JESUS NEWS 450th Anniversary Issue 2021

Contents

Welcome from the Principal 1 Fellows on the Front Line 2 The Ocean & Me 12 450 Years in 12 Objects 16 An Interview with Francesca Simon 19 A Day in the Life of Kirsty McCabe 23 Private Passions: Trainspotting 26 Beth sy’n Gwneud Coleg? 30 Love Letters to College 34 Escape to… Jamaica 60 Sport at Jesus 66 Welcome our new Chaplain 68 Development Update 70 Access During the Pandemic 72 Shakespeare Access & Outreach Project 74 Celebrating the Elizabethan College 76 Forthcoming Events 81

Your copy of Jesus News includes a commemorative fridge magnet in celebration of the College’s 450th anniversary. With thanks to alumnus and Campaign Board member Paul Bostock (1978, Physics) and his wife Sylvia (see p. 60).

Follow us on… @jesus.alumni @jesuscollegeoxford

Jesus College Oxford

@JesusOxford Welcome from the Principal Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt FRS FREng FBCS

Reading the Betting Book in the SCR the other day, our Fellows in Regenerative Medicine (p.2) as their my eye was drawn to a wager made at the start of important work promises a way to repair damage World War I. A Jesus Fellow confidently bet on a inflicted by disease. version of “it will all be over by Christmas”. Our We read about the Oxford Anthroposea Sailing academic year – and our 450th – began with a hope Project (p.12) with Arzucan Nur Askin describing that we could resume many of the normal patterns her interdisciplinary expedition examining human that define life at Jesus College. connections to the sea, and highlighting global marine In October we welcomed Freshers, although they issues facing our coastlines. were confined to “family households”, there was This issue contains the lovely poem by Llyr^ Gwyn social distancing, no large events, and we exerted Lewis, Beth sy’n Gwneud Coleg? (What makes a College?) extreme caution for the safety of those in our own (p.30), which was read by Llewelyn Hopwood at our and the wider community. As a result, we had very few 450th Commemoration Service held on 27th June at cases of COVID-19 in College, and teaching, tutorials, St Mary’s Church, admirably led by our new Chaplain, assessments continued. But nature finds a way: it wasn’t Chris Dingwall-Jones. all over by Christmas for us either. Lockdown followed lockdown as wave followed wave, disrupting this Horrid Henry’s creator Francesca Simon recounts a academic year more profoundly than last. decidedly mixed experience of College in the ‘70s (p.19), and Kirsty McCabe relays her passion for science We have missed so much: magical musical soirées communication (p.23). Bill Parker reveals his own in the Lodgings, College Gaudies, matriculations and private passions in Confessions of a Train Spotter (p.26). graduations. Sports and extracurricular activities have been particularly hard hit – all the more impressive As befits the Elizabethan College we report on an then that we should have a report on what was exciting new Jesus College Shakespeare Project (p.74) possible (p.66). We did, finally, manage to have some and hear about our digital exhibition 450 Years in outdoor gatherings for Freshers and Finalists, with Bev 12 Object s (p.16), curated by experts and led by Paulina and I meeting many students for the first time in June. Kewes and College Archivist Robin Darwall-Smith. The challenges and tragedies of the pandemic have Paul and Sylvia Bostock introduce us to their wonderful affected us all, and I have been touched by the many home in Jamaica (p.60). Thanks also to Paul who has messages of support from our alumni and supporters; supplied a 450th memento to accompany each copy of we have been tempered and strengthened by facing the magazine. them together. Nothing represents this better than Our remarkable Access Team describes how their the response to our 450th anniversary. It has been work has been changed by the pandemic to reach a busy year – not exactly what we imagined – and even larger audiences as everything has become virtual a huge credit to the Development Team. This (p.72). 450th anniversary issue of Jesus News is a wonderful affirmation of the College’s spirit as it celebrates past, The pandemic has changed so much, and there will present, and potential future accomplishments. be many lessons to learn about education and how we teach. I am leading the University Working Group Look no further than Love Letters to College developing its next Digital Educational Strategy. Whilst (p.34). What a trove of friendships made, passions recognising the power and reach of new technologies, pursued, and a reasonable amount of youthful we also understand the importance of face to face transgression! In these letters you will discover instruction, mentoring and tuition. It is the essential Jesusfreundschaftsausdehnungswirkung – a linguistic ingredient in the tutorial model that underpins an confection capturing the ripple effect of the Jesus Oxford education. community – rounded off with David Newbold’s Alumni Love Song (p.59). Whilst Oxford research has helped vaccinate the world, we read of the exciting developments of

1 2 Fellows on the Front Line A world first in developmental and regenerative research

A conversation between two Opening in early 2022, the £35m Jesus Professorial Fellows was MS-Tetsuya Nakamura Building at the serendipitous catalyst for Headington’s Old Road campus will the foundation of the Institute of be home to the new Institute of Developmental and Regenerative Developmental and Regenerative Medicine (IDRM), a collaborative Medicine (IDRM). In all, over world first that will bring together 240 researchers – experts in hundreds of renowned experts congenital diseases affecting the from around the globe to harness cardiovascular, the nervous and and share common approaches to the immune systems, regenerative advancing research into the heart, medicine, and tissue engineering brain and immune system. – will address human diseases affecting these three tissues within During that first meeting in the the body. They will study how Jesus SCR in April 2012, Professors these organs are normally formed Georg Holländer and Paul Riley and maintained, and identify the discussed the gap between molecular and cellular mechanisms developmental biology as it relates that cause birth defects, including to medicine and, explored their congenital heart disease, and common interests. Holländer defects in the immune and nervous (Head of Oxford’s Paediatrics systems. department, and Hoffmann and Action Medical Research Professor With Jesus Tutorial Fellow of Developmental Medicine), in Medicine and Professor of and Riley (Chair of Development Developmental Biology Shankar and Cell Biology in Physiology, Srinivas, Riley and Holländer will Anatomy & Genetics, and British lead research groups on cell and Heart Foundation Professor of tissue movement, cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine) developed development and regeneration, a plan to extend the initial concept and thymus development and of an Institute of developmental regeneration, respectively. It is medicine to include a logical hoped that their collaboration will second focus: from understanding enable them to understand the the molecular and cellular basis of cellular and molecular control of organ development to applying that normal human development, and to knowledge to regeneration. They harness this knowledge to identify left that meeting entirely oblivious the pathogenesis of diseases and to how much time and work it design novel therapies that will would require to see their ideas correct birth defects and repair grow from inception to Institute, adult organs. yet the time taken to realise those ambitions is impressively short when compared with other Oxford projects of similar scope.

Lymphatic endothelial cells as spheroids undergoing sprouting (lymphangiogenesis) upon stimulation with drugs. 3 Professor Paul Riley

Paul Riley. Photo courtesy of the British Heart Foundation Paul Riley is a British Heart Foundation Professor of Regenerative Medicine and Chair of Development and Cell Biology within the Department of Physiology Anatomy & Genetics. He is also Director of the BHF Oxbridge Centre for Regenerative Medicine and inaugural Director of the Institute of Developmental & Regenerative Medicine. He was formerly Professor of Molecular Cardiology at the UCL Institute of Child Health, London, obtaining his PhD at UCL and completing post- doctoral fellowships in Toronto and Oxford. In 2008, he was awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award by the European Society of Cardiology, and was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2014.

Cardiovascular development and regeneration Cardiovascular research at IDRM will examine the genetic basis and environmental modulation of the mechanisms that control normal cardiac development in the embryo, to both inform on congenital heart disease, and mark the potential of multipotent cardiovascular progenitor cells in the adult heart capable of initiating repair following ischaemic injury and acute myocardial infarction (or “heart attack”). Combining restoration of lost cell types after a heart attack with immuno- conditioning of the local injury environment will provide a holistic approach to regenerating the injured heart and preventing the onset of heart failure. Led by Paul Riley, the cardiovascular research group aims to: • understand the cellular and molecular pathways underpinning normal heart development to model congenital heart disease • reactivate embryonic programmes in endogenous adult cells to restore lost tissue after a heart attack • modulate the local injury environment by targeting the immune and fibrotic responses, to optimise repair and regeneration and prevent heart failure. Embryonic mouse heart at 18.5 days of gestation showing the developing cardiac conduction system (green fibres). Photo: Judy Sayers (Riley group) 4

Professor Georg Holländer

Georg Holländer. Photo by John Cairns Georg Holländer is the Hoffmann and Action Medical Children’s Hospital. He divides his work and time Research Professor of Developmental Medicine between Oxford and Basel, where he supervises and Head of the Department of Paediatrics at the research on the developmental immunobiology of University of Oxford. He is also the Director of the the thymus. He received the Fanconi Prize of the Botnar Research Centre of Child Health in Basel, Swiss Society for Paediatrics in 2009, was elected Switzerland. Trained in paediatrics and experimental corresponding member of the Swiss Academy of immunology he has held academic positions at Medical Sciences in 2012, and elected as a Fellow of Harvard Medical School and Basel University’s the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Thymus development and regeneration Immunology research at IDRM will focus on Led by Georg Holländer, the developmental understanding the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms immunology research group aims to: that dictate the development and function of the • understand the cellular and molecular pathways immune system’s competence to efficiently respond underpinning normal thymic stromal development to potentially injurious antigens, such as infectious and hence the conditions that enable the regular agents, while being immunologically tolerant towards generation of T cells with a self-tolerant antigen the body’s own tissues and molecules. Human receptor repertoire primary immunodeficiencies are “experiments of nature” in which this competence is lost due to • use different gene-targeted mouse models that specific genetic mutations. Elucidating the molecular model human thymus stromal pathologies to mechanisms responsible for these pathologies decipher the importance of distinct embryonic provides a rational strategy for new therapies. In programmes in shaping the complexity of the parallel, inflammation, in response to tissue injury, thymus stromal compartment will be investigated to advance insights into novel • employ genetic pathways identified to be critical immunomodulatory therapies prior to, and in during thymus organogenesis to delay the organ’s parallel with, a cell-based repair of the cardiovascular, postnatal senescence and to rejuvenate its capacity neurological or immunological systems so that the for normal T cell formation following chemo- immune system does not mistake normal tissue radiotherapeutic injury regeneration as a process to respond to with a destructive immune rejection. • target thymic epithelial cells by different means, including in vivo methods, to change their genetic programmes.

6 Epithelial cells in the thymus form a continuous scaffold of supporting stroma cells from the other aspects (cortex) to the inner core of the organ (medulla). Using immunohistochemistry, different epithelial cells in cortex (grey) and medulla (cyan, pink, red, blue) can be distinguished from fibroblasts and vessels (green). Professor Shankar Srinivas

Shankar Srinivas. Shankar Srinivas is Professor of molecular genetics of kidney Developmental Biology and a development. He moved to Wellcome Senior Investigator at London’s NIMR as an HFSPO the Department of Physiology Fellow to work on how the head– Anatomy & Genetics. He is Zeitlyn tail axis is established, where he Fellow and Tutor in Medicine at pioneered the use of time-lapse Jesus College. He completed a BSc microscopy to study early post- in Nizam College in Hyderabad, implantation mouse embryos. India, and joined New York’s Shankar started his independent Columbia University where he group at the University of Oxford received a PhD for work on the in 2004.

