 20-minute search for a new ball (the Captain had left
his in his room). Catz bowled well and took early wickets,
putting John’s under the cosh at the outset. Standout
bowling performances came from Mills who took four
wickets, Diesel and Gopal whose accuracy and occasional
quicker ball kept our bowling economical: Johns were kept
to a low 143. When Catz batted, it became apparent that the
Johns forte was bowling, as they ripped through our upper
order. Even Diesel’s ‘sick’ mate from Anglia Ruskin couldn’t
help us as he returned quacking to the pavilion a little
more golden than before having lasted a single delivery.
In the end our 102 was not enough to fulfil our dreams of
Cuppers glory – these now lay scattered in a million pieces
over the John’s well-cut wicket.
Next was our closest game: a tightly fought affair against
the Law Society who lost the toss and were put in bat. They
opened in fine Geoffrey Boycott style as their opening pair
scored at only about one run an over. But after 38 overs
they had built up a score of 168. Despite another strong
start from in-form batsman Cummings, backed up by
Diesel, Mills, Hart and especially Lello who top scored with
70-odd, we fell short again, but only by 2 runs.
Completing a classic season for SCCCC, Catz opened its
doors to alumni from far and wide on Acheson-Gray Day,
the celebration to a popular alumnus who gave much to
Catz sport during his time at College. The game started in
what was becoming a bit of a tradition: another forgotten
new ball. SCCCC started slowly against the pace of the
alumni bowling but the occasional ‘pie’ allowed us to make
positive headway. Several batsmen reached scores of 30
or more, so SCCCC grew excited at the prospect of our
first victory. However, heavy rain brought the game to a
conclusion and so we were left with a typically English,
underwhelming and unimpressive ending: a drawn match
and a tray of soggy cucumber sandwiches (although
rumour has it that Matt Diesel is still trying to discover
a winner by applying the Duckworth-Lewis scheme for
matches with only one innings).
Despite the trials and tribulations of the season, SCCCC
has been a club enjoyed by all who took part. Given our
record for the last two seasons, the pressure on next year’s
captain to beat the low-flying heights reached recently by
SCCCC will be minimal. I wish him well.
Captain: Tim Mills
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Cross-Country
SCCCCC (notice the extra C to distinguish the club from
that for cricket) this year organised a regular series of
informal runs of about six or seven kilometres, often
ending with cake! We also had a ‘Christmas running swap’
with Christ’s College Running Club, which included fancy
dress and mince pies. Aiming to get more Catz people
running, whatever their ability, we mainly run for pleasure
rather than for competition.
However, several ran in University athletics or crosscountry events, with Arnav Kapur, Harriet Gribbin and Iona
Charlton backing up the excellent second-placings by
Phillip Crout and Rebecca Moore in cross-country Cuppers
held in November. Phillip then ran for the University in
the cross-country Varsity Match at Roehampton, but his
fear of mud got the better of him while Rebecca missed
this competition with injuries restricting her to racing
mainly on level surfaces. Later in the season both these
two excelled on the (relatively) flat – with Philip gaining
his athletics Blue and coming fourth in the 5000m in the
British Universities track championships. Rebecca won
the Boundary Run half-marathon, in which Iona also ran.
Rebecca also received the Hawks Club’s Sir Arthur Marshall
award, recognising her several years of running successes.
Captains: Laura Paterson and Oliver Titheridge-Stone
Fencing
Catz fencers had another year of success, in fact greater
than last year. Ed Stroud was part of the University men’s
first team which won both the Varsity and BUCS Team
Championship Finals. Harriet Hall (last year’s University
captain) and Alex Craig (the current University captain)
were again part of the Varsity-winning women’s first team,
who also won the BUCS Team Championship Finals (again
against Oxford as opponents) for the first time in around
seven years. Victoria Merrell (Mascetti) was part of the
University women’s second team, which dominated their
Varsity match, and also came second in their League, just
behind a very strong Nottingham club.
Captain: Alex Craig
Hockey (Men)
In October a largely unchanged squad returned to the
freshly laid pastures of Catz Astro hoping to continue their
fine form of the previous year. However, our dreams for the
first term were cruelly shattered on the very first weekend
against a side from the Leys as strong as ever. Veteran
squanderers Mike Woodford and Andy Argyle were sorely
missed at the back, and a 3–0 defeat resulted. Regrettably,
this tough start may have crushed some budding fresher
talent and despite a valiant effort to secure a 4–3 win the
following weekend and then the easiest win of the season
against a Girton side who, true to form, failed to turn up,
the damage was already done. A shaky win saw us through
to the second round of Cuppers but the rest of the results,
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including notably a draw with rivals Jesus, were only
enough to secure us a mid-table finish.
We made a bright start in Lent Term with a 4–2 win
over Jesus ensuring we hold bragging rights over them
for this year. After this high, history was set to repeat
itself with an unfortunate second-round Cuppers fixture
against a combined Fitz/Trinity team laden with Blues
and Wanderers – even a sensational opening goal from
our own Blue Kieran Gilmore could not prevent a 7–2
loss against the eventual Cuppers winners. A midweek
game against Downing, who had won the League the
previous term, coincided with the ban on those selected
for University teams playing college sport, leaving us
vulnerable against a team not reliant on University players;
I was thus forced to watch, as chance after chance failed
to make up for their one goal scored dead on half-time.
A long break, midway through Lent Term, allowed us
to regroup; although again consigned to a mid-table
finish, we certainly found our form (and had some fun!)
towards the end of the season with wins 5–1 and 8–1 over
Pembroke and Churchill showing promise for next year
under the captaincy of Matt Diesel.
Over the summer, Catz went some way towards reasserting their dominance over the lesser colleges. Three
teams were entered for John’s sixes, one of them winning
the tournament and finally getting us some silverware.
Catz then also entered two teams in Bath Summer Hockey
(more than Cambridge University Hockey Club managed
to enter). In addition to having a lot of fun, we again
picked up a prize, winning the second division plate.
This season has been the last for many Catz hockey
regulars from the past few years, all of whom have made
a great impact and been a pleasure to captain and play
alongside. Although there are too many to name them
all, a special mention is deserved by Ben Davies, who will
be missed after a full six years, as will be adopted regular
Scott McKechnie. Finally thanks to Michael Carbonell, who
captained the Gents XI in this, his final year.
Captain: Sam Cole
Hockey (Women)
After such a successful season last year, there were high
expectations for the Catz hockey girls. Regarding the
League, the first issue that the team faced was that some of
our players were just too good! The loss of Hettie Cust, Cat
Cox, and Charlotte Frost to the University Blues side – girls
who could not have deserved blues blazers more – meant
that the team struggled at first. But it was able to maintain
its dominance in the League with the help of several keen
freshers. Julia Simons was a solid rock in defence, and Anna
Faulkner joined forces with Iona Charlton and Lucy Walsh
in midfield to deliver the ball through to the attackers.
The team therefore performed extremely well in both
the Michaelmas and the Lent Leagues, losing just three
matches in total, and finishing second and first respectively.
The highlight was beating Murray Edwards 7–1 in the last
match of Lent Term. Cuppers simply reaffirmed Catz’s
dominance both on and off the hockey pitch. The fanatical
Catz crowd on the sidelines put Murray Edwards supporters
to shame, while some slick hockey on the pitch resulted in
a final score of 1–0 to Catz.
Sadly we will be losing a few regular faces on the
hockey pitch next year, including Hettie Cust, Christine
Viney and Katy Davidson; it is safe to say that the season
would have been very different without them. However,
each year brings new freshers who are always keen and
often more than able to fill the gap left by departing
players, and so this is certainly not the end of Catz’s
dominance of college hockey.
Captain: Juliet Michel
Lacrosse (Mixed)
A good intake of freshers made this year’s mixed lacrosse
a lot of fun for all involved. In both terms we finished
comfortably mid-table in the second division, but
demonstrated on a number of occasions that we could
compete with the teams at the top of the League and
even in the first division as well. In Cuppers we had some
great performances in a very difficult group and were
unfortunate not to get any further in the competition. The
fresher contingent should continue to improve, so the
future is looking good for next year’s Captains Rosie Tian
and Danny Christie.
Captains: Lucy Gimson and Matt Diesel
Lawn Tennis (Men)
The Catz first tennis team had a mixed year, with a decent
result in the Michaelmas League but a disappointing
second-round exit in the Lent Cuppers Tournament. Taking
over the captaincy from Johnny Hyman, who was in Spain
on his year abroad, I had big plans for the year. Two freshers,
Nikhil Sharma and Henry Hall, keen tennis players from
Eton, bolstered the numbers. They both went on to play
University tennis, Nikhil training with the Blues for most
of the year and Henry with the University seconds. The
other members of the Catz first team this year were Jack
Hollywood, Owen Drage, Leah Grace and Lizzie Nelmes.
The Michaelmas League fixtures, in which each
college team has four players to compete in six matches
(two doubles and four singles), saw Catz in Division 1
and beginning by beating Churchill 4–2 on their rather
exposed, windy courts. In the final two fixtures we
suffered two consecutive 5–1 defeats to Jesus and John’s
who had teams filled with University-standard players. A
notable performance in the Jesus fixture came from Owen
Drage who won an impressive singles in a tense 10–5
championship tie-break.
The Cuppers tournament in the Lent Term involved
teams of six players and matches with six singles and three
doubles. Our first match was against St Edmunds and, with
youth on our side against this graduate college, we easily
overcame them 7–0 with two matches called off due to
rain. We then faced Downing who had had a bye through
the first round. Jack Hollywood won a good singles match
(6–1, 6–3) as did Henry Hall and myself. Unfortunately the
doubles matches were our weakness; we lost all three
to put Catz out of Cuppers in a 6–3 defeat. Although
this was disappointing, the standard of College tennis
was impressive and I am positive for next year, when the
captaincy is to be held by Henry Hall, who was voted MVP
(most valuable player) in the second-team Varsity match.
Under Captain Ian Doughty, Catz 2s finished 5th in
Division 5 of the college League with one win, two draws
and two losses. Players included Andreas Merk, Daniel
Hanna, Kevin Joyce, Louis Williams, Fin Allen, Alex Arotsker
and Anna Rogers, all keen but with varying levels of tennis
experience.
It has been extremely enjoyable captaining
St Catharine’s tennis and the Acheson-Gray-day match was
a nice way to round off the year. Thanks go to Karen Cass
for organising the alumni team; although the rain tried to
scupper plans, good matches were played on the grass
and all weather courts.
Captain: Nikhil Joshi
Lawn Tennis (Women)
The summer season for St Catharine’s Women’s tennis
team has been a successful, albeit short, affair. As there
is no League competition during the year for Women’s
tennis, all focus is on Cuppers. The Cuppers team is made
up of four players who play four singles matches and
two doubles matches. After receiving a bye in the first
round, Catz Women faced Peterhouse in the quarter-finals.
Despite some concerns re rustiness, the team outclassed
their opponents, winning all their matches. Our semi-final
match looked to be tougher, as we were drawn against
reigning champions Emmanuel. Unfortunately, after some
long and competitive matches, Catz women were beaten
4–2 by the team who then went on to defeat Downing in
the final. This was nonetheless a great experience for all
players, with many enjoying their first taste of grass-court
tennis. A special mention goes to Lizzie Nelmes, next year’s
Captain, who was undefeated in her Cuppers campaign.
Captain: Leah Grace
Rugby (Men)
SCCRUFC began the season fresh from its promotion to
the second division in the League. With a good intake of
freshers to replace last year’s leavers, the season got off
to the best possible start with a 43–0 win over Pembroke.
A win against Emmanuel, but also a couple of losses,
followed. The return match against Pembroke proved to be
the match of the season. Catz played with its usual forward
strength and fast attacking backline only to be let down by
a faltering defence. This meant that when the referee called
55
last play, Catz were 2 points down. Following a turnover
and a couple of forward drives, a scything back move led to
a try in the corner and victory for SCCRUFC. Then another
last-minute win, against Homerton, secured a mid-table
finish for the season and a further year in division 2.
There was a slightly confusing start to Cuppers when
both St John’s 2nd team and St Edmund’s conceded; this
left Catz playing Robinson for a place in the semi-final!
After a cagey start to the match, the superior power in the
Catz team, and our Blues combining in the backs, meant
that we came out the winners 34–20. In the semi-final, a
Catz team weakened by injury and by commitments to
Varsity matches in other sports, could not cope with a
St John’s team containing five Blues, losing 71–5 to the
team that went on to win the competition.
Throughout the year several players represented the
University at various levels. Special mentions go to Ben Wylie
who started for the U21s at Twickenham, and to Dan Dass
and Andy Rees who both came off the bench for the Blues.
Captain: Ben Cottam
Rugby (Women)
College women’s Rugby in 2014–15 did not achieve the
dominance seen in 2013–14, but the team competed in the
college League and in Cuppers seven-a-sides. Despite the
support and training from James Lamming, Ben Cottam
and one of the University rugby coaches, John Naylor,
there were no wins to report. This year it took a long time
for the sport to take off with the freshers, but now there
is a strong contingent for next year, so we are hoping that
Annie Loveday (the new Captain) will be able to lead us
once again to victory.
Captain: Iona Charlton
Swimming
The St Catharine’s swimming team entered Cuppers 2015
with the aim of continuing the tradition of the previous
two years: top of the table! The competition opened
with the 50m individual events and the 100m Individual
Medley. As these races drew to a close, St Catharine’s
was lying third, amongst the 20 colleges competing.
Several of our team swam their races in personal best
times, an impressive achievement considering we held
no formal training sessions during the year. Following a
short interval and team talk, we entered the relays set
on winning as many races as possible. Cheering from the
team supporters certainly helped us as we moved swiftly
into second position. Some narrow wins against Trinity
and Christ’s left us uncertain where we stood in the overall
competition. The results were announced in reverse order,
and we were delighted to take second place – only twelve
points behind Trinity. We look forward to next year; an
opportunity to enjoy the great team spirit and perhaps
also to regain our swimming dominance!
Captain: Clemency Britton
56
Surfing
2014 was momentous for the founding of Catz Surf Club –
the oldest and best college surfing club! Armed with a list
of keen freshers and a generous College sporting grant,
we set about transforming Catz students into bona-fide
beach bums. Film nights hosted in the JCR, the delivery
of stash tie-dyed into wavey perfection and shameless
self-promotion across multiple social media platforms,
gave the club suitable momentum. The culmination of
the year was a trip to Cornwall post-exams, where ten
members rented a minibus, crammed it full of burgers and
beer, and headed to the beach. We begged, borrowed and
scrounged surfing equipment to keep costs down, and
had a great time in the waves. The beginners made great
progress, with several standing up after a single day (and
only one blood injury…). The more experienced surfers
tore up the waves; and then back to the beach for a cider
and a chill.
Next year, big plans are afoot for University Surf Soc
– expanding into other colleges, to hopefully set up
a college surfing League, meaning bigger and better
trips with real competition (Oxford have been in touch
regarding a future Varsity Match).
Captain: James Digby
Ultimate Frisbee
The multi-college New Thundercatz Ultimate Frisbee team
had another enjoyable season under the captaincy of Alex
Riley (St Catharine’s) and Lizzie Pearmain (Magdalene).
The team includes Caius, Girton, Trinity Hall, Fitzwilliam
and Magdalene as well as Catz, and plays College League
matches every weekend, and Cuppers tournaments at the
end of every term. We had a good intake of new players
this year, with most having never played Ultimate before,
so everyone improved a lot over the season.
Ultimate is a self-refereed sport, with ‘Spirit of the Game’
(fair-mindedness, respect, positive attitude and adherence
to the rules) being most important, to make the game
work and be as enjoyable as possible. We were therefore
very happy to win the Spirit prize as well as coming 11th in
the Michaelmas Term’s college League. That term’s Cuppers
was fortunately held indoors this year (after the stormy
conditions endured last year) this allowed many new
players to experience the faster-paced game of indoor
Ultimate. Thundercatz did excellently, winning its group
and coming 8th overall. After a fantastic start to Lent Term,
and despite a few postponed matches due to poor playing
conditions, we came 12th in the college League.
It was also a great year for socials, the highlight being
a large multi-team MCR formal at St Catharine’s on the
evening of the inaugural college League hat tournament.
Captain: Alex Riley
Water Polo
With our new hats on our heads, this year’s Catz water polo
team were ready to play! Michaelmas college League saw
two wins and one loss (winning 5–3 against Emmanuel,
losing 2–6 against Magdalene, walkover win over Caius
as they could not field a team). In Lent Term we lost
2–6 against Trinity, drew one (Trinity Hall) and won two
matches (walkover wins against Caius and Emmanuel).
This resulted in second place in Division 2 of the college
League, just four points behind Emmanuel. Cuppers was
held at the beginning of Easter Term; we won one match
and lost another by a very small margin meaning that we
lost our place in the finals. Next year’s team will be in the
very capable hands of Vytautas Peciukenas, who played in
every match this year.
Captain: Emma Tarrant
ALLEYCATZ
The Alleycatz had a very successful year, combining sporting excellence with sociable prowess and we
have really enjoyed being Presidents of such a well-rounded society. The women of St Catharine’s have
participated in a wide range of sports throughout the University and, whilst victories were not always
inevitable, commitment and fun were never in doubt. Individual members have excelled this year with
many Blues being awarded and victories over Oxford achieved. Emma Cullen led CUAC to Varsity victory,
with Anni Bates securing her high jump Blue on the way; Cat Cox, Hettie Cust, and Frostie all earned
Blues for hockey when defeating the Other Place, Frostie also enjoying a Varsity win for women’s rugby in
the same weekend. Charlotte Frost – multi-athlete supremo. Alex Craig captained the University fencing
club to victory, she and Harriet Hall each earning their Blues for an impressive third year running.
Several Alleycatz tried their hand at rowing, combining with the Whiskers in a Champagne Boat for
May Bumps. Barges were crashed into, blades were broken and blisters spread like wildfire, but with
Alleycatz Presidents Cara and Iona as Coach and Captain respectively, the boat progressed at alarming
pace. Unfortunately it was unable to reach the standards required to actually compete in the Mays, but
we hope this initiative will continue next year, and with perseverance and a little more experience, the
girls will ‘get on’ to the Mays proper in future.
The Alleycatz continue to enjoy a close relationship with the Kitten Club, sharing a joyous Christmas
Dinner and we greatly hope the joint alumni dinner will take off next year with the groundwork
having been put in place. Until then, contact with old Alleycatz is always encouraged; get in touch at
[email protected]!
With the new jumpers being sported around College and our new slogan clinging onto emails, we’re
hoping the Alleycatz will continue to blossom under the guidance of Harriet Macleod and Juliet Michel
– to support and encourage the sportswomen of St Catharine’s whilst remaining fun-loving on a Sunday
night!
Presidents – Hettie Cust, Iona Charlton and Cara Eldridge
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KITTEN CLUB
This year has seen the Kitten Club shun the
traditional drinking society culture and return to
its roots as a sports society. A number of incidents
within College and across the University led
members to reflect upon what it means to be a
Kitten and to remember that the ‘object of the
club shall be to promote social contact between
members of the club and other persons interested
in sport’. As such the Kitten Club have undertaken
a number of new initiatives to promote sport
within the College, improve the image of the club
and hopefully work towards its long term survival.
The production of a weekly sports report, Kitt-Bag,
sent to all students, staff and Fellows of College
has been highly successful. In addition, the
monthly Kittens Monday Quiz Night, or KMQN, has
been very popular and raised over £100 for charity.
The Kitten Club Garden Party continued for
another year and proved highly popular despite
the weather.
Spanning a breadth of clubs and sports, a
Kitten is never far from one of his own when
The Kitt-Bag, a new weekly sports report.
representing the College or University. This year
Kittens were in University teams in rugby, hockey and cricket, as well as the less traditional sports of
lacrosse and American football. Additionally, the University cycling, rowing, athletics and tennis teams
have all been infiltrated by Kittens. But despite his best efforts, Mills is yet to gain a Blue in ‘chatting’ but,
like any Kitten, he continues his pursuit with great determination.
Closer to home, members have participated in College sport with great enthusiasm and passion.
With each Kitten playing a number of different sports, the current makeup of the club is not dominated
by a single one and is a true testament to the multi-talented nature of Kittens. SCCRUFC reached the
semi-finals of Cuppers, SCCHC had a mixed season having been knocked out of Cuppers in the early
rounds by the team that went on to win the tournament, while SCCAFC said they had fun. Full season
reports for all sports are listed separately in this magazine. While some teams may feel the season was
disappointing in comparison with previous years, it is important to remember that performances were
well above those expected of a college the size of Catz – a credit to the Captains and to the players, who
are always willing to turn up for a match.
As the end of another successful year arrives, it is time to bid farewell to a number of stalwarts of the
club who will go on to join the ranks of the Old Boys – Carbonell, Davies, Hart, Thompson, Artingstall,
Lowson, Wylie, Holt, Cottam, Gray-Stephens, Cooper, O Williams, L Williams, Amin-Nejad – big names
that will be missed. But the river flows on and, as new Kittens replace the old, I am sure that the
traditions of the club will continue and we will have another unforgettable year under the leadership of
James Digby as Head Kitten and Tim Mills as Secretary.
Head Kitten – James Lamming
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BLUES AND COLOURS
Full Blues
Athletics: Annabel Bates, Priya Crosby, P Crout,
Emma G Cullen
Cricket: D Chohan, BA Wylie
Fencing: Alex Craig, Harriet T Hall
Golf: OJ Williams
Hockey: Victoria L Mascetti (for 2013–14), Catriona L Cox,
Hettie Cust, Charlotte E Frost, K Gilmore
Lacrosse: Sophie H Abbott
Netball: Izzy Bell
Powerlifting: J Thompson
Rugby Union: DR Dass, A Rees
Water Polo: Emily Grader (for 2013–14),
Rebecca Hulbert (for 2013–14)
Half Blues
Athletics: Emily Brady, Rebecca Hulbert
Badminton: Steph Potten
Basketball: Elena Loche
Cricket: Sophie H Abbott, Charlotte J Kenealy,
Christine Viney
Cross country: P Crout
Fencing: Ed Stroud
Lacrosse: SM Cummings (also for 2013–14)
Lightweight Rowing: Priya Crosby, Sarah L Lucas,
A Nelson
Open Water Swimming: Clemency Britton (for 2013–14)
Real Tennis: Emily Brady
Revolver: A Amin-Nejad
Rugby Union: Charlotte E Frost
Swimming: Priya Crosby (also for 2013–14)
Table Tennis: J Bleakley (for 2013–14)
Taekwondo: Charlotte J Kenealy (for 2013–14)
Other representative honours
Athletics (Alligators): Helen R Bolton-Jones,
S Kiara de Kremer, Emily L Goodband, Rebecca Martin
Athletics (Alverstone): BN Cottam, G Goh
Athletics (Field events and relays): Annabelle Bates,
BN Cottam, Priya Crosby, P Crout, Emma G Cullen,
S Kiara de Kremer, G Goh, Rebecca Hulbert,
Rebecca Martin, Rebecca SA Moore
Fencing: Henny Dillon, Victoria L Mascetti
Golf Dinner Match: OJ Williams (for 2013–14)
Hockey (Wanderers): WA Fullwood
Hockey (Squanderers): SJ Cole, M Diesel
Hockey (Nomads): Molly Buxton, Lisa CM Sweering
Hockey (Bedouins): Juliet Michel, Margaret R Young
Korfball: P Blair (for 2013–14)
Lacrosse: Alexia Boreham (for 2013–14)
Lawn Tennis (Grasshoppers): H Hall, N Sharma
Lawn Tennis (Ladybirds): Leah Grace
Rugby Union (Under 21’s): BA Wylie
Rugby Union (Tigers): Iona Charlton
Emma Cullen leads the University Women’s Athletics Team.
59
UNIVERSITY CRICKET
For those unfamiliar with recent developments in Cambridge University cricket, it should be explained
that, for most ‘first class matches’ CUCC combines with Anglia Ruskin University to field an ‘MCC
University Centre of Excellence’ team, to play against counties (and also against the other five University
Centres of Excellence, including the Oxford centre that jointly involves both Oxford University and
Oxford Brookes University). For traditional Varsity Match competition against Oxford however, CUCC
stands alone. But there are now not one but three cricket Varsity matches against the old enemy – a 20over game (home or away alternately), followed by a 50-over game at Lord’s, and then a four-day game
(home or away). Blues are awarded by Cambridge for participation in the second and/or third of these
games, which take place in late June and early July each year.
Cambridge University women’s cricket has seen enormous strides recently. The University women’s
team plays a full programme of matches, participating in the annual inter-university competition
organised by BUCS, and also playing the likes of MCC and Army Ladies. Like the men, there is more
than one Varsity match: a 20-over game (home and away) and a 50-over game at Lord’s played on the
same day as the men’s game. Half-blues are awarded to all those women playing at Lord’s, with the
opportunity for Full Blues to be won, based on individual performance. This year the two Lord’s games
were played in the presence of a packed St Catharine’s alumni double-box (36 persons) in the Tavern
Stand – probably the first such group from any college.
In 2015 Catz provided two men (Darhan Chohan and Ben Wylie) for the Blues match at Fenner’s; with
Ben playing also in the other two Varsity matches. He was voted ‘man of the match’ in the 20-over game,
scoring 37 and taking 3 for 20 in a Cambridge victory. The men’s Lord’s match was, sadly, lost; but matters
were redeemed by a clear victory in the four-day game (won in fact in three days), Ben scoring 26 and
taking 3 for 14.
The Catz women excelled this year, with Christine Viney, Charlotte Kenealy and Sophie Abbott all
earning Half-Blues at Lord’s (although the game was lost). Christine is the University’s opening bowler,
but unfortunately had to miss the 20-over game due to an examination clash; Charlotte and Sophie did,
however, play in this match – a Cambridge win.
2014 MATRICULANDS
Abbott, Sophie (Wycombe Abbey School, High Wycombe)
Acheson, Esme (Alleyn's School, Dulwich) English
Amin, Shiran (Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood)
Economics
Anwary, Soleiman (Canons High School, Edgware)
Medical & Veterinary Sciences
Baird, Jethro (Methodist College, Belfast) English
Baker, Olivia (Mearns Castle High School, Scotland)
Banerjee, Devina (King's College School, Wimbledon)
Classics
Barlow, Katie (Loreto College, Manchester) Natural
Sciences
Bates, Maria (Rugby High School for Girls) Engineering
60
Beighton, Joe (St Aidans & St John Fisher, Harrogate)
Music
Bell, Michael (Belfast Royal Academy) Music
Blakunov, Sergey (Details not available) Natural Sciences
Blaskova, Simona (Grammar School Povazska Bystrica,
Slovakia) Human, Social and Political Science
Bogachev, Vanya (Clifton College, Bristol) Natural Sciences
Brickel, Catriona (Bishop's Stortford College) Philosophy
Briggs, Charlie (Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School,
Hertfordshire) Geography
Burrow, Johnny (Abingdon School) English
Butt, Natasha (The Tiffin Girls' School) Economics
Buxton, Molly (King Edward's School, Bath) Philosophy
Chohan, Darshan (Dulwich College) Law
LAFAYETTE PHOTOGRAPHY
Christie, Daniel (Lossiemouth High School) Medical &
Veterinary Sciences
Clarke, Alex (New College, Swindon) Mathematics
Clayton, Ben (Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School)
Engineering
Cooper, Gemma (Bishop Stopford School, Kettering)
Coplan, Alex (Bryanston School) Computer Science
Cranston, Alex (Westminster School) Natural Sciences
Dass, Daniel (Belfast Royal Academy) Economics
Davies, Jack (Monmouth School) History
Debney, Sophia (Colfe's School, Greenwich) Law
Dilucia, Niall (St Edmund's Catholic School, Dover) Law
Doherty, Hope (Penistone Grammar School) English
Donaldson, Ben (Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College,
Darlington) Mathematics
Dougal, James (The Knights Templar School, Baldock)
Mathematics
Dudhia, Amaara (Haberdashers' Aske's School for Girls,
Hertfordshire) Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
Dunlop, Arthur (Royal Grammar School, Buckingham)
Engineering
Faulkner, Anna (Christleton High School) Chemical
Engineering via Engineering
Fitton, Zoe (Manchester High School for Girls) Natural
Sciences
Fletcher, Tilly (Rugby School) English
Frank, Bede (Marling School) Mathematics
Friedman, Corall (North London Collegiate School)
Garlick, Dan (Callington Community College) Natural
Sciences
Gawera, Aran (The City of Leicester College) Natural
Sciences
Geddes-O'Dolan, Nancy (Alleyn's School, Dulwich)
History
Ghose, Deep (Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School,
Hertfordshire) Natural Sciences
Giles, David (St Olave's and St Saviour's, Southwark)
Engineering
Goh, Gareth (Sutton Grammar School) Law
Gopal, Shreyas (Pocklington School) Economics
Grindle, Dominic (Bridgwater College) Mathematics
Hall, Henry (Eton College) Modern & Medieval Languages
Hanlon, Katie (Guildford County School) Geography
Harries, Luke (Hampton School) Medical & Veterinary
Sciences
Hart, Jonny (Peter Symonds College, Winchester) Medical
& Veterinary Sciences
Hassard, Chloe (Friends' School, Lisburn) Law
Helsby, John (Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham)
Mathematics
Henshall, Tim (Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form
College) History
61
Horrocks-Taylor, Joe (King Edward's School, Bath)
Geography
Jain, Lyric (Newcastle-Under-Lyme School) Engineering
Jenney, Annabel (Colfe's School, Greenwich) Law
Kapur, Arnav (Dulwich College) Economics
Keen, Sam (University College School, Hampstead) English
Kirchhoff, Lukas (Klosterschule v Hi Grab, Baden-Baden)
Natural Sciences
Knights, Sam (Trinity Catholic School, Leamington Spa)
English
Knowles, Stuart (The Perse School, Cambridge) Natural
Sciences
Kyriakopoulos, Alkisti (Byron College, Greece)
Engineering
Lall, Rahul (Wallington County Grammar School) Medical
& Veterinary Sciences
Lau, Gloria (Redland High School For Girls) Medical &
Veterinary Sciences
Legon, Laurence (Drayton Manor High School) Natural
Sciences
Lepper, Ellamae (St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School,
Bristol) Modern & Medieval Languages
Liew,James (Cardiff Sixth Form College) Engineering
Lyons, Adam (Manchester Grammar School) Medical &
Veterinary Sciences
Malde, Niral (Queen Elizabeth's School, Barnet) Land
Economy
McGrath, Rachel (The Wallace High School) Modern &
Medieval Languages
Minter, Paul (Bexhill College, Bexhill-on-Sea) Mathematics
Miroshnichenko, Daniil (Westminster School) Economics
Mitchell, Conor (King's College School, Wimbledon) Asian
& Middle Eastern Studies
Moka, Noel (All Saints Catholic School & Technology
College, Dagenham) Geography
Moran, Katherine (Skipton Girls' High School) Natural
Sciences
Murdey, James (King Edward VI Grammar School,
Chelmsford) Engineering
Murgoci, Adrian (Mihai Viteazul National College,
Bucharest) Natural Sciences
Nelmes, Lizzie (Benenden School) Medical & Veterinary
Sciences
Newton, Katherine (Hereford Sixth Form College) History
Ng, Jeson (Raffles Junior College, Singapore) Asian &
Middle Eastern Studies
Oakes, Karoline (Hills Road Sixth Form College,
Cambridge) Modern & Medieval Languages
Omigie, Michael (Townley Grammar School for Girls)
Natural Sciences
Parish, Hannah (Surbiton High School) Human, Social and
Political Science
Parrott, Will (Sharnbrook Upper School) Natural Sciences
Pawson, Jonathan (Myton School) Engineering
62
Peciukenas, Vytautas (Kaunas University of Technology
Gymnasium) Natural Sciences
Peel, Becky (Bilborough College, Nottingham) Natural
Sciences
Porter, Alice (Henrietta Barnett School, Hampstead
Garden Suburb) Geography
Potter, Harriet (Plantsbrook School, Sutton Coldfield)
History
Price, Cassia (St Paul's Girls' School, Hammersmith) AngloSaxon, Norse and Celtic
Prindezis, Natasha (Worcester Sixth Form College)
Pruna, Mihai (Vasile Lucaciu National College, Romania)
Natural Sciences
Rainey, Rebecca (Methodist College, Belfast) Modern &
Medieval Languages
Ramchandani, Ben (Redborne Upper School and
Community College) Computer Science
Reddy, Kitalya (Overton Grange School, Sutton) Law
Shah, Anjali (The Latymer School, Edmonton) Medical &
Veterinary Sciences
Shah, Miraj (Watford Grammar School for Boys) Natural
Sciences
Sharma, Nikhil (Eton College) Natural Sciences
Shaw, Gemma (Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen)
Simmons, Ed (The Judd School, Tonbridge) Medical &
Veterinary Sciences
Simmons, Will (The Harvey Grammar School, Folkestone)
Computer Science
Simons, Baya (The Cherwell School, Oxford) English
Simons, Julia (The Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School,
West London) Medical & Veterinary Sciences
Simpson, Tom (The Queen Katherine School, Kendal)
Engineering
Sirvinskaite, Giedre (Kedainiai Atzalynas Gymnasium,
Lithuania) Natural Sciences
Slater, Jack (Colchester Royal Grammar School)
Geography
Smith, Ben (Sir Thomas Rich's School, Gloucester) Natural
Sciences
Stakes, Tom (Sandbach School) Engineering
Steene, Elliot (Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School,
Hertfordshire) Land Economy
Stojalnikova, Violeta (Vilnius Lyceum, Lithuania) Natural
Sciences
Storrie, Kloe (Farnborough Hill) Medical & Veterinary
Sciences
Sutton, Fabien (Kettering Science Academy) Natural
Sciences
Szuda, Agnes (Radnoti Miklos Grammar School, Hungary)
Geography
Taylor, Clarry (Oxford High School) Human, Social and
Political Science
Thomas, Ed (Stamford School) Natural Sciences
Tian, Rosie (St Mary's School, Calne) Medical & Veterinary
Sciences
Varadharajan, Sriya (Dame Alice Owen's School, Potters
Bar) English
Walters, Fergus (Shrewsbury Sixth Form College) Natural
Sciences
Wand, James (Chilwell Sixth Form) Human, Social and
Political Science
Warwick, Katya (Henrietta Barnett School, Hampstead
Garden Suburb) Human, Social and Political Science
Watson, Callum (Balfron High School) Mathematics
Webster, Rebecca (The Broxbourne School) Theology
Weller, Adam (Reading School) Natural Sciences
Wells Dion, Basha (Notre Dame High School, Norwich)
Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic
White, Rhiannon (London Academy, Edgware) English
Williams, Hannah (St Aidans & St John Fisher, Harrogate)
Psychological and Behavioural Sciences
Wilsmore, Phoebe (Redborne Upper School and
Community College) Natural Sciences
Wong, Eunice (Cardiff Sixth Form College) Medical &
Veterinary Sciences
Yeung, Alex (Colchester Royal Grammar School) Natural
Sciences
Yeung, Eric (Melbourne High School, Australia) Law
Yip, Daniel (Redborne Upper School and Community
College) Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
NEW GRADUATE STUDENTS 2014
Aksu, Ayhan (University of Amsterdam (Netherlands))
Assyriology
Alloway, Richard (St Catharine's) Chemistry
Andrade, Edward (St Catharine's) Clinical Medicine
Arran, Matthew (St Catharine's) Applied Maths and
Theoretical Physics
Battersby, David (University Of Bristol) Chemistry
Beeson, Jessica (Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford) Medical
Science (Cardiovascular Res)
Blukis, Roberts (St Catharine's) Earth Sciences
Bro, Naim (Homerton College, Cambridge) Sociology
Brock, Michael (University of St Andrews) Engineering
Brody-Barre, Andrea (New College of Florida (United
States)) Modern Society & Global Transf
Cardim, Danilo (The Federal University of Sao Carlos
(Brazil)) Clinical Neurosciences
Chai, Ray (Imperial College London (University of
London)) Biochemistry
Claus, Laura (Robinson College, Cambridge) Management
Studies
Cogbill, Rhiannon (St Catharine's) Polar Studies
Cox, Caitriona (St Catharine's) Clinical Medicine
JET PHOTOGRAPHIC
63
Davey, Sonya (University of Pennsylvania (United States))
Geographical Research
Demay, Francois (University of Science and Technology,
Lille (France)) MedImmune @ Medicine
Discher, Janine (Universitat zu Koln (Germany)) Law
Diver, Emily (St Catharine's) Education (PGCE-MEd)
Everall, Isobel (University of York) Biological Science @
Sanger
Fantham, Marcus (Trinity College, University of Oxford)
Photonics System Development
Featherstone, Peter (University of Bath) Applied
Mathematics
Foets, Thomas (Utrecht University (Netherlands))
Biological Science (Biochem)
Frost, Charlotte (St Catharine's) Veterinary Medicine
Fu, Zhe (University College London) Engineering
Fuller, Sophie (Christ Church College, Oxford) European
Literature
Graham, Lauren (St Catharine's) Veterinary Medicine
Grande, Ricardo (Universidad del Pais Vasco/Euskal
Herriko Uninert (Spain)) Pure Mathematics
Guez, Thibault (École Polytechnique (France)) Advanced
Chamical Engineering
Huethwohl, Philipp (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
(Germany)) Engineering
Johansson, Patrick (State Conservatory of Music and
Dance – Cologne (Germany)) Music
Kajita, Yui (Doshisha University (Japan)) English Studies:
Modern Literature
Kaufmann, Shaun (Homerton College, Cambridge)
Engineering
Keefer, Arthur (Covenant Theological Seminary (United
States)) Divinity
Kemp, Alexander (St Catharine's) Veterinary Medicine
Kenealy, Charlotte (St Catharine's) Modern European
History
Kim, Jin (Architectural Association School of Architecture)
Planning Growth + Regeneration
Koblitz, Arndt (University College London) Scientific
Computing
Lai, Rachel (Royal Holloway, University of London)
Education (Thematic route)
Lebdioui, Abdelkader Amir (Queen Mary, University of
London) Development Studies
Lello, James (St Catharine's) English Studies: Criticism
Leonard, Philip (University of Liverpool) Advanced
Computer Science
Li, Hao (Tsinghua University (China)) Engineering
Liang, Xue (University of Liverpool) Finance and
Economics
Lim, Xin Ya (University of Liverpool) Social &
Developmental Psychology
Logarajah, Santhya (St Catharine's) Clinical Medicine
Lopez de la Lama, Rocio (Universidad Peruana Cayetano
Heredia (Peru)) Conservation Leadership
64
Luke, Jerry (Cardiff University) Early Modern History
Lumby, Casper (University of Edinburgh) Mathematical
Genomics and Medicine
Maier, Theresa (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
(Germany)) Physics
Mak, Jonathan (University of Glasgow) Engineering
Marand, Jeremy (University College London)
Environmental Policy
Meleard, Chloe (Université Paris II Panthéon-Assas
(France)) Law
Menzel, Julia (University of Regensburg (Germany)) Pure
Mathematics
Moll, Carlo (Ludwig-Maxmilians-Universität München
(Germany)) Modern European History
Moore, Rebecca (St Catharine's) Clinical Medicine
Mooring, Grace (University of Sussex) Geographical
Research
Muscat, Matthew (Boston University (United States))
Criminological Research
Niblett, Sam (St Catharine's) Chemistry
Norman, William (University of Edinburgh) Anglo-Saxon
Norse and Celtic
Oerton, Erin (University College London) Biological
Science (BBSRC DTP)
Okazawa, Yasuhiro (University of Essex) History
O'Neill, Tom (St Catharine's) Physical Sciences: Nano
Oppenheimer, Joshua (Icahn School of Medicine at
Mount Sinai (United States)) Business Administration
Raninga, Ravi (University College London) Materials
Science
Rees, Jessica (University of Leicester) Epidemiology
(Cardiovascular)
Robertson, Shelise (Deakin University (Australia))
Medieval and Renaissance Literature
Rodrigues, Rodrigo (Federal University of Goias (Brazil))
Immunology
Russ, Julian (University of Frankfurt (Germany)) Economics
Smith, Adam (University of Leeds) Physics
Sparke, Eden (University of York) International Relations
& Politics
Steinmüller, Patrick (Rheinische Friedrich-WilhelmsUniversitat Bonn (Germany)) Applied Mathematics
Stroud, Edward (University of Durham) Theology +
Religious Studies
Strycharczyk, Joshua (St Catharine's) Veterinary Medicine
Tan, Rachel (University of Warwick) Public Policy
Thomson, Jordan (McMaster University (Canada))
Business Administration
Usachova, Katsiaryna (University of Edinburgh)
Biochemistry
Viney, Christine (St Catharine's) Veterinary Medicine
Vuppala, Kaushika (National University of Juridical
Sciences (India)) Law
Wade, David (St Catharine's) Chemistry
Wang, Xue (St Catharine's) Clinical Medicine
Wang, Yiran (University of Exeter) Finance and Economics
Weller, Howard (University of Nottingham) Business
Administration
Wharton, David (Princeton University (United States))
Physical Sciences: Nano
White, Joe (St Catharine's) English Studies: Modern
Literature
Wicky, Basile (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
(Switzerland)) Chemistry
Williams, April (Loughborough University) Latin American
Studies
Wong, Mo Dick (University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong))
Mathematical Statistic
Xia, Hongyan (University of Birmingham) Advanced
Computer Science
Yate, Joseph (St Catharine's, Cambridge) Veterinary
Medicine
Zhang, Yun (Nanjing University (China)) Education
(Thematic route)
Zobel, Mareike (Magdalene College, Cambridge) Modern
Society & Global Transformation
UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS AND PRIZES
Altmann-Richer, Lisa: The Graeme Minto Prize for Management Studies
Bellamy, Victoria: The William Vaughan Lewis Prize for Geography
Case, Sarah: The Kermode Essay Prize in Medical Sciences
Corke, Rebecca: The Animalcare Prize (best overall contribution, academic, organising, etc)
Fletcher, Emma: The William Vaughan Lewis Prize for Geography
Glover, Harry: The North Carolina State University Prize for Chemical Engineering
Haria, Savan: The Archibald Denny Prize for Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering
McLeod, Laura: The John Hickman Prize for Equine Studies
Wagstaff, James: The Perham Prize for Biochemistry
COLLEGE PRIZES
All those obtaining First Class Honours are awarded a Scholarship to the value of £100 and a Book Prize
to the value of £100. The College Prizes are given as a further honour.
