Newsletter of Darwin College Summer 2003 Blue Plaque DARWIN COLLEGE LECTURE SERIES 2003 commemorates DNA: Changing Science and Society Gwen Raverat MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology Alec Jeffreys, Onora O’Neill, Dorothy Bishop, Malcolm Grant, Aaron Klug, Ron Laskey, Robert Winston, Svante Pääbo One delightful feature of this year’s which genetic errors give rise to One of the first blue plaques to be put Lecture Series was the precision with cancers. Less obvious applications of up by Cambridge City Council was which it marked the anniversary of its the discovery came with Alec Jeffreys’ unveiled on the Silver Street side of subject: the discovery of the structure story of his own development of Newnham Grange at a ceremony on of DNA. The eight weeks of the series genetic finger-printing, and Svante 14th March 2003. The unveiling was neatly covered the period, just 50 Pääbo’s equally authoritative talk on the performed by Mrs Sophie Gurney, years earlier, between Crick and archaeological use of ancient DNA. No daughter of Gwen Raverat with several Watson’s crucial visit to Wilkins and less remarkable was Dorothy Bishop’s other members of the Darwin family in Franklin and the writing of their revelation of the contribution of genetic attendance. It was followed by a highly seminal paper. The accompanying analysis to the understanding of illuminating talk on Raverat by her interest in the subject in the press and language formation. The broader social biographer, Frances Spalding, and by television provided a welcome implications of the discovery were also dinner in college. background to an exceptionally given due weight. Onora O’Neill successful series. The main lecture hall provided a pellucid discussion of the was always full and on two occasions ethical issues it raised. This led the overflow hall overflowed as well. smoothly into Malcolm Grant’s account A unique account of the discovery of the socio-legal problems involved in itself was provided by Aaron Klug, regulating biotechnology and in illustrated with hitherto unpublished mobilising an appropriate public extracts from Rosalind Franklin’s debate. The Series as a whole provided notebooks. Medical applications were a quite exceptionally accessible and explored in two of the talks. The rounded discussion of the transmission of genetic defects from consequences of that discovery 50 A gathering of Darwin family members at the drinks reception to mark the unveiling of the blue plaque. parent to child and its treatment were years ago. It will be published by CUP From left to right: Mrs Sophie Gurney, daughter of Gwen Raverat; discussed by Robert Winston. The in the autumn. Mrs Erasmus Darwin Barlow; Dr Erasmus Darwin College’s own Ron Laskey talked of the Willie Brown Barlow and Mr William Prior, son of Sophie Gurney. Master The picture on the table is a self- emerging understanding of the way in portrait by Gwen Raverat. Inside Darwin and its Architects 2-3 Boat Club News 5 ‘A Small Rain’ 9 Darwin Achievements 2-3 Excavations in Ziyaret 6 The Gospel Book of St Augustine 9 The Mozart of Philosophy? 4 Darwinian Pairings and Descendants 6 Obituaries 10-11 Darwinian Reunion in Chiba, Japan 4 News from the College Library 7 Cambridge Alumni Weekend 12 New solution to a smelly problem 5 Was Newton a genius? 8 From the Emails 12 2 Grange and its associated buildings in illustrated at Darwin by the drawing of Darwin the 19th century. He commissioned J. J. the site, which is extended the full length Stevenson, a leading London architect, of Silver Street to link the college to the to make alterations to create a home for core of the city. and its the Darwin family. Much of his work, including his picturesque transformation of the Old Granary, survives today. On architects: the foundation of the college in the 1960s Howell, Killick, Partridge and Amis the work of designed the Rayne Building and the Jeremy Dixon & dining hall and this work was quickly followed by David Roberts’ addition to Edward Jones Newnham Grange which overlooks the croquet lawn. Since the 13th century the buildings of By the end of the 1980s there was a the university and the colleges have pressing need for more accommodation fundamentally shaped the physical form on the main site. The growth of the and character of Cambridge. The great library and the increasing need for set pieces, such as King’s chapel and computing facilities led to the the Wren Library in Trinity, demonstrate development of a brief for a Study that patronage of the art of architecture Centre on the old kitchen garden. is a significant, if secondary, function of Following an architectural competition, the university. This tradition continues in Jeremy Dixon and Edward Jones were the present day and, from its foundation, appointed as architects. Darwin quickly established a proud Dixon and Jones had met