Cell and tissue movements that shape the embryo The trillions of cells of the body Led by Shankar Srinivas, the cell all arise through the repeated and tissue movement research division of a single starting cell, the group aims to: fertilised egg. The shape of our • understand how the diversity body, internal organs, and their of cell types that make up relative positions is not simply the the heart arise, and precisely result of growth in size of a pre- which cell types give rise to formed ‘homunculus’, but requires others during the course of large-scale coordinated cell and development tissue movements. For example, the region of the embryo that • determine how the heart, the gives rise to the heart actually first organ to function in the starts out in front of the region embryo, starts to beat that forms the brain. Perturbation • understand how the Embryos undergo profound changes in of this finely choreographed series shape during development, so do not coordinated cell movements necessarily resemble the adult form. of cell movements can lead to that shape the early embryo are Here, twin mouse embryos shortly profound congenital defects, but after implantation have been stained controlled. to reveal different cell types. The cells little is understood about the coloured cyan give rise to the foetus, molecular genetic control of this while all the other cells give rise to tissues that support the development process. of the foetus. Image: Dr Shifaan Thowfeequ, Srinivas Group. 8 9 So, is this the perfect research platforms and mathematical The aim is for the IDRM to become storm? It is certainly no accident modelling, making it a synergistic an internationally-recognised centre that three of Jesus College’s fit with the College’s Digital Hub of excellence for developmental Professorial Fellows are founding – part of the new Northgate biology and regenerative medicine members of the IDRM project. The development project – and its research, and it’s inevitable that College has arguably some of the plans for associated studentship the Institute’s research learnings strongest links with developmental programmes. There is significant will be of significant value to wider biology across the University, interest from Riley, Holländer and areas of medicine in a post-Covid with Senior Research Fellows and Srinivas to secure funding for a world. With two thirds of all Professors Yvonne Jones, Ilan Davis, PhD studentship for a future Jesus deaths globally attributed to non- Martin Booth and Tutorial Fellow doctoral student to join an IDRM communicable diseases, it is not Berta Verd each making significant research team; raising funds for unreasonable to say that we are contributions to award-winning graduate studentships is a priority all stakeholders in the Institute’s biomedical research. Furthermore, for the College, and it’s a natural mission to use its insights into organ to achieve its goals, the IDRM step to involve a Jesus DPhil student development and regeneration for will combine experimental and in cutting-edge research at the the development of new drugs and computational biology with machine Institute. strategies to treat birth defects and learning, artificial intelligence acquired disease.

About the Institute

The home of the Institute of The Institute plans to run a interest through its engagement Developmental and Regenerative weekly seminar series of internal programme, presenting at local Medicine, the Tetsuya Nakamura and external speakers as well as and national science festivals, IMS building, was supported by workshops and themed research school visits and hosting tours of a very generous donation from afternoons with an emphasis on the Institute. Dr Tetsuya Nakamura, Chief trainee presentations. It will also Director of Itabashi Medical have capacity to host courses System Group (IMS-Group), and and conferences. To find out more about the Institute of substantial fund-raising from the Developmental and Regenerative Medicine, visit: British Heart Foundation. There are opportunities for www.idrm.ox.ac.uk transitional Fellows, students To learn more about funding a Jesus DPhil student associated with the IDRM, please contact and post-graduates, and the Development Director Brittany Wellner James at Institute actively invites public E: [email protected]. 10 Photo: Brittany Wellner James The Ocean and Me Arzucan Nur Askin (2020, MSc Biodiversity, Conservation & Management)

12 Arzucan Nur Askin (2020, MSc spending a lot of time below the Biodiversity, Conservation and surface. Management) is a United World College alumna, Fellow of the Why conservation? Royal Geographical Society It’s been a complex journey into the with the Institute of British conservation world, starting with Geographers, and the newly a transformational scholarship to appointed 2021 European ROLEX attend the United World College in Scholar of the Our World- Hong Kong. There, I was provided Underwater Scholarship Society®. with my first opportunity to She is currently studying for an undergo scientific dive training and MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation monitor the coral reefs that thrive and Management at Jesus, focusing there together with the WWF her research on the intersection – and yes, Hong Kong has reefs! of migratory sharks and human Despite living in polluted, industrial society with Lisa Wedding’s waters, I was amazed by how these Seascape Ecology Lab. living creatures seemingly flourished in such a hostile environment; if In May 2021, Arzucan led the we can understand how, then Arzucan Nur Askin. Oxford Anthroposea Sailing we can leverage this information solution I had to work on land, no Expedition, a new interdisciplinary for other reefs around the world. matter how much I loved being in expedition examining human During that time, I also went the water. connections to the sea, and to Sipadan Marine Reserve in highlighting the global marine issues As a result, I studied human Malaysia to learn how to conduct facing our local UK coastlines. We geography for my undergraduate more complex reef surveys. It caught up with Arzu in April 2021 degree at LSE, focusing on political was there that my understanding just before the Expedition set sail. ecology, environmental economics of marine conservation shifted and governance, as well as the fundamentally after being caught in Tell us a little about you: where intricate connections between the blast of dynamite fishers and you were born, your childhood gender and the environment. feeling the wave of the explosion and family. Even though the ocean is the hit our bodies. We saw colourful My parents are originally from world’s largest and most important coral species, some of which take Turkey but moved to Berlin in the ecosystem, covering 70% of our between 50 to 100 years to grow, hope of building a new life. I was planet, we barely spoke about literally shattered into dust and born and raised landlocked, but like it at the university. Wanting the hundreds of fish injured around most immigrant families, we would university’s departments – and us. While I had always wanted travel back home every summer. social sciences in general – to to study marine biology, this The seagrass meadows, fishing engage more with the oceans, experience opened my eyes to the boats and remnants of old ships in I founded the LSE Marine importance and challenges of socio- the Mediterranean were my first Society and hosted a series of economic empowerment, effective playing ground and later became talks and events to showcase the monitoring, and community the source of my passion for the importance of also training lawyers, management as a vital response to underwater world. My parents economists, political scientists and increasingly inequitable suffering loved the sea as much as I did, anthropologists in “blue thinking”. of people and wildlife under the yet they would never swim out of To effectively protect the marine consequences of failing governance. their depth. I always wanted to go world these disciplines are critical in deeper and explore the sea beyond I realised that the problems we face implementing the science produced what I could do on one breath, at sea, are the result of decisions by biologists and oceanographers. ultimately learning how to dive and made on land and to be part of the Through fieldwork and research, 13 I came to understand more people’s connection with the ocean Who inspires you? about how the sea bears witness in a contemporary setting: we There are so many individuals who to some of the most calamitous are living on an island with a rich do! My mother – who has given human experiences, such as human maritime history, after all. The aim up so much to enable me to do trafficking in the fishing sector, the of this expedition is to also highlight all of this – and who relentlessly ferocity of geopolitical tensions, the importance of the marine supports me even though she the impact of natural disasters, social sciences in addressing ocean is afraid of the sea. I also deeply but also the peaceful exchange problems. admire the conservationist and between disparate regions of the We will be sailing on Merlin, a photographer Christine Mittermeier globe through trade. I firmly believe Sigma 41 offshore cruiser-racer and who constantly breaks down that the beauty, diversity and Sail Britain’s beautiful flagship vessel. barriers as a Latin American intricacy of stories from below the It won’t actually be my first journey woman in the often highly surface need to be heard more if on Merlin, as I sailed her from Western-dominated conservation we are to mobilise more people, Hamburg to the UK to start my world. She co-founded Sea particularly those who do not sail degree course at Oxford through Legacy, a non-profit organisation or dive, to care about our marine an unforgettable two-week, 500 dedicated to promoting the environment. We also need a nautical mile journey that enabled protection of the world’s oceans greater understanding of people’s me to get here without carbon through storytelling and uniquely relationship with the ocean and emissions. of incorporating human stories into more awareness of its cultural value her environmental advocacy. to society. Because our core crew comprises women studying Masters’ degrees What’s next for you? With that in mind, it was while in the Biodiversity, Conservation I was at LSE that I also founded If Norway opens its borders this and Management Programme and led what was essentially the year, I will be joining Barba’s Arctic at the Oxford University School base of the current Anthroposea Sense expedition from June to of Geography and Environment, expedition; known then as the “LSE October, circumnavigating Svalbard, the project also celebrates the Marine Social Science Expedition”. an archipelago between mainland centenary of women at Oxford. It was essentially a human Norway and the North Pole. With the UN Ocean Decade experiment, where we put social The expedition will explore the starting this year as well, 2021 science students on a boat – many polar Atlantic ecosystem, assess is an important year for ocean of whom had never been at sea its current health, and highlight governance and research conducted before – to sail around Scotland and its vulnerability to climate change by women at the University. put their disciplinary insights into and pollution. We’ll be researching practice on the water. At the time of writing (April 2021), whale populations, specifically orcas, we’re hoping for an expedition and it’s a dream come true for me What is Anthroposea and why is crew of nine, but Covid restrictions as I have long admired the work of it important? may not permit that. We’ve already Barba’s founder and our Captain, Anthroposea is the continuation had over 50 applications to join the Andreas B. Heide. and expansion of this project. With expedition from brilliant marine Then I will embark on one year of the Covid-19 pandemic impacting social science researchers across intensive training in conservation travel abroad, we decided to focus all departments. As we can’t take technologies, technical diving, this year’s expedition on the global everyone on board unfortunately, underwater photography issues we’re facing on our local we’re now forming a separate and filmmaking and science UK shorelines: species extinction, community that will keep the communication with a scholarship marine plastic pollution, rising sea conversation going on land through from OWUSS. levels. We want to turn our boat discussion groups, panels, and a into a floating ocean think tank and separate ocean hub. Despite spending the majority of storytelling platform to examine my studies locked in my room

14 in Oxford and not seeing the ocean, I am incredibly excited to be here and am deeply inspired by my peers and the degree programme, which has provided me with valuable insights into terrestrial conservation that can be applied at sea. I want to continue to push the boundaries as a diver, scientist and ocean researcher and, looking to the future, my goal is to have my own boat and run my own expeditions examining the intersection of oceans and society. Ultimately, I dream of a life at sea and a career dedicated to interdisciplinary research that contributes to the protection of our global oceans and the livelihoods that depend on a healthy underwater world.

The Oxford Anthroposea Expedition: www.anthroposea.com/the-expedition Barba’s Arctic Sense 2021 Expedition: barba.no/expeditions/arctic-sense-2021/

15 450 Years in 12 Objects A digital exhibition, curated by a range of experts led by Paulina Kewes and College Archivist Robin Darwall-Smith, is celebrating a landmark anniversary of the foundation of Jesus College.