Abbott, ACJ: The VLM Lairmore Prize in Physics
Ahmad, S: The Posener Memorial Prize in Modern & Medieval Languages
Altmann-Richer, LKA: The Arthur Andersen Prize for Management
Altmann-Richer, LKA: The Hutcherson Prize for Outstanding Tripos Performance
Ash, S: The Lauterpacht Prize in International Law
Bale Barker, F: The Jarrett Prize in Theology or in Asian & Middle Eastern Studies
Bates, A: The Daniel Owen Morgan Prize in Veterinary Medicine
Bellamy, V, Rogers, A: The Gus Caesar Prizes in Geography
Bellamy, V; Fletcher, E: The Stephen Hinchliffe Dissertation Prizes in Geography
Bleakley, J: The Stephane Francis Prize in Veterinary Science
Bolgar, P: The Ray Driver Prize in Chemistry
Chlebikova, A: The James Brimlow Prize in Chemistry
Darling, NT: The William Balchin Prize in Geography
Digby, J: The Corrie Prize in Theology
65
Dunlop, A: The Engineering Members’ Prize in Engineering
Fielding, N: The Sean Mulherin Prize in Modern & Medieval Languages
Frost, JN: The Belfield Clarke Prize in Biological Sciences
Glover, HW: The Bruno Laurent Memorial Prize in Chemical Engineering
Goh, G; Hassard, CJ: The Kemp-Gooderson Prizes in Law
Hall, HT; Sedgwick, LT; Sowerby, S; Spurrell, J: The Ivo Forde Prizes in History
Haria, S; Palmer, T; Clayton, BAJ; Yeung, YK, Simpson, T: The Birfield Memorial Scholarships in Engineering
Haria, S; Palmer, T; Clayton, BAJ; Yeung, YK; Simpson, T: The Jeremy Haworth Prizes in Mathematics
or in Engineering
Hobley, RE: The DW Morgan Prize for Academic Excellence
Hobley, RE; Pinnington, NP: The TR Henn Prizes in English
Hornett, AJ: The Lacey Prize in Classics
Joyce, K; Case, SJ; Christy, JC: The John Addenbrooke Medical Prizes
Lim, CH; Simon, A; Holt, D: The St Catharine's Prizes for Distinction in Research
Morley, BS; Hung, JMC; Minter, PDTW; Menzel, J; Hemmert, T; Edey, D; Baker, DI; Benzing, F:
The Drury-Johns Prizes in Mathematics
Nanda, S: The Sayers Prize in Economics
Parish, HG: The Mennell Prize in Politics, Psychology & Sociology
Paterson, LE: The Tasker Prize in Modern & Medieval Languages
Pawson, JD: The Alexandria Prize in Engineering
Price, L: The Cuthbert Casson Prize in Theology
Rosen, AS: The Richard Walduck Prize for History
Sedgwick, LT: The Figgis Memorial Prize in History
Trenins, G: The John Spencer Wilson Prize in Natural Sciences
Trenins, G: The RS Briggs Prize for Outstanding Tripos Performance
Wagstaff, J; Trenins, G: The Alan Battersby Prize in Chemistry or in Biochemistry
Watson, CS: The TW Armour Prize in Mathematics
The Higham Prize in Archaeology, The Palmer Prize for Classics, The Adderley Prize in Law, The Jacobson
Prize in Law, The Peter Le Huray Prize in Music and The Robert Comline Prize in Systems Physiology were
not awarded.
Other awards
The following include academic awards not directly relating to Tripos performance, awards with
academic and non-academic components, and awards recognising a significant non-academic
contribution to College life.
Addison, GW: The Master’s Sizar
Badenach Nicolson, BA: The Weaver Prize for Choral Music
Bale Barker, F: The Nicholas Prize for Leadership
Bell, E, Lam, J, Phillips, J: The Richard Hardy Awards for Biological Science
Browne, CR: The Gooderson Memorial Grant for Legal Practice
Church, C; Marshall, RK: The Balchin Travel Award
Darling, NT: The Alfred Steers Fieldwork Award for Geography
Denniff, J: The Doty Fieldwork Prize for Geography
Dilucia, N: The Bishop Browne Prize for Reading in Chapel
Dilucia, N: The Mooting Prize
66
Edwards, HCP: The Martin Steele Memorial Award for Theatre
Harris, JM: The Wilshaw Bursary
Kajita, Y: The Christopher Macgregor Memorial Prize for English Literature
Leith, F: The Karen Kerslake Memorial Prize for College Music
Price, L: The Drury Memorial Exhibition for Anglican Ordination Training for 2014–15
The Jacobson Scholarship in International Law was not awarded.
Other Awards 2014
These awards were inadvertently omitted from the 2014 Magazine.
The following include academic awards not directly relating to Tripos performance, awards with
academic and non-academic components, and awards recognising a significant non-academic
contribution to College life.
Elliot, T; Pellow R: The Doty Fieldwork Prize for Geography
Frost, JN: The Richard Hardy Award for Biological Science
Frost, JN: The Master’s Sizar
Harris, JM: The Wilshaw Bursary
Harper, J: The Christopher Macgregor Memorial Award
Horner, EE: The Gooderson Memorial Grant for Legal Practice
Hunter, A: The Martin Steele Memorial Award for Theatre
Lando, MF: The Jacobson Scholarship in International Law
Nevin, AJ: The Bishop Browne Prize for Reading in Chapel
Ross, I: The Alfred Steers Fieldwork Award for Geography
Ying, AYL: The Nicholas Prize for Leadership
Young, DTM: The Weaver Prize for Choral Music
The Mooting Prize, The Karen Kerslake Memorial Prize for College Music and the Drury Memorial
Exhibition for Anglican Ordination Training were not awarded.
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS
Senior Scholars
Abbott, Alexander: NST Pt II: Physics (Skerne (1745))
Ashman, David: NST Pt II: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Baker, David: Mathematical Tripos Pt III (John Cartwright
(1674))
Bale Barker, Faith: AMES Tripos Pt II (Thomas Jarrett
(1887))
Chlebikova, Andrea: NST Pt III: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Christy, Jill: Medical Sciences Final MB Pt I (Moses Holway
(1695))
Cooper, Jonathan: NST Pt III: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Davidson, Jonathan: NST Pt II: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Edey, David: Mathematical Tripos Pt III (John Cartwright
(1674))
Fielding, Natasha: MML Tripos Pt II (Henry Chaytor (1954))
Flynn, Patrick: NST Pt II: Materials Science (Skerne (1745))
Frost, Joseph: NST Pt II: Genetics (Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Gandhi, Siddharth: NST Pt III: Physics (Skerne (1745))
Glover, Harry: Chemical Engineering Tripos Pt IIB (Dr John
Gostlin (1626))
Harper, Joseph: English Studies MPhil (Sir John Cleypoole
(1613))
Hemmert, Tobias: Mathematical Tripos Pt III (John
Cartwright (1674))
Hovan, Ladislav: NST Pt III: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Hung, Johnathan: Mathematical Tripos Pt III (John
Cartwright (1674))
Kongsuwan, Nuttawut: NST Pt III: Physics (Skerne (1745))
Matthews, Simon: NST Pt III: Geological Scie (Thomas
Hobbes (1631))
Nguyen, Dat: Economics Tripos Pt IIB (Robert Skerne (1661))
Thompson, James: NST Pt II: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Trenins, George: NST Pt II: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Wagstaff, James: NST Pt III: Biochemistry (Skerne (1745))
Wootten, Matthew: NST Pt II: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Yelverton, Benjamin: NST Pt II: Physics (Skerne (1745))
67
Scholars
Ahmad, Samir: MML Tripos Pt II (Henry Chaytor (1954))
Allen, Fin: NST Pt II: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Allison, Conrad: Economics Tripos Pt IIA (Robert Skerne
(1661))
Altmann-Richer, Lisa: Management Studies Tripos
(Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Artingstall, Samuel: NST Pt III: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Bates, Anni: NST Pt II: HPS (Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Bell, Elizabeth: NST Pt IB (Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Bellamy, Victoria: Geographical Tripos Pt II (A A L Caesar
(1980))
Bentley, Laura: NST Pt II: Zoology (Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Benzing, Frederik: Mathematical Tripos Pt II (John
Cartwright (1674))
Blakunovs, Sergejs: NST Pt IA (Skerne (1745))
Bleakley, Joshua: Veterinary Sciences Final Vet Pt III
(Moses Holway (1695))
Bogachev, Ivan: NST Pt IA (Skerne (1745))
Bolgar, Peter: NST Pt IB (Skerne (1745))
Butterworth, Adam: NST Pt IB (Skerne (1745))
Case, Sarah: Medical Sciences Final MB Pt I (Moses Holway
(1695))
Chillingworth, Ciaran: English Tripos Pt II (Sir John
Cleypoole (1613))
Clayton, Benjamin: Engineering Tripos Pt IA (Dr John
Gostlin (1626))
Corke, Rebecca: Veterinary Sciences Final Vet Pt III (Moses
Holway (1695))
Dai, Jingwen: Land Economy Tripos Pt IB (Robert Skerne
(1661))
Darlling, Nathaniel: Geographical Tripos Pt IB (Sir John
Cleypoole (1613))
Dass, Daniel: Economics Tripos Pt I (Robert Skerne (1661))
Digby, James: Theol & Rel Stud Tripos Pt IIA (Mrs Julian
Stafford (1627))
Dillon, Henrietta: Veterinary Sciences Final Vet Pt III
(Moses Holway (1695))
Dunlop, Arthur: Engineering Tripos Pt IA (Dr John Gostlin
(1626))
Faulkner, Anna: NST Pt IA (Skerne (1745))
Friedman, Corall: MML Tripos Pt IA (Henry Chaytor (1954))
Garlick, Daniel: NST Pt IA (Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Goh, Gareth: Law Tripos Pt IA (Mrs Payne (1610))
Gopal, Shreyas: Economics Tripos Pt I (Robert Skerne
(1661))
Hak, Ondrej: NST Pt II: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Hall, Harriet: Historical Tripos Pt II (Lady Katharine
Barnardiston (1633))
Hall, Henry: MML Tripos Pt IA (Henry Chaytor (1954))
Haria, Savan: Engineering Tripos Pt IIB (Dr John Gostlin
(1626))
Hart, Jonathan: Medical Sciences Tripos Pt IA (Moses
Holway (1695))
Hassard, Chloe: Law Tripos Pt IA (Mrs Payne (1610))
68
Hobley, Ruth: English Tripos Pt II (Sir John Cleypoole
(1613))
Hodge, Rachael: English Tripos Pt II (Sir John Cleypoole
(1613))
Hornett, Abbey: Classical Tripos Pt II (Lady Katharine
House, Robert: NST Pt III: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Houston, Louise: Land Economy Tripos Pt II (Robert
Skerne (1661))
Jain, Lyric: Engineering Tripos Pt IA (Dr John Gostlin (1626))
Joyce, Kevin: NST Pt II: Pharmacology (Thomas Hobbes
(1631))
Kamrad, Stephan: NST Pt II: Biochemistry (Skerne (1745))
Kemp, Matthew: NST Pt IB (Skerne (1745))
Kilda, Dainius: NST Pt III: Physics (Skerne (1745))
Knowles, Stuart: NST Pt IA (Skerne (1745))
Kratt, Frederick: Geographical Tripos Pt IB (Sir John
Cleypoole (1613))
Lam, Jonathan: NST Pt IB (Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Loizou, Kyriacos: Management MPhil (Thomas Hobbes
(1631))
Lowson, Andrew: Chemical Engineering Tripos Pt IIB (Dr
John Gostlin (1626))
Lucas, Sarah: NST Pt III: Geological Scie (Thomas Hobbes
(1631))
McLeod, Laura: Veterinary Sciences Final Vet Pt III (Moses
Holway (1695))
Menzel, Julia: Mathematical Tripos Pt III (John Cartwright
(1674))
Minter, Paul: Mathematical Tripos Pt IA (John Cartwright
(1674))
Morley, Ben: Mathematical Tripos Pt IB (John Cartwright
(1674))
Nanda, Chreya: Economics Tripos Pt IIA (Robert Skerne
(1661))
Nelmes, Elizabeth: Medical Sciences Tripos Pt IA (Moses
Holway (1695))
Ng, Jeson: AMES Tripos Pt IA (Thomas Jarrett (1887))
Ng, Sheung Hei: NST Pt IB (Skerne (1745))
Palmer, Timothy: Manufacturing Engineering Tripos Pt IIB
(Robert Skerne (1661))
Parish, Hannah: Hum, Soc & Pol Sciences Tripos Pt I (Lady
Katharine Barnardiston (1633))
Paterson, Laura: MML Tripos Pt IB (Henry Chaytor (1954))
Pawson, Jonathan: Engineering Tripos Pt IA (Dr John
Gostlin (1626))
Peel, Rebecca: NST Pt IA (Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Phillips, Jonathan: NST Pt IB (Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Pinnington, Natasha: English Tripos Pt I (Sir John
Cleypoole (1613))
Price, Laurence: Theology for Ministry Pt I (Mrs Julian
Stafford (1627))
Ramchandani, Benjamin: Computer Science Tripos Pt IA
(Mr Spurstow (1646))
Rogers, Anna: Geographical Tripos Pt II (Sir John
Cleypoole (1613))
Rosen, Asher: Historical Tripos Pt I (Lady Katharine
Sedgwick, Laura: Historical Tripos Pt II (Lady Katharine
Sharma, Nikhil: NST Pt IA (Skerne (1745))
Simmons, William: Computer Science Tripos Pt IA (Mr
Spurstow (1646))
Simpson, Thomas: Engineering Tripos Pt IA (Dr John
Gostlin (1626))
Spurrell, Jacob: Historical Tripos Pt II (Lady Katharine
Stakes, Thomas: Engineering Tripos Pt IA (Dr John Gostlin
(1626))
Sveiczer, Attila: NST Pt II: Chemistry (Skerne (1745))
Tait, Emily: English Tripos Pt I (Sir John Cleypoole (1613))
Tawn, Couglas: English Tripos Pt II (Sir John Cleypoole
(1613))
Tezhik, Gregory: Economics Tripos Pt IIA (Robert Skerne
(1661))
Watson, Callum: Mathematical Tripos Pt IA (John
Cartwright (1674))
Weller, Adam: NST Pt IA (Skerne (1745))
Wells Dion, Basha: ASNC Tripos Prelim to Pt I (Samuel
Frankland (1691))
Wilsmore, Phoebe: NST Pt IA (Thomas Hobbes (1631))
Yeung, Alexander: Engineering Tripos Pt IA (Dr John
Gostlin (1626))
Yip, Daniel: AMES Tripos Pt IA (Thomas Jarrett (1887))
Young, Marco: English Tripos Pt I (Sir John Cleypoole
(1613))
Young, Margaret: NST Pt II: Biochemistry (Skerne (1745))
Zardilis, Argyris: Computational Biology MPhil (Thomas
Hobbes (1631))
PHDS APPROVED 2014–5
Ashrafian Bonab, M: A comprehensive mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome analysis of Iranian
populations
Battocchio, F: Manufacture and characterisation of spunbonded nonwovens
Bian, Y: Studying the roles of Notch during adult Drosophila midgut homeostasis
Borel, MJM: Spike phase control of mouse hippocampal pyramidal cells
Brain, KL: Antioxidants protect against fetal growth restriction and offspring cardiovascular dysfunction
in adulthood following ovine hypoxic pregnancy
Brien, P: Postnatal regulation of proliferative capacity in skeletal and cardiac muscle
Cardinale, I: Beyond constraining and enabling: on how social structure orients action in organisations
Docherty, FM: The role of HEY2 in pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells
Felder, KA: Girdle-hangers in 5th- and 6th-century England. A key to early Anglo-Saxon identities
Gallagher, NA: Irish civil society and the Great War, 1914–1918
Holland, OJ: William Morris’s Utopianism and the politics of mundane intervention
Kim, JY: Spin transport and magnetism in ferromagnet/semiconductor systems
Kotwica, AO: Dietary nitrate and the modulation of energy metabolism in metabolic syndrome
Lindley, BA: The use of reduced-moderation light water reactors for transuranic isotope burning in
thorium fuel
McLaughlan, C: Cultivation of invasive zebra mussels (Dresissena polymorpha) for the improvement of
reservoir water quality
Masson, GR: New insights into the dynamics of phosphoinositide signalling through hydrogen deuterium exchange mass spectrometry
Meyer, HM: A fibre-cavity based photonic interface for a single ion
Nedic, S: Zinc oxide nanowire field effect transistors
Ooi, CY: Experimental study and computational modelling of the biomechanical properties of arteries
Peters, NJ: Monitoring Erebus volcano’s active lava lake; tools, techniques and observations
69
Ray, KM: Asymptotic theory for Bayesian nonparametric procedures in inverse problems
Rittman, T: Connectivity in biomarkers in neurodegenerative tauopathies
Sale, MJ: Tumour cell responses to acute and chronic MEK1/2 inhibition
Sareh, P: Symmetric descendents of the Miura-ori
Sigle, DO: A study of plasmonic coupling in nanometre-sized gaps
Silveira, AF: Polycentricity and the adaptive capacity of river basin governance systems: insights from
the River Rhine and the Pearl River (Zhujiang)
Squire, OJ: Influence of changes in climate and land use on isoprene emissions and tropospheric ozone
Sultan, DSI: The capture of CO2 from process streams using solid sorbents
Sutcliffe-Braithwaite, FA: Class, community, and individualism in English politics and society, 1969–
2000
Szucs, Z: An orthotopic mammary epithelial cell transplantation model and prognostic molecular imaging of early breast cancer formation
Timmins, WN: Out of character? The voice of the T and Christian identity in Romans
Torres-Pereira, CMC: Behavioural and physiological characterisation of responses to learning and training in dogs
Wandel, MP: Anti-bacterial defence of the host cytosol by cell-autonomous immunity
Weiller, C: Business model innovation in an emerging ecosystem: electric vehicle diffusion
Wright, SRM: Measurements of CP asymmetries in rare electroweak penguin decays at LHCb
Wyspianska, BS: Targeting BET proteins in leukaemia
Yang, X: Controlled IGBT switching for power electronics building block
Yotova, RV: International public policy and the settlement of disputes: in search of a general principle
of law
Zhou, Y: Insect adhesion on rough surfaces and properties of insect repellent surfaces
70
SOCIETY REPORT
DANIELLE BRADSHAW
SOCIETY COMMITTEE 2015–16
President: Guy Beringer QC (1973, Fellow Commoner 2008)
Vice-President and President-Elect: Professor Sir John
Baker (Fellow 1971)
Immediate Past President: Lord Horam (John Horam,
1957, Fellow Commoner 2010)
Chairman: David Sanders (1969)
Hon Secretary: David Peace (1966, Fellow Commoner 2014)
Hon Treasurer: Dr John Little (1972, Fellow 1980)
Editor, Society Magazine: Roger Stratford (1960, Fellow
Commoner 1992)
Society Webmaster: Howard Cole, College Computer
Officer
Elected (Ordinary) Members
Re-elected 2015: Dr Anthony Davenport (Fellow 1995)
Elected 2014: Dr Ivan Scales (Fellow 2008)
Elected 2013: Dr Abigail Brundin (Fellow 2000), Dr John
Wells (1976), Hugh McNeill (1996)
Re-Elected 2013: Richard Whitwell (1984)
Re-Elected 2012: Dr Chris Thorne (Fellow 1963, Emeritus
Fellow 2002), Keith Cocker (1972)
Branch Chairs (Ex Officio): David Wood (1980), Mrs
Heather Powell (1981), Clive Brunswick (1953),
David Sanders (1969), Professor John Moverley (1968), Dr
Jonathan Dossetor (1962),
Professor Reavley Gair (1959); Mrs Eleanor Roberts (1985),
Andrew Jenkinson (1962),
Prof Stephen Mennell (1963), Malcolm Bailey (1970).
Tenure: President-Elect, President, Immediate Past
President – 1 year in each position;
Chairman (8 years maximum), Secretary, Treasurer – each
eligible for re-election annually.
Elected (Ordinary) Members – 4 years with the option to
stand for one further 4 year term;
Branch Chairs, Magazine Editor, Society Webmaster – exofficio.
All elections at the AGM other than Branch Chairs (chosen
locally).
THE SOCIETY PRESIDENT
Guy Beringer was born in Singapore and went to school at Campbell College,
Belfast. He came up to St Catharine’s in 1973 to read history.He was following in
the footsteps of his father, Fred Beringer, who read engineering at the College
in the early 1950s. Like his father, Guy won two rugby blues as a hooker in the
very successful Cambridge teams of 1975 and 1976. Many years later, Guy’s
daughter Louisa read medicine at St Catharine’s and coxed the University Ladies
Lightweight boat in their race against Oxford at Henley – a rare tri-generational
achievement in University sport. This led to a meeting after a College dinner with
Dudley Robinson who recalled the sporting efforts of Fred, Guy and Louisa from
first-hand knowledge spanning the three generations.
Guy pursued a career in the law and joined Allen & Overy in 1978. He became a partner in 1985 and
was Senior Partner of the firm from 2000 to 2008.
Guy also continued with his rugby career after leaving Cambridge and played for London Irish (where
he played in the 1980 cup Final and later captained the club) and Ulster (where he played against the All
Blacks at Ravenhill in 1979).
In 2008, Guy retired from the law to pursue his interests in other fields. He is currently Chairman
of UK Export Finance, the government department which is the UK’s export credit agency. He is also
Chairman of the Legal Education Foundation (one of the largest charitable foundations in the fields of
legal education and public legal education). He also chairs City Music Limited which is a small company
providing support for choirs and music in the workplace.
Guy has been involved in supporting the College for many years and was elected a Fellow Commoner
in 2008. He has been a long-standing member of the Development Committee and also ran an informal
72
lunch club for old members in the city for many years.
Guy is an Adjunct Professor at Imperial College Business School. He is an honorary QC and an
Honorary Bencher of Inner Temple. He is a keen choral singer and has sung for many years in his church
choir as well as in amateur operatic productions at Glyndebourne and Sadler’s Wells.
Guy met his wife, Margaret, whilst at Cambridge and she is a Girtonian hockey blue. Guy has three
daughters and four grandchildren.
To mark his year as Society President Guy is hosting a Reception in Inner Temple Hall on 14 June 2016.
See also Notes & Dates at the end of the Magazine.
REPORT OF 87TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Society President Lord Horam of Grimsargh – John Horam (1957, Fellow Commoner 2010) – took the
Chair on 26 September 2015 with about 40 members in attendance, and welcomed them to the 87th
Annual General Meeting of the Society.
The Minutes of the 86th meeting were approved nem con: Proposer Brian Sweeney (1963), seconder
Guy Beringer (1973, Fellow Commoner 2008).
Elections
In the election the following members were either confirmed in, or elected to, or re-elected to
committee membership nem con: Guy Beringer QC (1973, Fellow Commoner 2008) as President,
having been elected the previous year; Professor Sir John Baker (Fellow 1971, Honorary Fellow 2012) as
President-Elect; David Sanders (1969) as Chair; David Peace (1966, Fellow Commoner 2014) as Secretary;
Dr John Little (1972, Fellow 1980) as Treasurer; Dr Anthony Davenport (Fellow 1995) for a second and final
four-year term as Ordinary Member. Proposer Brian Woodham (1961), seconder Keith Cocker (1972).
Officers’ Reports
President’s Annual Report: Lord Horam summarised the work of the Branches and of the central
Committee during the year. Walks, lunches, talks, meetings, parties, steam rail journeys, concerts, theatre
visits, dinners and so on had taken place, all managed by alumni, in: Norwich’s Theatre Royal, Lincoln
Cathedral and Castle, Dublin, Offchurch (Warks), Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, Cheshire’s Delamere Forest,
the Theatre Royal Newcastle, the Wensleydale Steam Railway, Lanercost Priory, Glasgow’s Pollock Country
Park and House, Sandy Park Exeter for rugby, Dartmoor, Esseborne Manor near Andover, Hampshire Golf
Club, Middle Wallop Flying Museum, the Hepworth Gallery Wakefield, and Calke Abbey. The President
thanked all Branch Chairs and their Committees, expressed his appreciation for all those who had attended
the events, and asked members to give special help in areas where numbers and distances were very
challenging, particularly in our Wales, our Yorkshire-Humberside, and our Ireland Branches. [Details of these
regional events, with contact details for the Branch Chairs, can be found below.]
Centrally, in April the Society had held its fifth Presidents’ Dinner in London; in June Lord Horam had
held a Reception in the House of Lords; in the same month we arranged the first Society box at Lord’s for
the one-day Varsity cricket matches; this weekend’s Reunion was of course a highlight; in June 2016 the
Society President, Guy Beringer, is hosting a reception at the Inner Temple in London.
Within the College itself committee members had again been closely involved with the student Careers
Society and had attended and encouraged other alumni to attend their February Alumni Dinner (alumni
and students meeting convivially in the context of their career aspirations); the Secretary had addressed
73
the freshers; and a record number of grants had been given to students from Society funds for help in
sport, music and performing arts, team travel and internships. Fuller details can be found at below.
The President himself had spoken at a number of branch events, had attended the Presidents’ Dinner;
and had hosted the House of Lords Reception. All were well attended and much appreciated and enjoyed.
In conclusion Lord Horam said the Society was in a most healthy, active and vibrant state and that he
was very pleased that after more than 90 years it was continuing to prove itself relevant to members
and to the College; and he knew that it was so recognised. He reminded members that the Society is
for all who have been admitted to the College in an academic capacity. He thanked the Alumni and
Development Office for its help and finally he paid tribute to the hard work of the committee members
themselves, including the Branch Chairs, who give so much of their time to running this alumni-led
Society. He was also most grateful to Professor Dame Jean Thomas for supporting us so fully both as
Master and also as Society President; and he was delighted that Guy Beringer would be his successor.
Treasurer’s Report: the Presentation of the Accounts: In proposing the adoption of the Accounts for
2014–5 the Treasurer, Dr John Little, reported as follows: Income showed a healthy rise of some £2500
due to a small rise in student numbers and an increase in our dividend income, whilst expenditure was
slightly lower than the previous year and this contributed to an increase in our operating surplus to
£10,630. This allowed us to increase our grants awarded to College students and, indeed, we made an
award to all those who applied. With this current healthy level of surplus we hoped to ensure that the
publicity for our grants would be known by all the student community so that we could help those in
most need. After our contribution to the Alumni Office was taken into account we were still able to make
a small profit of £2130 and, with the values of our CPF shares rising, we found that we brought forward
a balance of £19,629 which led to a healthy balance carried forward to next year of nearly £200,000. The
Secretary summarised the Society’s wide range of grants to students during the year. The Accounts were
adopted nem con. Proposer Tony Watts (1960, Fellow Commoner 2014), seconder Richard Grieve (1963).
