College Record 2009 - 2010
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Pembroke College Record 2009 - 2010 Pembroke College Record 2009-2010 Editorial The College Record is edited a result of concern over the ethics and produced by the Pembroke of documentary photography; his Development Office. However, preoccupation with the environment this considerable task would not is reflected in a number of later be possible without the valiant paintings, for instance, ‘Gravel Pit’, efforts of Mrs Jo Church. Jo, 1968. over the course of the year, puts in copious amounts of time to gather ‘Lament 2, then the trouble came’ was together all the information, and acquired in 2009. Evelyn Williams indeed write fascinating historical is a Welsh artist born in 1929. She articles. She does all this with such attended St Martin’s School of Art skill and enthusiasm, for which we and then The Royal College of Art are indebted. Please note that any but started her training at A.S. Neil’s errors which creep into the final famous Summerhill School at the publication are the responsibility of age of 14. Her 40 year career began the Development Office. by winning the John Moores Prize The images that appear for sculpture in 1961. She has many on the front cover; ‘Orchard’ by admirers, such as Fay Weldon, the Humphrey Spender and on the back late Sir Hugh Casson, Paula Rego, cover; ‘Lament 2, then the trouble and John McEwen A film of her book came,’ by Evelyn Williams are those “Work & Words” was produced for of pictures in the JCR Art Collection. television and starred Helen Mirren. Copyright permission was obtained Her pictures are full of anguish by the kind permission of Rachel and sadness. Evelyn once wrote: Spender and Evelyn Williams. “Is there a disease that manifests a ‘Orchard’ was acquired in person taking upon themselves the 1956. Humphrey Spender (1910 – suffering of the world? What is its 2005) is an acclaimed pre-WWII name? I believe I have the disease English photographer of ‘humanist and in my case it is at the very centre landscapes’; later concentrating of my work.” on painting and textile design, as Contents Master’s Notes...........................................................................4 Master and Fellows 2009-2010.................................................7 Welcomes and Farewells in the Pembroke Community.....................................................................13 Fellows’ Awards.................................................................26 Staff News..........................................................................29 Fellows’ Publications 2009-2010.......................................30 University and other distinctions.............................................48 College Societies......................................................................54 JCR.....................................................................................54 MCR...................................................................................57 Blackstone Society.............................................................59 College Choir.....................................................................60 Music and Drama...............................................................63 Secular Choir......................................................................65 Ornithology Society............................................................66 Wine Society.......................................................................66 College Sports....................................................................68 Damon Wells Chapel...............................................................87 The McGowin Library.............................................................89 The Emery Gallery...................................................................91 College Archives......................................................................93 Robert Stevens Building..........................................................96 The Pembroke Bullfrog...........................................................97 King’s Academy Summer Programme....................................99 Oxford University Sportsman of the Year.............................101 From Conception to Construction: The Story behind the Plans for Pembroke’s New Buildings..............................102 H.L. Drake and the Pembroke War Dead..............................112 Pembroke College Oral History Project................................120 Pembroke Rowing in the 1870s............................................138 The Tesdale Society...............................................................148 Alumni News.........................................................................151 Obituaries..............................................................................159 Master’s Notes A sparkling series of student professional performance by initiatives and achievements were the Choir, before a very large amongst the highlights of the past congregation. The singing, and year: the launch of an outstanding above all the conducting, of the very magazine by the JCR, further giant difficult anthem Auditur Deus, with strides by the Choir, some feisty text by Samuel Johnson and music sporting performances and a pleasing by Huw Belling, was a tour de force. outcome in our Finals results. Being present for that Evensong was The launch of the new Bullfrog certainly one of the most uplifting magazine by the JCR (reviving the moments of my time as Master. It Bullfrog of yesteryear) has been was a fitting way in which to cap the a triumph for the undergraduates final performance as the Conductor involved. Each issue has had a of the Choir of our graduating wide variety of interesting and Senior Organ Scholar, Laurence well written articles, combined Lyndon-Jones. The College owes with some outstanding artwork and Laurence a huge debt of gratitude photography and high class physical for the inspiring, but understated, production. The magazine is a real way in which he (a Maths student) credit to Pembroke: long may it has built on the progress previously continue. made by Ed Mitchard and brought As to the Choir, I have spoken the Pembroke Choir to heights not in recent years of its great progress. known, I feel sure, for many years. This year saw two new and wonderful We wish Laurence every success in achievements:- the issue of a CD, his new job as Assistant Organist at produced with some professional Chester Cathedral. help in the recording, is thrilling As usual, Pembroke men and to listen to as one takes in the fact women were active on many sporting that this is the Pembroke Choir, fronts. One of the performances singing in the Pembroke Chapel. to stand out was the Womens’ First Then in early August came an even Eight who won blades by bumping bigger highlight when the Choir on each of the four nights of Summer was invited to sing at Evensong in Eights and thereby retrieved the Westminster Abbey. Lynne and I more usual place for Pembroke were present to hear a wonderfully First crews at or near the Head of 4 the River. The women are now the Governing Body. placed fourth and, with the number At the end of the year came the of Freshers in the 2010 crew, their news that Paul Smith, long-standing chances of progressing towards the Fellow in Engineering, had decided Headship in 2011 must be good. to take early retirement. A separate It was pleasing to find that, overall, tribute from those who knew him results in Final Honour Schools particularly well appears elsewhere pushed us towards the middle of in this issue of the Record. However, the Norrington Table; and that one here I record Paul’s significant in four of our candidates achieved contribution as a Fellow of the Firsts. We also had some excellent College over many years, both to results in the taught Masters degree his subject and more widely, and programmes and were pleased also acknowledge with gratitude the with the progress of our Doctoral special help which his wife Corinne students. The planned rise in the gave the College in 2002/3. number of Graduate students in the Also retiring during the year College is most welcome. was Peter Farthing. Peter has been There was an exciting development an assiduous Advisory Fellow, in arising from the collaboration with post for ten years and always ready the two Sixth Form Colleges in with balanced and thoughtful views Hackney which I mentioned last on matters which came before year. One of the Sixth Form College Governing Body. We thank him for students who had been a participant his consistent commitment to this in this programme with Pembroke role. has won a place at Queen’s College, This year we welcomed to the Oxford to start in October 2010 – a Governing Body as a Fellow by very tangible example of success Special Election, Professor Rodney of the raised aspirations which this Phillips. Rodney is a distinguished collaboration is designed to achieve. and senior member of the Medical This past year saw the retirement Sciences Division of the University of John Eekelaar, after 40 years as and Associate Head of its Research. Fellow in Law and four further We also welcomed as a new Tutorial years as Academic Director. A full Fellow in Biology and member tribute from me to John is contained of Governing Body, Dr Nick elsewhere in this issue of the Record. Kruger. Nick was well known to us But these brief notes should record previously as someone who helped that I doubt there have been many in to teach this subject in Pembroke, the history of Pembroke who have albeit associated then with another