Every month throughout 2021, our 450th anniversary year, the digital exhibition 12 Objects reveals an item from the College’s collections – a manuscript, a book, a punchbowl. Images of The first Charter of 1571. these objects are accompanied by brief descriptions and links to films which tell their stories. Among the presenters are current and Emeritus Fellows, lecturers, alumni, members of staff, and our archivist Robin Darwall-Smith, who has been a leading light of this enterprise. Our series does not aim to be a comprehensive history of Jesus College. Rather, it offers glimpses into our past, our present, and our aspirations for the future. Nor does it, strictly speaking, showcase just twelve objects. There is, for example, the case of the two foundation charters, as explained Charles I’s watch c.1630. by Professor Norman Jones, former In #2: Charles I’s Watch, introduced to the Fellows’ Library, Visiting Senior Research Fellow. Dr Felicity Heal, former Tutorial a fine space used extensively in The first Charter of 1571, which Fellow in History, also discusses teaching, research, and access, by side-lined our true founder Hugh a mourning ring with the king’s our Librarian Owen McKnight. Price by proclaiming Jesus College likeness: both items were Then, we hear from Professor to be of ‘Quene Elizabethes bequeathed to the College by Susan Doran (Senior Research foundation’, was soon superseded former Principal, eminent lawyer Fellow in History) and Professor by a second Charter issued in and diplomat, Sir Leoline Jenkins. Paulina Kewes (Tutorial Fellow in 1589 which sports an infinitely English Literature) about several #5: The Works of King James finer picture of the Queen than its early modern printed books the I offers three, or maybe even predecessor. Library houses, from King James’s five, objects in one. We are folio Works (1616) and folios of 16 Ben Jonson (1616) and Shakespeare We had a long-list of candidates for But others were more debateable. (1632) to the History of King Henry inclusion in the exhibition. Some We considered, for example, VIII (1648) by Henry Herbert Lord were ‘no-brainers’. How could we displaying a set of memorabilia Cherbury who donated his unique not showcase the first Charter, connected with our 400th collection of books to the College. the Red Book of Hergest, or #6, anniversary celebrations in 1971. the Finals dissertation in History, We have photographs of the Kept in the vaults of the Bodleian ‘The influence of the Crusades on Prince of Wales opening the Old Library rather than in College, European military architecture to the Members’ Building and meeting and #3: the Red Book of Hergest end of the twelfth century’, by one greeting people in the College; a (as introduced by Professor of our most illustrious alumni, T. E. copy of the music commissioned Thomas Charles Edwards, former Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia)? from Peter Maxwell Davies in Chair of Celtic) is the largest single medieval manuscript collection of Welsh literature and history. The Red Book’s cultural importance is such that no treatment, whether academic or popular, of the Welsh literary tradition could afford to omit it. Yet not all the items featured in our exhibition are ‘treasures’ in terms of their singularity or monetary value. We treasure them because of their association with people or moments that have an honoured place in our shared memory and maintain our sense of being a collegiate community. Take #4, the magnificent punchbowl presented to the College by the eighteenth- century Welsh magnate and former Red Book of Hergest, c.1400. student Sir William Watkins Wynn whose portrait hangs in the Senior Common Room. Professor Peter Davidson, Lecturer in English at Jesus and Senior Research Fellow of Campion Hall, shows that the punchbowl documents the strength of the College’s Welsh connection, and reminds us of the Stuart- loyalist and conservative strain in both Welsh and Oxford politics. And it is somehow an object, in its round amplitude, which invites affection. It epitomises the value of commensality and the wonderfully welcoming spirit of the College on every day of the year – not just as we celebrate St David’s Day. The Collected Works of James I, 1616. 17 honour of the event, and copies of the script for A Jesus Miscellany, the play/revue in which Christopher Muttukumaru (1970, Jurisprudence) was involved, and images of the cast and the piece’s author, Douglas Cleverdon, the radio producer famous for Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, sitting on a bench in Second Quad. But we judged the celebration of the 400th a subject fit for a substantial lecture rather than a short film. In choosing the items we were guided by their likely interest, not only to members of the College past and present, but also to the wider public, among them potential applicants. Over the coming months, you will see a range of objects illuminating the ongoing transformation of the College from the C20 and into the C21. To find out more about the Sir Watkin Williams Wynn Punchbowl, 1732. 12 Object s digital exhibition and for short films on each object, please visit: www.jesus.ox.ac.uk/ 450th-anniversary/12-objects/

T. E. Lawrence’s History Finals thesis, 1910. 18 An Interview with Francesca Simon (1977, English)

Your tertiary education took work they were doing. At Oxford, you to Yale and then Jesus everyone bragged about how little College. How important was work they did. No one wanted to your time at Jesus, and how talk about their subject, either; it do you think your Oxford felt like a taboo and bad form. experience shaped you? There were huge social hurdles to When you tell an American you overcome. I had trouble reading are going to Oxford, it’s like saying people and couldn’t tell if people you are going to heaven. I’ll be considered me a friend or not. I honest and say that Oxford in the discovered that British people are late 1970s wasn’t heavenly. I was more cautious about friendship, shocked by how conservative it in a way that Americans aren’t. Francesca Simon read English at was, and how homogenous the I also had to learn that inviting Jesus College, matriculating in students were – mostly privately someone to tea, and not lunch, was 1977. A medievalist and one-time educated, middle and upper class, the most casual invite. And that freelance journalist, she is perhaps barely a black or Asian face to people thought nothing of spending best known as the author of be seen. I felt in some ways that a fortune on drink, but kept their the award-winning Horrid Henry I was attending a finishing school, rooms unheated to save money. series of books for children (and where students aspired to be greatly enjoyed by adults too). exactly like their parents as soon as That said, I never planned to stay in She has published a range of other possible. There was also a distinctly the UK after Oxford, and yet here books for early readers and older anti-intellectual attitude. At Yale, I am, so attending a finishing school children, including The Lost Gods, everyone bragged about how much turned out to be quite helpful The Sleeping Army, Two Terrible Vikings, Helping Hercules, and The Monstrous Child, which she adapted for opera in collaboration with composer Gavin Higgins and was performed during the 2018/19 winter season at the Royal Opera House. You were born and raised in the US, tell us a little about your childhood and early education I had a peripatetic childhood, and attended 10 schools, in New York, London, Paris and Los Angeles. My father is a screenwriter and was writing Judy Garland’s last film (I Could Go On Singing) which took us to London and then Paris, where I learned to speak French. When I was eight, we moved to Malibu where I lived for six years. I love the beach and the sea, but I prefer living in Europe.

19 professionally as well as personally. escape, however. And learning newspapers (Washington Post, I have lots of dear friends from my to eat a three-course meal in 22 Guardian) and some non-fiction, Oxford days, including one of my minutes, and not sitting in Hall especially about early American publishers, Andrew Franklin (Profile where a certain scout always history. I’m a huge fan of Yale books). Oxford made me Anglo- splashed soup on you. And history professor (and Hamilton American, and enabled me to I adored the beautiful buildings – specialist) Dr Joanne Freeman, and straddle both worlds. for someone who loves medieval attend a weekly online American studies, it was like stepping back history seminar she hosts every I found my course very difficult (Old in time. Friday afternoon. I hate reading and Middle English language and books online and much prefer print, literature) as it was so philologically- You describe yourself as a but I do read articles online. based, and I am much stronger on ‘medievalist’: tell us more. literature. I was saved by Professor I studied Medieval Art and The inevitable one: who was the Eric Stanley, the Rawlinson and Literature at Yale, and for a while inspiration for Horrid Henry Bosworth Professor of Old English I considered doing a PhD in the and also Perfect Peter, or are who had taught me at Yale, who let subject. I love the Middle Ages, they alter egos? me audit his graduate seminars and especially gothic architecture, and The simple answer is I wanted to gave me extra tutorials. Eric and I I have huge sympathy for the urge write comic stories about families stayed friends until his death at 94 to bring order out of chaos, with where there was a good child in 2018, and I miss him to this day. everyone in their little niche. I also and a bad child (i.e. every family). Any fond (or otherwise) love alliteration, which obviously There was no specific person who memories of Jesus? influences my writing. And Horrid inspired the stories, apart from Henry, stripped down to basics, myself: I was perfectly behaved at A key reason I chose Jesus was is an alliterative collection of school and less so at home. I also that it was one of only five mixed archetypes and humours. There realised a few years after I started colleges. But when I arrived I was would have been no Horrid Henry writing the books that Horrid given rooms on Ship Street, where if I hadn’t studied Anglo-Saxon and Henry and Perfect Peter are two seven other Jesus girls lodged, and the Middle Ages. sides of everyone: the desire to be it was like being hurled back to good and to conform; the desire the 1950s, as the two puritanical What/who do you read to disrupt and go your own way. scouts who lived on the ground and why? (Authors, news, On one level their sibling rivalry has floor enforced their own strict magazines, web resources) been going on since Cain and Abel; rules, utterly at odds with College A better question would be, what it’s also cathartic to read about a rules. I was actually reported to DON’T I read? I’m pretty broad character who never thinks about the Dean for having a man in my in my taste, but my favourites consequences but lives entirely in room (an American friend who are Victorian novels, especially the moment. Essentially, the books was visiting). The Dean refused to Anthony Trollope, who taught are westerns for kids. Horrid Henry budge about this unfairness (‘It’s not me most of what I understand is the outlaw we all secretly root for. Yale or Berkeley here’), and for a about British society. I also love time I considered leaving Oxford, as modern fiction (Bernardine The Horrid Henry series is the attention to my morals seemed Evaristo, Amanda Craig, Maggie enjoyed by both children and to far outweigh the attention to O’Farrell), and loads of children’s adults alike. When writing the my academics. Francine Stock was books for all ages. I have always Henry books, do you consider also in the nunnery, and I know she been a compulsive reader, and I your adult audience too? agrees with me that our oppressive don’t like being anywhere without Always! I read to my son until he living arrangements blighted our a book. That said, lockdown has was 11, and I think shared books first year. made concentration harder, so I that both parents and children I did like my knotted rope fire have found myself reading a lot of enjoy are supremely important.

20 Your collaboration with Gavin Higgins on The Monstrous Child opera was innovative and well- received, and another way of delivering a children’s story to an adult audience. How did that come about? This story is almost too good to be true: writer gets first opera commissioned and performed at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, to rave reviews. But it really did happen. While I was writing my young adult novel, The Monstrous Child, about Hel, the Norse goddess of the dead, as an angry, funny teenager, it struck me that this was a very operatic subject. Even though I knew almost nothing about opera. But I knew opera was about big emotions: love, hate, death, jealousy, passion, revenge, which all featured rather prominently in my book. Two years earlier I’d had a chance encounter with John Fulljames, then Gavin and I love working together, disagree with them, or who hold associate artistic director of the and have since written a cantata for opinions they dislike. This has ROH, and, as it turned out, a big two singers which will premiere in happened to two writers I know, Horrid Henry fan. He gave me his 2022. We are also hoping to create who’ve left Twitter because of it. email and said I should get in touch, another opera with our wonderful But Twitter can also be an excellent if I ever had an idea for an opera. I director, Tim Sheader. place to share ideas, and to connect thought the chances of that were with people. as likely as becoming a football How do you view social media, commentator, but I kept his details. both as an author and a What’s next for you? I knew the composer Gavin consumer? Is it a valuable tool I’m writing a new funny series for Higgins socially, and was a big or just a necessary evil? young readers set in the Viking age fan of his music, so I sent him I don’t particularly enjoy being my called Two Terrible Vikings, about the manuscript and asked what own publicity department, but I do riotous Viking twins Hack and he thought. He loved the novel, enjoy Twitter as a way of praising Whack and their gang of friends: and said he’d love to compose an books and authors I’ve enjoyed, and Twisty Pants the braggart, Dirty Ulf opera based on it. We approached keeping up with politics. It’s lovely who hates baths, and Elsa Gold- the Royal Opera House together, to tweet at an author you don’t Hair, the village goody-goody who and they commissioned us almost know, especially new authors, to say likes to share. And because they are immediately. It was quite a fairy how much you’ve liked their book. young Vikings, they can steal boats, tale, and definitely the best creative What I think is reprehensible are run away to raid neighbouring experience of my life. I fell in twitter pile-ons, when self-righteous islands, track trolls and rampage in love with opera, and also with people decide to hurl abuse and the forest. I’m also hoping to write collaborating, which I didn’t expect. threaten violence to those who another opera. 21

A Day in the Life of… Kirsty McCabe (1997, MSc Res Earth Sciences), Meteorologist, Columnist, Weather Presenter

Center in Maryland, where I used unsurprisingly I got a wee bit wet! MAGSAT data to interpret crustal Meanwhile in my personal life structures in Australasia, and got I married Renato, a South African to grips with driving on the ‘wrong’ architect, and we now have three side of the road. children. My eldest, Ethan, arrived In 1997 I began my research on on Christmas Day 2010, Logan was environmental magnetism at the born in May 2013, and Ava was Department of Earth Sciences, born on Valentine’s Day 2018. studying palaeosols from the Greek As many working parents will tell Island of Santorini. I was lucky you, especially women, I have been enough to get into Jesus College, juggling career and family ever since where I sang in the choir, was I became a mum. Over the years president of the MCR (or GCR as it I’ve taken on various freelance and was known back then), rowed with part-time roles at the BBC, Channel the graduate team, got a green belt 5, The Weather Channel and Sky in Karate, and made some amazing News to try and find that elusive friends for life. work-life balance. I was the world’s