Editor’s Report: The Magazine Editor, Roger Stratford, noted there had been a small delay in the
publication of the 2014 Magazine and also that a few errors had crept in. The demise of John Shakeshaft,
a long term friend, Fellow and chief proof-reader, was a great sadness but this year’s publication was
on schedule and there appeared to be an especially wide collection of interesting articles, with the
result that the forthcoming edition might be a little larger than normal. He thanked Dr Chris Thorne for
handling the student contributions and the Librarian Colin Higgins for organising the book reviews,
and also reported that the redaction of Magazines for public website release was continuing: full copies
of all years since 1927 were available online to registered members; redacted versions from 1988 were
available to the public.
College Development
The Development Director, Deborah Loveluck, summarised the alumni events organised by the College
during the year, the continuing success of the College Campaign and the uses to which the funds were
being put. A full account is available in the College Report section of this Magazine.
The Reunion Weekend Seminar
Professor Ron Martin’s talk to our Society in the McGrath Centre more than fulfilled its title: The College
Cellar and the Changing World of Wine. Ron started by making it clear that the cellar was not a drain on
College resources; it made a profit, largely earned from conferences, which was added to other College
fund raising. Then, with the aid of excellent visuals, he provided members with a comprehensive account
74
IGOR CHODUR
Society Officers 2014–15 ready for dinner. From left David Peace (Secretary), Guy Beringer (President-Elect),
the Master (Immediate Past President), Lord Horam (President), John Little (Treasurer), David Sanders
(Chairman). Note the newly-cleaned stonework of the pillars.
of the College’s ‘liquid assets’, the situation that he inherited when he became Wine Steward in 1990
(superb wines and less than superb storage conditions), his huge respect for his predecessor Dr Sydney
Smith whose knowledge and dedication had been so significant, the challenges he faced as global
markets developed, and the changes he had made as the Cellar’s finances were restructured. Ranging
across the planet he summarised the rise of New World production, the globalisation of the wine industry,
the increasing occurrence of fraud, England’s own superb offerings, the current experts to follow for those
who want quality (and not necessarily at high prices) and his personal favourites; and it was at this point
in particular that many could be seen urgently scribbling! The revelation that what later became known as
the champagne method of production had first been discovered, published and implemented in England
gave most of us particular satisfaction. In the questions that followed members discussed with him
their own favourites and interests, and the pros and cons of corks, screw caps and – something that he
mentioned and that few of us had met – glass stoppers. Running out of time, we regrettably had to end
this most fascinating of talks. Display material from the talk is available on the Society website in ‘Reunion
Seminars’ under the ‘About Us’ tab. Members left with an increased interest and for further discussion over
tea in the SCR, to the accompaniment of our own members’ Southside Jazz Band in Main Court.
Exhibition
During the Reunion Weekend College Archivist Lizzy Ennion-Smith had compiled displays of material
covering the College’s experiences during WWI, abroad in the field of conflict and also at home in the
College itself, and fascinating and of course tragic it proved to be. Situated in the Antechapel it was
visited by many members and we are grateful to Lizzy for her work.
75
Evensong
As in recent years members worshipping at Evensong were uplifted not only by the familiar rite and
hymns but also by the splendid singing of the College’s Girls’ Choir – young girls from local schools in
this the only college-based girls’ choir in the UK – this year ably directed by Choir Administrator Patrick
Johansson and accompanied by Junior Organ Scholar Alex Coplan. Led by the Revd David Neaum,
Chaplain of the College, and with readings by our outgoing and incoming Presidents, the congregation
provided lusty singing and robust responses in a service that admirably served their spiritual needs
before proceeding to the more temporal pleasures of the Reunion Dinner.
Annual Dinner 2015
Our pre-Dinner Reception was held this year in the McGrath Centre where the generous provision of
canapés and wine improved still further the convivial spirit of the occasion. With more than 190 members
and partners or guests our numbers were impressive and we knew that the Hall would be full. After half
an hour of mingling we moved into a superbly prepared Hall for what turned out to be a memorable
Reunion Dinner in more ways than one. The quality of the food, the wine and the service always make
this Society Dinner an exceptional experience, but this year there was an extra ingredient: nervous
excitement, anticipation and tension among a substantial number of members because England were
playing Wales in the Rugby World Cup! This being the 21st century, mobile phones could be seen held
guiltily under the tables as members followed the match during the evening. Noise levels, rivalry and
joviality rose accordingly and much fun was had – and by all accounts High Table was no exception.
Given that the result was certain to be very close (in fact it was decided in the last few seconds) Lord
Horam, with presidential discretion, wisely delayed the speech-making until after the final whistle.
John Horam then addressed the gathering as our outgoing President and, noting diplomatically that
he was surrounded by Celts (ethnically the victors as it happened), he offered suitable congratulations
and sympathies to all in the Hall. Continuing, he described the wide range of attendees from around
the country and the world, with matriculation dates from 1945 to our Junior Organ Scholar who had
just finished his first year. The impressive range of over two dozen Society events had all been fully
subscribed, and we had as usual played our part in helping today’s undergraduates with some of their
extra-curricular activities using our ever-increasing system of grants from members’ funds. He could say –
even as a politician – that we were an extremely strong alumni society and probably the most successful
in the University. He thanked the Society Officers for their unstinting and meticulous work as volunteers,
the Alumni Office for its great support, and all the staff of the College including, of course, those who
were providing our meal and had served us so well. Finally he thanked the Master who had been a
constant supporter of the Society – so much so that she had even come to hear him give a political
talk – and who had presided with grace, charm and good humour over a hugely successful period in the
history of the College and of the Society, where she had also been President. He had been delighted to
serve as President this year and also before that for eight years as Chairman because St Catharine’s had
given him two major things. First a remarkable education: he had read Economics from 1957 to 1960 and,
as fellow Catsman Lord Glasman (1979) had pointed out the other day, that had been the period when
all the dazzling stars of Keynesian economics were working away in Cambridge. He and his colleagues
benefitted uniquely from their tuition. The second thing the College gave him had been brought home
when he had had a casual conversation with a very recent Cambridge student who had been at Trinity.
When John commented that the time at Trinity must have been great, the student replied that it was OK,
but he had spent all his time at St Catharine’s because it was ‘so much more friendly’. Wholly endorsing
that view and valuing the special friendships he himself had made there and trusting that all present felt
the same, our President asked everyone to charge their glasses and toast the College.
76
The Master then rose to speak on behalf of the College. It was surely coincidental and totally
unconnected with a very recent event that she began by noting her Welsh background with a marked
sense of pride; and surely the applause and cheers that followed from certain quarters of the Hall were
no more than a polite response. Continuing, Professor Dame Jean Thomas summarised the academic,
sporting, musical and other achievements of the College (see her full report in the early pages of this
Magazine) and also described the once-in-centuries opportunity that had arisen by the University
recently offering long leases on the Old Press Site the other side of Silver Street. St Catharine’s and three
other colleges were interested and working together on this, but the funding was daunting as some
£20m would be needed by our College alone. Concluding with thanks to all, and recognising especially
the high value that the College places on the Society and on the volunteers who run it, she invited
everyone to stand as she proposed a toast to the Society. A few minutes later Lord Horam handed the
emblem of office to Guy Beringer QC (1973, Fellow Commoner 2008) wishing him much pleasure as
Society President in the year ahead. Members were then invited to adjourn for further refreshments in
the College Bar, where the South Side Jazz band was to play until curfew at 12.30.
David Peace (1966, Fellow Commoner 2014), Society Secretary
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR TO 30 JUNE 2015
Income
2015
2014
Donations
1,657
420
Subscriptions
8,055
7,820
Dividends and Bank Interest
9,912
8,784
19,624
17,024
Expenditure
General
4,138
5,176
Grants
4,856
4,633
8,994
9,809
10,630
7,214
Suggested Contribution Alumni Office
8,500
8,500
Operating Surplus/(Deficit) after Contribution
2,130
(1,286)
Increase/(decrease) in value of investments
17,498
11,197
Net Surplus/(Deficit) for the year
19,629
9,912
Balance brought forward
178,606
168,695
Balance carried forward
198,235
178,606
Operating Surplus
The Old Members’ Sports Fund, a separate Society Fund, sits administratively with College Funds, but all
awards are made by the Society. They amounted to £5,382 during the year ended 30 June 2015 (30 June
2014: £4,131). The total amount in the Fund at 30 June 2015 was £136,742 (30 June 2014: £124,074). The
investment income available to spend during 2014–15 was £4,963.
77
SOCIETY AWARDS
During each year the Society does what it can from its accumulated funds to help students with special
financial needs. We make sure that we do not duplicate funding available from other sources – from the
College or from the University for example – and so we currently offer grants in the following areas, with
each annual sum shared between eligible students or groups:
t The Music Tuition Fund, for those not reading Music as a degree subject: up to £1000 per year
available.
t The Performing Arts Fund, for students wanting to improve their personal skills in theatre,
dance etc. (but not for funding specific productions): up to £1000 per year available.
t The Travel Grants Fund, for College Clubs and Societies to support UK and overseas tours, with
priority given to applicants who will link up with alumni in the areas visited: up to £2000 per year
available.
t The Old Members’ Sports Fund, for extra or unusual expenditure for students chosen to
represent the College or University at any competitive sport: up to £4000 per year available.
t The Internship Bursaries Fund, for students already in receipt of Cambridge bursaries and who
have acquired a Long Vacation work experience project, unpaid, with an approved not-for-profit
organisation (charity, media, arts, heritage, etc.): each bursary limited to £500; approval only
after the results of other funding applications are known; 50% of grant paid in advance and 50%
after a report at the end of the project. This year the College generously offered to match Society
Internship awards, and so students could in effect receive a maximum of £1000 each if approved.
During 2014–15 the Society, through its award panels consisting of Society and College Officers, was
pleased to make:
t four awards totalling £2000 to support singing, theatre and flying trapeze tuition
t one award of £500 to support a Boat Club overseas training camp
t eight awards for work experience (internships in medical research, biodiversity, a Slovak
government project, and charity work in Tanzania and India) totalling £3025.
t 66 awards totalling £5532 to individuals to help with sports activities – American football,
athletics, badminton, cheerleading, cricket, cross country, fencing, hockey, lacrosse, mountain
biking, modern pentathlon, netball, polo, rowing, rugby, running, sailing, skiing, swimming,
tennis, volleyball and water polo.
David Peace (1966, Fellow Commoner 2014) Society Secretary
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SOCIETY PRESIDENTS’ DINNER
Our fifth Society Presidents’ Dinner took place on 14 April in the Edward VII Room of the Oxford and
Cambridge Club, London. Before starting we held a period of silence to remember Martin Taylor (1955,
President in 1999) and Sir Derek Day (1948, President in 1996) who had both passed away during the year.
A dozen Presidents Past, Current and Elect had enthusiastically agreed to attend what they knew
to be one of the most convivial evenings of the year. Regrettably one had had to withdraw due to
temporary ill health and there was also a no-show, but the remaining ten did not seem to find it hard
to enter into the spirit of the occasion. Much merriment complemented our earnest discussion on
the ways of the world and our pride in the College, the Society, and all things associated with them.
Whether College or Society would have welcomed our views the next morning history does not relate,
but all agreed that this evening each year is a valuable way of maintaining contact and providing an
overview from those who had given time to represent the College in such a significant way. Attending
were: Brian Sweeney (1963, President in 1997), Geoffrey Stokell (1950, President in 2000), Donald Broom
(1961, Emeritus Fellow, President in 2005), Brian Woodham (1961, President in 2006), John Oakes (1961,
President in 2007), David Peace (1966, President in 2010), Tony Watts (1960, President in 2012), Dame Jean
Thomas (Master 2007, President in 2013), this year’s President John Horam (Lord Horam of Grimsargh,
1957), and President-Elect Guy Beringer (1973).
David Peace (1966, Fellow Commoner 2014), Society Secretary)
THE ACHESON-GRAY SPORTS DAY 2015
The 15th AG sports day took place on Saturday 28 June. The traditional date of the first weekend in the
Easter Term was altered to enable a College dinner to accompany the sports day. The earlier date is in
the College quiet period and such frivolities are beyond the gift of the Dean.
Flaming June would normally prevent rugby or football, but showers earlier in the week softened
the ground at our new rugby pitch. The rugby match involved the College and the Fries Platoon, the
latter being dominant. Cricket was attempted despite the drizzle and haar, but finally abandoned with
Stuart Cummings left hanging on a fine score. College hockey has not been in quite its usual dominant
form this year and it was no surprise that the alumni won all three matches. It is a credit to enthusiasm
that other sports were played – tennis, netball, badminton, squash and croquet. The former students
triumphed in every sport, notwithstanding some discussion about the missing netball results. It might
have been expected that the former students would have had difficulty fielding teams but it was more
of a problem for the students, many of whom returned to College for this event. Some of our Blues
sportsmen and women were otherwise occupied.
Driven indoors by the rain, the new bar offered sanctuary before dinner. Before we ate there was
a fine speech by James, the brother of Charles Acheson-Gray, a speech by Tony Engel (1961) on the
value of sport and another by John Oakes (1961) with some additional words by Professor Broom (1961,
Emeritus Fellow). The revelry was brought to an end with an elevated rendition of Jerusalem, the
anthem of the Women’s Institute.
Matt Diesel and Philip Oliver
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The Development Director, Lord Horam, the Master, Mr Ricky Mendes (1953),Lord Naseby (1957), and the
Deputy Development Director at the Lords Reception.
SOCIETY RECEPTION IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS
The Society President, Lord (John) Horam, held a Reception for Society members in the Cholmondeley
Room and Terrace of the House of Lords on an evening in June 2015. About 180 members attended
including the Master, Dame Jean Thomas; the College President, Dr John Little; Dr Peter Wothers; the
Development Director, Mrs Deborah Loveluck; Lord Naseby and Lord Temple Morris.
Lord Horam welcomed members and reminded them that Jeremy Thorpe had said that the House of
Lords proved that there was life after death. He personally preferred the comment of Benjamin Disraeli
who, on becoming the Earl of Beaconsfield, said ‘I am dead, but in the Elysian fields’. Whatever view one
took, Lord Horam pointed out that St Catharine’s College was now well represented in the Lords, having
no less than four members.
Lord Horam also mentioned that 18 June 2015 was the 200th anniversary of Wellington’s victory at
Waterloo. After the battle the College gave places to some of Wellington’s officers and later, in 1847, the
Duke slept in the Master’s Lodge when accompanying Prince Albert and Queen Victoria on their visit
to Cambridge. The Master then updated the guests on the current activities in the College before the
evening ended with a tour of the Palace.
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GEOGRAPHERS DINNER 2014
November 2014 saw over a hundred Cats geographers spanning eight decades of studies celebrate
a remarkable College link. More than twenty had matriculated in the last three years, offering a rare
opportunity to meet the newest members of a global community.
Professor Ron Martin in his opening remarks paid tribute to Sir Peter Hall (1950, Honorary Fellow
1988), who had died recently. A giant of urbanist thinking, the Telegraph 4 August 2014 described him
as ‘Britain’s leading post-war planning intellectual’. Sir Peter, addressing the previous dinner in 2010,
had laid the ground for this reunion. Fittingly it was taking place on World Town Planning Day and 2014
marks the 65th anniversary. Planning and related pursuits continue to fascinate Cats geographers with
environmental sciences and remote sensing amongst the current undergraduate interests.
A tea-time gathering showcased leading research with College geographers globally poles apart.
That this, and polarities in the national economic landscape, could be vividly presented was thanks to
the new McGrath Centre. It is already a landmark destination and Harvey McGrath (1971) was able to be
present in a week which saw the Centre mark its first 500 days since opening in June 2013.
Gus Caesar, another giant in the St Catharine’s landscape, was remembered. He was born in 1914 so
the dinner marked his centenary and a witty and affectionate tribute to Gus was given by Professor
Mike Bradford (1964). A warm welcome was extended to Miss Pat Caesar, Gus’s daughter, who had led a
splendid gathering at the Society weekend in September.
On Sunday morning a few hours later, pulpits throughout the land resonated with the words of
Matthew, if not quite Chapter 22.21, and the favoured text from Gus with its booming reminder to
generations of students to return borrowed books. ‘Render unto Caesar…’
Lester Hillman (1970)
BRANCH NEWS
East Anglia Branch
The committee has met three times in College in the last year and the following events were arranged.
In November, the branch has had a visit to the Theatre Royal in Norwich and 29 people saw La
Traviata. There was a meal arranged before the opera for the party, and about 12 people stayed
overnight in Norwich. We had very positive feedback from this visit, and have arrangements in hand to
repeat the occasion when Glyndebourne on tour returns to Norwich this November when the opera will
be Mozart’s The Abduction from the Seraglio.
Professor Martin led another wine tasting in January and we sampled ‘Top English Sparklers and
Powerful South American Reds’. 23 came to this event, for a very successful evening. Professor Martin
combines a depth of knowledge of wines with great communication skills and, because of course there
is no sales element to the tasting, we really do get a superb and genuine education in fine wines. We try
to hold this event before term starts, as it makes accommodation in College easier, but this didn’t prove
possible this year.
In March we had our AGM, this time a lunchtime event. Before the AGM we were lucky to have our
President, John Horam, talk to us on the subject Where is our Country going? This was only a few weeks
before the election and John was able to give us an insider’s view of a lot of topical issues that were
filling the newspapers at the time. See also Midlands Report.
In May we returned to Lincoln for a second visit. In 2014 we had a visit and tour of Roman Lincoln
81
The view from the top of Lincoln Cathedral.
kindly organised by Ralph Timms (1961). However Magna Carta was not on display in 2014 and the
castle was also closed for repairs. This year a new display of Magna Carta and the completion of the
castle repairs drew us back to Lincoln, and Ralph again organised the visit, which was attended by
24 persons. We were not disappointed and furthermore the 18th century gaol in the castle has been
superbly renovated as well. In the gaol, it all looked familiar in a funny sort of way, not because of our
past misdemeanours, but because almost every period gaol scene on film or television has been filmed
in this authentic building. In the afternoon there was a choice between a Cathedral roof tour or a
Cathedral tower tour (338 steps). The latter gave a view worth the climb, and on a clear day one can see
both the coast and the Peak District.
In June some of our branch were able to join the London branch to watch the Varsity cricket match
at Lords. The Cambridge Society of London (Chairman David Peace) usually has a box of 36 seats. When
David, also our Society Secretary, advertised a second box of 36 places for St Catharine’s Society we had
the fastest take-up of any visit we have planned – all 36 places were gone in two days.
Jonathan Dossetor (1962) ([email protected] )
Ireland Branch
About 20 Catzpeople live in the Republic of Ireland, but many more (100+) are based in Northern
Ireland. In spite of that imbalance, Andrew Clarke (1967) and I – both Dubliners by adoption – have been
taking steps to set up an Ireland branch of the Society. Over dinner in the Kildare Street and University
Club, of which Andrew is currently chairman, we teamed up with Patricia McVeigh (1998) and Diarmuid
Hannigan (2000) to form a sort of informal steering committee. Our first initiative was to organise a
St Catharine’s table at the Oxford & Cambridge dinner in Dublin in April. The dinner, held in the Merrion
Hotel which now occupies a row of Georgian houses in one of which the Duke of Wellington was born,
was dedicated to celebrating the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo. At the Catz table, besides the
four of us, were Ronnie Smartt (1954), Anthony Harvey (1977) and Anthony’s wife Kate Younger (who
comes from just next door to Catz at Queens’).
Stephen Mennell (1963) (society.ireland.chaircaths.cam.ac.uk)
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London Branch
In July the London Group returned to The Globe to see Measure for Measure – Dominic Drumgoole’s
final production in The Globe’s outdoor space. The 30 members and guests had a special evening; it was
marvellous that one group included three generations with links to the College.
Details of future events are on the Society website; please contact me if you would like to book for
yourself, family and friends.
Heather Powell (1981) ([email protected])
Midlands Branch
In February, a record number of 35 took part in a visit to Offchurch, a beautiful village on the River Leam
in South Warwickshire. The visit began in the morning when the group assembled outside the Parish
church for a brief introduction to the village and its history. The origin of the name ‘Offa’s Church’ relates
to its connection to Offa, who was King of Mercia from 757 to 796 and, at the manor house of Offchurch
Bury, there was a fortification of Offa’s deriving from the Saxon word burh or fortified place.
We then vsited the church and received great hospitalty from members of their Parochial Church
Council includng a guided tour, refreshments and music. The church is a notable building constructed
with local red sandstone. Whilst there is no trace of the original Offa’s church, the current building,
constructed from 12th century onwards, contains Norman elements and traces of an Anglo-Saxon
cemetery were found about 1875. A stone coffin is on display in the current church, but there is no direct
evidence that this dates from Saxon times. A local legend says that if you go to the top of the church
and jump off, King Offa will rise from the ground and catch you!
Afterwards, we walked the short distance to the Stag where we had a private room for lunch. It has
an excellent reputation for the quality of its food and warm welcome and we were not disappointed
in any way. Indeed it proved an ideal venue for us. Afrer lunch, we were then addressed by Society
The Midlands Branch meeting at Offchurch.
83
President Lord (John) Horam, a Fellow Commoner of the College and a working Conservative Peer. He
spoke to the title of Where is our country going? and posed such questions as: Should there be more
English devolution, along the lines of Scotland? Will UKIP do well at the general election? What are the
main parties offering? Will there be another coalition? Have we got the economy heading in the right
direction? Can the European Union be reformed? Will the UK stay in? Given the forthcoming general
election, his talk was well timed and much appreciated by all present.
At its conclusion everyone agreed on how enjoyable it had been and a great chance to catch up
with existing friends and make new ones. The event, as all Midland ones, was open to all members and
partners. We always offer a special welcome to those joining us for the first time and so, if you live in the
Midlands or close by, we will be very pleased to see you at future events.
John Moverley (1968) ([email protected])
North West Branch
It has been a quieter year in the North West with two Society events this year. We returned to Manchester’s
Bridgewater Hall in October for a Hallé Concert. Branch Chair Eleanor Roberts (1985) arranged access
to discounted tickets and hospitality in the Corporate Bar for members, who enjoyed hearing Dvorak’s
Symphony No.8 and Paul Lewis playing Brahms Piano Concerto No.1 as well as the socialising!
In June we proved the rule that you should always go ahead with a picnic regardless of an unpromising
weather forecast as a damp morning turned into a beautiful afternoon in Delamere Forest. We were guided
on a walk through the woods by David Clarke (1974), the picnic only slightly marred by our choosing the
same day as a regional Airedale Terrier owners’ club – which made conversation a little difficult!
Activities planned for next year include a wine-tasting evening, a trip to the Everyman Theatre and a
return visit to Delamere – perhaps without the Airedales this time…
Eleanor Roberts (1985) ([email protected])
The Northern Branch meeting on the Wensleydale Railway.
84
Northern Branch
In October a group of us saw an RSC matinee performance of Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Theatre
Royal, Newcastle. The star of the show was ‘Crab the Dog’ played by a very clever lurcher called Mossup,
who gave a brilliant performance. After the show we visited a local hostelry where we benefitted from
the learned comments on this rather strange play from our distinguished Chairman, Professor Reavley
Gair (1959).
In May some of us met at Bedale station for lunch and then took a trip to Redmire and back on the
preserved Wensleydale Railway. The scenery was excellent, and the geological features were explained
by one of our members, Ian Evans (1961). As soon as we arrived at Redmire we had to catch the train
back, but there didn’t seem to be anything much there to detain us!
Some of us attended an evening performance of The Tempest at Lanercost Priory, near Carlisle, in
June. The Priory is now a parish church, but it is big enough to be a modest cathedral and it provided a
dramatic setting for this very enjoyable performance.
Bill Schardt (1968) ([email protected])
Scotland Branch
The Scottish Branch held only one event during this period: a number of us spent a sunny Saturday
in Pollok Country Park in Glasgow in March. The main focus of the visit was the Burrell Collection, an
accumulation of over 8,000 objects, artefacts, paintings and tapestries amassed by Sir William Burrell
over a period of 80 years. A shrewd and prudent businessman and collector, he chose carefully what he
purchased, and the collection contains many globally unique and important pieces, a large proportion
of which are in pristine condition.
In 1944, Sir William gifted his entire collection to the City of Glasgow – with a number of conditions.
The collection had to be freely accessible, and housed in a rural setting away from the damaging effects
of the city’s pollution. No such site had been identified by the time he died in 1958, but in 1967 Pollok
House and its estate was also gifted to Glasgow City Council, and this provided an excellent rural setting
(at that time) for the Burrell Collection. A building was constructed specifically to house the collection
which finally went on display in 1983.
The Scotland Branch: the Thinkers.
85
We were all very impressed at the quality and breadth of the collection and the many interesting
pieces to see, and our guide’s enthusiasm and knowledge kept us all inspired and interested. The
building itself, with its sandstone and other natural materials, and its areas of natural light and relative
darkness, provides an excellent variety of conditions to protect and display the Collection’s objects.
Unfortunately, despite its relatively young age and modern design, the roof is leaking in all sorts of
places, and the building is festooned with bits of tarpaulin hanging from the ceiling and strategically
placed buckets on the floor, and quite a number of the Collection’s paintings and other objects have
been removed for safe keeping. It is expected that the building will close sometime within the next year
for a long period of roof reconstruction.
We also enjoyed a very pleasant lunch half a mile away at Pollok House, now a National Trust property,
where we ate in the Edwardian Kitchen Restaurant. Afterwards, some of us went back to the Burrell to
have a further look around, some went into Pollok House, and some headed off to other engagements
or to watch the closing stages of the concluding day of the Six Nations Rugby.
David Wood (1980) ([email protected])
South West Branch
During 2014–15 the South West branch held two events.
For the first time this year we attended a sporting event with great success. In February about
30 members and guests enjoyed a buffet lunch in the grandstand restaurant at Sandy Park, home of the
Exeter Chiefs, followed by an exciting Premiership derby clash between Exeter and Bath Rugby. With
both sides vying for a play-off place the match was a sell out and lived up to pre-match expectations.
Our group was evenly balanced with supporters of both sides in attendance, but as chairman my nonpartisanship prevents me from extolling the achievement of Exeter in winning their first encounter with
their local rivals since joining the top echelon of rugby! This event attracted a number of new attendees
for the SW branch and re-connected some members who last met in a supervision room. This could well
become an annual fixture in the branch programme.
In early September we held our annual garden party on the edge of Dartmoor. This event is
particularly welcomed by those who are unable to travel to the Society’s Annual Reunion in Cambridge.
Unfortunately the late summer weather meant that the garden was enjoyed from inside the house
along with the Pimms and cream teas! Numbers were up on recent years and, with a range of 56 years
between attendees at either end of the age spectrum, we hope to attract even more next year as there
is likely to be someone who will be able to share your memories from whatever era! As people made
their way to their cars the sun came out for a beautiful Devon sunset!
David Sanders (1969) ([email protected])
Wales Branch
I have to report that the modest start made at the 2014 National Eisteddfod was not sustained in the
way that I expressed in the last St Catharine’s Magazine – great oaks did not from little acorns grow!
Various commitments prevented my following up the very few specific leads kindly suggested by
some of you. A very open ended invitation to all Welsh alumni to meet me at this year’s Eisteddfod,
or indeed to come up to our hill-top mid-Wales small holding for fantastic views, some refreshment,
modest exploration of its wildlife and discussion of future events, elicited no more than six apologies.
And therein lies the nub of my problem in trying to arrange any all-Wales event to attract even a modest
dozen or so alumni. From my own isolated eyrie, and a lifestyle which goes with it, depending on the
pleasures of the natural world rather than social contact or entertainment, I have little idea of what
might appeal to others.
86
To make a success of the Wales Branch I need to hear more from those of you who are Welsh residents
about activities, events or informal gatherings which you would be willing to support in your own area
and to provide me with enough information and contacts for me to take forward its organisation and
communicate with fellow Alumni. So do drop me a line; I look forward to hearing from you and hope to
be able to offer a more up-beat Wales Branch report next year.
Andrew Jenkinson (1962) ([email protected])
Wessex Branch
The Branch held three events during the year.
In October 39 Branch members and friends attended a lunch at the Esseborne
Manor Hotel near Andover. After lunch Dr Richard Holt (1983) (pictured, left) gave
a talk: Beyond Reasonable Doubt: Catching Athletes Cheating with Drugs in which
he talked about his research in this field. It was amazing to hear that in a survey
the greater percentage of athletes would be prepared to cheat if they thought
they would not be found out and even more surprising that many would still take
illegal performance enhancing drugs, even if it would shorten their lives. Richard
continued by talking about the drugs themselves and methods of detection and
commented on a number of past and current cases. At the request of many who
heard his talk he was kind enough to allow us later to circulate to those present details from some of his
papers on the subject.
In March 28 members and friends attended a lunch at Hampshire Golf Club near Andover. Our original
speaker was unfortunately unable to come due to illness and at short notice John Dennis (1951), our
speaker for later in October, was kind enough to bring forward his talk entitled A Bishop, a Bike and some
Beer. John gave an interesting and amusing talk about his experiences in the Ministry ending as Bishop of
St Edmundsbury and Ipswich which is the second longest title for a bishop in England. This led to some
difficulties when signing official documents. Along the way he lived in a varied range of parishes with
elements of past social history: back-to-backs in Yorkshire, the condemned cell in Leeds, leafy suburbs of
London and dockers in the Isle of Dogs.
In June we attended a guided tour of the
Museum of Army Flying at Middle Wallop, followed
by lunch. This event started with coffee, followed
by a guided tour of the museum which included
details of the history of army flying beginning
with the first observers in static balloons. This was
followed by lunch and a further opportunity for
people to look round the museum at their own
pace. 16 Members and friends attended.
Clive Brunswick (1953) (society.wessex.chair@
caths.cam.ac.uk)
Yorkshire & Humberside Branch
The Yorkshire and Humberside region met at the
Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield in October and
a dozen or so members and wives joined in an
interesting guided tour of the gallery and then a
few stayed on for a meal at a local hostelry.
The Yorkshire Branch at the Blues Brothers.
87
In April, we arranged a visit to the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth and then a lunch in the town but
numbers were not sufficient to justify the journey and a similar lack of numbers cancelled the June
visit to Saltaire, where a walking tour of the industrial village, a visit to the Hockney Gallery and a meal
afterwards failed to lure enough Catz alumni to make the day a success.
Most recently, a small band of brothers met at Calke Abbey to watch a re-run of the fabulous Blues
Brothers movie shown on a calm August evening, outside, in the shadow of the house and, in true
College style, picnics were shared. Jerry Wallwork (1968), David Charlton (1970) and Malcolm Bailey
(1970) and spouses did not wear pork pie hats nor dress as nuns.
Malcolm Bailey (1970) ([email protected])
Singapore
A St Catharine’s gathering in the Long Bar, Raffles Hotel, in August 2015.
Standing behind: Timothy Jones (2003), Jennifer Morris (2003), Kenneth Tan (1993), Jeson Ng (2014).
Standing front: Ming-Ying Teng (1997), Yi Wen Chua (1998), Elaine Ng (1984).
Seated: Caroline Johnson (1988), Andrew Briski (1980), Professor Eilís Ferran (Fellow 1987) with her husband
Rod Cantrill and son Oliver.
88
THE LAST AND THE FIRST
Last year our Secretary stole the final ball of the men’s one-day Varsity match at Lord’s (the ball that
impudently soared over the Ground and up into his Cambridge Society of London suite). This year the
College Society itself scored a first: we were, as far as we knew, the first alumni society from any college
to organise its own box to watch the matches. On 27 June some 36 members and guests spent the day
in the St Catharine’s College Society Suite in the Tavern Stand for a superb day of superb sport, only
marginally marred by the finale. With bookings opening on a grey weekend in February it had been a
nervous experiment, but in fact it was sold out within 12 hours and there was a waiting list. It was a really
good day with much pleasure and congratulations from everyone, so we’ll do it again next year. The
only thing left is to fix the result…
HONOURS AND AWARDS
Professor David Armitage (1983), the Lloyd C Blankfein Professor of History and Chair of the
Department of History at Harvard University, has been awarded an Honorary LittD by the University of
Cambridge.
Professor Jonathan Bate (1977, Research Fellow 1983, Honorary Fellow 2001), Provost of Worcester
College and Professor of Literature at Oxford, was knighted in the 2015 New Year Honours for services
to literary scholarship and higher education. Professor Bate is a biographer, critic, broadcaster, novelist
and scholar of Shakespeare, Romanticism and Ecocriticism. He is a Governor and Board member of the
Royal Shakespeare Company, Vice-President (leading the Humanities) of the British Academy and from
2007–11 sat on the Council of the Arts and Humanities Research Council. He was awarded a CBE in 2006
in the Queen’s 80th Birthday Honours.
Professor Chris Clark (Fellow 1990), Regius Professor of History at Cambridge, was knighted in the 2015
Queen’s Birthday Honours ‘for services to British German relations’.
Dr Nik Cunniffe (1993) and Professor Jim Woodhouse (1969) were awarded Cambridge University
Pilkington Prizes in 2015 for excellence in teaching. Both read Mathematics at St Catharine’s, but their
research interests have since diverged: Dr Cunniffe now teaches at the Department of Plant Sciences,
and Professor Woodhouse at the Department of Engineering and the School of Technology.
Sir Terence English (Master 1994–2000) received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International
Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation at their 2014 meeting in San Diego and also the 2014 Ray C Fish
Award for Scientific Achievement in Cardiovascular Disease from the Texan Heart Institute in Houston.
Andrew Fraser-Urquhart (1986) of Francis Taylor Building has been appointed a Queen’s Counsel.
Joe Frost (2012) won the 2015 Christopher Welch Scholarship for research at Oxford University. He
will use it to study for his DPhil at the Weatherall Institute under Professor Hal Drakesmith (1990) who
encouraged Joe to apply for the scholarship.
89
Professor Robin Stowell receving his FRCM.