when they record as a supporter of the best of were students at the Architectural contemporary architectural practice. Association in London at the end of the The recent publication of a 1950s. Early in their careers they were monograph on the work of Jeremy Dixon notable members of a group of young and Edward Jones (1), offers an British architects whose work attracted opportunity to review this aspect of critical acclaim. Following a period of college life and, particularly, to consider independent practice their present Dixon and Jones’ contribution to it. partnership was established in 1989. The commission for the Darwin Study Background Centre was won at just that moment and The site at Silver Street has enjoyed a played a key rôle in the development of distinguished architectural history since their design philosophy. Sir George Darwin acquired Newnham The Study Centre Jeremy Dixon has written that the project, along with their design for the Henry Moor Institute in Leeds, “…represents a moment at which the style and direction of the work changes. …it might be said that the manner is a ‘style for the job’ rather than a ‘style for the practice’.” A consistent element of this engagement with the specific nature of each project is the manner in which Jeremy Dixon (right) and Darwin College, Location Plan Edward Jones the context of the site is studied. This is Dr Karalyn Patterson (Fellow) has been into civilian employment and support Darwinian elected a Fellow of the Academy of them in personal development on Medical Sciences. the way. Achievements Peter Brindle (Bursar and Fellow) Rend Shakir (1996-97) was a has been elected a Fellow of the finalist for Businesswoman of the Year Institute of Directors. This honour was in the Cambridge Evening News in recognition his work in setting up a Business Excellence Awards in company to help service personnel recognition of her work with the 3 Edward Jones describes the building in the following terms, “From Wordsworth Grove it is seen as a large semi-detached house, consistent with the Edwardian semi-detached houses in the street, with two entrance courts set behind a 2.5 metre high garden wall and mature trees. On the other hand, facing Frank Young House: south front projects. The restoration and extension of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden was triumphantly completed in Study Centre: river front detail 2000. The same year saw the opening of The over-riding objective of the their additions to the National Portrait design was to make an appropriate and Gallery. At Somerset House the new agreeable place in which to study. café, bridge and fountains have Jeremy Dixon writes, “The idea was to transformed the courtyard of Somerset make the whole interior as if it was an into one of London’s most congenial extended piece of furniture all in the public spaces. They are now working on same material—English oak. The a project at the National Gallery as a bookcase becomes the wall; the furniture further major contribution to the cultural becomes the frame and the structure; heart of the capital. Their beautifully the floor is the same as the façade.” Frank Young House, site plan constructed design for the Said Summerfield, the building transforms into Business School at Oxford was Frank Young House the image of a single villa set in its own completed in 2001. Following the success of Darwin’s first arcadian landscape, with a terrace, The creation of a work of architecture collaboration with Dixon and Jones, the balcony and loggia forming a grandstand is a collaborative enterprise. At its heart project for a new residential building to the sporting life beyond.” is the relationship of client and architect. began in 1992. Again the question of Since the completion of these All those who played some part in the context was significant. As the site plan buildings for Darwin, the Dixon Jones realisation of these Darwin projects can shows, the building makes a particular practice has been responsible for a testify to the pleasure of the experience. response to its suburban setting. number of significant architectural The architects speak with particular appreciation of the day-to-day relationship they enjoyed with Hugh Price, who was Bursar at the time of these projects. The buildings add much to the life of the college and to the architectural evolution of the city. Reference 1. Ian Latham and Mark Swenarton (Eds.), Jeremy Dixon Edward Jones, Rightangle Publishing, London, 2002 Dean Hawkes Study Centre: interior Frank Young House: street front Fellow Cambridge Technology Exchange, Bristol-Myers Squibb Mead Johnson Dr George Gömöri (Emeritus Fellow) Cambridge Entrepreneurs and in Award in Nutrition. The award consists has been awarded a Senior Domus setting up a string of other new of an unrestricted research grant Scholarship by the Hungarian Academy companies.