Ali Painter, © Sky After College, I switched from first Meteorologist in Residence at Meteorologist, columnist, and academia to science journalism, the London Marriott Hotel County Sky News weather presenter working as a sub-editor for New Hall, and regularly write about a Kirsty McCabe (1997, MSc Res Scientist. It was actually an advert variety of topics from weather to Earth Sciences) graduated from in the magazine’s job section that parenting for publications such as the University of Edinburgh with led to me joining the Met Office HuffPost, Junior and BritMums. a first class honours degree in in 2003, where I dusted off my thermodynamics textbooks, What motivated you to pursue Geophysics before undertaking your career? an internship at NASA’s Goddard qualified as an aviation forecaster I was very passionate about Space Flight Center in Maryland. and began my career as a broadcast the environment when I was She left College to work for New meteorologist. younger, but back then there Scientist, before retraining as a For 5 years I was a core member of wasn’t the same level of interest broadcast meteorologist with the the BBC Weather Team, presenting or opportunities around climate Met Office. She was nominated for forecasts across the entire range of science. I loved the real world a TRIC award for Best Weather BBC television and radio channels, aspects of Geophysics but most Presenter in 2011 and is a Fellow of including BBC One’s Countryfile, of my fellow students ended up the Royal Meteorological Society. and the all-important shipping in the oil industry. So I chose to forecast on Radio 4. I then joined come to Oxford, where I could Tell us a little about yourself the world of breakfast telly and analyse ancient soils and decipher I was born and raised in Kilmarnock 3am alarm calls, as the weather the climate of the past to help in southwest Scotland, youngest presenter and environment understand what might happen daughter of Patrick (a podiatrist) correspondent for GMTV and ITV. to our climate in the future. I’m and Norma (a teacher). An early I produced programme strands very excited that COP26 (The obsession with the environment on topics such as flooding and United Nations Climate Change and how the world works sparked coastal erosion, and on a lighter Conference) is scheduled to be my interest in Geophysics, which note helped celebrities like Kylie held in Glasgow this year. While the I read as an undergraduate at the Minogue to do the weather with Earth’s climate has always changed, University of Edinburgh. I then me. One time Sooty and Sweep we’ve now reached a point where spent a summer as an intern at used water pistols when I said the the dominant cause of the current NASA’s Goddard Space Flight word showers during my forecast, rates of warming is greenhouse gas 23 With Sooty and Sweep in the Daybreak studio. emissions produced through human I have time I’ll do some exercise or head into the studios for 4am. activity. And now we all need to do I might have lunch with colleagues If I’m producing and only doing something about it. or friends. It’s great to finally be able voiceovers then I can work from to meet up in person now we’re home, one benefit of lockdown, so Describe a regular day, coming out of lockdown. Then I don’t need to get up quite so early personally before I know it, the children are or even brush my hair. If I’m not on shift then I’m like most home and chaos returns. No matter what shift I’m on, the other parents, and the mornings first thing I need to do is get on are a whirl of activity sorting out And professionally? top of the weather story; in other breakfasts, school bags and packed These days I’m part of the Sky words I need to know what’s just lunches. Then I spend far too much News Weather Team, which happened, what’s happening now time repeatedly asking my children involves producing and presenting and what’s going to happen next. to please get dressed, brush their live and recorded weather I’ll look at the synoptic (pressure) teeth, and put on their socks and broadcasts for TV, radio and digital charts along with the output from shoes. Once I’ve walked to and platforms. If I’m on the presenter various computer models as well as from school and nursery, I catch shift then I get up very early, do current weather observations (eg up on admin at home, both of a my hair and make-up (super quietly satellite and radar), to see if what’s domestic and a business variety. If so I don’t wake anyone else) and

24 actually happening matches the forecast. It’s important that I have the weather story in my head, as weather presenters don’t read the forecast off an autocue. Instead we ad-lib over the graphics, which we can only see via monitors in the studio if we are using a green screen. How long we talk for can vary, as weather is often used as a buffer in a news programme, so a fixed script just wouldn’t work. Next it’s time to sort out the weather graphics. As well as live weather broadcasts every half hour on Sky News, there are a host of recorded forecasts that get used on multiple platforms. These cover local, national and international weather, both short range and Behind the scenes at Sky News. longer term, as well as air quality, summer, with my husband in charge fascinating people and learned pollen and even sporting events of keeping the kids out of shot. a lot, both from an educational like F1. and a personal perspective. At The children are back at school College, I discovered the beauty of In between weather broadcasts, I now, but we’re still trying to find getting up very early to row on the write articles for the website, post the right balance between careers river at sunrise. A useful skill I’ve on social media, and contribute to and parenting, because everyone’s transferred to my early presenter editorial discussions in the news needs change as your children get shifts, especially those where I’m on room. older. I have been working part- location doing an outside broadcast. time as that worked well for me With three young children and a But ultimately, the best thing to with younger children, but now I’m year of home schooling behind come from my time at Oxford ready to return to full-time work. you, how do you and your were the friendships I made that That’s if I can find the right role that partner find the right balance have stayed strong all these years. excites me professionally, but still between successful careers and allows for quality time with family parenting? What’s next for you? and friends. With hybrid and home Who knows?! I’m very aware that My mother was a teacher so I’ve working likely to continue in the things never stay the same for long always had a lot of respect for future, I feel more positive about in television. I’ve been a STEM them, but even more so after finding that elusive balance. lockdown! I never want to do home ambassador for a while now, as I schooling again. It’s not much fun on How did your time at Oxford want to inspire a love of science very little sleep when you’re trying shape you, both personally and and the environment in the next to explain fractions and fronted professionally? generation, especially girls. So I’ll keep doing that, keep doing adverbials, entertain a pre-schooler I think my time as a postgrad at weather broadcasts, and of course, who won’t nap, and juggle work. I Oxford played a pivotal role in my keep learning and communicating was presenting the weather on Sky subsequent career choices and about our climate. News from my back garden last success in meteorology. I met some

25

Private Passions: Confessions of a Train Spotter Bill Parker, (1966, Geography)

The first steam engines I suppressing any overt enthusiasm remember were in Canada. Dad for railways. I didn’t join the taught at McMaster University in railway society despite Jesus Hamilton in the mid-50s and they legend Johnny G (Classics don ran on the freight line nearby, John Griffith) being president– scaring me at first. But the interest and didn’t apply to British Rail’s took hold after we moved back management programme for to Brighton. Platforms 1 & 2 the same reason. After staying extended past the engine shed, on to do post-graduate research and 11-year-old Bill could admire while my American wife read the best the Southern Region History at St Anne’s, I left for could offer, including the Brighton the USA, developing expertise Bill Parker in his workshop. Belle and the Brighton Works’ in valuing commercial property shunter painted in its original which subsequently gave me the colours. I would take a trolley-bus wherewithal to quit for a few years after school to the station, where in the early 80s. a kindly driver gave me my first The Dean Forest Railway was close ever footplate ride up platform 2. to my parents’ house and in 1980 I Once I was summoned home by was persuaded to buy an ex-Great the station announcer, “Master Western Railway tank engine, no. Parker’s mother wants him home 5521, built in Swindon in 1927, that for his supper”. worked on West Country branch Mum and Dad took my brother and lines before ending up in the famous me up to London, spotting with scrapyard at Barry. This was to swarms of other boys, and at 12 change my life. I was told 5521 Mum let me take the morning train could be running in a year for about to Southampton, pulled by either £10,000 – in reality it took 27 years ‘Holsworthy’ or ‘Templecombe’, and at least 20 times that – arguably Brighton regulars, all on my own. 100 times that because it led to I remember leaning out of the me taking on Swindon Works and window to see, hear, and smell the finally creating my own. loco, which literally clanked, and the DFR did not have the capacity to yellow china fixtures in the toilet. overhaul the engine, so I contracted At the age of 15 I spent a week with British Rail at Swindon to in Scotland, with thirty bob a repair various parts, and when night from Dad to spend on B&B, the closure of the works was saving the lot by sleeping in railway announced I joined a consortium carriages. I was in search of fast- to keep part running for heritage disappearing steam, but in reality work, although eventually it was just I was seeing the world and finding me who shook hands with Steve adventure, all by myself. Reeves of Tarmac Properties. By the time I appeared at Jesus Around the same time, over lunch in 1966 I had worked as a porter at the Four Seasons in New York, at Oxford station for the best one of my banking clients confided part of a year, resulting in some that they were eager to finance a culture shock, and I was very high-value luxury train operation, L.150 at Bluebell Railway. insecure in my first year or so but couldn’t find anyone with the

27 expertise to value it as a going concern. They could establish the replacement cost of the carriages, but not what they could potentially earn in operation, and thus their market value. Could I apply the same techniques used on luxury hotels for what turned out to be the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express? You bet I could! My partners allowed me to put the firm’s name on the valuation for a nominal sum, and so Swindon Heritage Trust was formed with money in the bank. With two fellow trustees, the late Dame Margaret Weston and Bill Bradshaw (now Lib Dem transport spokesman Lord Bradshaw), we started with one machine in 1987 and in four years had over a dozen employees.

In 1990 the National Railway En route to Machu Picchu. Museum in York closed to replace its roof, and we moved over to don Ernest Paget taught them too) The association with the Orient make room for many of its crown I met the Princess of Wales, who Express has proved hugely jewels, including Mallard, the world’s told me that her boys were ‘mad rewarding personally – you can’t fastest steam engine. Thanks to about trains’ – within weeks Princes value it without sharing the a Pembroke geographer working William and Harry had their first passenger experience, and with for British Rail (Jesus Geography footplate ride on a steam engine each refinancing I had to ensure (GWR City of Truro). standards were being maintained! Then there was the Royal When the ‘90s property recession Scotsman, my absolute favourite. put paid to Tarmac Properties, I Then the White Pass and Yukon was forced to leave Swindon in Railway, and even the concession 1992 – an awful blow – but was to operate the Southern Railway able to open my own workshop of Peru. Not only have I been to in the Forest of Dean on 1 July Machu Picchu on business, but in 1996 and 25 years later I’m still my own train, even if it only had running it. Two high points that four little wheels. stand out are building a near-exact working replica of Stephenson’s And what of the steam locomotive 1829 Rocket for the Science that got me so involved? 5521 was Museum in 2009, and overhauling finally finished in 2007 and went off and running Metropolitan Railway by sea to Poland, later steaming all 1898 No. 1 through the Circle Line the way across Eastern Europe to tunnels to Moorgate for London Budapest. We were there when Underground’s 150th anniversary the Orient Express returned from A letter from Diana, Princess of Wales, August 1990. in 2013. its annual trip to Istanbul, and

28 Romania 2015 – Open Day. somehow the next day we were Ian Gray (1966, Modern Languages) Is it a passion? I don’t drive the on the front of the train heading and Margaret have joined me engines, let alone actually repair across the Danube towards Vienna from Istanbul to Budapest, and them – I leave that to those who with me on the footplate. I can only John Jones (1966, Geography) know what they are doing. I don’t compare it to landing at Kennedy and Jenny came on a trip through write down the numbers any more, in the cockpit of Concorde – but it Transylvania. Ian Lake (2003, MSc but in 2019 I rode with my son wasn’t my aeroplane! Nature, Society and Environment down the California coast on the Policy) helped prepare 5521 – veranda of the Santa Fe’s Redwood In 2008, 5521 pulled scheduled now re-numbered L.150 – when Empire, and Prince Charles has passenger trains from Wroclaw it ran on the Metropolitan Line promised to come to Romania this to Jelcz-Laskowice in Poland, in 2014, and many others have year, Covid-permitting, to promote although I missed a five-day trip visited the loco, including Duncan a little railway that I’m trying to I organised for the late David Jones’ Hunter (1966, Physics) and Stewart help revive in Transylvania. Long (1966, Engineering & Economics) Pearson (1966, Geography). L.150, after my contemporaries retired I’m 60th birthday from Budapest to newly overhauled and in London still employing people, still looking Bratislava, Prague, Wroclaw and Transport livery, was hired by the for apprentices, still investing in Krakow, hauled by 5521 in Poland, Underground to run on the outer Victorian engineering. Not bad for a because I was in the John Radcliffe Metropolitan line in 2020, but… geographer. for a heart bypass.