Dr Hazem Kandil (Fellow 2012) was awarded a
2014 Philip Leverhulme Prize for outstanding scholarship.
Professor John Love (1961), Emeritus Professor in Guided Wave Photonics in the Physics Education
Centre of the Australian National University, has been awarded the degree of Doctor of Science (ScD) by
the University of Cambridge.
Andrew O’Connor (1991) of Temple Garden Chambers has been appointed a Queen’s Counsel.
Dr Nicholas Penny (1982, Honorary Fellow 2009), Director General of the National Gallery, was
knighted in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours ‘for services to the Arts’.
Professor John Pyle (Fellow 1986), the 1920 Professor of Physical Chemistry and Co-Director of the
Centre for Atmospheric Science, received, together with his research group, the International Impact
and Overall Impact awards from the Natural Environment Research Council.
Professor Robin Stowell (1968), Emeritus Professor of Music at Cardiff University, was conferred
with a Fellowship of the Royal College of Music (FRCM) in March 2015 by HRH the Prince of Wales. The
Fellowship was in recognition of both his academic work and his achievements as a performer. He
made his solo debut as a violinist at the Purcell Room in 1974 and has performed throughout the UK as a
soloist and chamber musician. He was also, for many years, a member of The Academy of Ancient Music,
The English Concert and other period-instrument ensembles.
Professor John Veit-Wilson (1955) was awarded the Social Policy Association’s Special Recognition
Award in July 2014 for his lifetime’s scientific, public and organisational work on income adequacy
and minimum income standards. He was a founder member of the Child Poverty Action Group in 1965,
retiring as Vice-Chair of the Board in 2013, and played an active research advisory role in international
policy formation including an adequate European Minimum Income Directive. John is Emeritus Professor
of Social Policy at Northumbria University, a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and Honorary
Fellow of the Joint University Council, and is a guest member of staff in sociology at Newcastle University.
90
CHRIS CHRISTODOULOU
Professor Charles Higham (1959, Honorary
Fellow 2008), Professor of Archaeology at the
University of Otago, New Zealand, was awarded
the 2014 Mason Durie Medal by the Royal Society
of New Zealand. The medal is awarded to a
pre‐eminent New Zealand social scientist whose
research has made an international impact. The
citation indicates that the medal was awarded
to Charles ‘for his eminent research which has
concentrated on social change in Southeast Asia
that led to the foundation of the earliest states,
with particular reference to Angkor. No other
archaeologist has done as much to aid current
understanding of the prehistory of Thailand and
adjacent regions.’
Professor Jim Woodhouse (1969). See Nik Cuniffe (1993) above.
Ian Wright (1977), Director-General of the Food and Drink Federation and lately advisor to Nick Clegg,
has been awarded a CBE for political and public service.
University Appointments
Professor Eilís Ferran (1980, Fellow 1987), Professor of Company and Securities Law in the Faculty
of Law, and chair of the Law Faculty, has been appointed a Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of
Cambridge. Five Pro-Vice-Chancellors are responsible for taking forward the University’s strategy and
policy development, and supporting the Vice-Chancellor in his or her role in providing leadership to
the University. Each post covers an area of strategic importance to the University – Professor Ferran is
responsible for human resources and for oversight of the University’s international affairs.
Professor John Pyle FRS has been appointed Head of the Department of Chemistry.
Dr Mark Elliott has been promoted to a Professorship and Dr Nora Berend to a Readership.
Dr David Aldridge and Dr Matt DeJong have been promoted to Senior Lectureships.
PUBLICATIONS
Recent publications by or about College Members, donated to the College Library
Baldwin, Mark (1962). The Enigma Machine, Bletchley Park, and the Battle of the Atlantic. Cleobury
Mortimer, Shropshire: M&M Baldwin, 2014 (940.548641)
Bowring, Philip (1960, Fellow Commoner 2009). Free Trade’s First Missionary: Sir John Bowring in Europe
and Asia. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2014 (941.081092)
Broom, Donald M. (1961, Fellow 1987). Sentience and Animal Welfare. Wallingford: CABI, 2014 (179.3)
Domestic Animal Behaviour and Welfare, 5th edition. Wallingford: CABI, 2014 (636.083)
Cumming, Iain (1959), and Moreton, John F. James Braid and his Four Hundred Golf Courses. Droitwich,
Worcestershire: Grant Books, 2013 (712.2)
Egeler, Matthias (Fellow 2010). Perspektiven aus dem Reich der Toten: Gedanken zu einem etruskischen
Felsengrab, der Religionsästhetik und der historischen Religionswissenschaftigher. Würzburg: Ergon-Verlag,
2014 (390.22)
French, Robert (1967), and Simpson, Peter. Attention, Cooperation, Purpose: An Approach to Working in
Groups Using Insights from Wilfred Bion. London: Karnac, 2015 (658.4022019)
91
Hall, Clifford (1964), ed. The Twisted Web: Perspectives on Poverty in Poetry. Christ Church, Barbados:
Clifford Hall, 2011 (821.9)
Francis Bacon: A Fragment of a Life. Holmes Beach, Florida: Gaunt, 2012 (192.BAC)
Harris, Joseph (Fellow 2003). Inventing the Spectator: Subjectivity & the Theatrical Experience in Early
Modern France. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014 (792.09440903)
Higgins, Colin. Cataloging and Managing Film and Video Collections. Chicago: American Library
Association, 2015 (025.3)
Holden, Patrick (1957), and Gilbert, John. Agility: Schritt für Schritt. Mürlenbach: Kynos Verlag, 2002
(636.708)
Lively Limericks, Ribald Rhymes. Tetbury, Glos.: Beverston Press, 2015 (821.7.HOL)
Kandil, Hazem (Fellow 2012). Inside the Brotherhood. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2014 (962)
Hardie, Jeremy. Variety is the Spice of Life: The Worlds of Eric Midwinter. London: Third Age Press, 2015
(907.202)
Moran, Martin (1974). Higher Ground: A Mountain Guide’s Life. Dingwall: Sandstone Press, 2014 (796.522)
Spooner, Derek (1962). Wild Looe. Penzance: Alison Hodge, 2014 (914.237)
Sutherland, William J. (Fellow 2008), et al. Farmland Conservation: Evidence for the Effects of
Interventions in Northern and Western Europe. Exeter: Pelagic Publishing, 2014 (333.76)
Thomas, Patrick (1970). Remembering the Armenian Genocide. Llanwrst, Conwy: Gwasg Carreg Gwlach,
2015 (956.620154)
Heydon, Dyson, Leeming, Mark J., and Turner, Peter G. (Fellow 2009). Equity: Doctrines & Remedies.
Chatswood, New South Wales: LexisNexis Butterworths, 2015 (346.05)
Goode, David, and Warner, Francis (1956, Honorary Fellow 1999). Blitz Requiem: Full Score. Gerrards
Cross, Buckinghamshire: Colin Smythe, 2013 (783.29)
Blitz Requiem: Vocal Score. Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire: Colin Smythe, 2013 (783.29)
Hooley, Tristram, and Barham, Lyn, eds. Career Development Policy & Practice: The Tony Watts Reader.
Stafford: Highflyers, 2015 (331.702)
Werner, Valentin von (2011). The Present Perfect in World Englishes: Charting Unity and Diversity. Bamberg:
University of Bamberg Press, 2014 (425)
92
SELECTED REVIEWS
Free Trade’s First
Missionary: Sir John
Bowring in Europe and
Asia
Philip Bowring
Hong Kong University Press,
2014
John Bowring left school at
the age of thirteen, to work
for his father, an Exeter wool
merchant. In his spare time he
taught himself literature and
languages – a hyperpolyglot, he would later claim to know
200 languages, and speak 100. Driven by a precocious
intellect, he became a major literary and political figure
in the 1820s and 30s. Bowring was appointed British
consul at Canton in 1849, and Governor of Hong Kong in
1854. There, as elsewhere, he left a legacy of liberal ideas,
though his high-handedness may have been one of the
causes of the Second Opium War (1856–1860). His talents
and achievements were spread so widely that his name,
perhaps, has been eclipsed by those with a narrower
focus. This book brings Bowring’s life and disparate
achievements together, with a particular emphasis on his
role in promoting free trade, and his much criticized career
in Asia.
CH
Domestic Animal
Behaviour and Welfare
Donald M. Broom and Andrew
F. Fraser
CABI, 2015
Sentience and Animal
Welfare
Donald M. Broom
CABI, 2014
Donald Broom has been a
prominent figure at
St Catharine’s for many alumni,
but few outside academia are
likely to be fully aware of the
contribution he has made to the
realm of animal welfare.
Domestic Animal Behaviour and
Welfare, now in its fifth edition,
co-written with Andrew Fraser,
summarizes his work.
For practicing veterinarians, fielding daily queries from
anxious clients, knowledge of the normal behaviour of
pets, farm animals, and horses is vital to picking up hints of
ill-health, and providing early intervention. A normal cat,
for example, may spend over 60% of each day sleeping, but
an adult horse recumbent for longer than half an hour may
well be in trouble. Broom and Fraser’s work is a mine of
information on the minutiae of behavioural characteristics,
making it an essential read for anyone aspiring to work
closely with animals. It is a well-written textbook, perhaps
best-utilised as a reference work. That said, there are
certainly snippets to interest those with a four-legged
family member: how many of us are aware that a dog will
tend to wag its tail to the right when greeting its owner,
but to the left when meeting a strange dog?
Broom’s other recent publication, Sentience and Animal
Welfare, is less textbook, more philosophical insight into
the topics of emotion and consciousness. As Broom points
out, ‘(m)embers of the European Parliament report that
they receive more letters about animal welfare than about
any other topic’. After taking the reader on an in-depth
scientific dissection of the evidence for sentience in
the creatures around us, Broom presents a set of moral
questions as to where we draw the line: a fully functional
person, or animal? A severely brain-damaged human?
A fertilised embryo? While some readers may find these
topics uncomfortable, the ongoing debates on the ethics of
embryonic stem cell research and assisted dying mean that
these questions are pertinent to all. In summary, this book
will interest anyone who has ever pondered what exactly it
means to be human. In doing so we may realise that we are
not so different from our animal cousins after all…
HD
James Braid and his
Four Hundred Golf
Courses
Iain Cumming and John F.
Moreton
Grant Books, 2013
This is a delightful book for
golf lovers, an enlargement
of a volume first published in
1996. In the years since, many
golf clubs have celebrated
their centenaries, and new evidence has emerged about
the number of courses linked to James Braid, the five
times Open Champion. Cumming and Moreton detail the
eighty-five full courses that Braid designed, most notably
the King’s and Queen’s at Gleneagles, the fifty-five courses
that were converted from nine to eighteen holes, and
all the other courses where he acted as a consultant for
alterations, bunkering schemes and potential plans.
Braid’s philosophy of course design cannot be bettered,
and has stood the test of time: holes should present variety
of length, demands on the player, styles of bunkering.
The size of the green should be governed by the length
93
of approach – the shorter the shot, the smaller the green.
This book carefully details the ways that Braid’s philosophy
was carried out, and enhanced so many courses. Modern
equipment does mean that, for top golfers, several of these
courses are now considered short, but for ordinary mortals
they remain fine tests of golf. Dipping into this book
entices one to want to go and play some more of them.
MB
Perspektiven aus dem
Reich der Toten:
Gedanken zu Einem
Etruskischen Felsengrab,
der Religionsästhetik
und der Historischen
Religionswissenschaftigher
Matthias Egeler
Ergon-Verlag, 2014
Perspectives from the Realm of
the Dead is based on a detailed analysis of the Hypogeum
of the Volumnus family, an Etruscan rock tomb found
in Perugia, central Italy. Egeler uses this underground
tomb, constructed in the 3rd century BC, to query the
relationship between religious aesthetics and systematic
theology. The book is an intensely specialist work, but one
which asks important questions about the anthropology
of religious aesthetics, especially those concerning the
afterlife, and adds to the body of literature concerning one
of the most important funerary monuments of ancient
Etruria.
CH
Attention, Cooperation,
Purpose: An Approach to
Working in Groups Using
Insights from Wilfred
Bion
Robert French and Peter
Simpson
Karnac, 2015
In this short work, French
and Simpson explore group
dynamics, and the components
that are most important for practical group work. The
book goes through each of the major elements of group
behaviour, partly represented in the wording of the title.
Each chapter has a healthy sprinkling of case studies,
offering the reader a varied writing style, which is both
engaging and clarifying. Overall, this book is inviting and
accessible for anyone interested in identifying times when
teamwork can effectively advance business aims.
HW
94
Inventing the Spectator:
Subjectivity & the
Theatrical Experience in
Early Modern France
Joseph Harris
Oxford University Press, 2014
In this perceptive account
of the intricate relationship
between the rise of the modern
sense of self and the theatre,
Joseph Harris provides an
insight into more than simply
the dramatic culture of early modern France. Offering
a nuanced account of the world which produced, and
first received, the Cartesian self, the book progresses
through an exploration of the rise of ‘regular’ dramaturgy,
to the writings of specific theorists such as Corneille, La
Mesnardière, Abbé Dubos, and Rousseau. In so doing,
it provides the reader with a vivid understanding of the
way illusion and the suspension of disbelief was actually
intended to feel. Harris demonstrates that the concept
of rule-driven dramaturgy was not governed by abstract
notions, but by a desire to construct theatre that was
tailored, like perspective, to the capacity of the human
eye. The result is a compelling challenge to our modern
understanding of realism and lifelikeness, both in the
theatre, and more broadly.
EC
Cataloging and Managing
Film and Video
Collections
Colin Higgins
American Library Association,
2015
This is a comprehensive manual
for curators of film collections:
part cataloguing guide, part
primer on the history and
mechanics of motion pictures.
It will help library cataloguers
to compile precise descriptions of the content, format,
creators, cast and crew of film in both physical and digital
form. Many samples of the elements which make up
cataloguing records are provided. Though the principal
concern is with the cataloguing of films on optical disc
using RDA, the most recently developed bibliographic
standard, earlier formats and standards are not neglected.
Libraries supporting cinema papers, or those with
educational or recreational holdings, will benefit greatly
from this guide. It’s just a shame that the price set by the
publisher may operate to limit demand.
SG
Lively Limericks, Ribald
Rhymes
Patrick Holden
Beverston Press, 2015
It is a truth surreptitiously
acknowledged that the best
limericks are unprintable – which
confronts the anthologist with a
dilemma. The present one admits
on the dust-wrapper that ‘the
good ones I’ve seen / So seldom
are clean / And the clean ones
so seldom are comical.’ Moreover, when printed in bulk
even the wittiest limericks can pall. Patrick Holden rises to
the challenge with a judiciously spacious lay-out and by
engaging the services of two experienced cartoonists (Oliver
Preson and Bill Stott) to provide some sparky illustrations to
these ‘Ribald Rhymes and Saucy Verses’. Also, the inclusion
of variant versions encourages the reader to appreciate a
limerick’s literary possibilities, and that while a jaunty rhythm
may be instrumental in propelling the argument towards
an incisive conclusion, it is the third and fourth lines which
are the vital elements in such a process. But that reader
should be careful: the composition of limericks can become
compulsive and before you can stop yourself ‘There was a
young student at Catz / Who sat his exams wearing spatz /
Awarded a Third / He exclaimed How Absurd…’ and so on.
Readers are invited to provide a closing line for themselves.
GC
Inside the Brotherhood
Hazem Kandil
Polity Press, 2014
Ever wondered why some
devout Muslims become
Islamists while others do not?
Hazem Kandil’s most recent
book is a systematic sociological
study of the recruitment,
cultivation, indoctrination, and
retention pathway practiced by
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood.
Kandil attempts to unmask the Brotherhood’s ‘rituals and
beliefs’ through interviews and the participant-observer
method. This vividly captures how the Brothers quash
dissent, encourage conformity, build community, shun
deserters, and engage in magical thinking concerning
the organisation’s ‘destiny’. The book also explores the
Brotherhood’s political evolution under Nasser, Sadat, and
Mubarak – culminating with its abrupt rise to power, and
precipitous fall, in the wake of the 2011 Arab Uprisings.
It also contains an intellectual history component,
examining how the doctrines and legacies of Hassan alBanna and Sayyid Qutb have been reinterpreted by each
generation of Brothers.
Kandil’s book should be read by academics,
policymakers, and current affairs readers, because it
succeeds in taking the reader inside the head of Egypt’s
Islamists, examining what makes them tick, and the
logic behind their seemingly contradictory behaviours
and actions. Kandil is no neutral observer of the
Brotherhood. This book is a scathing critique of various
media whitewashings of the Brothers’ actions. This is not
necessarily a criticism. I applaud Kandil’s use of scholarship
as advocacy. He seeks to shed the light of truth into the
Brotherhood’s practices so as to inform global policy
formation concerning the political, social, ideological, and
cultural threat the Brotherhood poses. This is a laudable
mission.
JP
Variety is the Spice of
Life: The Worlds of Eric
Midwinter
Jeremy Hardie
London: Third Age Press, 2015
It seems wholly appropriate
that a biography of Eric
Midwinter should be written
by an Emeritus Professor of
microbiology: Eric’s life is replete
with irony, paradox and the
unexpected.
Jeremy Hardie begins his excellent book with Eric’s
boyhood in a close Mancunian family, and his initial
academic success in being the first boy from his school
to win a place at Oxbridge. Eric built on this foundation
with a double First in History, an MA in Education from the
University of Liverpool, a Doctorate from the University of
York, and a Visiting Professorship at Exeter. Many would
regard this as a successful career in itself, but for Eric it was
a single skein in a richer tapestry.
Many of Eric’s friends have remarked on the
unconventional orientation of his working life. Instead of
seeking an ascent through political honours to eternal rest
in the Upper Chamber, Eric, like one of his Victorian heroes,
moved effortlessly from one field of public administration
to another, always leaving legacies of intellectual
innovation and pragmatic improvement. His abiding
passion has been the subject of public and community
education and values, from infant school to retirement.
Eric worked for many years with Michael Young, the social
scientist, and in collaboration with him and with Peter
Laslett, whose lectures Eric attended as an undergraduate,
established in 1974 the University of the Third Age, which
now numbers almost one thousand community groups
across the UK.
Eric’s kaleidoscope of interests shows many patterns,
from Victorian social reform, through an encyclopaedic
knowledge of cricket and football, to the world of popular
95
entertainment, in which he vies with his music hall legends
in his own performances, from The Midnight Howlers to
becoming a regular act at the Savage Club, and as an afterdinner speaker and raconteur. There are also conundrums:
how did such a busy man contrive to visit every important
cricket ground in England without learning to drive?
How was the time found to publish more than 50 books?
Closing this biography one is left marvelling at the
extraordinary range and distinction of the achievement of
College alumnae.
LAP
Higher Ground: A
Mountain Guide’s Life
Martin Moran
Sandstone Press, 2014
Higher Ground is the
autobiography of Martin
Moran, one of Britain’s most
experienced and proficient
mountain guides. Formerly a
Geographer at St Catharine’s
College (m. 1974), Moran
subsequently qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1980.
However, his boyhood love of mountains soon led him
to leave this job to focus on training to become a British
Mountain Guide. After qualification, Moran and his wife
Joy moved to the remote, but spectacularly positioned,
base of Lochcarron, North-West Scotland, to open a new
mountaineering school. Martin has since guided clients
all over Scotland, the European Alps, Norway and the high
Himalaya.
Although we learn about the author’s childhood and
formative years, and of his family life, these are here largely
to help create the framework within which the majority
of the book is set. The subtitle is the clear emphasis of the
story line. With such a wealth of experience, spanning four
decades, it is impressive how Moran manages to recall
such tiny details about the various climbs and experiences
that he describes. Perhaps more remarkable is that
humour, interest and excitement are never far away.
Martin Moran is living his life to the full in the
mountains, and this book is about his life-long compulsion
to enable others to share his same sense of wonder. If you
have ever felt drawn to the mountains, either physically, or
via an armchair, this book is for you.
AB
96
Wild Looe
Derek Spooner
Alison Hodge, 2014
This beautifully produced
pocket guide focuses on the
glorious diversity of a small
area on the edge of the ocean:
the coastal town of Looe in
Cornwall, including the nature
reserve of Looe Island. It looks at the rocky shore; the tidal
estuary of the West and East Looe rivers; the ancient, seminatural woodlands of the river valleys, and the fields and
hedgerows of the coastal paths. It highlights the natural
history of these environments, their protection, their
protection and conservation.
CH
Farmland Conservation:
Evidence for the Effects
of Interventions in
Northern and Western
Europe
William J. Sutherland, et al.
Pelagic Publishing, 2014
Farmland Conservation is the
third publication in the series
‘Synopses of Conservation
Evidence’, following earlier
volumes on bird and bee
conservation. The series is part of an on-going effort
to make biodiversity conservation more evidencebased. This synopsis covers evidence for the effects of
conservation interventions for native farmland wildlife,
from a list developed collaboratively by a team of
thirteen experts. Interventions considered are restricted
to the evidence captured on the companion website
(www.conservationevidence.com), a free, authoritative
information resource designed to support decisions about
how to maintain and restore global biodiversity. The
project, which includes the books, website, and the journal
Conservation Evidence, aims to collate and summarise
evidence from the scientific literature about the effects of
conservation interventions, such as methods of habitat
or species management. For this volume, and impressive
742 individual studies have been analysed. The book is
written for people who have to make decisions about how
best to support or conserve biodiversity: land managers,
conservationists, farmers, policymakers, researchers and
others, and is available in paperback, hardback and as a
freely-downloadable pdf.
CH
Remembering the
Armenian Genocide
Blitz Requiem: Full Score,
and Vocal Score
Patrick Thomas
Gwasg Carreg Gwlach, 2015
The Armenian Genocide was
the Ottoman government’s
systematic extermination of
its minority Armenian subjects
inside their historic homeland,
which lies within the territory
constituting the present-day
Republic of Turkey. The total
number of people killed has been estimated at between
800,000 and 1.5 million. The details of this war crime are
still comparatively unknown in the West, and the source
of some diplomatic tension: the Turkish state still refuses
to acknowledge the nature, and extent, of the killings. In
this moving and powerful account, Thomas draws on eyewitness material from a wide variety of sources, and argues
that it remains profoundly important to acknowledge and
remember this first major genocide of the twentieth century.
CH
David Goode (music), and
Francis Warner (words)
Colin Smythe, 2014
I had the privilege of being
in the chorus of the London
Bach Choir (with the Royal
Philharmonic Orchestra,
conducted by David Hill) for
the first performance of the
Blitz Requiem. This took place on September 26th, 2013 in
St Paul’s Cathedral in London, itself a great symbol of the
Blitz of 1940–41. As the audience stilled, and the silence of
anticipation filled the vast space of St Paul’s, the chilling
sound of an air raid siren was heard as the opening to this
daring new work.
David Goode has produced a masterful score for full
orchestra, choir and soloists, bringing alive in a very
modern way Francis Warner’s striking text. Warner’s
text largely springs from his own experience as a small
boy caught up in the Blitz, and includes very personal
reminiscences, such as his mother giving birth under
the kitchen table during an air raid, and the stark image
of the death of innocents in a school playground. The
piece follows the traditional pattern of the Latin requiem
mass – Absolve and Kyrie, Dies Irae, Sanctus, Agnus Dei,
Responsorium and In Paradisum.
The Blitz Requiem is a true successor to Britten’s War
Requiem and will, I am sure, be performed many times in
the years to come, as we look back on the Second World
War with the hindsight of gratitude to those who made
the ultimate sacrifice to secure our freedom today. Indeed
the piece is dedicated to ‘Those who saved us’. As the
thrice-repeated refrain of the Requiem prays, ‘May souls in
peace rest beyond reach of time, Healed from the horror
of their parting hence. On these may light perpetual,
sublime, Shine and deliver from all past offence.’ (Requiem
Aeternam).
KD
Meagher, Gummow &
Lehane’s Equity:
Doctrines & Remedies
Dyson Heydon, Mark J.
Leeming, and Peter G. Turner
LexisNexis Butterworths, 2015
Equity, the first paragraph of this
book states, ‘can be described
but not defined’. It is a body of
law developed in order that
‘many of the injustices of the
common law’ might be ‘softened and modified’, and to
provide remedies ‘where at law they were either inadequate
or non-existent’. However, Meagher, Gummow and Lehane
does incalculably more than merely describe its subjectmatter: over the course of more than a thousand pages, it
also subjects the various doctrines and remedies of Equity
to close and incisive analysis. The first edition was published
in 1975, its aim being to provide the first comprehensive
examination from an Australian perspective of the general
doctrines and remedies of Equity. It went on to establish
itself as a leading text not only in Australia but in the wider
common-law world. This latest edition, prepared by the Hon
Justice Dyson Heydon, the Hon Justice Mark Leeming and
Dr Peter Turner, addresses numerous developments over
the last twelve years; all the chapters have been revised, and
there is a wholly new chapter on the developing remedy of
equitable compensation. Lord Neuberger, the President of
the UK Supreme Court, said of an earlier edition of Meagher,
Gummow and Lehane that ‘no better treatment of the topic
exists’. Practitioners and students will doubtless find this
new edition a valuable addition to their libraries.
ME
Career Development
Policy & Practice: The
Tony Watts Reader
Tristram Hooley and Lyn
Barham, ed.
Highflyers, 2015
The world of career guidance,
or career development as it
later became known, can, as
Tony Watts notes, become
‘structurally marginal’ – not
insignificant but undoubtedly affected by the competing
influences on each generation of education and training
systems and policies, changing community values and
economic pressures, and of course, the world of work itself.
97
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Deaths
Adams (1954) On 12 March 2015, John Howard Adams
of Farnham, Surrey. John came to St Catharine’s from
Sedbergh School and read Mechanical Sciences. His
daughter Gillian Stewart writes ‘John had a very successful
career in the motor industry. He married young, whilst still
at University, and with a young family moved to Farnham
in Surrey where he bought the Tourist Trophy garage. Cars
were his life and he enjoyed much success racing Jaguars.
He was fortunate enough to enjoy a range of hobbies and
pastimes some of which included his love of boats, skiing,
stamp and coin collecting, model making and games. A
very practical man, he could turn his hand to anything
and enjoyed the challenges of renovating his homes. Two
marriages brought seven children, ten grandchildren and
one great-grandchild.’
Allen (1949) On 3 February 2014, Michael George Allen of
Musselburgh, near Edinburgh, and formerly Hemingford
Grey, Huntingdonshire. Michael came to St Catharine’s from
Bedford School after National Service in the RAF and read
Natural Sciences with a Diploma in Agriculture. He played
rugby for the College. He worked first in Malaya, managing
a rubber plantation for Dunlop, but, before starting a
family, he and his wife returned to the UK in 1958 mainly
to avoid frequent bouts of malaria. In 1960, he became a
field researcher for May & Baker in Scotland before moving
to East Anglia in the 1970s as manager of the Technical
Department of Shell Agro-Chemicals. He retired in 1988
and later moved back to Scotland to be near his children
(who had been born in Scotland) and their families. His
son Tony (1978), also a St Catharine’s alumnus, writes ‘My
father enjoyed his last twenty plus years in the company of
his grandchildren, the superb beaches of East Lothian and
Musselburgh races.’ Michael’s father Chas (1929) was also an
alumnus.
Babe (1963) The College has learned of the death in
2000 of Thomas (Thom) James Babe. Thom Babe came
to St Catharine’s from Harvard University on a Marshall
Scholarship and read English. While here he directed plays
for the Shirley Society including Waiting for Godot. After
graduating he returned to America and made his career as
a playwright. For a time he was resident playwright at the
Public Theatre in New York.
Bailey (1984) See Metcalf.
Bayly (Fellow 1970, Emeritus Fellow 2012, Honorary Fellow
2014) On 18 April 2015, Professor Sir Christopher Alan Bayly
of Cambridge. For obituary, see the College Report section
of this Magazine
Bennett (1955) On 11 December 2014, Michael John Bennett
of London. His daughter Fiona Lesley writes ‘Michael won
an Exhibition to St Catharine’s from Nottingham High
School and came to Cambridge after National Service in the
RAF. He read Natural Sciences and Chemical Engineering.
His career began as a plant manager with ICI and then a
design and development engineer with Humphreys and
Glasgow. In 1967 he moved to New York as Vice-President
and Sales Manager with H & G International. In 1969 he
joined Chem Systems International as Managing Director
and consultant, returning to the UK to build their European
technical and consulting practice. In 1986 he returned
to the USA as President and CEO of Kline and Company.
In1991 he resettled in London, setting up and leading MMA
International, a highly successful transaction advisory
service. Throughout this distinguished career and into his
retirement Michael was a friend and mentor to many and
an important figure in the Royal Institution for Chemical
Engineers.’
Bingham (1955) On 1 May 2015, Stephen Denis Bingham
of Stamford and London. Stephen came to St Catharine’s
from Ampleforth College, York, and read History. According
to College records he was Managing Director of Johnson
& Johnson, Benelux, 1974–86 and then Managing Director of
Sodastream for three years before moving to a similar post
at Serotomic Ltd. He was a trustee of St Joseph’s Society for
the Elderly Poor and was awarded an OBE in 1986.
Bonsall (1936) On 26 November 2014, Sir Arthur Wilfred
(Bill) Bonsall of Cirencester, Gloucestershire. Bill came to
St Catharine’s from Bishop’s Stortford College and read
Modern & Medieval Languages. After graduating, Bill
was recruited to war-time code-breaking activities at
Bletchley Park and then, after the war, to Government
Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in West London,
moving with them to Cheltenham in 1952. He rose through
the ranks to become Director in 1973. He retired in 1978 and
took up the cause of preserving Bletchley Park for posterity,
emphasizing that it was not all about breaking Enigma. He
was awarded a CBE in 1957 and knighted in 1977. See also
the Times 16 December 2014, the Telegraph 6 December
2014, the Guardian 9 December 2014, the Independent
17 December 2014 etc. Bill’s sons John (1962) and Joseph
(1966) are also alumni.
Bromhead (1954) On 20 August 2014, John Newton
Bromhead of Bromsgrove, Worcestershier. John won a
Canon Warren Scholarship to St Catharine’s from Oakham
School and read Classics and Theology. The Revd Canon
Peter Woodward (1955) writes ‘John and I had much in
common, sons of clergy, educated at Oakham School,
studied Classics, enjoyed sport and both beneficiaries
of a closed Canon Warren scholarship from Oakham to
St Catharine’s. (John researched this scholarship – see 2008
Magazine). Sport and the Classics were major interests for
John all his life. At St Catharine’s he was in the Cupperwinning College hockey team. He excelled in many sports
notably cricket, rugby and fives. Tennis, squash and sailing
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he also enjoyed. He was still playing golf and table tennis
in the last year of his life. As a Librarian at Birmingham
University he did major work for Sports historians by
bringing together the materials in the National Centre for
Athletics Literature and helping other academic libraries see
the value and relevance of sports history. He interviewed
famous athletes, among them Harold Abrahams, and
was consulted in the making of Chariots of Fire. He was
made an honorary member of the National Union of
Track Statisticians and was among the earliest members
of the British Society of Sports History founded in 1982.
As a member of Droitwich Golf Club from1966 he wrote a
substantial book on its history, published in its centenary
year 1997. His background in the Classics led to a fascination
with Greece – happy holidays there and membership of the
Birmingham Greek Club. He married Margaret in 1962 and
had the joy of two talented daughters and five talented
grandchildren who all share his interest in sport.’
Browne (1945) In December 2014, Roger Edward Browne
of Stamford, Lincolnshire. Roger came to St Catharine’s
from Norwich School. His widow Judith writes ‘Roger read
English under Tom Henn for two years and in his final year
read Law. He took part in many sporting activities including
rugby (Sixty Club), cricket (secretary of the College Cricket
Club) and hockey, and became a member of the Hawks
Club. After graduating, Roger qualified as a solicitor,
becoming senior partner of a firm in Stamford. For some
years he was Under-Sheriff of Rutland. One of his three sons,
David (1983), is also an alumnus.’ Roger wrote an article in
the 2008 Magazine about his time at St Catharine’s.
Budd (1937) On 20 January 2015, Henry James Budd of
Malta. Henry came to St Catharine’s from Eltham College,
London, and read Mechanical Sciences. According to
College records he was a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF
Volunteer Reserve and spent his career as a company
director and farmer. His son David (1968) is also an alumnus.
Bunting (1953) On 12 May 2015, Revd Jeremy John Bunting
of Haslingfield, Cambridge. Jeremy came to St Catharine’s
from Tonbridge School and read Theology. After a period at
Worcester College, Oxford, in 1959 he was appointed Curate
at St George’s, Bickley, Kent, and in 1962 Curate at Little
St Mary’s, Cambridge. After two years as a Visiting Fellow
at the General Theological Seminary, New York, in 1968
he returned to the UK to become Rector at Stock Harvard,
Essex. In 1987 he was appointed Vicar at Hampstead Garden
Suburb. His nephew Nigel writes ‘Jeremy retired in 1994 to
Haslingfield where he enjoyed his garden and frequently
attended services at Little St Mary’s – almost a full circle.’
Busby (1945) On 8 December 2014, Gresham Lawrence
Busby of Reigate, Surrey. His widow Eileen writes ‘Gresham
joined the RAF in April 1945 and was on the Short General
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Arts course at St Catharine’s just a month before the war
ended. After the course, he was posted to RAF Credenhill
before attending the RAF College at Cranwell where he
gained his wings and passed out as the highest cadet
on his course. He continued flying at RAF Valley and was
demobbed in 1947, turning down the offer of a six-year
commission. He joined Commercial Union and then the
English, Scottish and Australian Bank which later merged
with the Australia and New Zealand Bank where he became
Senior Manager of Personnel. He retired in 1986 and
enjoyed 28 years of very happy and well-earned retirement.’
Butcher (1970) On 2 February 2015, Raymond Leslie
Butcher of Upminster, Essex. Ray won an Exhibition to
St Catharine’s from Palmers School for Boys, Grays, Essex,
and read Veterinary Medicine. After a year he was awarded
a Wellcome Scholarship. He was in the College football first
XI. He spent his career as a partner in a veterinary practice
in Upminster, Essex, but became known worldwide in
veterinary circles. He was President of the British Small
Animal Veterinary Association and Vice-President of
FECAVA (Federation of European Companion Animal
Veterinary Associations). He was an Advisory Director of
the World Society for the Protection of Animals and was
involved in developing humane methods of stray dog
control (as part of rabies prevention programmes) in parts
of Eastern Europe, India and Nepal. He received awards
for service to the veterinary profession from the Small
Animal Associations of France (1996), Britain (1997) and
Hungary (2000) and was made an honorary member of
the British Veterinary Nursing Association in 1996. He was
presented with the WSAVA (World Small Animal Veterinary
Association) Waltham Award in 2000 for outstanding service
to the veterinary profession. He retired due to ill health in
2013.
Chambers (1951) On 22 November 2013, John Walter
Chambers of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. This obituary
was omitted from 2014 Magazine in error. John came to
St Catharine’s from De Aston School, Market Rasen, and read
Modern & Medieval Languages followed by the Overseas
Services Course which he passed with distinction. His
daughter Jennifer (1987) writes ‘Having spent his national
service prior to coming up to Cambridge in Hong Kong,
John returned there after graduating as an administrative
officer in the overseas civil service. He served in various
government departments including social welfare, and
health and welfare. He held the post of Secretary for
Health and Welfare before retiring from the Hong Kong
government in 1988 to take up a position as Secretary
General of the Provisional Hospital Authority where he
was instrumental in setting up the highly successful Hong
Kong Hospital Authority. He was awarded an OBE in 1987
and a CBE in 1990. After leaving Hong Kong, John retired to
Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. John had a long and happy
marriage to his wife Isabel (née MacDonald) and had two
daughters, Jennifer (1987) and Deborah. He had a passion
for books, travel and music and participated in various
choirs and orchestras in Cambridge and throughout his life.’
Chapman (1962) On 31 August 2014, Graham Peter
Chapman of Lancaster. Graham won a Scholarship to
St Catharine’s from Trinity School, Croydon, and read
Geography followed by a PhD. Professor Michael Chisholm
(1951, Fellow 1976, Emeritus 1996) writes ‘Graham started
his academic career in Geography at Edinburgh University,
teaching statistics and quantitative methods, an interest
he maintained thereafter, especially complexity theory. He
was lured back to Cambridge, and a Fellowship at Downing
College, on condition he developed an interest in the Indian
sub-continent, Graham fell in love with the people and the
geography. He went on to a professorship at the School of
Oriental and African Studies, London, and then to Lancaster
University. Combining field experience with an analytical
and original mind, he created the role-play Green Game,
adopted by the World Bank for instructing aid and other
workers in the realities of impoverished peasant life. The
breadth of his research and teaching interests is evident
in numerous publications. Original, fearless, enthusiastic
and stimulating, Graham’s goodwill and zest for life were
infectious. He is survived by his wife, Anna Gerd, and their
children, Nicklas and Christina.’ See also the Guardian
2 October 2014.
Cooper (1985) On 28 February 2015, Robert Charles Cooper
of Caracas, Venezuela. Robert came to St Catharine’s from
St George’s School, Hertford, and read Mechanical Sciences.
According to College records he worked as a manufacturing
consultant for Scientific Generics Ltd for two years before
moving to the Caledonian Mining Company. He obtained
an MBA from Stanford University, California, in 1994.
Cummins (1952) On 7 May 2015, Commander Ashley
Ellman Cummins RN of Melksham, Wiltshire. Ashley came
to St Catharine’s from Tonbridge School as a Royal Navy
Cadet and read Mechanical Sciences. According to College
records, he was in the Navy from 1951 to 1985, retiring with
the rank of Commander. His daughter writes that he and
his wife Pauline had three children, the eldest of whom is
named Catharine, and that he had very happy memories of
Cambridge, going on to spend his honeymoon there in 1961
and mentioning the College in his will.
Davies (1949) On 2 February 2015, Ernest Walter Geoffrey
Davies of Beckenham, Kent. Geoffrey came to St Catharine’s
from West Monmouth School and read Natural Sciences
and Medicine. His son Peter writes ‘For Geoffrey, whose
father was an optician, ophthalmology was his aim. After
house jobs he had a short service commission in the
RAF in his speciality. Following residency at Moorfields
he joined their research department. He was appointed
consultant at Kings College Hospital and was a pioneer in
laser treatment for retinal detachment and diabetic retinitis,
becoming accepted as one of the foremost experts in his
field. Throughout his career he was dedicated to teaching
and shared his enthusiasm both in this country and in Iraq
and Pakistan. His retirement gift from his colleagues at
Kings was a bicycle which he rode in the London Brighton
BHF race for 16 years. He also enjoyed restoring antique
furniture and maintaining his church in Bromley – he was
still climbing roof ladders at the age of 80!’
Davies (1962) In September 2014, John Roger Howell Davies
of Swansea. Peter Robins (1962) writes ‘John (JRH) came
to St Catharine’s from Ystalyfera Grammar School to read
Geography, and after Part I he changed to Law Part II for
his third year. He played rugby for the College all three
years. He subsequently taught in a number of colleges
and schools, before finally settling as Geography Master at
Chichester High School in Sussex where he lived for some
20 years. Upon retirement, he returned to his beloved South
Wales and his home town of Pontardawe where he lived
until his death. He was one of a group of eight friends who
featured in two photographs in the Easter 2005 Catharine
Wheel under the heading 40 years on; the first at graduation
in 1965, and the second at the College reunion in 2005. The
remaining members of the group attended his funeral in
Swansea and propose to meet for their 50th anniversary
at the Society AGM in College in September 2015, where
a toast to our absent friend will be made. John was very
pleased to have attended the inaugural Wales Branch event
which was organised by Andrew Jenkinson in the summer
of 2014 at the Llanelli Wales National Eisteddfod. He was
particularly pleased and proud to be able to meet a Welsh
Master of St Catharine’s!’
Day (1948) On 7 March 2015, Sir Derek Malcolm Day of
Etchinghill, Kent. Derek came to St Catharine’s from
Hurstpierpoint College, Sussex, after National Service in
the Royal Artillery; he read History. He was goal-keeper
for the bronze-winning Olympic UK hockey team in 1952.
He joined the Foreign Service after graduating (he said
he probably got one of the posts left when Burgess and
Maclean defected!) and, after postings in Tel Aviv and Rome
and a brief spell back in London, served for four years as
information officer in the Washington embassy. Back in
London in 1966 he wrote speeches for parliamentarians and
was appointed private secretary to foreign secretary George
Brown. When the Foreign and Commonwealth Offices were
combined he served its first Secretary of State, Michael
Stewart. In 1972 he was posted to Cyprus and was there
when the Turks invaded. In 1979 he was a representative for
Rhodesia even though we had no formal relations with that
country. He served as High Commissioner for Canada from
1984 until retirement in 1987. He was awarded CMG in 1973
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and KCMG in 1987. He was President of the St Catharine’s
College Society in 1996. See also the Telegraph 17 March
2015.
Dewing (1947) The College has learned of the death in April
2014 of Hugh Michael Dewing of Lymington, Hampshire.
Hugh came to St Catharine’s from Radley College and read
History, returning in 1955 to study for the LLB. According to
College records, he became a solicitor.
Dolman (1958) On 10 February 2015, Julian Henry Dolman
of Pershore, Worcestershire. Julian came to St Catharine’s
from Sherborne School and read Law. His widow Sue writes
‘Julian was a seventh-generation solicitor, commencing in
his family firm in Cardiff, and moving to the Midlands where
he established a very successful planning law practice in
Stourbridge. He was mentioned in Debrett’s People of Today
in 1998 as one of the foremost planning lawyers and was
made a Freeman of the City of London. He retired from his
partnership in 2009, but, by popular demand, continued as
sole planning consultant until shortly before his death aged
75. During his second marriage he moved to the countryside
where he learned how to lamb, keep bees and became a
licenced molecatcher. Shortly before his death he saw the
publication of his historical novel Explorations about an
ancestor who was murdered in South Africa in the 1850s.’
Dowsett (1941) On 18 October 2014, Leonard Robert
Dowsett of Potters Bar, Hertfordshire. His son Bob (1972)
writes ‘Len came to St Catharine’s as a Crabtree Exhibitioner
from the City of London School and read Natural Sciences.
Being wartime, there was no time to play cricket, his
favourite game, or rugby (as the College then had five Blues
and five in the CU 2nd XV), so he played football, fives and
squash for the College and Eton Fives for the University.
He was the first undergraduate to join the new Cambridge
University Naval Division. He trained as a Fleet Air Arm pilot
in Canada and flew Hellcats from escort carrier HMS Ruler
in the British Pacific Fleet, on one occasion crash-landing
in the sea. After the war, he worked for Geigy, Switzerland,
becoming their UK Managing Director, Industrial Chemicals.
His team, in collaboration with initially Esso, later Shell and
Castrol, developed ‘synlubes’ – wholly synthetic engine
oils for jet aircraft. The lubrication of Concorde engines
was even more demanding, so the Government asked
Geigy to collaborate with BP. This led to a completely new
class of base fluid with better heat stability. He then joined
Steetley plc and subsequently Federated Chemicals plc
both as Managing Director. He later helped smaller
chemical companies, both public and private, providing
technical or finance advice. He was also a keen golfer.’
Fordham (1954) On 17 January 2015, Michael Russell
Fordham of East Yorkshire. His son Simon writes ‘Michael
was the first university graduate in our family. He was born
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in Cambridge and became Head Boy of Cambridgeshire
High School before going to St Catharine’s to read English
after a National Service Commission with the Royal
Artillery. He always spoke most enthusiastically of his time
at St Catharine’s and of his friends at the time. He rowed,
fenced, and played rugby and cricket for the College. He
worked at Loughborough University in the early days of
starting up the sporting excellence programme. Later,
he became a significant figure in English Cricket Coach
Selection and Development via Bradford University
Management Centre, as well as running the Negotiation
Module for the BBC’s Internal MBA programme for many
years. He was a gifted teacher and mentor, and a dedicated
family man with a great sense of humour who never lost
his joy for learning, education, sport and social history.
Typically, almost to his dying day, he was a keen and highlyrespected Governor of his local Primary School.’
French (1943) On 24 February 2015, Professor Michael
Joseph French of Lancaster. Michael came to St Catharine’s
from Rutlish School, Merton, and read Mechanical Sciences.
After an MSc in Mathematics from London University he
was eventually appointed the founding Professor and Head
of the Engineering Department at Lancaster University.
Their notice of his death says ‘The undergraduate course he
set up at Lancaster embodied radical ideas: extensive use
of design-build-test projects in place of formal laboratories
and a broad start to the course before students chose a
specialist field of engineering. That these features of the
course have endured to this day and latterly have been
imitated elsewhere, is witness to Michael’s forward thinking.
Sadly, he died just one week before the new Engineering
Building on the campus was due to be formally opened.’
Garraway (1944) On 30 December 2014, Allan George
Weldon Garraway of Boat of Garten, Invernesshire. Allan
came to St Catharine’s from the Leys School, Cambridge,
to read Engineering, but was evacuated to Pitlochry. He
served in the Royal Engineers and then, in 1949, trained as
a locomotive engineer at the British Railways Doncaster
works. After training, he served as assistant to the Eastern
Region superintendent. He was involved with the Talyllyn
(the first railway to be taken over by enthusiasts) and
then in 1951 was one of the volunteers who rescued the
Ffestiniog. In the mid-1950s he gave up his career in British
Railways to become manager of the Ffestiniog. He retired
in 1983 as the longest serving general manager in the
company’s 130-year history (founded 1832, steam from 1863).
In retirement he supported his local steam railway, the
Strathspey. He rowed whilst at College and in retirement
with the Inverness Rowing Club, recording 1091 outings on
the Caledonian Canal in everything from single sculls to VIIIs
between 1989 and 2002. He was awarded the MBE in 1983.
See also the Times 11 February 2015, Telegraph 17 January
2015, Scotsman 7 January 2015 etc.
Harris (1942) On 6 January 2015, Donald Francis Harris of
Shrewsbury. Donald won a Scholarship to St Catharine’s
from Haberdashers’ Aske’s School, Hampstead, and read
History. His studies were interrupted by war service which
he spent in the RAF in Malaya; he was deeply moved when
helping to bring out survivors from Japanese PoW camps.
After graduating, he taught in Canada and Malaya, then
returned to the UK in 1977 to become Head of History
at Meole Brace School, Shrewsbury. He discovered that
a family from Shropshire had sailed with the Mayflower
and consequent researches led to a doctoral thesis which
resulted in Donald being awarded a PhD at the age of 74 by
Birmingham University. See also the Guardian 25 February
2015.
Hartland (1951) On 27 November 2014, Stanley Hartland
of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. Stanley won a
Scholarship to St Catharine’s from Woodhouse Grammar
School and read Natural Sciences followed by Chemical
Engineering; he graduated in 1955 with a double First. His
son Andrew writes ‘Whilst at St Catharine’s he sang in the
Chapel Choir and played soccer and cricket for the College.
After three years working at the Atomic Energy Authority,
Risley, he moved to the Nuclear Technology Department
at Imperial College, London, as a lecturer. In 1961 he
moved to Nottingham University as a Lecturer in Chemical
Engineering and there was awarded both PhD and DSc
degrees. In 1971 he took up a Chair at the Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology, Zurich, where his main research
interests were the implications of interfacial phenomena in
industrial processes. In 1974 he was awarded the Moulton
medal of the Institution of Chemical Engineers for the best
paper published that year.’ He retired in 1999 and moved
back to the UK to be near his family.
Harvey (1948) On 9 December 2014, Marshall Richard
Harvey. Marshall came to St Catharine’s from City of London
School after National Service in the Royal Navy and read
Mathematics. His brother Laurence (1938) and nephews
Anthony (1977) and Peter (1979) were also alumni.
Hazelton (1953) On 3 July 2014, Revd John Hazelton of
New Zealand and formerly Durham. John won a State
Scholarship to St Catharine’s from Bedford Modern
School and read Mechanical Sciences. He was awarded
an Exhibition in 1955. He stayed on after graduating
for Theology Part II which he passed in 1957, winning
the Bishop Browne Prize. His widow Margaret writes ‘:
John was ordained in 1961 and, after serving a curacy in
Twerton on Avon, was inducted as vicar of Pitcomb with
Shepton Montague. Whilst there, he began research on
AN Whitehead, theologian, philosopher and mathematician.
He was awarded an MLitt (Bristol) for his thesis on
Whitehead’s philosophy. After the closure of St Hild’s
College where he was a theology lecturer, he had a year’s
sabbatical during which he completed a BPhil (Newcastle)
on the application of Whitehead’s theories to secondary
school mathematical teaching.’
Hewat (1950) In 2014, Angus Davidson Hewat of Chichester,
Sussex. Angus came to St Catharine’s from St Edward’s
School, Oxford, and read History and Law. He won the Victor
Ludorum cup in 1952 for the most consistent athlete after
St Catharine’s had won Athletics Cuppers in 1949, 1950 and
1951.
Hewett (1963) In 2014, Robert John Hewett of Norwich.
Robert came to St Catharine’s from Bexley Grammar School,
Kent, and read Archaeology and Anthropology. According
to College records, he took a qualification in librarianship
and became a teacher.
Hicks (1954) On 25 October 2014, John Grahame Hicks of
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. John came to St Catharine’s
from Cheltenham Grammar School after National Service
in the RAF and read Economics. He was scrum half for the
College rugby team and played for the Lions in 1956. His
main career was with Dunlop, ICI and Reliance, Europe.
According to his widow Pat, he travelled extensively
worldwide with these jobs and then in retirement following
the Lions rugby team.
Hilton (1963) The College has learned that John Anthony
Hilton of Orwell, Cambridgeshire, died recently. John came
to St Catharine’s from Caterham School and read Oriental
Studies, changing to Archaeology & Anthropology for
his final year. He spent his career working for the British
Council.
Jackson (Fellow 1971–6) On 24 July 2015, Dudley Anthony
Stephenson Jackson of Wollongong, Australia. Dudley left
St Catharine’s to take up a Chair at Aston University and
then in 1983 he was appointed Professor of Economics and
Head of Department at Wollongong University in New
South Wales. He was a prolific writer and authored seven
books as well as many papers in reviewed journals. He
retired in 2002.
Joseph (1967) On 15 September 2014, Richard (Dick) Philip
Joseph of Ystalyfera, Wales. His contemporary Pete Hedges
(1967) writes ‘Dick came to St Catharine’s from Ystalyfera
Grammar School having won a BP scholarship to study
Mechanical Sciences. A member of the last cohort of the
‘normal course’, Dick also co-founded the Hobbit Society,
formed to indulge in the social side of College life. Dick later
gained an MBA from London Business School and moved
into management, latterly working as a consultant based in
Shrewsbury. He was a devoted family man, sharing his love
of music and travel with his children: Philip, William (2002),
Sarah and Jack. On retirement he indulged his passion for
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historic railways, becoming a volunteer signalman for the
Llangollen Railway. Sadly his pride in this achievement was
cut short following a diagnosis of Multiple System Atrophy,
forcing him to spend his remaining years in a nursing home.
His lifelong passion for current affairs and books however
stayed with him until the end.’
Langham (1950) On 13 April 2014, Bernard Leonard
Langham of Ascot, Berkshire. His son Mark (1979) writes
‘After evacuation during the war Bernard returned to
Salesian College in Battersea to win (with help from teacher
Noel Gabriel) an Exhibition to St Catharine’s; he took up
his place in 1950 after two years national service in Aden.
He read Natural Sciences Part I (with tutor Doc Evans),
gaining a first, followed by Part II Chemical Engineering.
He was the first person in the family to get to university
at all, let alone to Cambridge; and he was really thankful
for and loved his time at St Catharine’s and Cambridge –
academically, socially with friends and people he met from
all backgrounds and subjects, plus the squash and tennis
he took up enthusiastically. The experience stayed with
him all of his life; whilst his degree supported a successful
consultancy career: at Johnson’s Wax (where he met his
wife Shirley), Reckitts and, latterly, Watneys before winding
down with some golf and some maths tutoring to pupils
living near to him in Ascot, Berkshire. He was a huge
support and inspiration to, and much loved by, his family
– wife Shirley, children Mark, Catharine, and grandchildren
Henry, Joanna.’
Laws (1944, Honorary Fellow 1982) On 8 October 2014,
Richard Maitland Laws of Coton, Cambridgeshire. For
obituary, see the College Report section of this Magazine.
His brothers Peter (1937) and Michael (1949) were also
alumni.
Lee (1949) On 9 October 2013, John Michael Lee of Alderley
Edge, Cheshire. John won an Exhibition to St Catharine’s
from Wolverhampton Grammar School and read Classics.
Lovatt (1939) On 16 November 2014, Stanley Eric Lovatt of
Horley, Surrey. Eric came to St Catharine’s from Whitgift
School, Croydon, and read English and History. According
to College records he was a member of the Weems Club,
a K-staircase dining group. He was also secretary of the
University Athletics Club and won a Blue. He passed
through Sandhurst after graduating and was commissioned
into the Dragoon Guards where as a captain and tank
commander he advanced across Europe until the German
surrender, but also found time to represent the Army at
athletics. After the war he taught at Seaford College and Bec
Grammar School before a final appointment at Raynes Park.
MacLaren (1989) On 28 February 2015, Vanessa Catharine
MacLaren of Toronto and Ottawa, Canada. Her father Roy
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MacLaren (1955) writes ‘a graduate of the University of
Toronto, Vanessa read History of Art at St Catharine’s and,
after further study in Canada, was for a number of years
in the museum directorate of the Federal Department of
Canadian Heritage.’
Meakin (1939) On 6 March 2015, Frank George Meakin of
Gravesend, Kent. Frank won an Exhibition to St Catharine’s
from Gravesend Grammar School for Boys and read
Geography. He rowed for the College, but his studies
were interrupted by the war and he served in the Royal
Engineers. He returned after the war and graduated in 1946.
He joined his father-in-law’s farming business in Kent and
spent his whole career as a fruit and hop grower in that
county. His son William (1964) and granddaughter Hannah
(1994) also came through St Catharine’s.
Menzies-Kitchin (1952) On 11 September 2014, Alexander
James Graham Menzies-Kitchin of Newbold-on Stour,
Warwickshire. Alexander came to St Catharine’s from
Marlborough School and read Engineering. His daughter
Penelope writes ‘While at St Catharine’s he rowed for the
College and built sets for the Footlights. After graduating he
worked in the Northern Territories of Canada in the Uranium
mines, but returned to the UK in 1958 and married Clare;
they went to Bermuda for four years where Graham worked
on engineering projects. During his time in Bermuda he
went on an expedition sponsored by the Smithsonian to
rediscover the Black-Capped Petrel known locally as the
Diablotin. He founded the JMK Trust (jmktrust.org) with his
wife after the death of their son, James in 1996. Latterly he
was a cabinetmaker and antique restorer of exceptional
talent, and a passionate and inspiring gardener.’
Metcalf (1984) The College has learned of the death some
years ago of Sarah Jayne Metcalf (née Bailey) of Altrincham,
Cheshire. Sarah came to St Catharine’s from Stockport
Grammar School and read English.
Monument (Head Porter 1979–93) On 1 December 2014,
James Monument of Cambridge. Jim was Head Porter from
1979 to 1993 and was, of course, well-known to almost all
alumni of that period. As a tribute, the 1993 May Ball was
entitled Monumental and featured Jim on the poster.
Morgan (1953) On 19 March 2015 Rodney Howard Morgan
of Swansea. Rodney came to St Catharine’s from City of
Bath School and read Natural Sciences. The College has no
information about his subsequent career. Records indicate
that his brother was also an alumnus.
Neighbour (1941) On 20 January 2015, Oliver (Tim) Wray
Neighbour of London. Tim came to St Catharine’s from
Eastbourne College and read Architecture. After war service
as farm labourer, in 1946 he joined the staff of the British
Leonard Pearson.
Museum (later the British Library) where he remained for
the whole of his career. In 1951 he was appointed Assistant
Keeper in the Music Room and in 1976 Music Librarian. He
became a wide-ranging music scholar and published many
books and articles. He was elected a Fellow of the British
Academy in 1982. A collector of original music manuscripts,
he donated his collection of over 200 to the British Library
in 2007. He spoke most of the western European languages
plus Russian. See also the Daily Telegraph 24 February 2015.
Pearson (1952) On 9 October 2014, Leonard Pearson of
Guisborough, Cleveland. His son Steve writes ‘Leonard
Pearson spent his 40-year career with ICI as an industrial
chemist at the company’s petrochemical complex at
Wilton on Teesside. Len was born in Spennymoor, County
Durham, and moved to Billingham, Stockton on Tees, when
still a boy. He studied at night classes to gain his BSc from
London University. ICI then sponsored him to gain his PhD
in Chemistry at St Catharine’s College. He was promoted
through management positions to become the general
manager of one of the largest petrochemical plants in the
world. He was very proud when in 1981 he became a Fellow
of the Royal Society of Chemistry. He was similarly proud
to return with his family to Cambridge in 2008, visiting the
Cavendish Laboratory and St Catharine’s.’
Penfold (2001) See Williamson.
Perret (1944) On 15 April 2014, Joseph Douglas Perret
of Bodenham, Herefordshire. Doug attended St Philip’s
Grammar School, Birmingham, before coming up to
St Catharine’s as an RAF Cadet. He resided for the Easter
Term and Long Vacation 1944 and then enrolled on the RAF
Short Course in Science in September 1944. The College has
no information about his subsequent career.
Pike (1954) In August 2014, Stephen Pike of Totnes, Devon.
Stephen came to St Catharine’s from St John’s School,
Leatherhead and read English. He taught at Newton Abbot
Grammar School before becoming Head of English at King
Edward VI Comprehensive School, Totnes, in 1967. His son
Matthew writes ‘Stephen gave his life to teaching English in
Totnes, Devon. He also created many projects in the wider
community including a film festival, a new community
centre in a church and a celebration of the centenary
of Charles Babbage, with giant puppets, street parades
and fireworks. He was a friend of many great writers and
film makers. Stephen’s values were shaped indelibly by
Cambridge, in particular by the influence of Douglas
Brown and FR Leavis. He remained committed to the life
of the imagination and the defence of humanist values in
a materialist, anxious time. Stephen is remembered with
great affection by his family; his beloved wife Margaret died
ten days after him.’
Reed (1949) On 12 August 2015, John William (Bill) Reed of
Sturminster Newton, Dorset. Bill came to St Catharine’s from
Barnstaple Grammar School and read Agriculture. From
1954 he became an agricultural officer in Nyasaland and
in 1964 returned to the UK to run a poultry business for 20
years. From 1984 he was for ten years in financial services. His
daughter Catharine Boyd-Moss writes ‘As an undergraduate,
Bill rowed for College in the 1949 Fairbairns and coached
the 2nd VIII in 1952. He sang with CUMS and was a member
of Emmanuel Congregational Society. Bill served his
community in many ways. He was a Charter member
of the Blackmore Vale Lions Club, serving two terms as
President and also a year as the District 105D Governor
(1993–94). He was very active in encouraging fellow
agriculturalists, be they ex-Colonial service or no, to join
the Tropical Agricultural Association. He supported every
(Marnhull, Dorset) village cause in whatever way he deemed
appropriate, particularly befriending any newcomers. He
was a keen and knowledgeable bird-watcher, enjoying a
final trip to Cayman with his family in March 2015.He enjoyed
life to the full, with remarkable determination, pride in his
family and firmly rooted Christian faith.’
Rogers (1959) On 11 June 2015, Christopher John Howden
Rogers of Bath. Chris came to St Catharine’s from Reading
University and took the Diploma in Agriculture. After
a spell abroad, in 1967 he returned to his old school,
Monkton Combe, as a Biology Teacher and was there for
the remainder of his career. He was a house-master for over
20 years and retired in 1996, though he continued working
for the school’s alumni office until shortly before his death.
Rowe (1968) On 26 July 2015, Christopher Murray Rowe of
Tiverton, Devon. Christopher won a Choral Exhibition to
St Catharine’s from Bishop Wordsworth’s School, Salisbury,
and read English. His widow Andrea writes ‘Christopher
played rugby and rowed for the College. After graduating
he trained as a teacher at Exeter University where he also
sang as a bass lay clerk in Exeter Cathedral. He taught first
at Norwich School and was also a bass lay clerk at Norwich
105
Cathedral. He produced many plays and coached school
rowing. He then became Head of English at QEH Bristol
where he was instrumental in founding the new theatre,
producing many innovative performances inside and in the
grounds. He retired through ill health in 1996 and moved
to Yorkshire, where Andrea, his wife (a Girtonian, whom he
met in St Catharine’s Chapel) was CEO of a national charity.
He started a PhD at Leeds University in 2008 on an obscure
17th-century publisher, Humphrey Moseley, and amassed
a rare and definitive collection of the books which Moseley
published. Sadly, illness prevented him completing the
thesis. Andrea retired and they moved to Tiverton, Devon, in
2010, where they had a beautiful Georgian townhouse and
garden which overlooked the River Exe.’
Saunders (1967) On 5 February 2015, Clive Douglas Saunders
of Southsea, Hampshire. Clive won a Choral Exhibition to
St Catharine’s from Bishop Wordsworth’s School, Salisbury,
and read Law. He fenced for the University in his freshman
year, rowed in the bumps and was President of the College
Law Society. He practised as a solicitor for more than forty
years and retired as a partner of the firm Blake Lapthorn in
2014. He died of cancer peacefully at home in Southsea. He
had remained in close contact with many contemporaries:
Charlie Merrett (1967), Dr Gardner Thompson (1966), Colin
Cohen (1966), Dr Robin Andrew (1967), Alan Saunders
(1967) and Richard Bonney (1967), most of whom attended
his funeral, which was conducted by his brother, also an
alumnus, the Revd Canon Bruce Saunders (1965).
Shakeshaft (Fellow 1961, Librarian 1962–2004, President
1990–3, Emeritus Fellow 1997) On 6 July 2015, John Roland
Shakeshaft of Cambridge. For obituary see the College
Report section of this Magazine.
Sheppard (1940) On 10 April 2015, Professor Norman
Sheppard of Norwich. Norman won an Exhibition to
St Catharine’s from Hymers College, Hull, and read Natural
Sciences, staying on after graduating for a PhD in Chemistry.
He worked with Sir Gordon Sutherland on natural and
synthetic rubber for the war effort. After an Assistant
Professorship at Penn State University, USA, 1947–8, he
returned to Cambridge to become a Fellow of Trinity and
work at the Colloid Science Department as an Assistant
Director of Research in Spectroscopy. In 1964 he was
appointed the Founding Professor of Chemical Physics at
the University of East Anglia where he set up undergraduate
teaching programmes and researched electron energy-loss
spectroscopy. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1967 and served on the Council 1984–5. He retired in 1986,
but continued to serve as President of the Faraday Division
of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
106
Frederic Stevens as an undergraduate
Sheridan (1953) On 27 June 2015, Alan Mark Sheridan
of London. Alan came to St Catharine’s from de la Salle
College, Sheffield, and read English. He spent five years
in Paris as English assistant at Lycée Henri IV and Lycée
Condorcet. Returning to London, he briefly worked in
publishing before becoming a freelance translator. He
translated works of fiction, history, philosophy, literary
criticism, biography and psychoanalysis by Jean-Paul Sartre,
Jacques Lacan, Michel Foucault, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Robert
Pinget and many others. He was the first to publish a book
in English on Foucault’s work. His partner David Urmston
writes ‘In addition to his translations and published novels
Alan wrote a biography of Michel Foucault Michel Foucault
The Will to Truth (1980) and of André Gide André Gide A Life in
the Present (1998). He also completed an as-yet-unpublished
novel Other Times, Other Places. In 2004 Alan was awarded
the Prix du Rayonnement de la Langue Francaise by the
Académie Francaise.’
Silberston (Research Fellow 1950–3) On 23 March 2015,
Professor (Zangwill) Aubrey Silberston. Aubrey was a
Kenward Research Fellow at St Catharine’s. After serving
in the war in the Royal Fusiliers, he worked for Courtaulds
before joining the St Catharine’s Fellowship. Afterwards
he was appointed a University Lecturer in Economics
at Cambridge and became a Fellow at St John’s until
1971 when he moved to Nuffield College, Oxford. In 1978
he was appointed Professor of Economics at Imperial
College, London, and was Head of the Department of
Social and Economic Studies there, 1981–7. He served on
many Committees and Boards including the Monopolies
Commission, the Board of British Steel, the Departmental
Committee on the Patents System, the Royal Commission of
Environmental Pollution, Economic Advisor to the CBI etc.
Smith (1957) On 13 November 2014, Harold Smith of Enfield,
Middlesex. Harold came to St Catharine’s from Oglethorpe’s
Grammar School, Tadcaster, and read Geography. The
College has no information about his subsequent career.
Stevens (1931) On 11 September 2014, Frederick Edward
Stevens of Felmersham, Bedfordshire. Fred won an Organ
Scholarship to St Catharine’s from Dulwich College and read
Modern & Medieval Languages followed by a MusB. He
taught at Giggleswick School 1935–9 and joined Aldenham
School in 1939, but was called for War Service 1940–6,
rising to the rank of Major in the Royal Engineers and
being mentioned in despatches. He returned to Aldenham
School for a year and then joined Bedfordshire Education
Authority where he worked for thirty years. His daughter
Rebecca Puentener writes that he was their Music Organiser
and Inspector. She also indicates that he was a regular
churchgoer and always played the organ for services and
other village events.
Stockton (1959) The College has learned of the death of
Mitchell Lawrence Stockton of Sevenoaks, Kent. Mitchell
came to St Catharine’s from Sir William Borlase’s School,
Marlow, and read Mathematics. The College has no record
of his subsequent career.
Thompson (1939) On 3 December 2014, the Revd Canon
Donald Frazer Thompson of Leamington Spa. Donald came
to St Catharine’s from Kingswood School, Bath, and read
English. His studies were interrupted by war service from
Easter 1940, but he returned in 1945 to complete a war-time
two-year degree. Christopher White (1953) writes ‘Donald
was my vicar at St Aidan’s, Leeds, where I served my second
curacy. He was an Honorary Canon of Ripon cathedral.’
Underwood (1943) On 18 October 2014, Stanley Gurney
Browne Underwood of East Molesey, Surrey. Stanley came
to St Catharine’s as a Royal Navy Cadet and read Law. His
studies were interrupted by war service, but he returned
in 1948 to complete his degree. He coxed the College VIII
1949–50, had a trial cap in 1950 and was elected Chief Cox
of the Cambridge Coxwains Society. He joined the London
Rowing Club in 1953. By 1959 he was coxing for Leander and
turned to coaching in 1975. From 1958 he was a partner in a
firm of City solicitors and Clerk to the Worshipful Company
of Broderers of London.
Vincett (1944) On 25 February 2015, Lionel Peter Vincett
of Chelmsford, Essex. Lionel came to St Catharine’s from
Reigate Grammar School and read Mechanical Sciences.
After a spell in the Royal Engineers, his career was spent
in the County Engineer’s and Surveyor’s Departments of
Surrey, Essex and Somerset County Councils. Subsequently
he became a lecturer in Civil Engineering at the Mid-Essex
Technical College (later Anglia Polytechnic University),
specialising in Geotechnics. His leisure activities included
sailing (he was Commodore of the Blackwater Sailing Club
in the 1980s), the countryside, and water-colour painting.
Lionel was a regular donor to College funds. His son John
(1971) is also an alumnus.
Williams (1940) On 30 October, Frederick Harry Paston
Williams of Crowthorne, Berkshire. Frederick came to
St Catharine’s from the Imperial Service College, Windsor,
and read Mechanical Sciences. His son Colin (1970) writes
‘Frederick was born in Allahabad, India, and studied Civil
Engineering at St Catharine’s on a two-year wartime course
prior to being commissioned with the 6th Airborne Division
where he saw action in France during the second world
war. Invalided out of the army, he joined the Transport
and Road Research Laboratory in the tropical section
where he travelled extensively providing advice to various
Government Highways Departments. In 1967 he was
seconded to the Pakistan Public Works Department as an
advisor prior to being seconded to the Asian Institute of
Technology in Bangkok in 1969 as a Professor. In 1974 he
moved to Abidjan, seconded to the African Development
Bank, where he stayed until his retirement in 1981. He spent
his retirement between his house in Crowthorne and his
holiday home in his beloved Devon.’
Williams (1943) On 7 March 2014, Peter Herbert (Percy)
Williams of Cromer, Norfolk. Percy came to St Catharine’s
from Lewes County School for a wartime Arts and
Geography course, but was commissioned into the RAF
for war service. In 1947 he chose to continue his studies at
St Catherine’s, Oxford. In 1950 he began teaching at Wirral
Grammar School, Birkenhead, until he was appointed Head
of Geography at Paston Sixth Form College, Norfolk, in 1967.