29 Eternal Summer by Bev Shadbolt. ‘Eternal Summer’ by Bev Shadbolt. Bev by Summer’ ‘Eternal Beth sy’n Gwneud Coleg? Ll^yr Gwyn Lewis (2009, MSt Celtic Studies)

Award-winning Welsh-language poet and prose writer Llyr^ Gwyn Lewis spent a year at Jesus College pursuing a Masters in Celtic Studies. His first prose work, the semi-autobiographical Rhyw Flodau Rhyfel (Some Flowers of War, 2014), won the Wales Book of the Year award in the creative nonfiction category, and his poetry collection, ‘Storm ar Wyneb yr Haul’ (Storm on the Face of the Sun, 2014), was shortlisted in the poetry category. Llyr’s^ short story collection, Fabula, was shortlisted for the Wales Book of the Year award 2018. In 2017 he was selected as one of the Ten New Llyr^ Gwyn Lewis. Voices from Europe, a selection of emerging writers from around It’s very much a stock answer Europe. Llyr^ was commissioned by in Wales, when asked how long Jesus College to write the poem you’ve been dabbling with this Beth sy’n gwneud coleg?/What makes poetry business, to respond that a college? in celebration of our you’ve been interested in it for 450th anniversary year in 2021. as long as you can remember. Though I wasn’t exactly rocked to sleep as a baby with the works of Dafydd ap Gwilym in my ears, there is an element of truth in this for me, which stems from the lived experience of Caernarfon where I grew up: a town that even to this day is around 85% Welsh speaking. This was a community that still lauded its poets, and showed its high regard for them through various means – not only in books and journals, but also on radio, television, film and in festivals. I had been enthralled as

“It’s the wisteria, with all its stories of mortar boards, trashings, old rowing glories…”

31 “It’s the little Wales beyond England that welcomes you back each time in a different language…”

a child, for instance, by the 1992 For this commission, my starting of couplets. You can have any film Hedd Wyn about the chair- point was a conversation with amount of couplets in a cywydd, winning poet who was killed in the the College’s Alumni Engagement and meaning can flow and enjamb Great War. The highlight of my year Manager Peter Sutton, who had freely; something that again I hoped was attending the national cultural very kindly got in touch with the would convey a sense of coming festival, the Eisteddfod, where you idea of a poem to celebrate the and going but also of unity. could listen to real, live, breathing College’s 450th anniversary. He How to convey this in English? poets compete against each other, mentioned the ‘12 Objects’ digital Translating cynghanedd can be and perhaps even, if you were lucky, exhibition that would explore the very challenging as meaning is so get their autograph. Such figures College’s story through some of intertwined with sound and shape as Gerallt Lloyd Owen, Dic Jones, the objects in its collections. This in this form. Literal translation can Meirion MacIntyre Huws and led me to try to recollect how convey the poem as excessively Dafydd Wyn Jones were my heroes I would explore my own ‘story’ strange, stifled, or archaic. then, and the natural thing was to from that brief year at Jesus. What Fortunately, as I was brainstorming try to emulate their craft that I had defines Jesus College for me? and jotting down ideas and images, witnessed reduce entire audiences Certainly, its traditions and quirks a great deal of the memories came to tears of laughter and of emotion. and, yes, its objects. But for me to me in English, rather than in what defined that period in my That was until puberty kicked in Welsh, because so much of my life life – what defines it now, as I look and my interest turned to music. in Oxford was experienced through back on it – more than anything are Fortunately there is also a vibrant the medium of English (I live the the people with whom I spent the Welsh-language indie music scene, vast majority of my daily life in year. I thought that this might be a and that’s what got my creative Welsh, which has always been the way into conveying the collegiate juices flowing for most of my teens. case apart for my year at Oxford). nature of life at Oxford, but also As someone who now prides These images and memories that of conveying the unique joy of himself on his poetry, however, the came naturally in English were Jesus College. There is a peculiar less said about some of the terrible useful: I wrote them down instantly, tension or paradox in this assertion song lyrics I produced during those then tried to explore whether a that despite its buildings and its years, the better. line of cynghanedd offered itself in traditions and its history, it is the Welsh to convey a similar image or In fact, I think I only started taking people who make it. This element sentiment. That would then lead to poetry seriously as a craft during is inevitably and constantly changing a companion line in Welsh – often my last years as an undergraduate and overlapping, but it’s also what in the same couplet – that I could at Cardiff, and perhaps even more gives the College its strange sense carry or convey back into the so again during my year at Oxford. of continuity, almost as though English. In a real sense, therefore, Whilst I was at Jesus I could go to it were a living being, something the two versions permeated and various poetry readings, or choose organic. The overlap of people is informed each other to the extent to listen to a modern master such what keeps the traditions alive, and that I couldn’t say honestly that one as Bernard O’Donoghue lecturing instils the stone with meaning. or the other ‘came first’, or that on Yeats. More than anything, This idea, as well as my memories one is a translation of the other. getting to grips with the vastness of of studying cynghanedd at Oxford, They are versions of each other, my own literary tradition, in depth governed my choice of metre. I suppose, and that’s a new and rare and with greater understanding Cynghanedd, in the way that my experience for me. than ever before under the auspices generation employs it, embodies a of Professor Thomas Charles- sense of tradition interpreted in a Edwards, reignited my interest modern way: continuity in change, and love for poetry, but also for perhaps. Similarly with the cywydd, cynghanedd, the intricate system of the particular metre used here, Welsh strict metre. which is made up of building blocks

32 What makes a college? Beth sy’n gwneud coleg? Is it the golden stone, the sober grace, Ai cerrig aur cwadiau’r co the hall’s high roof, the old carved oak, a’r gras syber ei groeso, the stern moustachioed portraits; ai’r tawch, neu’r toeau uchel, melon starters, shot in the guinea fowl a hen ddâr di’u cerfio’n ddel? ^ – no smoking please – and once a year, Gwg portread, swn Lladin, sgwrs lednais, gwrtais a gwin, Watkin Williams Wynn’s peculiar pudding? neu ai pwdin Watcin Wyn Is it the still, musty chapel, heddiw, fel ymhob blwyddyn? with its candlelight and litanies? Ai’r capel a’i dawelwch: Or the rush to print on time, ei wydr llym, trymder llwch an essay crisis looming; rhyw gannwyll-lafarganu sleepy afternoons in the Habakkuk or Wilson; a’i raen dwfn yn y pren du? the stained seldom-worn formal clothes, Ai’r holl lên na ddarllenwyd, or never ever stepping on the grass, hen dei bo staeniwyd â bwyd... even when you come back in your mind? neu sgramblo i brintio mewn brys The books unread, the lanes unexplored... ar ras drwy draethawd-greisus, neu hen lif yr afon lwyd... It is all that, of course, but it’s also ai y strydoedd nas troediwyd? something narrower, longer: Hyn: ond nid hyn yn unig. a window, a strip of sky past gables – Yr ^ym oll yn chwarae mig just enough to know how broad it really is; â hanes sy’n gyfriniach: or a sense, as you ascend the spiral staircase stori fwy’r ffenestr fach. that someone has gone up before you: Tybed wyt ti’n clywed clog it is an archway opening up to splendour. trwy wyll y grisiau troellog, atsain balch troed ar galchfaen It’s the wisteria, with all its stories fu’n esgyn fel hyn o dy flaen? of mortar boards, trashings, old rowing glories; It’s a distant organ chord, the muffle of voices Neu storis y wisteria going about late Thursday’s rehearsal... am swigod aur hetiau’r ha’ ^ Tea in the tute amidst the books neu swn organ sy’n ergyd fel sêr drwy’r gosber i gyd? and the busts, and the dust: Berw tiwt a’i glebar te’n late lunch, the boathouse before dawn hawlio bod cwmni’n rhywle: or brunch in the MCR, cinio, neu rwyfo cynnar, the cold mornings made martyr neu Sul yn yr MCR, to late evenings. a rhith-wawriau’n ferthyron i wydrau hwyr y dre’ hon? It’s the little Wales beyond England that welcomes you back each time in a different language Ym mhlethiad amlieithog ei phlu, roedd gwely i’r gog, And this is all because ac ernes fach o gornel stone can’t remember; ddiddos gu o Gymru gêl. but the fresher sometimes can. Treuliedig yw’r cerrig; co’ gleisiad sy’n dal i glosio. We have to leave, but we overlap like the pages in the library. Awn ffwrdd, ond gorgyffyrddwn We send letters across decades to the plodge, ninnau holl lyfrau’r lle hwn. chalk up our Eights and Torpids, but still see Atom drwy dwll colomen older colours blazing through the stone. dros dro o hyd daw’r st^wr hen; daw rhai o hyd, pawb â’i dro We matriculate to the rest of our lives, i grafu sgoriau rhwyfo give up our rooms, our seat at formal, â rhyw sialc i’w ddrws ei hun: the desk in the library we’ve claimed for ourselves; o hyd mae eraill wedyn leave them empty for others to fill. yn ddwys glir am ddisgleirio Yet we overlap in the light of this place, yn fud oddi tano fo. collegiate, close. O’r heddiw mae’n rhaid graddio: rhoi gown ar beg coleg co’, wedyn awn, a gadawn ni i eraill barhau’r stori: golau hwyr cymdeithas glos, yn golegol o agos.

33 Love Letters to Jesus College In further celebration of Jesus College’s 450th anniversary, we present a selection of ‘love letters’ to College: a collection of reminiscences and memories from Old Members around the world.

Derec Llwyd Morgan (1964, History) and Honorary Fellow his daughter. “No, of course not.” I first came up to Jesus in I took her on my knees and read the summer of 1964 to sit an her stories from one of the books examination for the Meyricke she had beside her, and that was Graduate Scholarship. After the scene Hale saw when he one of the Scholarship papers returned. He poured some sherry, I was summoned to an interview gave me a glass and said straight with John Rigby Hale, the Senior away that he’d seen enough to History Tutor. For some reason offer me a place. he had his little daughter in his rooms. A minute or two after That non-interview summed up I arrived Dr Hale was summoned the Jesus spirit for me, and fifty- to the Porter’s Lodge. As he went, seven years later still symbolises its he asked if I minded looking after intimacy.

Jack Shulman (2008, EMBA) Jesus was my college when, as a mature student, I was working for It was there that I learned of my MBA at Saïd. I was fortunate his secret vice and, perhaps, the to get to know John Krebs a little. unacknowledged fuel for academic It’s funny what sticks in one’s and administrative excellence memory, but I will never forget at Jesus: peppermint tea. I don’t an evening reception and dinner I know how to describe the Platonic attended in his Lodgings at Jesus. level of perfection that represents.

34 Chris Murphy (1967, Geography) Holly (2011, PPE) and Chris (2011, Jurisprudence) Edwards Yarrow I found a husband/ he found a wife! We finally got married in December 2020 in Chapel. We matriculated in 2011, got ‘College married’ in Fresher’s week and have been together L-R: Assistant Chaplain Rev. Walter Hooper, since that first year. Chris Murphy and girlfriend, and Andrew Burt.

I read Geography and the Holly & Chris Edwards Yarrow. geographers in those days (late ‘60s) were the first to start Finals and the first to finish: 10 three- hour papers on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday. That was the biggest challenge I had ever faced but I survived and came out with a 2.1. One of my memories is that you could hear Welsh conversation as there was a very active branch of the Welsh Language Society in Jesus at the time. I’ve kept myself sane during lockdown by learning Welsh which is something I’d been threatening to do for some time. The grandchildren find it amusing to be greeted in Welsh.