He became Deputy Headmaster there in the late 1970s and
Vice-Principal in 1984.
Williamson (née Penfold, 2001) On 7 August 2015, Heather
Elisabeth Williamson of Cambridge. Heather came to
St Catharine’s from New College, Pontefract, and read
Biological Natural Sciences. She gained a double first and
was awarded College Prizes for both Part I and Part II, and
a College Scholarship. She stayed on for the Postgraduate
Certificate in Education and then taught in local Cambridge
schools. She was a teacher at St Ivo School when she died of
a rare encephalitis following a stomach bug. Her widower is
Andy Williamson (2001).
Witham (1954) On 20 August 2012, Henry Connery Witham
of Chelmsford, Essex. Henry came to St Catharine’s from
Felsted School, Essex, and read History. He was for many
years Headmaster of Widford Lodge Preparatory School,
Chelmsford, Essex – the school which his father had
founded in 1935.
107
NEWS OF MEMBERS
STEPHANIE CLARKE
The following Members are mentioned in the News pages.
As has become customary by the request of Members, the
news items themselves are printed in date order of Society
Membership rather than alphabetical order.
David Adams (1966), Alex Aitken (2010),
Keith Alexander (1969), Richard Amos (1951),
David Bainbridge (Fellow 2003), Jonathan Bate (1977,
Honorary Fellow 2001), Peter Boizot (1950),
John Boulding (1955), Aimee Brame (2011),
Michael Brookbank (1950), Angus Buchanan (1950),
Adam Buddle (1678, Fellow 1685–91),
Callum Bungey (2012), Phil Carling (1966),
Ellie Chan (2009), John Chapman (1969),
Derek Ching (1955), Chris Clark (Fellow 1990),
Jacqui Cole (Research Fellow 1999–2005),
Michael Conzen (1963), Ralph Court (1969),
Alex Cranston (2014), David Cruttenden (1967),
JRH Davies (1962), Thomas Drury (Master 1920–6),
Steven Dyke (1972), Eric Ellis (1933), Tony Emanuelli (1969),
Jon Epstein (1963), Ian Fletcher (1962),
Lilian Greenwood (1984), Peter Hall (1950,
Honorary Fellow 1988), Scott Handy (1987),
Tim Helliwell (1971), Henry Hempleman (1941),
Patrick Holden (1957), John Hooper (1968),
Steve Jackson (1965), Graeme Jones (1988),
Paul King (1995), Roger Knight (1966),
Andrew Lenox-Conyngham (Chaplain 1986–91),
John Lightfoot (Master 1650–75), Alex Ling (1965),
Ralegh Long (2004), Charlie Lutyens (1969),
Roy MacLaren (1955), Khalid Mahgoub (1991),
David Martin (1955), Stephen Mennell (1963),
Eric Midwinter (1952), Michael Morris (1957) – Lord Naseby,
George Nash (2008), Chris Newbery (1969),
Ted Parker (1961), Jonathan Paget (1966),
Jeremy Paxman (1969, Honorary Fellow 2001),
Tony Pearce (1952) , Curtis Reubens (2013),
Steve Richardson (1969), Peter Robins (1962),
Ivan Scales (Fellow 2008), John Shakeshaft (Fellow 1961),
John Stone (1963), Henny Tarasewicz (née Freeman,
2002), Martin Taylor (1955), Gareth Thomas (1962),
David Thompson (1968), Derek Thwaites (1951),
SteveTinton (1967), Sandy To (2008),
Harry Wallace (1952), Yasmine Walters (2010),
David Watkin (1984), Callum Watson (2014),
Phyllis Weliver (Visiting Scholar 2013),
Alan Wilkinson (1951, Chaplain 1961–7),
James Wright (Fellow 1978–91, Honorary Fellow 1992),
Ben Wylie (2012), Mike Yolland (1964)
Buddleia in College. See Adam Buddle.
John Lightfoot (Master 1650–75) See Graeme Jones
(1988)
Adam Buddle (1678, Fellow 1685–91) was an early
botanist. His Fellowship was terminated in 1691 when he
refused to pledge an oath of allegiance to William and
Mary. He died in 1715 and the tercentenary of his passing
was marked by an exhibition of the College Library’s
fine collection of early botanical books, including those
associated with two members of St Catharine’s whose
influence lasts to the present day: John Addenbrooke and
John Ray. The beautifully illustrated books on display were
also interesting for the light they shed on the nascent
discipline with multiple influences: scientific and medicinal
curiosity, colonial expansion, and garden design, among
others. In addition, a plaque has been installed in the Main
Court next to some buddleia – a flowering shrub named
after Buddle by Linnaeus in 1753.
Bishop Thomas Drury (Master 1920–6) See Derek Ching
(1955) and Ivan Scales (Fellow 2008).
Congratulations to Eric Ellis (1933) who celebrated his
100th birthday in November 2014. His sporting record as
a long-distance runner in the 1930s is well documented, it
seems, but College records are rather more sparse.
The College has learned that Associate Member Barbara
Hempleman has died. She was the widow of Henry
Hempleman (1941) who died in 2006.
108
CLAIRE COLOMB, UCL
for the weekly Granada television programme Flying Start,
later appearing as a judge with presenter Anthony Wilson
when thousands of pounds were awarded each year to
encourage innovative companies to invest and expand.
In retirement Derek and his wife Doreen make films with
the Bolton Movie Makers Society. Derek has also been a
member of the Magic Circle for over 50 years.
Alan Wilkinson (1951, Chaplain 1961–7) writes to say that
the third edition of his book The Church of England and the
First World War has been published. It was first published
in 1978.
Peter Boizot (1950) featured prominently in the BBC4
programme Spicing up Britain screened in March 2015.
It was about the changes to restaurants in the period
following WWII. Peter founded Pizza Express and the
programme contained recent interviews as well as some
contemporary material from the 1950s.
Michael Brookbank (1950) See Tony Pearce (1952)
Angus Buchanan (1950) is Professor Emeritus in the
History of Technology at Bath University. In 1964 Angus
was instrumental in setting up the Centre for the Study of
the History of Technology at Bath and he sent the Editor
a copy of the 50th Annual Report of the Centre, now
renamed the History of Technology Research Unit. In an
annex to the report, Angus summarizes the work of the
Centre/Unit over the past half century.
Professor Sir Peter Hall (1950, Honorary Fellow 1988)
who died in 2014 (see obituary in the 2014 Magazine), has
had a railway locomotive named after him. You know you
have really arrived when this happens to you.
Richard Amos (1951), who died in 2014, bequeathed
his collection of Bach scores to the College. His son
Mark writes ‘The bequest includes all of the Barenreiter
volumes except the Addenda and Supplements which
were published later as father felt some of the scores in
these were of dubious authenticity.’ The College Director
of Music, Edward Wickham, remarked that a complete
Barenreiter was a terrific resource and very welcome.
Derek Thwaites (1951) wrote with news of his diamond
wedding (see elsewhere in the Magazine). Derek says
that, after gaining an Honours degree in Mathematics
from London University, he came back to St Catharine’s
in 1961 to read Law under Dick Gooderson. He travelled
from Bedford to Cambridge during term time for
supervisions Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for
three consecutive years and spent many hours on other
days in the Squire Law library. During the subsequent
40 years, Derek as MD turned round many companies in
various industries and also visited and assessed entrants
Tony Pearce (1952) kindly agreed to review a book
donated to the College Library about Eric Midwinter
(1952) – see Book Reviews in the Magazine. Tony writes
‘Eric and I met by chance when we were both serving in
the British Army of the Rhine and then discovered we were
both going up to St Catharine’s to read History. We shared
supervisions and played football together for the College.
We meet twice a year for lunch with Michael Brookbank
(1950) who was Captain of College Football in his last year.’
Harry Wallace (1952) died in 2013 and he appeared in the
death notices in the 2014 Magazine. We omitted to note
that he was awarded an MBE in 2005 for his charity work
founding and running the Liverpool CAFOD shop.
John Boulding (1955), whose death we reported in the
2014 Magazine, left a substantial sum to the College in his
will.
Derek Ching (1955) marked St Catharine’s Day 2014 by
placing a white rose on the grave of Thomas Wortley
Drury (Master 1920–6) in Ripon Cathedral yard. Drury was
Bishop of Sodor and Man 1907–11, Bishop of Ripon 1911–20
and then Master of St Catharine’s and Canon of Norwich
until his death in 1926.
Roy MacLaren (1955) writes ‘I was particularly interested
in the article in the 2014 Magazine about St Chad’s and
the Great War. My father, a seventeen-year-old gunner in
the Royal Canadian Artillery (he had lied about his age),
was badly wounded at Passchendaele in early November
1917. After initial treatment in the field (partly by kindly
and solicitous German prisoners of war) and at a forward
hospital at St Omer, he was carried across the channel for
further treatment at the First Eastern General Hospital in
Cambridge (housed in temporary huts on the site of the
current University Library), with which the smaller hospital
at St Chad’s worked closely. In later years my father would
sometimes point out to me rather wryly that he too had
been at Cambridge.’
109
David Martin (second from left) at the unveiling of the monument at Waterloo, 2015.
David Martin (1955) writes ‘Few battles loom as large
in British history as Waterloo, the 200th anniversary
of which we celebrated on 18 June 2015. Yet, till now,
none of the monuments on the battlefield so much as
mentioned the British army. Key to the battle, according
to Wellington, had been the defence of the farm buildings
at Hougoumont, which, badly damaged in the fighting,
were now in severe need of restoration. So an agreement
was made by which, in return for UK help with the overall
work, permission was granted for a memorial to the British
army on the site. I was fortunate enough to be invited to
set up and chair a committee to produce the memorial. It
made for a rather challenging couple of years. What should
it say? Nothing the public would easily understand if the
sculptural establishment had their way. It should, they said,
be ‘of today’. This was code for a conceptual work which
might, or, more probably might not, be self-explanatory.
“And please”, said the Belgians, “it should have nothing
to do with war or battles”. To our surprise we found many
of them believed the actual battle had been won by
Napoleon. The message they wanted about the battle
was that it was just the start of the process to build peace
in Europe which led to the creation of the EU. Waterloo
was won in a day. Getting the monument we wanted,
illustrating the key event in the defence – the closing of
the gates – took over two years. But when Prince Charles
finally unveiled it, we all felt it had been worth it.’
110
Martin Taylor (1955, Society President 1999), whose
death was noted in the 2014 Magazine, left a substantial
legacy to the College specifically for maintenance of the
fabric.
Patrick Holden (1957) writes ‘On a recent trip to Egypt I
visited St Catherine’s (sic ) Monastery in Sinai. It houses
both the second largest library after the Vatican and also
a great icon collection. Amongst the icons for sale was a
copy of the famous St Catherine icon. It was on an easel
and painted in oil on wood ‘hand painted by the monks
themselves’. It measured 70cm x 50cm but was not for sale.
Of course it was and I acquired it. I should like to donate it
to the College if it is acceptable.’ The Master accepted and
the icon is in the Chaplain’s Room where it may be seen at
the frequent meetings held therein, and, of course, also by
casual visitors.
Michael Morris (1957), now Lord Naseby, writes that
he has successfully piloted his Private Members Bill (to
help Mutual Insurers and Friendly Societies raise capital)
through both the Lords and Commons. He thinks this is
probably the first time a Catz graduate has overcome the
challenges presented by this tortuous process. ‘I have
been active in Parliament since I was elected for the new
marginal seat of Northampton South in February 1974 with
a majority of 179. I managed to hold the seat until the tidal
Ted Parker and John Shakeshaft.
The icon of St Catherine, donated to the College by
Patrick Holden.
wave of 1997 saw the Conservatives lose over a hundred
seats, so ending my Commons career. I was never a Minister
as I was told I had rebelled too often. However I suspect my
willingness to vote against my Government if I felt the issue
really important helped me to get all-party backing to be
elected the 58th Chairman of Ways & Means and Deputy
Speaker. The role of Chairman of Ways & Means goes back
to the Restoration of the Monarchy when senior Members
of the Commons felt the Speaker had become too close
to the incoming Monarch. They decided to elect one of
their own senior MPs to oversee the expenditure of money
(Ways & Means). It is for this reason that, even to this day,
the Budget and Finance Bill is chaired by the Chairman of
Ways & Means and not the Speaker. Fortunately for me
there is also a tradition that the Chairman of Ways & Means
is appointed to the House of Lords. So Rt Hon. Michael
Morris MP became the Rt Hon. the Lord Naseby PC. I was
told there were already four Lords Morris including a Lord
Michael Morris; the choice of Naseby reflected my lifelong
support of the Parliamentary cause in our Civil war – the
turning point of that war was the defeat of the king at
Naseby and finally all the wounded from both sides were
taken to my old constituency in Northampton.’
Ted Parker (1961) is Emeritus Professor of Radio
Communications at the University of Kent. He writes ‘In
view of the sad news about John Shakeshaft (Fellow
1961), you might like to see the attached photograph,
which, although taken in 2006, shows him just as I
remember him while I was at St Catharine’s half a century
or so ago. He never seemed to change.
Ian Fletcher (1962) writes ‘Since my official retirement in
2009 I have continued to deliver postgraduate courses
and to supervise PhD students in the Faculty of Laws at
University College London. I now bear the combined job
titles of Emeritus Professor of International Commercial
Law and Senior Research Associate. In March 2013 I was
appointed Queen’s Counsel (honoris causa).’
Gareth Thomas (1962) sent a photograph (overleaf ) of
Peter Robins (1962) and JRH Davies (1962) – JRH is on
the left. The three of them were members of the ‘gang of
eight’ who appeared in the 2005 Catharine Wheel in two
photographs 40 years apart. Sadly JRH died this year – see
Notices in this Magazine. Gareth writes ‘I was particularly
close to John, and we shared a love of singing ballads
and folk songs. He was the main vocalist with a powerful
and engaging delivery; I was mainly the accompanist.
Although we were not in high demand for entertainment,
we were captured on film at the 1963 Nurses’ Ball. Peter
Robins and I were Veterinary colleagues in St Catharine’s;
probably 1962 was the first year that the College admitted
two Vets in one year.’
Stephen Mennell (1963) writes ‘On St Patrick’s Day, my
wife and I had breakfast at one of the Dublin Airport
hotels with my long-time friend and occasional academic
collaborator, John Stone (1963), who was passing through
en route from Barcelona back to still-frozen Boston. (John
said he hadn’t bothered to dig his car out of a snow drift
for a second time in the winter: it could stay where it was
111
where he has remained ever since. Michael had come to
Dublin from Israel, where he was enjoying an eight-week
Fellowship at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem. Just
a day or two before that, he had been sightseeing in
the company of yet another close friend from our year,
Jon Epstein (1963), who was on a walking holiday with
members of his London synagogue – small world.’
Mike Yolland (1964) and Jonathan Paget (1966) were
amongst a goodly party of the ‘The Volunteers’, a cricketing
group who held their 50th Anniversary Match at Longstowe,
some eight miles west of Cambridge, in July 2015. These
Volunteers were a deliberately pan- (or even non-)
collegiate group of undergraduates of modest cricketing
ability, but of a non-conformist turn of mind, who, during
the 1960s, played matches against Cambridgeshire villages.
Their 50th anniversary match and the accompanying
celebrations were, by all accounts, a most successful affair.
JRH Davies and Peter Robins –see Gareth Thomas.
until the thaw, around April.) John and I were supervision
partners in Economics and both of us then fled to become
sociologists. Unlike my eclectic self, John has stayed in the
area of race and ethnic relations, in which he is a world
authority. After taking his DPhil at St Antony’s College,
Oxford, he taught successively at Columbia, Oxford,
Goldsmiths, George Mason and now Boston University,
where he has relinquished the chairmanship of the
department but still continues in harness. In May, another
old friend, Michael Conzen (1963) was in Dublin to attend
a conference on historical maps at the Royal Irish Academy,
and we caught up over dinner one evening. Michael went
straight from Catz to the USA, and has never returned (so
to speak). After his doctorate in historical geography at
Wisconsin, he taught briefly at Boston University (where
John now is), before moving to the University of Chicago
The Catz Golf Society – see David Adams.
112
David Adams (1966) writes to tell of the existence of the
Catz Golf Society. ‘The society is a loose affiliation of old
Catharinians of the 1965–8 Matriculation vintage who
enjoy a half-decent round of golf followed by a betterthan-half-decent lunch. We were formed some five years
ago and our geographical centre of gravity is SE England
although we boast members from as far afield as Wales –
Phil Carling (1966) and Yorkshire – Steve Jackson (1965).
At present there are some twenty members and we would
certainly welcome other like-minded souls. We meet twice
a year – once in May when we compete for the Hobsons
Trophy and once in October when we do a test run on
a potential venue for the May get together. So far the
Hobsons trophy has been won by a different member in
each year it has been contested. This year’s winner is Steve
Tinton (1967); the attached photograph shows the smiling
victor at Royal Wimbledon GC.’
Roger Knight (1966), the former Surrey cricket captain, has
been appointed President of the MCC from October 2015.
In the past he has held the posts of MCC Secretary and
CEO and was awarded honorary life membership of the
club following the award of an OBE in the 2007 New Year
Honours List for services to sport.
David Cruttenden (1967) sent a Christmas letter from
Zimbabwe at the end of 2014. He wrote ‘The perennially
grubby local politics have plumbed new depths in the last
few months with a vitriolic campaign led by the president’s
wife culminating in the removal of the Vice-President and
her replacement by a man known as the crocodile. It is
assumed that the purpose is to secure Mugabe’s position
for the rest of his life and to protect his family thereafter.
The purge has been very far reaching – whether it will
result in show trials to complete the Stalinist image
remains to be seen. More importantly we wait to see if
anything will be done to arrest the alarming decline in the
economy and to improve the lot of the ordinary people
who are in dire straits. Neither the crocodile nor Grace
Mugabe are particularly popular. She requires constant
and substantial retail therapy. Although known to the
politically correct as the first lady she is more widely
referred to as the first shopper, Gucci Grace or even disGrace. Concerning currency, as a precursor to the collapse
of the Zimbabwe dollar, the Reserve Bank printed bearer
cheques. These were bank notes in all but name but could
not be described as such as the president would not
permit the printing of high value notes because he felt
they were an admission that the economy was in trouble.
How right he was! Since the switch to the US$ there has
been a problem of change as no US coins are in circulation.
Change is given in Rand coins or sweets, biros, eggs or
other low value items. In another world first we now have
‘bond coins’ which are tokens which the Reserve Bank
‘guarantees’ are worth their face value in US cents – only
in Zimbabwe of course. Since the Reserve Bank is itself
effectively bankrupt, the local populace is somewhat
sceptical of these new tokens – perhaps it would have
been better if they were made of chocolate.’
John Hooper (1968) writes to say that his book The Italians
is to be published in January in the UK by Penguin and in
February in the US by Viking. It was nominated by Kirkus
Reviews for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, which they describe as
one of America’s richest literary awards.
Chris Newbery (1969) writes with news of his 1969
contemporaries ‘Following their successful trip to
Dusseldorf in November 2012, Chris Newbery, Tony
Emanuelli, John Chapman, Ralph Court, Steve
Richardson and Charlie Lutyens, accompanied by their
wives, were treated to a regal reunion reception weekend
by Keith Alexander and his wife, Bronwen, at their
lovely country home outside Kelso in the Borders. Their
programme of walks, visits and meals, some cooked and
served by them, was much enjoyed by all. In May 2015,
we met again, this time at the country cottage of John
and his wife, Caroline, near Holt in Norfolk. Again we were
treated to a series of visits to houses and gardens, reached
via labyrinthine, hedge-enclosed lanes. John and Caroline
cooked some fabulous meals. Highlights of the weekend
were Saturday lunch at the nearby house of David
Thompson (1968) and his wife, Mary Rose, and a boat trip
to Blakeney Point to see seals and nesting terns. John is
currently producing Sky TV’s Christmas offering of Fungus
the Bogeyman, starring Timothy Spall. We look forward
to that and visiting Steve and Nobue and the environs
of Haslemere in 2016, especially the threatened trip to
Goodwood Races.’
Jeremy Paxman (1969, Honorary Fellow 2001) appeared
on the front page of the Times in November 2014 because
he had been proposed as a candidate for the next Mayor
of London. However, the former Newsnight anchorman
said in response to the story that he had decided not to
run for the post ‘for all the éclairs in Paris’. See also Ellie
Chan (2009).
Tim Helliwell (1971) has been a Consultant
Histopathologist in Liverpool since 1984. He is now
Clinical Director for Cellular Pathology in Liverpool
Clinical Laboratories, Honorary Professor of Pathology at
the University of Liverpool and has been elected as Vice
President of the Royal College of Pathologists (2014–17)
with particular responsibility for matters pertaining to
Learning.
Steven Dyke (1972) writes ‘Having retired after a varied
working life, I now live in Hoylake on the Wirral peninsula.
I spent over twenty years in the museum profession in
Sunderland and Darlington, and nine years as a bookshop
proprietor in Ilkley. Further diversity came from working
for British Rail in south London, a Liverpool-based housing
association and a community trust in West Kirby.’ See also
Notices in this Magazine.
Professor Sir Jonathan Bate (1977, Honorary Fellow
2001) has written Ted Hughes: The Unauthorised Life and
the book has been nominated for the Samuel Johnson
Prize for non-fiction. It was in the news because the
Hughes estate refused Jonathan access to unpublished
material on the grounds that Hughes had stated that he
did not wish to have a biography written about him.
James Wright (Fellow 1978–91, Honorary Fellow 1992)
reached the French-Swiss frontier on Sunday 19 April
2015, thus completing, with a friend appropriately named
Walker, a double traverse of France on foot, from the
113
Channel to the Mediterranean (Ouistreham, the port of
Caen, to Cassis), and from the Atlantic to the Alps (Port-duPavé, north of La Rochelle, to just east of Pontarlier). The
walk took 66 days, spread over seven annual visits, and
covered 1,743 kilometres at an average speed of 4.6 kph.
For unknown reasons, the routes chosen passed through
some of the finest vineyards in France, but, regrettably, no
statistics appear to exist of the number of bottles of wine
which perished in the endeavour!
As this Magazine goes to press we hear that Lilian
Greenwood MP (1984) has been appointed Shadow
Transport Minister in Jeremy Corbyn’s Shadow Cabinet.
David Watkin (1984) is now Head of Strings at the Royal
Conservatoire of Scotland. According to an article about
David in the Scottish Herald ‘Watkin is what you might call
a lateral-minded musician. He conducts and he coaches
young people, but most Scottish audiences will know him
as a superb cellist: he was a soloist, chamber player and
principal cello of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra until
an auto-immune condition forced him to stop playing
just over a year ago. For many instrumentalists, such a
blow would be spirit-destroying … but he is full of a drive
and optimism that can’t be feigned. “I’ve always been a
musician first and a cellist second,” he says. “Maybe losing
the cello wasn’t so bad because it’s only ever been one
avenue of musicianship for me.”’
The Revd Canon Andrew Lenox-Conyngham (Chaplain
1986–91) writes to point out that he was in fact an
undergraduate of Corpus, not St Catharine’s [apologies for
that error. Ed.] and to say that he is actively campaigning
for the reinstatement of St Jerome in the Church Calendar.
‘I was appalled when I saw that he had been demoted,’ he
says. He thinks a possible reason for the demotion is that
St Jerome was not a very nice person, but in Andrew’s view
‘niceness and sanctity have nothing to do with each other’.
See the Church Times of 31 October 2014 and the Times of
31 December 2014.
Scott Handy (1987) See Ralegh Long (2004).
Graeme Jones (1988), now a Senior Lecturer in Organic
Chemistry at Keele, writes ‘I now live at the Old Vicarage
in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, where Thomas Lightfoote
was Rector. Shortly after we moved in I was surprised to
discover that his eldest son, John Lightfoote, was Master
of St Catharine’s 1650–75.’ Most histories of the College spell
his name without the final ‘e’.
Chris Clark (Fellow 1990) is the Regius Professor of
History at Cambridge and he was featured in an article in
the Sunday Times in December 2014 which drew attention
to his television series Deutschlandsaga on ZDF (the
114
German equivalent of the UK’s BBC). Chris says he was
astonished to be asked. It is, of course, all because of his
book The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914.
The series was apparently very popular, and featured Chris
driving round Germany in a 1971 VW Beetle, explaining
German history to the Germans.
Khalid Mahgoub (1991), who works in Beirut for the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, wrote
to the College just before Christmas 2014. ‘Our funds
are dwindling and I’m racing with time with my team to
deliver Winterization assistance to 20,000 Syrian families
before mid-December. Last winter we assisted all families
that lived at elevations above 500m; this year we are
assisting only those families that live above 1000m. It is
scandalous because, even here in Beirut at the coast, it
is freezing cold at night. I can’t imagine how refugees in
mountainous areas in tents will cope. It is depressing.
Even though there is political instability in Lebanon with
no President for the last six months and the parliament
keeps extending its mandate without any elections and
refugees constitute more than 26% of the population
and terrorism and threats of terrorism, still things seem
to function perfectly smoothly somehow. I am beginning
to believe the anarchist notion that there is no need for
the state.’ However, in August 2015, Khalid wrote again
‘It is the summer of discontent in Beirut. Rubbish has
been removed from the centre, but the suburbs remain
absolutely filthy and choked by hills of plastic bags. I have
been watching the demonstrations (organized by the
Lebanese social movement You Stink) from my balcony;
like the Roman emperor Nero I watch while sipping a
nice chilled Lebanese rosé wine. When a demonstration is
scheduled, going home from work is a nightmare with the
roadblocks and traffic jams.’
Paul King (1995) directed and scripted the excellent
film Paddington which was released in 2014. The Senior
Tutor writes ‘Paul graduated with a First in English before
embarking on a career in comedy (twice winning the
coveted Perrier Award) and as a director, both of The
Mighty Boosh for television and more recently in film.
Paddington acquired momentary notoriety for being
initially billed by the BBFC as “with mild sex references”
– because Hugh Bonneville wears a dress. O tempora! O
mores! Paddington 2 is in the works: X-rated, I expect’.
Jacqui Cole (Research Fellow 1999–2005) featured in
Noteworthy Chemistry in the Newsletter of the American
Chemical Society for her work in developing a fluorescent
system insensitive to temperature variation. The problem
with fluorescent substances is that they dim significantly as
the temperature rises; overcoming this is a useful advance.
Henny Tarasewicz (née Freeman, 2002) writes that she
is still managing to get in some running. She has run a
couple of half-marathons and was pleased with her times,
all things considered – she is expecting her second child
and looks forward to getting back to running after the
birth. The family has recently moved to Surrey.
David Bainbridge (Fellow 2003) has been much in the
news as a result of his book Curvology: the Origins and
Power of Female Body Shape. There was much discussion in
the national dailies and the Cambridge News, and his talk
at the Hay Festival (in which he asserted that intelligence
in a woman was the most attractive quality for men) led to
counter examples.
Ralegh Long (2004) was featured in the Guardian’s New
Band of the Week feature in February 2015. ‘Inspired by
English mysticism and the glories of nature, Ralegh Long
registers at the more esoteric end of the male singersongwriter spectrum.’ According to the article, he sits at
the piano and ‘sings in a breathy whisper.’ Ralegh’s tutor,
Paul Hartle, comments that this is his second pop-star
pupil; the actor Scott Handy (1987) was a member of rock
band Ice Cold in Alex in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
George Nash (2008) was a member of the triumphant
World Rowing Championships Men’s Eight in France for
the second time in three years. The crew beat Germany to
claim the world title, and this victory confirms their place
at the Olympics next year in Rio.
Dr Helen Scales, the wife of Dr Ivan Scales (Fellow 2008),
turns out to have a family connection with the College;
her great-great-grandfather was Bishop Thomas Drury
(Master 1920–6).
Sandy To (2008) of the Department of Sociology at Hong
Kong University has published China’s Leftover Women: Late
Marriage among Professional Women and its Consequences,
a book which explains the reasons behind the failure of
many women in China to get married. It also discusses
the consequences for the future make-up of China’s
population at the dawn of modification of the one-child
policy, and compares the situation in China with that in
other countries.
Ellie Chan (2009), Callum Bungey (2012), Alex Cranston
(2014) and Callum Watson (2014) are representing
St Catharine’s in the 2015–6 University Challenge series on
BBC2, having won through the elimination rounds which
select 28 teams from about 140 or so. Ben Wylie (2012), the
reserve, also travelled to Manchester for every broadcast,
but is sadly not pictured. Quizmaster Jeremy Paxman
(1969, Honorary Fellow 2001) is also an alumnus, of
course. Catz has had teams through to the broadcast stage
at least eight times since our first showing in the original
series in 1963, including 1971 when Paxman was not
selected (we might perhaps have done better that year if
he had been). Catz has yet to win the trophy.
Alex Aitken (2010), having taught for a time at Akeley
Wood School, is now Head of Academic Music and
Organist at Stowe School, and Assistant Musical Director at
the National Youth Music Theatre.
Yasmine Walters (2010) was raped whilst on her medical
elective in Samoa. She wrote an article for Varsity about
her experience to raise awareness and to draw attention to
the attitudes to such crimes in different cultures. The full
article may be found at www.varsity.co.uk/comment/8812/.
ITV PLC
115
Aimee Brame (2011) is a graduate student working for
Fellow Anthony Davenport. She attended the State of the
Art meeting of the Intensive Care Society in London in
December 2014 and won the prize for the best Research
Paper. This is good news for Aimee as Intensive Care is her
speciality and she hopes to obtain a post as consultant.
Curtis Reubens (2013) applied ‘on a whim’ to enter the
Sky1 show King of the Nerds, according to the Cambridge
News. Each week one contestant is eliminated from an
initial ten by tests of intellect, ingenuity, knowledge of
pop culture etc. We await with interest to see if Curtis
eventually triumphs; apparently he was labelled ‘the pupil
most likely to become an evil genius’ while at school.
Phyllis Weliver (Visiting Scholar 2013–4) worked while at
Catz on her monograph Mary Gladstone and the Victorian
Salon, 1876–1883: Music, Literature, Liberalism. College
support enabled her significantly to advance the project
and she has recently been awarded a National Endowment
for the Humanities Fellowship to finish the book.
THE ST CATHARINE’S GUILD
The Guild was formed in 1969 on the initiative of the then
Master, Professor Rich, and was originally based entirely
upon alumni taking Christian communion. In 2007 the
Governing Body agreed that, in order to embrace other
faiths and beliefs, the original purpose of the Guild be
redefined ‘to encourage members of the College, wherever
they may be, to remember the College according to
the tradition and spirituality of their faith, on or around
25 November (St Catharine’s Day) and to inform the
Chaplain that they have done so’.
Graham R Blackburn (1958), Llanbedr
Ystrad Yw, Crickhowell, Powys
Douglas Calder (1957), St Alban’s,
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands,
West Indies
Simon Chinery (1980), Our Lady of the
Angels, Saltash, Cornwall
Elizabeth Collison (née Jennings,
1988), Our Lady & St Joseph R.C.
Lymington, Hampshire
Larry Culliford (1968), St Andrew and
St Cuthman in Steyning, West Sussex
David Cruttenden (1967), Christchurch
Borrowdale, Harare, Zimbabwe
Bevis Cubey (1956), St Cuthbert’s
Lorton, Cockermouth, Cumbria
John Dennis (1951), Winchester
Cathedral, Winchester
Ian Fallon (1969), All Saints, Claverley,
Shropshire
Ian Fletcher (1962), St Michael’s,
Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire
Ian Goodfellow (1958), St Andrew’s
Witchurch, Tavistock, Devon
Ivor Halliwell (1954), St John the
Evangelist with St Catharine, Bovey
Tracey, Devon
116
Please let the Chaplain know if you keep St Catharine’s
Day. Drop a note to the Chaplain at College (address inside
the back cover) or email [email protected] and
include your matriculation year and details of the church
or other institution at which you celebrated if appropriate.
The Chaplain will then be able to pray for you by name on
St Catharine’s Day the subsequent year. Any other news is
also welcome and will be passed to the Editor.
This year we pray by name for the following who
remembered the College in 2014 at the places listed:
Lucia Higgs (née Li, 1979) Church of the
Holy Apostles in Pimlico, London
Lester Hillman (1970), The Guild Church
of St Katharine, Cree, London
Neil Johnson (1957), St Mark’s, South
Teddington, Richmond
Graham B Jones (1952), St Andrew’s
Colyton, East Devon
J Roger Jones (1970), St. Peter’s Church,
Llanbedr Ystrad Yw, Crickhowell,
Powys
Matthew Lineburger (2013), USA
SJB Langdale (1956), St Mary’s,
Culworth, Oxfordshire
Brian Midgley (1957), St Mary’s Halford,
South Warwickshire
Anthony Minchin (1956), St Cyr’s,
Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
Robert Morgan (1960), St Andrew’s,
Sanford-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Peter Openshaw (1966), St Wilfrid’s,
Ribchester, Lancashire
Charles B. Palmer (1963), St Paul’s
Howell Hill, Ewell, Surrey
Christopher Powell (1985), St Francis
House, Guildford
Bill Reed (1949), St Gregory’s,
Marnhull, Dorset
Christopher Rose (1962), All Saints’,
Ealing, London
Derek Smith (1970), St Barnabas,
Limassol, Cyprus
Peter G Stevens (1972), St. Michael
and All Angels, Tennenhall,
Wolverhampton
Alan Stokes (1964), St Devenick’s
Church in Aberdeen, Scotland
Geoffrey Stokell (1950), Wantage
Methodist Church, Oxfordshire
Mike Town (1969), St. Patrick’s Church,
Patterdale, Cumbria
John M Turner (1944), St John’s
Methodist Church Horwich, Bolton
Philip Watson (1965), St Michael and
all Angels, Witton Gilbert, Durham
CNH White (1953), St Agatha’s, Gilling
West, North Yorkshire
Alan Wilkinson (1951), Chichester
Cathedral, Chichester
GF Willett (1946), St Mary’s,
Goldington, Bedfordshire
ARTICLES
THE MASTERS
With the retirement of Professor Dame Jean Thomas imminent in
2016, the Editor thought it might be interesting to review some
of the more irregular Mastership elections and appointments
throughout the history of the College. The following information
is not new; except where noted it is all gleaned from the
two histories of St Catharine’s by WHS Jones and the book of
Quincentenary Essays edited by Teddy Rich in 1973. A reprint of
the main Jones history is available from the Cambridge University
Press for about £30.