Wisteria in Second Quad, April 2020, by Bev Shadbolt. 35 Love Letters to Jesus College

Mike Hardy, (1956, Natural Sciences) Memories of Jesus College: • Welcoming, sociable, unfussy, and a long way from West Yorkshire by scooter. • On a roof somewhere on May 1st, met up with another chap called Mike Hardy, reading Religious Studies at Keble. He later became the Rev Mike, as distinct from the Irrev Mike. • On the rugby field, was introduced to Welsh style rugby – gave it up after my first forearm tackle, and switched to rock-climbing as being a safer sport. • Pleased that in those days there were only first, second and third class degrees – no nonsense about two- one and two-twos. • Really enjoy returning to Jesus – roll on the passing of Covid.

Peter Rees (1949, Chemistry) I read Chemistry at Jesus, my family did not possess a car, a letter to London at breakfast matriculating in 1949. My year so journeys to and from College time and receive a reply by late group of six chemists consisted of were made by train. It was a world afternoon. two relatively old undergraduates without the World Wide Web I owe a great debt to the College who had the misfortune to be and mobile phones. The JCR had a in making me the person I am. I am conscripted into the coal mines radio but no TV. The dons’ studies proud to have worked alongside (‘Bevin Boys’) instead of the armed were connected by an unreliable other Jesus graduates of various forces; one who had completed telephone link to the lodge, but generations throughout my National Service after leaving undergraduates had to share a career and that numerous of my school, with a commission in the kiosk in Third Quad, paying for former pupils have continued their army; and three who had come up each call (button A or B) in cash, education at the College. to Oxford straight from school. or requesting reverse call charges. Communication was principally by Floreat Collegium Jesu. Like most of my contemporaries letter and it was possible to post

Ian Gray (1966, Modern Languages) In October 1966 I received a replacement room-mate in lives on different continents. Bill Second Quad by the name was a key figure on my first date of William Parker*. Fifty-five with my now wife of fifty years, years later, Bill and I are still providing tea and crumpets the very best of friends. My toasted romantically over an main memories of our Jesus life electric fire in his father’s room together are extra-curricular: in Christ Church. We were back hitch-hiking to football matches at Jesus together for the fiftieth at West Bromwich Albion and anniversary of our matriculation Tottenham, and Bill ambulancing and Bill also generously invited me me and my broken wrist from to watch my Man United defeat rugby pitch to the Radcliffe in his his Spurs at Wembley. Greater somewhat brakeless jalopy. Post- love hath no man! May it survive university, we have kept in touch, for many more years yet! though at times pursuing different *See Private Passion, p.26 Peter McDonald (1956, Chemistry) Oxford was a great experience for me and I met my wife there. She was a nurse at the Radcliffe – they had a Sarah Harris née Trusler, great social life in those days when the (1984, Engineering Science) University students were predominately male. I was given an exhibition in 1954 and had to decide whether to do National Service before or after College and decided to join the Navy that summer. I was fortunate to join a cruiser based in Trincomalee in Sri Lanka and travelled to East Africa, Seychelles, India, and the Persian Gulf before coming home through the Suez Canal, Malta & Gibraltar. On leaving the Navy in 1956, Mr Eden started his ill-judged Suez War The First Eight at Eights Week, 1985 and I received a letter saying I should I came up to Jesus to read Engineering Science in 1984. At Freshers’ report to a Devon Airfield if reservists Fair in Hall the Boat Club Captain singled me out and asked me were called up. whether I would like to try coxing. I didn’t even know what he was On arriving at College I found about talking about! Thus began three memorable years of coxing on the half the Freshers had been in the forces Isis. and we were all in the same uncertain I went with the Men’s First Eight to Wallingford Regatta, where I position. Fortunately, the Americans was found to be under the minimum weight for a cox (I still have intervened to stop the war and we the certificate to prove it!), and had to carry a brick, extracted from were allowed to enjoy our first term. underneath a nearby hedge, with me in the boat. The only downsides I remember are being thrown in the river, then left to clamber out by myself, and the cold that would seep into my bones sitting in the stern for all those hours in the early mornings. Thus also began a lifelong relationship with thermal underwear!

Harriet Morgan (1987, MSc Social Studies) I loved going to the Graduate Common Room after lunch and getting to hear about everyone’s day while we made coffee or waited for it to be made. There was joking, advice, and sometimes explaining someone’s subject to people in another field. It felt exciting to learn a bit about topics from string theory to languages, and it made a welcome break and source of perspective.

37 Love Letters to Jesus College

Samarth Gupta (2018, MPhil Comparative Social Policy) As an international student coming from the United States, I was not sure what to expect in a new country. The community in Jesus was welcoming, unpretentious, and joyful. From the boat club to the MCR, the college created spaces and relationships I treasure. I miss seeing familiar faces every morning by the MCR coffee machine and making the short weekly trip for a lunch at Najar’s with friends. Jesus College became my home away from home, and the place where I met lifelong friends. I am excited to return in due time and hope to give back to the College for all it gave me.

Nick Berry (1993, Modern History)

Jane Lewis I was very lucky as I found many loves at Jesus; the atmospheric libraries, the JCR, and of course, The (1974, Oriental Studies) Sheepshagger. It would be remiss of me not to mention my I wanted to go to Jesus since I was love of Hungary, and in particular one Hungarian. We met about 3 or 4! When people asked at Jesus, were married the year after she left, and have been what I wanted to do when I grew up, together ever since. I would say, ‘I want to go to Daddy’s College’ to which they would reply, Ian Sutherland (1977, Physics) ‘But girls aren’t allowed there’. So I was Friendships and memories formed in those first terms delighted when College opened its convey a sense of belonging that manifests again at Gaudies. doors to women for the first time in I remember the water fights in Staircase XIX in 1977, and 1974, and my application to be in that the tea, toast and music in the top floor rooms with sloping first group of women was successful. ceilings – and I appreciate the ease with which that group My parents were living in Brazil at the reforms when it has a chance. time, so I sent them a telegram saying, ‘Jesus wants me’. ‘Hallelujah’ came back the reply. People often ask me if we experienced much sexism or sexual harassment, but I don’t remember any. The guys adopted us. Relationships were formed, but I can honestly say I don’t remember any harassment or sexism. I felt I was treated as an equal – which made for rather a big shock when I finally joined the world of work. Floreat Collegium Jesu indeed! Here’s to another 450 years.

38 Dick Cowan (1964, Animal Physiology) Prior to making decisions I had a real problem – which Jesus College should I go to? Cambridge or Oxford? The latter was the correct choice and I was grateful to be offered a place. Geoffrey Rushworth was my tutor, and we got on well. The weekly sessions in College were exacting and good. Kathy Sylva, 1977 Emeritus Fellow I became a Senior Research Fellow in Psychology John Simon at Jesus in 1977, one of the first females in the (1967, Physiological Sciences) Senior Common Room. True to its all-male history, men in the SCR were well provided I found several “loves” and have listed them: with male loos, neatly adjacent to the SCR and A love of the scientific method. This love discreetly labelled ‘private’. I, on the other hand, was given to me by my tutor Dr Geoffrey had to walk out of Staircase X along the path in Rushworth. It has remained throughout my life Second Quad to use the female student loos at – and even grows stronger with age. I apply the the bottom of Staircase XI. This love letter is sent scientific methodology not only to my work as to all the kind undergraduates I met regularly in a physician but also to my life in general! 1977 at the bottom of Staircase XI. They advised me where to buy my first Jesus College green and I also learnt to play backgammon at Jesus white striped scarf, or which porters would go in the JCR – and began to love the game. I that extra mile if I urgently needed to contact a used to play in the World Championships in tutee. It was the undergraduates in the all-girls loo Monte Carlo every year. I am proud to say who made me feel at home in my own College, I was the runner up one year in the Singles perhaps because they too had made that daunting championship and on two occasions the Hong first step into a College where, until 1974, only Kong team, of which I was a member, won males could tread? the Team championships.

Steven Hillion (1987, Mathematics)

After three intense and wonderful years at Jesus College, I’d intended for the graduate programme. to continue studying mathematics Within a year I was in Berkeley, at Oxford by pursuing a DPhil. But within another year I’d come out my advisor at Jesus, John Roe, and found a new freedom and suggested that for my particular happiness in my life, and within interests (number theory) the a decade I was engaged to be place to be was Berkeley, at the married to the man who now University of California. lives with me in our San Francisco house, where I sit today looking Within a few minutes, John out towards Berkeley to the east had contacted a friend of his at and, a little further on, my alma Berkeley via this new-fangled email mater. Jesus College, and John, thing (this was 1990) and I was fundamentally changed my life. unofficially on track to be accepted

39 Love Letters to Jesus College

Louise Bishop Peter J Page (1966, Geography) (1986, Jurisprudence) When I arrived at Jesus I was entering a completely unknown world. I think that the most important things I learned over the next three years had little to do with Geography. That included the lesson that I didn’t know nearly as much as I thought I did. Here are a few memories from that time: • The distinctive smell of the corridor between First and Second Quads. • Lunch in Hall, and the day the kitchen got hold of some salmon, offered poached as a cold lunch option at an extremely affordable price.

(l-r) Jo Thornton, Louise, Sarah Bruce and • Chapel, and in particular the way the Classics don Johnnie G (Johnnie Andrew Hawthorne. Griffiths) made a very precise sharp right turn as he turned from To get in was just a dream. the aisle to approach the lectern when he was reading at Sunday I came from a State School and Evensong. had been told by my school that it was not worth applying, • Oxford University Railway Society meetings in the College lecture so getting in was very much theatre on Fridays. a solo effort. From day one • Stuart Pearson inviting a few of us to listen to his newly acquired I knew I had found my happy copy of the Sergeant Pepper album in his rooms on the day of its first place – and I relished every release. single moment at College. Jesus • Hearing Professor Idris Foster conversing in Welsh in Third Quad. was kind, unstuffy, inclusive and magnificent. I made my closest lifelong Brian Allardyce (1959, Physics) friends at College – we still I read Physics and my tutor talk almost every day. My was Claude Hurst. I liked him, Houghton as a tutor not long Jesus friends have been and although I was somewhat in awe after he became a Fellow. He also remain my family. I also met my of him. I remember vividly one gave great encouragement and husband Andy at Jesus: we have occasion of huge embarrassment was always keen to talk about his been married now for over when I had made some sort research work. 20 years and are proud parents of major error in answer to a I still recall the hairy moments to two children. question on thermodynamics, and of climbing into College after he said, “Oh Allardyce, where Basically Jesus has made me hours. The method used was to were you educated?”. I did not happy – both while there and prop your bike against the wall in know where to hide my face during my life afterwards. I will Market Street at the point where and I have remembered it to this be forever grateful for that the wall joins the College wall. day. Claude encouraged me to acceptance tele message! Then, standing on the saddle, you pursue a career in physics, but clamber up over the spikes and it was the lectures of Professor into the small courtyard at the Dennis Wilkinson that got me back of what was the JCR. No into nuclear physics, for which injuries fortunately! I am so grateful. I also had John

40 Paul Baxter (1977, Chemistry)

In 1982-83, my last Canon David Staples year at Jesus, I shared (1956, Theology) a flat with Steve Cook You might expect to hear of and John Needham. miracles from a retired cleric, The Principal of the but the very fact of my being College was Sir John given a place at Jesus was Habakkuk. He was miraculous. At the time of my due to retire the next graduation I asked my tutor, year, so John thought Denys Whiteley, why I had it would be nice to do been given a place as I left something in honour school at 16 with no ‘A’ levels: of this. When John “There were a few signs that said that he was going you had once been taught a bit at our flat, neither Steve nor I took him seriously,to but invite that him is exactly to dinner of Greek”. what he did, and what’s more Sir John and wife, Lady Mary Habakkuk, accepted. I found digs off the Iffley Road and paid £3 per week for room We all had a wonderful evening listening to Sir John’s stories of his and breakfast. My landlady career, including how during the war he had nearly been recruited into ruled her students with a rod the Secret Service via a very strange interview with a spy in a train of iron, and I once received station waiting room. Before they left, he said that this had been the severe rebuke when I invited only time in his academic career that he had been invited to a student’s my brother to my room. She flat for dinner, and how touched he had been to get the invitation. put the fear of God into me far They were genuinely nice people. I’m sure that they played a more than any drill corporal large part in creating the welcoming atmosphere during basic training in the Royal of College during my time there. Warwickshire Regiment. What did I gain from my experience? It was good to interact with others met and my heart skipped a beat. who were reading Richard Turner (1972, ModernTo cutLanguages) a long story short, Claire different subjects. It and I attended the Jesus Summer rooted my theology in Ball of 1973 and had a wonderful a wide context and I still night, but the next day I took the ask a lot of questions from train home to Canterbury and outside the ecclesiastical Claire left for Leeds. During the box. I made many friends following Michaelmas Term we involved in other disciplines saw each other a few times, but and am still, after over 60 the pressures of work seemed to years, in touch with some. increasingly keep us apart and, It opened the door to sadly, the relationship never Theological College and a During Trinity Term of that first year, I went along to a meeting of progressed. ministerial life which has been the University Spanish, Latin very rich in experience of both But I shall always remember the American and Portuguese Society situations and people. moment Claire’s and my eyes in the basement of the Museum met, and the hot magical summer of Modern Art. As we entered, of 1973. we were greeted by a girl – Claire – with stunning pre- Raphaelite auburn hair. Our eyes

41 Love Letters to Jesus College

E. Helen Watt (1977, Modern Languages) When I went up, the costs per term were £168 B&B, with a £10 booklet of coupons, for teas, bottles of wine, lunches, etc., which would normally last a term! My time at Jesus College was extremely happy and I retain very fond memories of my three years there. I found College to be a very friendly place: our year was roughly 50- 50 men-women and being female, I don’t think I ever encountered anything which might be classified as prejudice or sexism. Our College had none of the class divide which might have existed at other colleges. Wales has since played an extremely important part in my life, as I have spent around ten years living and working there, enjoying learning to speak Welsh. I enjoy keeping up with my Oxford friends, attending the Gaudies, and hearing the news from College, and since I now also have a partner from my year (who really did I was overjoyed to receive the telegram offering get the best degree in the University in our year in his me a place at Jesus, which I still have, and which my subject), I would like to end by saying thank you, Jesus, dear younger brother told me was the result of a for everything! Diolch yn fawr iawn am bopeth! clerical error.

Adam King (1993, PPE) Being at Jesus was an enormous and unexpected privilege for me. I was the first in my family to go Chapel Choir and the musicians in College to the to university, and my overall recollection is deep various opportunities to socialise and converse with happiness and fulfilment. I was surrounded by a very students and Fellows. Through all these experiences kind and inclusive group of people: from my very first and many more, I was overwhelmed by the welcome welcome by my College “parent”, to the intellectual and friendship which gave me the confidence to be stretch and friendship of the PPE-ists of the time; myself and shape the rest of my life. I hope Jesus will from the formal and informal music making with the enable others to have their own unique experience for the next 450 years.

42 John Wilson (1962, Jurisprudence) Kate Heal née Morris (1988, Geography)

John Wilson rowing at 3 in Jesus 2nd VIII June 1963. Eights Week. We were bumped by Having very sensibly had a mother My time with you for my undergraduate the boat behind. We all stopped born in Colwyn Bay I found I was degree was hugely formative in my personal rowing (which we should not have eligible to sit the closed scholarship and career development. I will never done), but the boat behind kept examination for Jesus College. Two forget the advice in Principal’s Collections on enthusiastically (which it should memories of time at Jesus stand in 2nd Year to “get up earlier and read not have done) and as a result our out in particular: more”. It was true and it worked. I also bow started pointing towards the really appreciated the down-to-earth Music – An interest in music gave bank. Our cox rallied and called atmosphere at Jesus. Whilst I met most the opportunity to meet up with ‘all together’, so we pulled firmly – of my Oxford friends in other Colleges female undergraduates, as the straight into the bank! The impact through the University Rambling and Jesus-St Anne’s Music Society was splintered the bow so that water Hillwalking Club, Jesus College was a flourishing. There were concerts in began coming in. We rowed hard safe, well-resourced base from which to the Principal’s Lodgings, and a joint for the boathouse, with people venture forth and return. Thank you, production in Michaelmas 1962 taking bets as to whether we Jesus College. Without you I would not of a spoof version of Gilbert & would make it. I surreptitiously be in my current career, with lifelong Sullivan’s Patience . took my feet out of the strap ready friends – still hillwalking – and my to swim for it if necessary. We did Rowing husband (from across the Broad at – I joined the rowing make it to the boathouse to the fraternity and was assigned to row Trinity). cheers or jeers of the onlookers. at no.3 in the 2nd VIII in the 1963 Happy days!

43 Love Letters to Jesus College

John Blore (1969, Theology) I arrived at Jesus to read Theology in 1969, and was invited to the Anglican evangelistic speakers. At Jesus, and subsequently at strolling in the Parks, Christ Principal’s Lodge for tea where Church Meadow, and across Port the kindly Mrs Habakkuk asked us Wycliffe Hall, I met Tom Wright, one-time President of OICCU and Meadow to Binsey and the Perch. each in turn, “and do you play an I went to opera and Shakespeare instrument?”. subsequently Bishop of Durham and writer on New Testament in the New Theatre, seeing Judi My spiritual journey through Studies. Dench as Juliet. Oxford included College Those were heady days of College I was ordained in the Church of Chapel, attending St Aldate’s, England in 1975, and ministered membership of the College success at rugby and on the river. I spent rather too much time in Essex until retiring to Norfolk Christian Union, and occasional in 2015. It is always a delight to be visits to OICCU where I heard following cricket in the Parks. I loved old Oxford, punting, and back in College, especially if the wisteria is in bloom.

Jeremy Burrows (1989, Chemistry) and Louise Burrows née King (1991, Chemistry) My seven years at Jesus (1989, Chemistry, then DPhil) were core years of my life affecting everything thereafter. My studies equipped me for my career in pharmaceutical chemistry and my current role, discovering the next generation of antimalarials for the world (www.mmv.org). I also hit it off with my wife to be, Louise (1991, Chemistry), at a Jesus College Chemists’ dinner! Finally, the friendships that formed with fellow students and tutors have been precious over the last 32 years. Particularly, I want to acknowledge Prof Tony Downs, who interviewed and taught us both, for his academic excellence that challenged us to excel, and his fatherly support. Whenever I think of Jesus, I picture the beautiful wisteria in Second Quad – a timeless image. Jesus will always remain precious to us.

44

Andrew Johnson (1987, Geography) I used to attend Morning Prayer in John Bridges (1980, Engineering the College Chapel with a small group Science) of other students and afterwards we I was an Engineering Science student from 1980, and were always invited back to the College remember particularly: Chaplain’s study for breakfast. One of us was given money to purchase a fresh, • the intelligence and warmth of my fellow Jesus still warm, loaf from the bakery in the Engineers, Chris and Helen Covered Market and on our return we • the amazing paternoster continuous lift in the enjoyed it with butter and jam and a Engineering block – scary but then you master it! decent mug of coffee before heading off to lectures. Interestingly six of the • flying every week with the University Air regular attendees are now serving as Squadron at RAF Abingdon, and superb social priests or ministers in churches around events the UK! • the day those of us in Ship Street building decided to surprise our Scout John by getting up early and The Revd Geoffrey White all meeting in the top room, so that poor John had to open 12 empty rooms before finding us all in (1972, Modern Languages) the final one. May have been his birthday! I came up to Jesus in of the recital, I 1972 to read Modern naturally had to Languages, returning in liaise with him. Around 1976 to study Theology nine one morning, he at St Stephen’s House, turned up in my small, although I was still a but very modern room, member of College in the block built for the and so came back to Quatercentenary; I was sing with the choir at slightly embarrassed that Sunday evensong. So it my smalls were still drying was that I met Alison, a over the heating duct! Northumbrian alto from When the evening came, St Anne’s, who has been all, including the weather, my wife for forty years. was fine. We packed the In my second year, as a hall and I took the last member of the Jesus – seat in the gallery. The St Anne’s Music Society, concert was magnificent, I was asked to organise though I did learn one the Summer Concert more thing about George and, known for giving Malcolm, and that was huge discounts to Oxford that he wasn’t famed for colleges, I approached total sobriety, and his the famous harpsichordist performance was molto George Malcolm. In animato. sorting out the format

45 Love Letters to Jesus College

Geoffrey Lucas (1952, PPE) When I came up in October 1952, the first tutor, a Jewish bachelor, whose mistress often amazing experience was that I had a bedroom spent the night in College, a practice which I regret of my own. I had come from a two bedroom that I failed to emulate, in spite of trying hard. He bungalow, which I shared with my parents and and I got on well, sharing a passion for chess as well elder sister. as for economics. I am always sad when young people tell me that I trod the boards twice for College, in Much Ado applying to Oxford frightens them. My experience and The Merchant was that it was a huge improvement. I came from , played rugger and tennis, and eventually discovered what I wanted to do in life by an all-male, day, secondary school, so the third big a process of elimination. By good luck, I fell into a change was studying with girls. job which I loved in merchant shipping. My economics don was also my moral

Steve Crabb (Modern History, 1982) I am grateful to Jesus College for many of the loves in my life. College (and particularly Drs Walsh and Heal) developed my love of history into a life-long passion. Second quad gave me an abiding love of wisteria. But above all I have College to thank for the greatest love of my life*. I met my wife at Jesus – she was a fellow historian at Pembroke – and I asked her out a few hours after we both finished Finals, in probably the least romantic part of College; Third Quad! We’ve been together for 35 very happy years now. *along with our two children

46 Ian Fraser (1973, Chemistry) I could talk about the excellent tutors I had, despite failing completely to synthesise and characterise thiazyl hexachloroantimonate. I could mention that I was all alone upon arrival, but was taken under the wing of three lads from Bradford: Messrs Minihan, Meehan and Rigby, all of whom became the closest friends. Harry Harrold (1987, Zoology) I could mention how enjoyable it was studying chemistry under Tony Downs and Mike Pilling, how I arrived at College as a sworn ale drinker. A strong was the camaraderie in Jesus College, and childhood aversion to anything fizzy meant I how much I gained from my involvement in rugby, never got started on lager. Cut to the 1990 squash and athletics. World Cup, showing in the JCR before the College bar dreamed of its own TV, or anyone But all of this provided a backdrop to the events at CERN envisaged a “web” where such things which began one night at a party in 1A Woodstock might be followed. Road when some ladies from St Anne’s arrived. One attractive young lady asked me what I did, and I replied The only drink I could imagine liking less than lager? Canned bitter. So, it would have been that I was not part of the university at all but was a in the Jesus JCR, during England’s first round “car-breaker from Cowley”. match vs the Republic of Ireland, that I started Three months later at a party in New College, the drinking lager. I think it would have been same lady bounded up to me and said, “aren’t you Kronenbourg 1664. Fortified, I believe, by the a car-breaker from Cowley?”. Penny and I dated wise words of Stuart King (1987, Metallurgy), throughout Hilary and Trinity, and we decided to go to “You don’t have to like it, Harry, you just have Jesus Summer Ball. It seemed like the perfect time, five to drink it.” months after meeting her, to ask Penny to marry me. I The game was a draw. I still drink think she said “of course”. Kronenbourg. I write this having just celebrated the 44th anniversary of our engagement. We have three wonderful children and a gorgeous granddaughter. We owe our 45 year love affair to our time at Jesus and St Anne’s, and any success we’ve had in life significantly to our Colleges and to Oxford.