The election of a Master is governed by the College statutes. These
have changed over the years, but some basic principles remain: the
Fellows of the time elect the new Master; a majority of all Fellows
eligible to vote is required; there is a time limit (which has varied from Edwin Sandys
as little as three days to the current period of six months or so). If the
Fellows fail to elect someone within the time limit, then the Master is appointed by the ‘Visitor’ who is a
sort of ombudsman set up by the statutes to resolve internal disputes. In the case of St Catharine’s, the
Visitor is the Crown in the person of the Lord Chancellor at the time. As will be seen from this brief review,
the statutes have been flouted on several occasions.
Even the founder Robert Woodlark seems to have ignored his own founding statutes which laid
down that the Master must have a degree in Divinity. Woodlark seems to have appointed – or perhaps
instructed the Fellows to elect – at least one Master without an appropriate degree.
In 1547, the then Master, Reginald Bainbrigge, resigned because he disapproved of the new
ecclesiastical regime – essentially Cranmer's Book of Common Prayer. Edwin Sandys was elected and
swiftly reformed the College, revising the statutes to remove offending references, most of which involved
the Virgin Mary and other ‘papisms’, in time for the 1549 inspection of the University to ‘root out papacy.’
By 1553 Mary was on the throne and Sandys was imprisoned in the Tower (several Cambridge
academics were subsequently burnt at the stake or otherwise executed, but Sandys was released at
the behest of Mary and moved abroad). Mary used Stephen Gardiner (Master of Trinity Hall and Mary’s
Bishop of Winchester) as her agent to engineer the installation of her favourite, Edmund Cosyn, as
Master of St Catharine’s.
Five years later Elizabeth was on the throne and Cosyn, who was also Vice-Chancellor of the University
at the time, resigned both as Master of St Catharine’s and as VC. This time the Fellows held a genuine
election and John Mey became Master. It seems that he had survived the turbulent years of the ‘Terrible
Tudors’ in Cambridge by being a ‘willow’ rather than an ‘oak’, rather like the Vicar of Bray.
On the death of Mey in 1577, Queen Elizabeth sent a ‘letter of recommendation’ to the College that
Edmund Hownde, her Chaplain, be elected Master. This could hardly be refused. Apparently Hownde
was a melancholy character and eventually committed suicide while visiting his parish in Dorset in 1598.
The subsequent election was tense and a shambles. There were six Fellows. The three senior Fellows
voted for John Overall, the three junior Fellows for Simon Robson. The senior Fellows declared Overall
Master and the junior Fellows responded by appealing to the Vice-Chancellor of the University. After
four days of inquiry, Robson was declared the winner – it is not clear on what grounds. Robson was
in office for only a week, after which the Queen and Archbishop Whitgift intervened and Overall was
reinstated. Possibly the junior Fellows appealed to the VC rather than the Visitor because they realised
the Crown would favour Overall.
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PUBLIC CATALOGUE FOUNDATION
We now pass over two relatively uncontroversial elections to
arrive at the death of the Master Richard Sibbes in 1635. The senior
Fellow, John Lothian, was a Scot and had been elected a Fellow
by special Royal dispensation because the statutes of the time
specified that Fellows must be English! Lothian hatched a plot to
elect fellow-Scot Robert Creighton as Master. On the Sunday after
Sibbes's death he told Creighton that, if he wanted the Mastership,
he had to ride to London and obtain the necessary dispensation
from Charles I. Creighton arrived back in Cambridge on Tuesday
evening with a letter from the King. Sadly, this was only a
recommendation and not the required command. In the meantime,
the other five Fellows, who knew nothing of the plot, had had
their vote and elected Ralph Brownrigge. Lothian urged Creighton
John Lightfoot
to ride back to London and obtain the required Royal command
while he (Lothian) would do his best to delay the installation of Brownrigge. By this time, rumours of
the existence of a letter from the King were rife and Brownrigge was getting cold feet. However, all the
Fellows except Lothian (who maintained his silence) persuaded Brownrigge that they were indeed just
rumours and he allowed himself to be admitted as Master with the appropriate ceremony in the Chapel.
When the King heard of it he was not best pleased and wrote suspending Brownrigge, thus bringing the
whole affair into the open. The University Chancellor of the time, Henry Rich, Earl of Holland, requested
that the Masters of the other colleges sort it out. The affair dragged on for weeks and was only resolved
when Creighton became disillusioned with the 'twisted and interfering business' and withdrew all claim
to the Mastership.
In 1645 Brownrigge, while University Vice-Chancellor, preached a controversial sermon which
offended the church elders; he was ousted from his Bishopric of Exeter, imprisoned in London and
allowed to return to Cambridge only to sort out his affairs. The Masters of Clare and Trinity were also
relieved of their Masterships that year following six others who had been removed in 1644. Fellow
William Spurstow was apparently popular with the other Fellows and might well have been elected
Master had the College been allowed to have an election. Instead he was appointed Master by the
Assembly of Divines. Jones reports that Spurstow was embarrassed to find himself Master, not as the
result of an election, 'but at the bidding of an alien body of ecclesiastics.'
Some four years later in 1649, Spurstow was himself in trouble, along with six of the Fellows, for
refusing to take the Commonwealth Oath. The College was thrown into confusion – the accounts for
1648 are unsigned, those for 1649 signed by only two Fellows and those for 1650 not even audited. Later
in 1650 John Lightfoot was appointed Master by order of Parliament. Some ten years later, after the
Restoration, Lightfoot proposed that Spurstow be reinstated, but Spurstow, now comfortably settled in
the country, refused on the grounds of old age. Lightfoot thereupon applied to the King who confirmed
him officially in the Mastership.
Thereafter, Mastership elections seem to have proceeded without undue controversy for some
150 years until 1799. Lowther Yates had been elected in 1779 when initially three of the five Fellows
voted for themselves leading to no-one achieving the required overall majority. However, at a second
vote, sanity prevailed and Yates was elected. Twenty years later when he died, the Fellows proved
more obstinate. The senior Fellow, Joshua Waterhouse, voted for himself and received one other
vote. These two votes turned out to be more than anyone else could claim and Waterhouse declared
himself elected, the statutes notwithstanding. The three Fellows who had not supported him promptly
appealed to the Visitor. With well-timed opportunism, surely not unnoticed by the Visitor, one of the
119
Joseph Procter
Charles Robinson
Henry Chaytor
Fellows, Joseph Procter, quickly obtained for himself the degree of Bachelor of Divinity, thereby making
himself eligible for the Mastership (a Divinity degree was still a requirement at the time) and with the
support of another Fellow, Burrell, they made their case. The Visitor declared the election of Waterhouse
invalid and the time elapsed since Yates's death gave him the right to nominate, so he nominated
Procter. This, perhaps not surprisingly, led to an ongoing feud between Procter and Burrell on the
one hand, and the rest of the Fellows on the other. There were several appeals to the Visitor to resolve
matters of difference and the Visitor always came down on the side of Procter and Burrell (of course!).
The most infamous controversial election is the one which blighted the College’s reputation for
half a century and for which St Catharine’s for a time was unjustifiably notorious. Jones and the
Quincentenary Essays discuss the 1861 election at length – worth reading if only to compare with
CP Snow’s The Masters. The basic story is that there were two candidates, both of them senior Fellows,
Charles Robinson and FJ Jameson. There were five Fellows voting (though there should have been nine
because, only a year or so before, new statutes had come into force which incorporated the four Skerne
Fellows hitherto excluded – it is not known why this new statute was ignored). At that time, Fellows
could not marry, though the Master could. Robinson was engaged to be married and was preparing to
resign his Fellowship and take up a living in nearby Barnwell. However, it seems Jameson was not aware
of this even though Robinson had made no secret of it. The two junior Fellows had decided to vote for
Robinson, but, the evening before the election, they had a discussion and changed their minds. They
therefore voted for Jameson; the other three, including Jameson, voted for Robinson, despite Robinson
having previously repeatedly urged Jameson that he should vote for himself as was the custom in such
elections. For some time all was sweetness and light until Jameson belatedly discovered Robinson’s
marriage, upon which he made a great scandal while Robinson was away on honeymoon, broadcasting
around that Robinson won the election only because he voted for himself. Robinson offered to stand
down, but even Jameson agreed that the election should stand. Jones (who was elected a Fellow
towards the end of Robinson’s Mastership and so had first-hand experience of the effect) writes ‘The
scandal caused … was probably the greatest disaster that ever happened to any college…’. Robinson
was Master for nearly fifty years and his presence a constant reminder of the ‘Robinson vote.’
Johns, Drury and Rushmore did much to restore the College’s reputation after the Robinson debacle,
but, according to documents in the College archives, a minor mistake led to the Visitor having to
appoint a Master in 1933. Rushmore died in June of that year and the Fellows met to elect a successor
a month later. The candidates Jones (Senior Fellow) and Chaytor (Senior Tutor) were excluded, but
the other Fellows decided that perhaps some prestigious external candidates ought also to be
120
Tom Henn
Alfred Steers
Edwin (Teddy) Rich
considered and adjourned the meeting sine die. Under the statutes they were not allowed to do this –
having met for an election, the result had to be announced within 48 hours. The Visitor was, however,
most cooperative and agreed to appoint whomsoever the Fellows agreed upon. In the event the
Mastership was offered to several external candidates, among them Professor Inglis (Engineering), the
Bishop of Hereford and author John Buchan, all of whom turned the offer down. It was thought the
small remuneration which went with the office was a major reason. In the end the popular Chaytor was
appointed in October 1933, it being noted that he had the necessary private means!
Donald Portway was elected to succeed Chaytor in 1946 – the first Master to be appointed following
repeal of the statute which required a degree in Divinity; Portway was an engineer. According to Fellow
Pat Lacey in his Memories of St Catharine’s (2006 Magazine), Governing Body meetings in Portway’s
time were tense because those who had run the College through the war often disagreed with those
returning from the services. This came to a head as the election of a new Master loomed in 1956 on the
retirement of Portway. The obvious candidates were senior Fellows (Brigadier) Tom Henn and Professor
Alfred Steers. Pat, the daughter of Fellow Gus Caesar, was a teenager at the time and recalls both
candidates lobbying her father intensively. Gus had loyalties to both and, she says, opted out by taking
sabbatical leave in the USA while the election took place. Alfie Maddock’s widow Margaret reports that
Alfie was proposed for a Fellowship, but the proposal was blocked because existing Fellows did not
want a member of the Governing Body whose Mastership vote they could not predict (Alfie was duly
elected later). Dudley Robinson (a junior Fellow at the time) indicated that Gus himself was suggested
as a candidate, but was thought too young. In the end, Edwin (Teddy) Rich, a graduate of Selwyn who
had been elected to the St Catharine’s Fellowship in 1930, was put forward as an ‘outside’ compromise
candidate and, no doubt with the 1861 debacle in mind, the Fellows eventually elected him. There were
persistent rumours well into the 1960s – for example, that Stanley Aston changed his mind which led to
a Henn/Steers tie.
As we go to press, the candidates for the 2016 election are being shortlisted…
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Masters of St Catharine’s College
1473 Robert Woodlark*
1475 Richard Roche
1480 John Tapton
1487 John Wardall
1506 Richard Balderston
1507 Thomas Greene
1529 Reginald Bainbrigge
1547 Edwin Sandys*
1554 Edmund Cosyn*
1559 John Mey*
1577 Edmund Hownde
1598 John Overall*
1607 John Hills
1626 Richard Sibbes*
1635 Ralph Brownrigge
1645 William Spurstow*
1650 John Lightfoot*
1675 John Eachard*
1697 William Dawes*
1714 Thomas Sherlock*
1719 Thomas Crosse
1736 Edward Hubbard
1741 Kendrick Prescot
1779 Lowther Yates
1799 Joseph Procter
1845 Henry Philpott
1861 Charles Kirkby Robinson
1909 Claude Hermann Walter Johns*
1920 Thomas Wortley Drury
1927 Fredrick Margetson Rushmore
1933 Henry John Chaytor
1946 Donald Portway
1957 Edwin Ernest Rich
1973 Peter Swinnerton-Dyer
1984 Barry Supple
1993 Terence English
2000 David Stanley Ingram
2007 Jean Olwen Thomas
* Indicates an entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National
Biography
20 YEARS OF HELLER FELLOWSHIPS
Sir Michael Heller (1955, Fellow Commoner 2003) writes:
In 1994 Sir Terence English phoned me ‘out of the blue’ and we shortly afterwards met in my then offices
in New Bridge Street, London EC4. At that meeting Terence advised that the University Printing Works
on the other side of Silver Street – the Press Site – was going to be vacated and sold, and it would be
advantageous for the College to acquire it. Although that conversation did not lead to anything positive,
I did say that Morven and I would be interested in funding a Research Fellowship and guaranteeing it
for three years. Following a discussion about the subject of the Fellowship, I said that the College should
suggest the subject and if we were happy with it we would proceed.
Sir Terence came back several weeks later with the proposal from the College that the subject of the
Research Fellowship should be the History of the Jews in Germany up to 1900. However, we said that our
preference would be Computer Science which was subsequently accepted by the College and that took
us into 1995. The first Heller Research Fellowship was advertised that year.
John Bates (1996) writes:
I was proud to become the first Heller Research Fellow at St Catharine’s. At the time, having
recently completed my PhD at the Cambridge Computer Laboratory, I wanted to focus
and expand on the research I was pursuing and the Heller Fellowship provided a great
platform for this. Little did I know then that the research was also laying the groundwork in
establishing new commercial technology areas, such as ‘complex event processing’ and ‘big
data streaming analytics’.
After the Heller Fellowship I became a University Lecturer at Cambridge.
However, I then turned to the ‘dark side’ and left academia to found my own
company – Apama – to commercialize some of my ideas. Apama found market
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success applying real-time analytics in the financial services industry – enabling the rapid development
of algorithmic and high frequency trading strategies for over 250 investment banks and hedge funds.
After serving as President and Chief Technology Officer, I sold Apama to a US-based NASDAQ-listed
company called Progress Software.
I moved to Boston in 2005 and ran a division of Progress Software, eventually becoming the Corporate
Chief Technology Officer. In 2013 I left Progress to form the big data analytics business for a Germanbased public company called Software AG. I currently serve as their Chief Marketing Officer and Global
Head of Industry Solutions.
I have also recently published a book called Thingalytics which is about smart big data analytics for
the Internet of Things. The Internet of Things is the next industrial revolution in which people and realworld objects are digitized and incorporated into applications using networked sensors. Thingalytics is
about making environments smart by responding to patterns in the streaming sensor data – such as
optimizing the amount of fuel used by a container ship by adjusting its course and speed so it arrives at
the optimal time in a port.
Thank you to Michael and Morven Heller for endowing this amazing Fellowship.
Michael Norrish (1999) writes:
In the thirteen years of my career since I left Cambridge, the debt I owe the
Michael and Morven Heller Fellowship has become increasingly clear. The years
that follow a PhD are crucial when establishing oneself in the academic world:
they provide an invaluable opportunity to broaden one’s research after the often
narrow focus of the thesis. This was certainly what happened to me: I was able to
leave my thesis topic behind (temporarily at least), and to explore a number of
other research directions.
Those three years as a Junior Research Fellow saw me create a strong link with a different research
group (including Keith Wansbrough, my successor as Heller Fellow) within the Cambridge Computer
Laboratory, and I took that new link with me to Canberra, Australia. Simultaneously, the extra mental
space afforded me by the Fellowship meant that I could also work on the technology underpinning
both this new research and my thesis work. I continue to work on that same technology, and it is used in
my discipline area to this day. It was the Heller Fellowship that laid the foundation for this ongoing work.
Having done my PhD at St Catharine’s, I also deeply appreciate the way the Heller Fellowship let me
continue and strengthen my connection with the College. I am still in Australia, at NICTA’s Canberra
Research Laboratory, but I have managed to visit the College a number of times since 2002. I certainly
look forward to more such visits!
Keith Wansbrough (2003) writes:
In 2003 after a year’s post-doctoral work at the Computer Lab I was awarded the
Michael and Morven Heller Research Fellowship, and moved to St Catharine’s.
My research at the time centred on building formal models of practical
computer systems – in particular, understanding computer network
communication and improving its reliability. This lay at the challenging
intersection of computer science theory and practical software engineering – two
fields remarkable for their lack of overlap.
In two years I made considerable progress, and we presented our results at major conferences on
both sides of this divide. Subsequent work has further developed the tools we created, and has applied
them in areas beyond communication such as concurrent programming languages and processor
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memory models. In all cases the group is closing
the gap between theory and practice, building
rigorous foundations and finding new insights.
My career took a new turn in 2005 when I
moved to industry to apply my skills on the
practical side. Metaswitch Networks develops
software that powers today’s global networks
and cloud systems – from efficient internet
routing to scalable voice and video messaging.
Underpinning all of this is a deep understanding
of communications and distributed systems, and
the experience I’ve brought from the research
community has been valuable. I’ve also learned
the truth of the saying ‘in theory there’s no
difference between theory and practice, but in
practice there is’. The gap is indeed large, and I
believe more cross-fertilisation would benefit both
Dina Kronhaus with Sir Michael and Lady Heller
communities.
The Fellowship gave me a boost at a turning point in my career, and it also gave a boost to an
important project at a critical phase. Even ten years later I believe the benefits can be seen in both, and I
am grateful to the Hellers for the opportunity they provided.
Dina Kronhaus (2006) writes:
I began my Research Fellowship at St Catharine’s College in October 2006. The Fellowship was an
exciting opportunity for me to work on neuroimaging problems, based jointly in the Wolfson Brain
Imaging Centre (WBIC, based at Addenbrooke’s hospital) and the Computer Laboratory. My research
was focused on understanding the neural basis of depression and how best to trigger emotional
responses in subjects during experiments that are simple enough to perform in a scanner. One of my
major research outputs was the development of a novel research paradigm for embedding cognitive
tasks in the background of emotional stimuli (moving faces expressing different emotions). These
stimuli in themselves were a significant research output. However, the real utility of these stimuli
became apparent when collaborating with Professor Phillips’s group (Pittsburgh) where these stimuli
were used as the basis of many experimental projects. I have also collaborated with other groups, most
notably Professor Surguladze (London). For example, these stimuli have been used in studies to identify
the genetic basis underlying emotional responses, unipolar and bipolar disorders and with veterans
suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. In Cambridge, I collaborated with Dr Acosta-Carbonero
and Dr Nestor from the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre to investigate how thickness of white matter
tracts in the brains of patients suffering from mild Alzheimer’s may predict the severity of subsequent
dementia. I also developed my contacts with Professor Cross from the Music and Science Centre
investigating links between music and emotion.
I am most grateful to Michael and Morven Heller for their financial support and taking an active
interest in my research. In particular, I would like to thank them and the Master for the flexibility I
received during my three periods of maternity leave. Finally, in June 2015 I am excited about returning
to work in the Music Faculty at Cambridge supported by a Wellcome Trust career re-entry fellowship. In
this project I will be exploring how listening to emotional music affects cognitive performance.
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Gert van Dijck (2012) writes:
I had the honour to become the fifth Michael and Morven Heller Research
Fellow in Computer Science in October 2012. This Fellowship gave me the unique
opportunity to work on one of the most exciting evolutions in computational
neuroscience. In particular, I have been building advanced statistical models, using
the spontaneous spike patterns from individual cells, to infer the cell type. This
is a crucial step in understanding the connectivity between and within different
brain regions. I managed to build and publish highly accurate models for cell type
identification in the Cerebellum and explored the technique in the Ventral Tegmental Area. This research
was in close collaboration with the group of St Catharine’s Fellow Dr Jeff Dalley at the Department of
Experimental Psychology and the Uchida Laboratory, Center for Brain Science, Harvard University.
In the meantime I changed my gown for a suit, as I have taken up a position in the City as a quant at
the American International Group (AIG). This might look like an unbridgeable gap, but in fact my current
work is sourced heavily from the many techniques I have learnt during my academic research. At AIG,
I have been developing advanced statistical models and leading projects on client retention and loss
estimation. Recently, I joined the front office of Goldman Sachs in London as a Securities Quant Strat.
In fact, I became extremely excited about the financial markets and as a result, on top of my heavily
loaded work week, I started studying again. This resulted in my passing part I of the FRM (Financial Risk
Manager) examination in May 2015. I hope to become a certified financial risk manager by the end of 2015.
I am very grateful to Michael and Morven Heller; my most exciting and highest impact research was
performed during my Heller Research Fellowship. It led to the foundation of models which I hope will be
continued to be used by the academic community and it extended my expertise in statistical machine
learning which I will further exploit in my professional development.
TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN (1922)
The following article is based on a presentation prepared by Tunku Farik Ismail (1986) in October 2014 for
a meeting of the Kuala Lumpur Branch of the St Catharine’s College Society. Sadly the meeting had to be
cancelled when the Chairman fell ill. The photographs are from the Malaysian National Archives and are
printed with permission; some are very poor quality.
Many of you will know Tunku Abdul Rahman as the first prime minister of Malaysia. Malaysians know
him as ‘Bapa Kemerdekaan’ (Father of Independence) – the man who won independence from the
British. However, to me, he was ‘Tok Tam’ – my granduncle. First and foremost, he was an intelligent
and educated man who spoke three languages fluently – English, Malay and Thai. His life before being
a Malaysian politician is usually passed over, but in this article I wish mainly to present some details of
Tunku’s life at St Catharine’s where he spent three important years of his life in the pursuit of a degree.
Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj ibni Almarhum Sultan Abdul Hamid Halim Shah was born in Alor
Star, Kedah (then belonging to Siam), on 8 February 1903 to Sultan Abdul Hamid, the 25th ruler of the
Kedah Sultanate, and Che Manjalara, the Sultan’s fourth wife. He was the Sultan’s seventh son, and
his elder brother was my grandfather. He was therefore a Kedahan prince by heritage. Until he went
to England in 1920, he was known as Tunku Putra and was called Putra by his father until his death,
whereas his mother and siblings called him ‘Awang’ because his dark skintone was similar to the boys
who worked in the rice fields. Cholera and malaria were common in Kedah at that time and at least
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Tunku’s lodgings at 11 Grange Road.
three of Tunku’s siblings died from cholera. He himself suffered from intermittent attacks of malaria until
he went to England in 1920.
Tunku’s formal education started when he was six at the only Malay elementary school in Alor Star;
however he was bored and often ran away from class. His mother then sent him to a small English
school when it was opened by Mohamed Iskandar. In 1913, Tunku’s eldest brother Tunku Yusuf returned
from the British Military Academy at Sandhurst in England. Realising that his younger brother was
making no progress with his studies, he brought Tunku with him to Bangkok with their mother’s
agreement. Tunku was enrolled at Debsirin School where lessons were taught in Siamese. However,
when his brother Tunku Yusuf died in 1915 of pneumonia, he was sent back to Kedah and went in 1916 to
Penang Free School, my old secondary school. It was there that a number of talented teachers inspired
him to take a keen interest in his studies and he twice obtained a double promotion. Currently, one of
the houses in Penang Free School, Tunku Putra House, is named after Tunku.
Tunku Abdul Rahman made rapid progress at the Free School and, when he was 16, his half-brother
the Prince Regent Tunku Ibrahim created a scholarship to send him to Cambridge. Tunku was sent to
England in a 9000-ton cargo vessel that carried only twelve passengers because the First World War had
ended just a year previously and passenger ships were scarce. The ship stopped at Port Swettenham in
Singapore to take on cargo and that is where my granduncle boarded. However, Port Swettenham was
very swampy and he contracted a fresh infection of malaria before he sailed. He had barely recovered
from bouts of high fever when he arrived at Tilbury on 1 June 1920.
Life in Cambridge
Tunku was taken to the small village of Little Stukeley where he lived with the Revd Edgar Vigers, the
elderly Rector of the Parish. The Rector’s wife was a chain smoker and it was here that Tunku acquired the
habit of cigarette smoking. Rural England was an entirely new experience for the young Kedah prince
and at first he spent most of his time in the company of three Siamese boys who were also living there.
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St Catharine’s Football Team 1923.
Tunku is on the extreme right.
However, he soon took up playing football with
the village boys and played regularly as a rightwinger for Little Stukeley. No one in the village
had heard of Malaya and they called him ‘Bobby’.
The Revd Vigers was not a good teacher and
after about a year Tunku realized he was making
Wearing a St Catharine’s blazer.
very little progress. It was then arranged for him
to move to Cambridge and live with Basil Atkinson, an experienced tutor who prepared Tunku to sit
for the entrance examination to Cambridge known as ‘Littlego’. He sat and passed the entrance exam
in the summer of the following year, securing high marks in all papers but one – in the English paper
he thought the international language mentioned referred to English instead of Esperanto. Tunku was
soon informed that he had been accepted as an undergraduate at St Catharine’s and had been allotted
a sitting room and bedroom in 11 Grange Road, one of the college’s registered Lodging Houses. He
remained there for the next three years. The entry in the College Admission Register reads: September
1922. (Tunku) Abdul Rahman, son of (Sultan of Kedah) Abdul Hamid. Born in Alor Star, Kedah, Malay States,
8 February, 1903. Admitted as Pensioner.
As a new undergraduate, he was required to call on the Dean to receive a brief summary of the
University regulations, one of which was wearing his gown when attending dinner or lectures and
whenever in town after dark. He also had to return to his lodgings by 10 o’clock every night or pay a fine
of one penny for each minute he was late.
The Kedah Regent had instructed Tunku to study Law at Cambridge so that he could make use of it
in the Civil Service when he returned. However, after reading the syllabus for the Honours Degree in
Law, Tunku decided to adopt a compromise, and he entered his name for a Pass (or Ordinary) Degree
comprising two years reading Law and a final year reading History.
My granduncle quickly conformed to the social habits of other young men of good family sent to
Cambridge at the time, which included wearing ultra-baggy flannel trousers. He was a gregarious
person, with both English and Siamese friends. He also visited the head cook in the College kitchen and
taught him how to prepare rice and curry in the Malay style. Tunku enjoyed playing a number of sports,
especially football and tennis. His name was entered for the Freshmen’s Soccer trial, but the organisers
dropped him when they noted that he had not played football at a public school. Later he often played
right wing for the College second eleven. In the summer, he played tennis.
Like every other undergraduate, Tunku used a bicycle as a means to get around, carrying his gown
and notebooks in the basket attached. However, in June 1923, Tunku went to the London Motor Show
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in Olympia and placed an order for the latest Riley sports car: the price was £550. He cabled his mother
for the money and she sent it, also by cable, enabling him to complete the purchase before the end
of the show. The car was delivered to his lodgings in Cambridge a few days later. It had an aluminium
body and red wings. Few undergraduates owned cars in 1923 and Tunku became widely known both
to University officials and to the local Police. The
latter issued summonses to him from time to time
for speeding in the narrow streets of the town. My
granduncle is one of the reasons undergraduates
are not allowed to keep cars today.
As a graduate student (and the first LLM
student) at St Catharine’s in 1986 I myself was
allowed to keep a car in Cambridge, but I had to
apply for the permission to do so and also for a
licence from the Motor Proctor. I was interviewed
by Dr Ron Martin, the then Tutor for Graduate
Students, and he reminded me that all the red
tape was a consequence of Tunku’s exploits.
Although my car was not a Riley, I had to disclose
the fact that it was an equally flashy red German
sports car and I had to promise not to accumulate
summonses from the local Police.
In the 1920s the University authorities strongly
disapproved of ballroom dancing. There was
only one dance hall in Cambridge called ‘The
Rendezvous’ which was often raided by the
Proctors and any undergraduates found there
were fined or punished in some other way. Tunku
was fond of dancing and he discovered that the
The 1923 Riley Sports Tourer.
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nearest alternative dance hall was at Bedford, some thirty miles away. Having a car made it easy for
Tunku to get there and he became popular with the dance hostesses. He perfected his Foxtrot and
learnt to dance the Charleston.
While he was still a student at Cambridge, Tunku Abdul Rahman applied to the Inner Temple for
permission to study law as an external student, with a view to becoming a barrister after graduating.
He told the authorities at Cambridge that he had done so and, when he wished to attend a social
engagement in London during term time, he applied for an exeat (a pass to be absent from Cambridge
for the night), giving as his reason that he had to ‘eat his dinners’ at the Inner Temple. In reality, he often
ate elsewhere in the company of friends, not lawyers.
Tunku sat for examinations in Roman, Criminal and Constitutional Law, Contract and Tort at the end of
his second year in 1924 and obtained a Pass in all subjects. In May 1925 he sat for the History examinations.
On the morning scheduled for his final paper he sat in his lodgings, concentrating on last-minute revision,
believing that this paper was to be taken the following day. A friend cycling by saw both the familiar sports
car and a bicycle outside and hurried in to tell Tunku of his mistake. Tunku rode his bicycle at top speed
to the examination hall but he was too late and was refused admission. When the results were published,
Tunku was informed that, although he had passed in the other papers, he must take the whole History
examination again in six months’ time.
Tunku decided he would head down to London for those six months and applied to the Inns of Court
for admission to the Inner Temple. In November, he drove to Cambridge to confirm his entry and to obtain
the History examination timetable. To his dismay he discovered that one paper in the History syllabus in
the new academic year had been slightly altered. Candidates were required, as before, to describe the
life of one of three world-famous people but the names of the individuals had been changed. The new
names were Julius Caesar, Napoleon and the Prophet Muhammad. Tunku hurried to Heffers bookshop,
bought a volume on the life of the Prophet and studied it in his London flat. However, when in due
course he presented himself at the hall half an
hour before the examination, he was once again
refused admission because he had not informed
the examiners in advance which of the individuals
he wished to write about. He pleaded with the
invigilators and was finally admitted. He satisfied
the examiners as a not-for-Honours candidate in
the Degree Examination in Law and History, and
was entitled to place the letters BA after his name.
Tunku then returned to Alor Star, five years after
he had left. However, he was asked to return to
London to study for the Bar examination. Sadly
he failed Part One after three years at the Inner
Temple (though he passed four out of the five
papers) and then finally returned to Kedah. It
is this period in Cambridge and London which
earned Tunku his reputation as a ‘playboy’.
After England
In 1931, Tunku Abdul Rahman was appointed a
Cadet in the Kedah Civil Service and transferred
to Kulim as Assistant District Officer. Between
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1931 and 1939, Tunku held the position of District
Officer of Padang Terap, Langkawi, Sungai Petani
and finally Kulim. He was Sungai Petani’s most
popular District Officer.
In 1939, after he had been transferred back to
Kulim, Tunku decided to return to London to resit
the Bar Examination. He passed Part One, but was
soon called back to Malaya due to World War II
to resume his duty as District Officer of Kulim.
During the Japanese occupation, Tunku was
removed from his position of authority and the
Siamese were put in charge.
After the war, Tunku applied for 18 months’
study leave and travelled back to England to
resume his law studies. When he had passed all
his exams, he sailed back to Malaya in January
1949. He was instructed to report to the State
Legal Advisor for duty as a deputy public
prosecutor. His work was routine and he spent his
days reading case files.
Tunku accepted the chairmanship of the
Kedah branch of UMNO (United Malays National
Organisation), the political party formed by Dato’ Onn Bin Jaafar. When Onn stepped down as UMNO
president in August 1951, Tunku was one of the nominees for the post and won the vote against two
other candidates. He then left his legal career to pursue politics.
As president of UMNO, Tunku spearheaded the alliance between UMNO and the Malayan Chinese
Association (MCA) in 1951, followed by an alliance between UMNO and the Malayan Indian Congress
(MIC) in 1955. His Alliance Party won a sweeping majority in the election of 1955 and my granduncle
became Chief Minister of Malaya.
In January 1956, Tunku led a mission to London to negotiate for independence, in the end securing
immediate self-government for Malaya and the promise of independence by August 1957. That promise
was kept, and Tunku became independent Malaya’s first prime minister. At midnight on 30 August 1957,
he stood at the flagpole in Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, when the Union Jack was lowered for the
last time and the new Federation flag was raised. Tunku read aloud the Proclamation of Independence.
My granduncle raised his right arm and, in the heat of the moment, proclaimed ‘Merdeka’ (Freedom)
seven times instead of the intended three.
The formation of Malaysia was one of Tunku Abdul Rahman’s greatest achievements. In 1961 he
made a speech at the Foreign Correspondents Association of Southeast Asia in Singapore, proposing a
federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak, and Brunei. On 16 September 1963, with the federation
of all these states except Brunei, Tunku Abdul Rahman was formally restyled Prime Minister of Malaysia.
However, Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew (head of the People’s Action Party) clashed with Tunku, and on
9 August 1965 Singapore became independent from Malaysia upon expulsion from the Federation.
Tunku Abdul Rahman passed away on 6 December 1990 at the age of 87. In his lifetime he received
at least ten honorary degrees from various universities, including an honorary Doctorate of Law from
Cambridge in 1960 when he was also made an Honorary Fellow of St Catharine’s, and an honorary
doctorate from Oxford in 1970.
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POSTSCRIPT FROM ALEX LING LEE SOON (1965)
Lee Kuan Yew, the first Prime Minister of Singapore, is mentioned towards the end of the above article.
Alex Ling Lee Soon (1965) knew Lee Kuan Yew through his father Tan Sri Ling Beng Siew during the
formation of Malaysia; later they became close friends during their student days at Cambridge. When
Lee Kuan Yew died in March 2015, Alex paid tribute by composing an unique eulogy in 26 stanzas
touching on Lee’s role in the formation of Malaysia and later in the transformation of the island
republic from a small regional trading hub with no natural resources into one of the world’s foremost
international financial and commercial centres. Alex says ‘The importance of history lies not only in
what happened, but in what people thought and said about it.’ He penned the eulogy with that in
mind and, though rather too long to reproduce here, it was published in full in the Borneo Post in April
2015 – see www.theborneopost.com/2015/04/12/farewell-to-a-giant-statesman/
NOT QUITE AN EPILOGUE
Keith Beavan (1953), BA Hons (Cantab) at long long last, writes:
At the June 2015 pre-graduation dinner the Master, Professor Dame Jean Thomas, remarked that the US
term ‘Commencement’ was more appropriate than Cambridge’s ‘Congregation’ for the BA conferment.
Very true for the 20-or-so-year-olds dining and about to begin their careers. Not quite so for me, a mere
59 years late in receiving the degree.
The delay from the 1956 Geographical Tripos Part II examinations to actual conferment of the honours
degree resulted from the rather picky requirement that all bills be paid off before the ceremony. And my
debt to the enabling buttery credit system for tobacco and alcohol bordered on the astronomical.
My friend Trevor Tyson (1953) – now Senior Emeritus Lecturer in Geography at Melbourne University,
Australia, – was in the same dire financial straits through the same indulgences, so we went to work as
wharfees on London’s Isle of Dogs, where the father of another friend, Colin Fitch (1953), owned a river
site. That in itself endangered our post-undergraduate life at inception, since our first-night visit to a local
docker pub was met with very antagonistic suspicion. Called to account for our unwanted presence, we
tremblingly informed our hostile interrogators that we were destitute Cantabridgeans. Fortune was fair
since the pub’s clientele were avid supporters of our alma mater in the Boat Race. If luck had cast us into
the company of supporters of the other place’s crew, this tale would probably be over right here.
Three months later we had earned sufficient to cover all our debts, me with some £15 over, just about
the amount required to pay for the actual conferment ceremony. However, I had already been hired by
the Economist. The dilemma: formally acquire the degree, which was now not a requirement for my first
job, or indulge in a very large party to celebrate emancipation. Obviously no real choice was involved.
About six years later I became nostalgic. I had left the Economist, been BBC correspondent in the West
Indies, worked for Reuters in New York and joined the United Nations (originally for three months which
somehow expanded to 30 years) where by then I had become a Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
In all resumés I had, without the slightest feelings of guilt, claimed acquirement of a Cambridge BA.
I believe that any prospective employer would have been informed that ‘Mr Beavan is of a standing
to take his BA degree’, undoubtedly read in the US as a quaint Britishism for my actually having the
putative academic qualifications. Anyway, nobody ever queried me on it.
So, early in the 1960s, I informed the College that I would that year be coming to get the degree. ‘Not
so fast,’ the conferers replied. ‘Technically you are still on the books as an undergraduate and are liable
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to a per caput tax for each of 18 (or so) terms from 1956 since you have (somewhat wildly theoretically)
remained on the College books.’ In less-than-affluent circumstances I decided I could continue to live on
in the status ‘being of a standing...’
Three years ago, having ripened to a benevolent 80, the nostalgia took hold again, so I made renewed
contact, suggesting that, out of respect for my thinning, silver locks, there might be a waiver of the
approximately 450 per caputs now in the ledgers or alternatively conferment of an honorary degree.
The alternative was sniffed at, but the Master (as could be expected from a fellow Cymric descendent)
was apparently amused and the date for a degree freebie was agreed upon, allowing me to receive it in
company with the current graduating class.
But this was not to be without further drama. The first date had to be cancelled because of a
hip replacement; the second because of a senior moment when I woke up to a worrisome cousin’s
telephone call asking where on earth my wife and I were. ‘Preparing to leave on the evening plane,’ I
replied. ‘The evening plane left on yesterday’s eve,’ he snorted. Oh well.
Eventually I arrived with wife Beth, aged, but still a graduand. First impression – what are all
these females doing here? Not only a female Master but seemingly as many other females as males
graduating. In my day females were a kind of reverse contraband. You could get them inside the
walls, but smuggling them out demanded our ingenuity and sometimes alpine skills on the part of
of the women. It seems a bit ironic that the only single-gender colleges today are a couple of female
exclusives. The other colleges surely gain by now being co-ed.
Dom, the Head Porter, who kindly took me under his wing, informed me of other changes, notably that
climbing in after curfew was a thing of the past, with most residents now having keys. In my day, passes
were required after 10pm. Not that we ever got one. Climbing back in was a more satisfying option,
after avoiding the preying Proctor and his two college-servant ‘bulldogs’, chosen as the fastest movers
for the chase and capture of ‘the gentlemen’ illegally out of college at night. My Director of Studies, the
geographer AAL Caesar, was Dean in my last year and he wagered me a bottle of sherry he would catch
me on the night of the Jazz Club Ball, which he knew I would attend without a pass. The aforementioned
Trevor Tyson and another friend, Sri Lankan Hiran Dias (1953) – Professor Emeritus of Geography, Bangkok
University – worked out a stratagem. Trevor would, at a synchronized time, go to the back gate (the most
popular climb-in site) and create a racket to lure the lurking Gus (Caesar) there. At the same time Hiran,
who had a second-storey room overlooking Trumpington Street, tossed down knotted sheets so I could
clamber in. Mission accomplished and one bottle of sherry less on the buttery account.
Gus was a fabulous teacher, focused solely on educating his current flock while ignoring the ‘Publish
or Perish’ dictum. He wrote no books but was so renowned as a teacher that he rated a two-column
obituary in the Times.
I was a bad example as far as lectures were concerned; too many other social, acting (Cats Kittens)
and athletic (mainly rugby) activities, plus bridge games late into the dawn (I avoid bridge these days
by a well-rehearsed overbidding technique which drives away the most insistent demands to make up
a four). I shocked my pre-graduation dinner companions by confessing to going to only eight lectures
in three years – six in my first year and one each in the two others. The six were before I realized that
going to lectures was not compulsory, the last because Gus had somewhat testily said it would be nice if
I attended at least one of his lectures, so I reluctantly went to just one. I’m not sure why I went to one in
the second year. Must have got lost.
But… I never missed a supervision; the unique, and obviously expensive, but so effective, method
of education in these parts. Gus taught me to think. And I had wonderful friends (all taking first-class
degrees) who took exhaustive notes and shared these without cost.
So I came back and am now a graduate – not that my family is impressed. My daughter, MA,
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© GRADUATION SERVICES, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
emailed ‘Thank God. You are no longer a family
embarrassment’ while my son, PhD, sent ‘Don’t
care about the degree; can you remember what
time your flight back is?’ My wife, double MA, has
said little but maintains a very obviously superior
demeanour while I expound on my experience
to friends, including the late awareness that I
was wearing odd socks at the ceremony. (If that
is broadcast our poor Praelector will be fined a
couple of bottles of port for dereliction in bringing
along an improperly dressed graduand. Since I
was also so concerned about being able to get up
from my knees on the cushion before the acting
Vice-Chancellor that I forgot the obligatory bow,
he probably already owes a tun.)
To conclude: Many, many thanks to my young fellow graduands, the Master, the Praelector and other
dons, and Dom, for making me so welcome and giving this geriatric and his wife such a wonderful
few days. So many of the new graduates, apparently believing that I was a contemporary of Robert
Woodlark, insisted on introducing me to their parents at the garden party, though I have a suspicion
that they were saying ‘Mom, Dad, you thought I was bad... take a look at this one.’
And especially to Elaine Hurrell who patiently arranged everything (twice, with the missed plane).
I am now fired up to coming back for the MA. The Master and I had hoped it would be during her
tenure since she thought the time elapsing for the taking of it rested with the matriculation date not
that of graduation and therefore the two-year requirement passage would even now already have
been met. Unfortunately, while that is the time frame, starting at matriculation, it is also decreed that at
least two years must also have elapsed since the BA was conferred. When I emailed Elaine that I hoped I
would live two years longer to meet that requirement she succinctly replied ‘That would be very helpful.’
I love this place.
COLLEGE SOCIETIES DURING THE GREAT WAR
Lizzy Ennion-Smith (the College Archivist) writes:
To follow on from last year’s article about the use of St Chad’s as a Red Cross Hospital during the Great
War, this year I have been looking into the activities of the students who remained at St Catharine’s for
part of the period. Many students volunteered for the army at the start of the War, and conscription
was introduced in January 1916, but there were still students wanting to come up. Either they were not
quite 18, and thought it sensible to matriculate and study until being called up (and it was possible to
join the ‘B’ Company of the Cambridge University Officer Training Corps if you were under 18 or over
the conscription age), or they were overseas students, often from Asia. 42 students matriculated in the
year 1913–14. War was declared in early August 1914, so many students who might have been expected
to arrive at College in October never came. 26 students matriculated in 1914–15, and the same number
again in 1915–16. But in 1916–17, numbers dropped to 12. They began to rise again in 1917–18, to 18, and
then 32 in 1918–19, by which time the end of the War was in sight. In 1919–20 the number of matriculands
rose dramatically, to 101.
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Few Fellows were around to teach during the War; many of those who remained in Cambridge,
such as FM Rushmore, were heavily involved in the Cambridge University Officer Training Corps. Some
Fellows took on more than one office; Revd WT Southward was Tutor, Lecturer in Theology and in Music,
and Chaplain.
With so few students, many College clubs and societies simply ceased their activities. A note in the
Boat Club Minute Book for October 1914 reads: ‘This term started under the most unhappy circumstances
owing to the war. Freshmen were not quite so numerous and the members of other years were
considerably in the minority when their numbers are combined with last year.’ The minutes begin again
in February 1919, when it is noted that an effort was being made by FM Rushmore to restart rowing, with
a boat sent to the March 1919 CUBC races. College games were much reduced too, but Professor Steers,
the noted Geographer who came up in 1916, recalled that some rugby was played on the University Field
on Grange Road. The College swimming pool, a small tank ten by five or six yards, on the site of today’s
John’s Building in Sherlock Court, was not, as far as memories serve, used during the War.
The College Music Society lasted into 1915, but its May Week Concert of 1915 was a subdued event. The
minutes record that owing to the War it was a sombre affair, unlike the previous year when ‘Quartettes
[were] sung under the archway during the interval’ and, owing to the fine decorations and quantity of
refreshments, the interval lasted over an hour. In 1915 the ‘evening was divested of all festivity which
would be out of place at such a time’. The concert finished with Last Post – a poem by WE Henley about
the Boer War, set to music by Charles Stanford in 1900. The Music Society would not meet again until
3 February 1919, when a concert in the Chapel was discussed.
One Society that did flourish throughout the War was the Debating Society. The first debate of
Michaelmas Term 1914 proposed the motion: This house is of the opinion that Europe will emerge from
the present war physically, morally and in every way improved. It was carried 17 to 11, with 3 abstentions.
Later in the term the following proposition was offered: Though earnestly desiring the speedy defeat and
adequate punishment of the German nation, this House would deplore any attempt to reduce Germany to
a position of comparative insignificance among the powers of Europe and the world in general. This was
Matriculation photograph, featuring FM Rushmore in military uniform, October 1916.
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A view of the College just before war broke out.
carried 13 to 9. Perhaps the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Cambridge before the War, with students
from all over the world in attendance, meant anti-German feelings were moderated, certainly in the
early stages of a War that was initially expected to last only a few months. For part of the War, the
Debating Society was presided over by two of the overseas students: Ibrahim Rashad, an Egyptian who
came up in 1917 to study Agriculture and later Economics; and JA Brito from Colombo, Sri Lanka, who
studied History. To ensure a good audience the Society usually joined with one or two other colleges,
and Fellows were invited. On several occasions there were ladies present, provided chaperones could
be found. The first such documented occurrence was on 14 November 1917, when Mrs Southward
expressed the thanks of the ladies for being invited. On 4 December, the meeting was held in the dining
hall for the first time, debating the motion: The barrier existing between the female and male members
of the university should be removed. Five ladies delivered speeches during the debate, two from Girton
and three from Newnham. The motion was carried by 31 to 6, and during the closing remarks and vote
of thanks it was hoped that further debates including women would occur. It is somewhat ironic that
just four years later, when a vote was taken in the University on whether to award degrees to female
students, it was defeated. Debates ran throughout the War, with many motions having a ‘war’ theme.
Little is known of what happened to other societies during the War. May Balls began again in 1920,
and the Midnight Howlers (a revue society known for College-inspired humorous songs) was formed in
1921. The Shirley Society first met in this year too, and the John Ray Society formed shortly afterwards.
Most of the sporting clubs, and the Boat Club, restarted in 1919 or 1920, when numbers began to rise as
old students returned and new students arrived again in significant numbers.
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SECOND WORLD WAR POETS AT ST CATHARINE’S
Michael Copp (2000) writes:
When I was compiling my anthology, Cambridge Poets of the Great War (Associated University Presses,
2001) I was disappointed at not being able to find anyone from St Catharine’s who had written war
poems. However, with 2015 marking the 70th anniversary since the end of the Second World War, I
have managed, with more success this time, to identify seven men who wrote war poems about this
later conflict. The poems that the St Catharine’s men wrote vary markedly in quality. All the poets listed
below published at least one volume of poetry, and among them Davie, Dickinson and Bayliss stand out
as the most accomplished. These last two also appear in various anthologies of Second World War poets.
The poems that Horace Wyatt included in his book, Jersey in Jail 1940–45, cannot be claimed to be great
poetry, but they do reflect the historical circumstances of Wyatt’s war experience. The book as a whole is
a noteworthy and valuable document of the severe hardships that the Jersiais had to endure under the
five years of repressive occupation by the Germans. The really worthwhile parts of the book are the nine
‘Unposted Letters’ that Wyatt wrote charting the miseries that he and the rest of the population had
to endure, supplemented by the accompanying drawings by another trapped inhabitant of Jersey, the
distinguished artist and book illustrator, Edmund Blampied.
Donald Davie (1922–95) Educated at Barnsley Holgate Grammar School.
Came up to St Catharine’s in 1940 to read English. Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Naval
Volunteer Reserve, 1941–46. Poet, critic and anthologist, he held senior university
appointments in Dublin, California, Cambridge, Cincinnati and Essex. Professor of
Humanities, Vanderbilt University, Tennessee, 1978–88.
Midnight
Reported Missing
May 7th 1945
Thunder gathers all the sky,
Tomorrow night a war will end,
Men their natural deaths may die
And Cain shall be his brother’s friend.
With broken wing they limped across the sky
caught in late sunlight, with their gunner dead,
one engine gone, – the type was out of date, –
blood on the fuselage turning brown from red:
From the lethal clouds of lead
Thickening hatred shall descend
In fruitful rain upon the head:
Tomorrow night a war will end.
Thunder, mock not Abel’s cry:
Let this symbolic storm expend
The sum of man’s malignity!
– And Cain shall be his brother’s friend.
There are no words to be said:
Let the future recommend
The living to the luckless dead.
Tomorrow night a war will end.
Patric Dickinson
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knew it was finished, looking at the sea
which shone back patterns in kaleidoscope
knew that their shadow would meet them by the way,
close and catch at them, drown their single hope:
sat in this tattered scarecrow of the sky
hearing it cough, the great plane catching
now the first dark clouds upon her wing-base, –
patching the great tear in evening mockery.
So two men waited, saw the third dead face,
And wondered when the wind would let them die.
John Bayliss
Horace Wyatt (1876–1954) Educated at Malvern College. Came up to St Catharine’s in 1895 to read
Mathematics. Head of Engineering at Seafield Park College 1901–1905. Spent the whole of the Second
World War in German-occupied Jersey.
Thomas Rice Henn (1901–74) Educated at Aldenham School, Hertfordshire. Came up to St Catharine’s
in 1919 to read Modern and Medieval Languages. Worked for Burmah Oil Co., 1923–25. Fellow of
St Catharine’s, 1926–69. Joined the Welch Regiment, commissioned in 1940, a Brigadier on the General
Staff in 1945. Served in France and Italy.
Jon Manchip White (1924–2013) Came up to St Catharine’s in 1943 to read English. Served in the Royal
Navy and the Welsh Guards. Member of the Foreign Service 1952–56. In 1967 appointed Associate
Professor in English Literature at Texas University, El Paso. Poet, novelist and writer on Ancient Egypt.
Edward Loring Black (1915–2005) Educated at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School. Came up to
St Catharine’s in 1933 to read English and History. A schoolmaster before joining the Royal Air Force.
Served in India as a Flight Lieutenant. Writer on English Language and Literature.
Patric Dickinson (1914–94) Born Nasirabad, India. Came up to St Catharine’s
in 1933 to read Classics and English. Golf blue. Served in Artists’ Rifles, 1939–40,
invalided out after a severe accident. Worked for the BBC as producer and poetry
editor, 1942–48. Critic, dramatist, poet, translator and broadcaster. Professor of
Rhetoric, City University of London, 1964–67. Cholmondeley Award for Poetry,
1973.
John Bayliss (1919–2008) Educated at Latymer Upper School. Literary editor of
Granta. Came up to St Catharine’s in 1937 to read English. Flight Lieutenant, Royal
Air Force, serving in India. Assistant Principal, Colonial Office, 1946–49. Editor
for publishers Macmillan & Co., 1949–52. With Northern Rhodesia & Nyasaland
Publications Bureau in Lusaka, 1952–59.
THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT: DEVON QUARTER SESSIONS
Marianne Brooker (2011) writes:
The Devon Quarter Sessions records form a complete and unbroken series which dates from 1592 until
the courts were abolished in 1971, and is the only uninterrupted series of such records in the country. A
grant enabled a cataloguing scheme to be developed to provide a detailed listing of the boxed Sessions
records dating from 1734 to 1747. For two days a week over the three-month long vacation between
finishing my undergraduate degree in English in 2014 and beginning an MPhil in Eighteenth Century
Studies, I assisted Dr John Booker, a volunteer palaeographer and archivist who has taken over the
cataloguing of later documents since the close of the year-long funded project.
Participation enabled me to develop a working knowledge of archival practices and software, as
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well as an understanding of how to handle, store and read eighteenth-century manuscripts and official
documents. I also received some informal teaching in seventeenth century secretary hand.
Having just graduated with a degree in English, suddenly not being able to read induced a very
particular kind of shock. It took a long fortnight of scanning the twists and flicks of handwriting with
my fingers along coiling parchment before these documents meant anything to me at all. The making
or breaking of meaning lay in the ‘accidentals’ of any given hand or manipulation of a stock turn of
phrase; I had a sudden sympathy for those academics who had just made their way through my hurried
exam scripts.
I was responsible for working through documents from 1751–3, the majority of which were
recognisances (bonds to ensure the appearances of defendants, prosecutors and witnesses at court)
and presentments (a JP statement against the defendant outlining the case to the court) which followed
– by and large – a predictable form.
A great many cases related to accusations of assault (often battery until ‘Life was disposed of’),
prostitution (of women of ‘ill Name, Fame and Conversation’) and theft (of cattle, chattels and any
number of pesky, obsolete nouns). But there were also cases of those who spoke ‘profane oaths’
‘wickedly, maliciously, and seditiously’, frequent calls upon men to assist in the maintenance of ‘bastard’
children, and many accusations of the ‘slocking’ or enticement of an apprentice out of another man’s
service. I read about women ‘drinking, tippling, whoring and misbehaving’ who escaped conviction
when tried by local men. Once I was the first person to break open a 250-year-old letter. And I read
about vagabonds and pirates.
‘Wrappers’ would detail the whole range of court bureaucracy, while ‘notices’ and ‘examinations’ would
provide real insight into judicial process: excuses from those who couldn’t partake in jury duty (often
because of gout), detailed coroners’ reports, and convoluted defences. I could follow single cases from
their inception in a JP’s parlour to the verdict sheet, which often sent thieves to the colonies or exacted
large fines. And as the months rolled round the quarters (Epiphany, Easter, Midsummer, Michaelmas)
crime-prone names and parishes would pop up again and again. As I struggled to make out faded,
shaken words, I noticed print just begin to move in and Latinate phrases and syntax just begin to move
out. These texts, in their material fragility and long-neglected, strung-together bundles, gave a sense of
mid-eighteenth-century life as it was lived by real people in a way I had not encountered before.
The pace and focus of my part in the project changed with my increasing familiarity. Soon I was
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scanning for key details with haste and without trouble, and picking up on textual nuances and deviations
from the pro forma where they occurred. I remained fascinated by illiterate signatures, odd turns of phrase
and cracked red wax seals wherever they popped up. I had planned to spend a short time archiving and
quickly move on to an independent research project, probably gathering data about female violent crime.
But as the summer moved on and the long commute became hotter and busier, I found myself wanting
to carry on reading, to follow cases through to their completion and to cross the finish line into distant
1754 (unfortunately, I didn’t quite manage the latter). I was intrigued by archival habits and precedents,
and with how these fragments found their way onto a searchable, open-access online catalogue. The
project offered me a unique insight into local history, while the centre offered practical support as I set up
an exhibition of rare books at a local estate. More than that, it was a timely reminder that when reading is
hardest and most eye-straining the narrative is often of the most importance.
AMERICAN FOOTBALL AND CHEERLEADING
American Football is the fastest-growing sport in the UK, and the university football scene is expanding
rapidly. The Cambridge University Pythons (CUPAFC) is a relatively new club, having existed in its
present form only since 2011. However it has a strong winning ethos and competes against – and
regularly beats – teams from universities with a much larger football programme.
This season, the team was ~60% rookies, and the team’s fortunes were uncertain. But a large Catz
contingent bolstered the ranks: PhD student Richard Alloway, 2nd-year James Digby and fresher Daniil
Mirosh all joined, encouraged on by Catz Bar Manager and special team coach Craig Driver!
The year saw wins against the Kent Falcons, ARU Rhinos, Canterbury Chargers, UEA Pirates, Essex
Blades and (woohooo!) the Oxford Lancers. Some of the matches were tough, gritty games played out
in freezing downpours; some were relatively easy (the Canterbury match especially was a highlight, with
the game being called off at half time with the score 58–0!). With only one loss to our name (against
a tough Oxford Brooks Panthers side) and the best defensive record in our division, we won the East
Conference Championship, and progressed into the ‘Southern Bowl’ where the finely-honed Surrey
Stingers put an end to our winning streak (by ‘finely-honed’, I mean ‘massive’).
The ‘Varsity Bowl’ match against Oxford was definitely one of the highlights. It was held under the
floodlights at Grange Road, in front of hundreds of supporters. The Cambridge Cougars (the university
cheerleading team) took part, whipping up the support of the crowd – sort of – and the match was reported
live over CamFM and streamed on YouTube. The atmosphere was electric, and the game was played hard
and fast. Oxford are traditionally the weaker team, but refused to give any ground without a fight. Rich
Alloway tucked his flowing locks into his helmet and smashed away their linemen, James Digby danced
through their defence for a 62-yard touchdown, and Daniil Mirosh threw his Russian bulk at their running
offence. The game was won 16–0, and the team celebrated through their bruises in true Pythons style.
American football is an exciting sport to play in Cambridge; donning the full pads and helmet feels
absolutely awesome, and the team spirit is immense (both on the field and in Fez). We’re a successful
team, losing only two matches this year and winning our conference, and there’s every reason for this
success to continue next season. It is also unique among high-contact sports in that both men and
women can play: it is not ‘mixed’ as such, it just refuses to discriminate based on gender, and the girls
who play for us train just as hard, run just as far and take just as many hits as the guys.
Plus, after a hard-fought match, Craig might just slip you a free drink in the bar…
#gopythons! – James Digby and Richard Alloway
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When you tell someone that you do cheerleading, often the first thing they ask is ‘So do you have
pom poms?’ or ‘Do you cheer at sports games?’ but these stereotypes are a far cry from competitive
cheerleading, which involves performing an individually choreographed routine against other teams of
a similar level of skill. Each routine is two and a half minutes long and, in any order, comprises stunting
(where a base group of one to four people lift or throw another person, the flyer, into the air), a pyramid
section (where the stunt groups join together), tumbling (gymnastics skills), jumps (such as pike and
straddle), and a dance section, all scored separately by a panel of judges. Routines range from level one
to six depending on the difficulty of the stunts and tumbling, and all-girl and co-ed teams (men can
make up over half of the people in the top teams!) compete separately. One can also compete in partner
and group stunts (shorter routines of stunting only) or in dance routines in various styles.
In the UK, cheerleading is growing in popularity at a rapid pace: there are now five companies
organising several weekend long competitions a year, almost all universities have a cheerleading team,
it is taught now at many schools, and there are a host of all-star teams (not based at school or university),
some competing at levels equivalent to the best of the USA (and competing there internationally). Plus,
Team England managed an impressive 6th place at the international competition this year.
The University of Cambridge Cheerleading team, ‘The Cambridge Cougars’, was founded in 2009, since
when it gone from strength to strength, with over 50 people coming to try-outs for the past season
for a 25–30 person team. Over the years we have had various group stunts and dance teams compete
alongside the main team, and have supported the American football, cricket and rugby teams at
respective varsities with some side-of-the-pitch stunting. As is to be expected of a university club there is
an active social side to the team, with regular dinners, film nights and swaps with other sports teams.
The University cheerleading year starts at the Freshers’ Fair, where we eagerly recruit new members (by
contrast with many university sports, you don’t have to have any previous experience) after which we hold
a couple of taster sessions then try-outs. Everything has to move quite fast: with only eight-week terms and
roughly 50 counts of eight to choreograph and learn (no two people will do the same thing throughout
the course of a routine), there is a lot to cover before the first competition! We have two to three training
sessions a week, all compulsory – if one person from a stunt group is missing, no one in that group can
practise. We normally spend over an hour stunting and learning the stunt section, and spend the rest of the
time practising jumps, learning dance and perfecting gymnastics moves. We compete twice a year, in the
spring, but sadly after this we are limited to a few fun sessions (including the popular ‘bring a boy’ sessions)
before the stress of exams takes over. We have achieved great success in competitions over the years, with
regular top three placings and currently an unbeaten Varsity record against Oxford since our first meeting
three years ago, something not a lot of teams in Cambridge can boast.
I myself have been a member of the Cougars for five years and have been president twice, in my
second year and the end half of the past year. It’s safe to say that I love the sport, and my time at
Cambridge would have been very different without it. I could promote cheerleading endlessly. It is
excellent exercise, working many muscle groups and improving flexibility and cardiovascular fitness.
It encourages teamwork, dedication, trust, and a real sense of purpose, as everyone in the team is
vitally important – if someone is not there, someone else will be affected (especially if the one who’s
missing needs to catch someone!). I’m sure it’s partly due to this that I have some brilliant friends
from cheerleading, who I will cherish dearly for the rest of my life. Those two and a half minutes on
the competition floor are some of the best of the year for me: a true physical and mental workout,
exhilarating and fun, and a major reason that I and many others on the team come back year after year.
Jemima Lane
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A TOKEN OF CONCRETE AFFECTION
Fellow Geoffrey Kantaris, Director of the Centre of Latin American Studies, writes:
There is an intriguing passage in a book on concrete and kinetic poetry published in 1968, which reads
as follows: ‘There are now so many kinds of experimental poetry being labeled “concrete” that it is
difficult to say what the word means. In an article in The Lugano Review (1966), the English critic Mike
Weaver, who organized The First International Exhibition of Concrete and Kinetic Poetry in Cambridge
in 1964, distinguishes three types of concrete poetry: visual (or optic), phonetic (or sound) and kinetic
(moving in a visual succession)’ (Concrete Poetry: A World View, Indiana University Press). The ‘First
International Exhibition of Concrete and Kinetic Poetry’ mentioned here turns out to have taken place in
our very own Rushmore Room, from 28 November to 5 December 1964, organized by Stephen Bann, Reg
Gadney (1962), Philip Steadman and Mike Weaver. The St Catharine’s Society Magazine from 1964 has
this brief mention in the archives of the Shirley Society: ‘Reg Gadney gave an introductory explanation
of Kinetics, in the glowing presence of one of his “Light Mobiles”’.
While little documentation remains, we do know that over ninety works were shown at the weeklong exhibition, and that these were poems (often in the form of mobiles, pop-ups, and other poetic/
kinetic sculptures) sent from all over the world, but with a predominance of Brazilian works authored by
some now-famous names such as Augusto de Campos, Haroldo de Campos, Pedro Xisto and members
of the Noigandres group. Brazil was, prior to the dictatorship in March 1964, experiencing an explosion
of artistic innovation that accompanied the new spirit of social and industrial modernization. It is no
coincidence that the first concrete poetry manifesto was entitled The Pilot Plan for Concrete Poetry, and
that ‘Plano Piloto’ was the name of the scheme to build a completely new capital city, Brasilia.
Half a century after this pioneering exhibition, the Centre of Latin American Studies (CLAS) put on
a commemorative retrospective of Concrete Poetry, curated by Bronaċ Ferran working closely with
Stephen Bann, and displaying rarely seen material from Bann’s personal collection. The opening 50thanniversary event took place on 28 November 2014 in CLAS, at which Professor Stephen Bann gave a
fascinating talk recounting the background to the original exhibition, prefaced by some words from Phil
Steadman. A follow-up Symposium, Concrete Poetry – International Exchanges, was held on 14 February
2015, accompanying an exhibition at Kettle’s Yard on the poetry and art of Ian Hamilton Finlay (the wellknown Scottish concrete poet) curated by Stephen Bann.
COURTESY JULIE COIMBRA
‘Poemobiles’: Augusto de Campos & Julio Plaza
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One typewritten manifesto-poem in the commemorative exhibition describes the contemporary
‘Epoch’ in the following terms, and can give a sense of the vivid avant-garde spirit of the time: ‘Everyday
images becoming acronyms: | poetry to be seen without words (semiotics). | painting which is only
structure (serial geometrification) | pictures becoming blueprints | noise (industrial) elevated to the
category of music | the electronic computer as a musical investigation’ (crudely translated from the
Portuguese, Grupo Poema Processo, 1967). The concrete poets themselves, however, would be the first
to say that no art form is ever just the expression of social or economic developments, but constitutes
a critical reflection on them. The original meaning of poetry, poiesis in Greek, means ‘making’, an
action that transforms and continues the world, and concrete poetry while being in touch with the
contemporary industrial, mass media and computational paradigms, also takes poetry back to its roots
by remaking the world, and causing us to rethink the relationship between words, images and objects.
Research by Anna Rhodes, a student at the School
of Arts, Languages and Cultures at the University
of Manchester, has revealed that a picture in the
West Park Museum in Macclesfield represents
St Catharine. Anna writes ‘When the painting
came into the Museum’s collection in 1898 it
was titled The Virgin Mary Releasing a Soul from
Purgatory at the Intercession of King David. This
had never been questioned and the panel was
displayed throughout much of the last century
with this interpretation. My research shows the
painting to actually depict Saint Catherine and
the burning philosophers and to originate from
the Nuremberg region of Germany.’ Those familiar
with the story of our St Catharine will recall that
the Emperor Maxentius had the philosophers
who failed to refute Catharine’s arguments
burned. Anna continues ‘It became apparent
that the panel was very unusual and deserved to
be conserved and put back on display.’ The 15th
century panel is the Museum’s oldest painting.
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REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION OF MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY
PAINTING OF ST CATHARINE ‘DISCOVERED’
IN MACCLESFIELD
NOTES & DATES
GILLIAN SANDFORD
Dates of Full Term
Society Branch Membership
Michaelmas 2015: 6 October – 4 December
Lent 2016: 12 January – 11 March
Easter 2016: 19 April – 10 June
In the UK the Society has 11 branches; members are advised
of local events within each branch based on their home
postcode. Anyone who wishes to be included in more than
one branch email list should advise the Society webmaster
by email to [email protected].
Society Magazine
News for inclusion in the Magazine should be sent to the
Editor at the College (tel: 01223 338303, email: editor@
caths.cam.ac.uk) as early in the year as possible; material
received after August will normally be held over to the
following year.
Society President’s Reception
To mark his Presidency, Society President Guy Beringer
QC (1973, Fellow Commoner 2008) is hosting a Reception
in Inner Temple Hall on 14 June 2016 from 6:30pm to
8:30pm. Further details and booking arrangements
for this and other Society events can be found via
www.caths.cam.ac.uk/events.
The Governing Body hosts regular invitation dinners:
2 April 2016: 1982–1984
17 September 2016: 1967–1970
1 April 2017: 1999–2001
16 September 2017: 1975–1978
March/April 2018: 1979–1981
September 2018: 1985–1987
March/April 2019: 1988–1990
September 2019: 1957–1962
Hospitality
Donations to the Old Members’ Sports (generating
grants for students) or the Society’s General Fund
(funding the Society as well as student grants)
are welcomed. The Treasurer can be contacted at
[email protected] and on 01223 338 357.
All St Catharine’s alumni (former undergraduate and
graduate students) who are not currently in statu pupillari
in residence (i.e. not current students) if they have taken
their MA (approximately six years after matriculation for an
undergraduate course) or graduated from a postgraduate
course (Master’s, PGCE, LLM, MBA, PhD and so on) may
dine at High Table once a term during Full Term only.
Eligibility should be confirmed and arrangements for
attending made through Alumni and Development
Office staff (01223 748164) who will liaise with the College
President to ensure High Table will take place. Dining
under these circumstances is only possible providing at
least one Fellow has previously booked in to dine on the
date you wish to attend. There is no dinner on Saturdays
and availability on other weekdays may vary.
Career Link
Guest Room
The Society’s web-based service aims to assist
St Catharine’s students in exploring possible career paths.
Alumni willing to help as advisers and mentors can find
further details on the Society website.
A Guest Room in College, designated for the use of
Members and their spouses, is available at a modest charge
for a maximum of two consecutive nights. It may be booked
through the Porters’ Lodge (telephone 01223 338 300).
Society Committee Officers and Membership
Car Parking
Anyone who wishes to be recommended by the Committee
for election at an Annual General Meeting should write
to the Society Secretary (email:society.secretary@caths.
cam.ac.uk) before the end of February, including a short
statement of background and the reason for interest in the
Committee’s work. This will enable the Spring meeting of
the Committee to consider each person against anticipated
vacancies and the need to encourage a diverse Committee
profile, in order to make suitable recommendations to the
AGM. If anyone wishes to be considered for election at the
AGM without a Committee recommendation he/she may
write to the Secretary to that effect at any time up to 21 days
prior to the date of the AGM.
We regret that the College cannot provide parking. There
are a number of car parks in town, or pay and display
on many roads, as well as Park and Ride buses. More
information can be obtained from the Porters or via the
Council website at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
The Society’s Annual Dinner and AGM
Saturday 24 September 2016.
Further details on the website and the Wheel in 2016.
Members are strongly encouraged to book via the website
www.caths.cam.ac.uk/events wherever possible. Material
for the AGM will be placed separately on the Society
website under ‘Events’.
Donations
144
College Reunion Dinners
Society Matters
All enquiries on Society matters, other than those for
the Magazine Editor or the Treasurer, should be made
in the first instance to the Secretary at College, email:
[email protected], otherwise to the
Alumni and Development Office on 01223 338337 or
[email protected].

2015 Society Magazine - Cambridge in America

Transcription

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