John Keeler (1960, Jurisprudence) My College experience could not have shaped I gained entirely unjustified respect in the SCR my career and life more directly. During my during 1969-70. In those days of a male only interview in 1959 with Arthur Rogerson, the College the issue of whether women could stay Fellow in Law, he asked me what I wanted overnight was the most controversial issue. to do after I left. I replied that I would like The policy at the time was that truckle beds to be a University lecturer, after three or so could be hired for a night for five shillings. The years’ experience at a University in Canada or JCR was opposed to this and as a protest the Australia. In 1963 Arthur was appointed to the President resigned and a goldfish was elected Chair and Deanship in Law at the University of in his stead, on the basis that the JCR President Adelaide, and before he left asked me if I would was a member of the Governing Body but contemplate applying for a lectureship there. I that, since he had not been listened to, it was did and was appointed to a lectureship in the appropriate that the JCR be represented by Adelaide Law School in 1964. Arthur was my a creature that opened and shut its mouth first Dean, and my best man when I married without expecting to be heard. I was asked my in 1972. I remained a full time member of the opinion as to whether this possibility required Law School until I retired in 2002 and retained any response from the SCR, talked to some an Adjunct position until I became an Emeritus undergraduates (my cousin Colin, reading Fellow of the University when I gave it up Physics at the College) and suggested that there in 2018. wasn’t. No disaster occurred. 47 Love Letters to Jesus College

Julian Fletcher (1986, Physics) Malcolm McIvor I do like to think I left a mark (1961, Mathematics) on Jesus College. More of a Day 1 ‘Come and meet my school friends’ with Sellotape, Pritt and stain perhaps. For, in 1988, Week 1 Watched them play Bridge hope. Possibly the most along with Julian Smith, I Week 2 Played Bridge founded The challenging part: getting Sheepshagger Term 1 Established a Bridge four edited it for a number of years. 120 or so copies printed. and By the evening, we’d always Post graduation Julian and I would spend most managed it and retired to Four actuaries in training of the term not doing much a packed bar for a calming Five decades of life-long friendship about that term’s edition. We drink. There would be a wall of All thanks to a knock on the door by Dick did have several outstanding people at the door, all clutching Crease. cartoonists though (Foz, 20p pieces, desperate to get Phill and the mother of a hold of a copy. Within a few What do you get with 4 Maths men, 2 mathematician from our year). minutes, we’d sell out and the Greats men, 2 Historians and a Geographer? By the beginning of eighth bar would fall silent as people A £19 Punt Company with a punt called week, however, we knuckled scanned the pages, hoping to Messalina and another, Mistress Quickly. A down and did our best to see their name, or hoping not bow wave down the Cherwell leading to write enough articles to fill the to see their name, depending Cambridge and Llangollen. At the end of the requisite eight or twelve pages. on their personal disposition, pole? Great fun! Making extensive use of the what they’d been up to that In 1961, what did you get from XI, 6 in the new-fangled Mac computers term, with whom they’d been middle of the night? A long run for a p.. in up at the Computing lab and consorting, etc. XVI basement, the Palace. Pagemaker, we’d have a half- For a trip down memory There you went! decent set of proofs by the lane, The Sheepshagger end of the week, held together Archive may be accessed Digital at: bit.ly/3qgQc5F.

48 Simon Moffett (1969, Engineering Science &choir Economics) in Chapel every Sunday. The chaplain, Rev Denys Whiteley, led discussion of the sermon after the service. We went because he served draught sherry from unlabelled bottles. I still don’t know what original sin is, although we seemed to discuss it interminably. Learning to sing the bass part was a distraction. The basses faced the sopranos and the tenors faced the altos. Among the sopranos was Mererid’s smiling face. I didn’t think she would ever take a fancy to me as I was far too ‘home counties’, while she was refined, academic and Welsh. But in our third year I always knew I would go to Jesus College, Oxford, the penny dropped and we got together. and find a wife. That’s what my father did. My Meeting Mererid changed the drift of my life, giving it mother did her degree in St Hilda’s. My sisters were purpose. We live happily now in West Wales. I have doing degrees in Oxbridge, and so should I. With a learnt Welsh and we are blessed with two daughters, complete lack of imagination, I simply followed on. a fine son-in-law, and three grandchildren, all Welsh- I read engineering science and economics and later speaking. I found a career in oil refining in West Wales where I did use some things I had learned. I joined the Stuart Yerrell (1958, Physics) I first visited Jesus College in January 1958 to take the entrance examination. On my first evening I went for a nice hot bath in the basement of the Third Quad, and recalled the old saying that a cat washes itself when going to a new home if it intends to settle. It must have worked for me: I returned later that year with an open Exhibition to start reading Physics (called Natural Sciences in those days). It was the beginning of a very happy and enjoyable three years.

49 Love Letters to Jesus College

Paul Waine (1972, PPE)

Caravan’s Memory Lain, Hugh could be heard again and again from my room on Staircase XVIII. I’d been lucky to be chosen to lead the 1974 Ball committee. Could we gain the confidence of College that we could put on the Ball and be financially sound? We were to be guided by the Home Bursar. We needed an image to be the “brand” of the Ball. A series of “Love is” cartoons by Kim were featured regularly in newspapers around that time, and “Love is Jesus Summer Ball” ads first appeared in Daily Info early in Hilary. “Love is” t-shirts and badges followed, and we entered the “Love is Eight” in Eights Week. Caravan headlined the ball. They went on at around 2:30 AM and their 60 minute set ran for 2 hours. Wow, we’d put on a great summer Ball! “Love is” Jesus College. My time at Oxford, the people I got to know, the friendships made and renewed, the reunions, the alumni events. The memories that take you back. Jesus College is better and so much more exciting today. Congratulations to everyone on the 450th Anniversary.

50 Howard Steadman (1957, Physics) Going up to Oxford as a 17-year-old Exhibitioner from a grammar school I was quite walking on the grass was banned. The JCR was intimidated, not only by being surrounded by a second home, especially if you were out in boys from public schools, but the fact that ‘digs’, as I was in my third year. Playing Shove some had done their National Service and Ha’penny there was one of the many enjoyable were ‘men’ where the rest of us were ‘boys’. distractions. Many happy memories include sunning myself Girls were not allowed as students in College with friends by laying on the grass in Second in those days. Had they been, perhaps my best Quad with our feet on the path because memories would have been very different!

Ross Manning (1997, Biological Sciences) Another stand-out memory is the beautiful garden I had the pleasure of working behind the bar at behind 121 Woodstock Road, where I lived with College during my time there, and it was great fun – Rosy Hughes and Leo Goldsmith – I spent a lot you were everyone’s best friend on a crowded Friday of time in that garden in the sunshine after Finals night. The bar manager, Di, a tiny, jolly, Brummie finished. Of course, it was the friendships I made, and redhead, was the unofficial College mother and very still have, that are foremost in mind. much loved. Tea and toast in the JCR after a morning of lectures was always a welcome restorative. Margaret Lawson (1976, Modern Languages) It was in Oxford that I became a Christian. C.S. Lewis described himself as the most reluctant convert in all England and, although I wouldn’t have said that of myself, it did take me a while to get there. I remember formative and helpful chats with the chaplains, the late Colin Bennetts and Bruce Gillingham, as well as inspiring and thought-provoking sermons at St Aldate’s delivered by Michael Green. There were also plenty of late night discussions with friends – some Christians, some not – as I tried to figure out what I believed about God, life, the universe, everything. I can picture myself cycling along the Woodstock Road to reach St Aldate’s, bells gloriously ringing out all around me, and enjoying the rich autumn colours in Michaelmas and the drifting and scented spring blossom in Hilary and Trinity. The faith in Christ which I discovered while I was at Jesus has been through its ups and downs over the years. It has changed and developed into something rather less black and white than it was then. It has, however, remained strong and I therefore recall with immense gratitude the opportunity I had whilst at Jesus to find Jesus for myself.

51 Love Letters to Jesus College

Kathryn Davies (1985, PPE) and Reinhild Fliethmann née Leinemann (1986)

brothers, Godchildren, parents, husbands, friends, neighbours and even dogs. We hope that the Jesusfreundschaftsausdeh- nungswirkung phenomenon has made its presence felt with you too. Maybe your address books are also scored through with multiple addresses and countries. Maybe your Jesus friendships have also tracked the inevitable triumphs and disasters life throws at us. Maybe you too have sought diversion during agonising times waiting for children’s academic results and wondering whether they will follow in your footsteps? (net: Worcester and Keble – ach well, you can’t win ‘em all!) Die Jesusfreundschaftsausdehnungswirkung Maybe there is hope to cheer up that famously (German, Compound Noun, Attr. Trier 1986) miserable picture of Jesus founder, Hugh Price, that The Jesus College Friendship Expansion Effect. hangs in College? Jesus College is the friendliest Kathryn Davies and Reinhild Leinemann were thrown college. Always was, always will be. May the together during the annual Trier/Jesus student Jesusfreundschaftsausdehnungswirkung touch him exchange in 1985/6. A generation later: the famous too, so that he looks down on us with a legacy of Jesusfreundschaftsausdehnungswirkung shared friendship for the next 450 years … has reached out to all of our children. The ripple effect reaches sisters, and learns to smile!

John Rhys (1962, Mathematics) Sport was fun. I played football for the college, and learned to play squash, The most important event of my time which sustained me in exciting but in Oxford was meeting the woman exhausting exercise for many years who was to become my wife of 54 afterwards. years. We did not meet at Jesus, or even in Oxford, but we were married Finally came travel. I think we secured in Chapel and celebrated our 50th a small grant from College, and seven wedding anniversary with a lunch in of us embarked on an exploration of College. the Balkans and Near East, purchasing an ancient World War II Bedford Otherwise the most influential two ton truck, which we converted. experiences and events were mostly Travel was a completely different related to my contemporaries, and experience in those days. Again this exposure to ideas from a range was a formative, not just as a cultural, of other disciplines, and to people experience in terms of reaching with different backgrounds and agreements within the group in perspectives. Dinner in Hall was sometimes difficult circumstances. important. Sconcing was still practised for deemed “breaches of etiquette”, such as talking about your own subject for too long.

52 Emily Collier née Eisen (2005, Music)

I can easily say that my we live. I’ll never forget the beauty of the spaces that two years at Jesus I felt I had special rights to within the amazing city were irreplaceable in of Oxford – all those doors I could walk through, so many ways. Here’s gardens I could enjoy, rooms I could read in, port me and my then wine I could drink... Jesus has a very, very special boyfriend, Chris place in my heart. Collier (St Catz) in Second Quad celebrating the end of our first year MSt music exams in June 2006. And here we are last spring, married with two kids (Zachary, 5, and Natalie, 2): For me, Jesus was the place where I finally settled and blossomed intellectually into my studies. It set me on the path to a very satisfying musical career, first as a professional, and now an avid amateur and supporter of the classical arts in Philadelphia where

Anne Marie Hinton née Harvey (1977, English Language & Literature) “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways”... • The telegram offering me a place: had as much fun there as we did? still cherished, the only telegram I’ve • Jesus College parties and JCR discos. ever received. • “Trembling Les”, the iconic waiter • Your friendliness, liveliness, and fun in Hall, who always gave me large – small enough to be intimate and portions. inclusive, yet containing a wonderful diversity of talented people. • Queuing for the “Tardis” phone box on a homesick Sunday evening. • Your Welshness: sitting in Hall, listening to the lovely lilt of Welsh • Creeping out into the wintry cold in around us. our dressing gowns to have a bath on Staircase IV or V. • Spring and the month of May, and the glorious wisteria in Second Quad • But best of all, making wonderful with its intoxicating scent. friends for life: Sue, Mandy, Robin, Jill and Liz: so great to be a strong • Colin Williamson, a truly wise and group still, after 44 years. Thank you humane scholar and gentleman. for all the memories and good times • Studying T S Eliot with Lyndall to come. Gordon: a privilege and a joy. I could go on and on but just want to • Our double set on V.2 staircase in say, dear Jesus College, with love and 3rd year: wonder if Harold Wilson thanks.

53 Love Letters to Jesus College

Rhian Davies, Meyricke Scholar (1983, MLitt Music) Celtic Miscellany was the high point of the year when Edel Bhreathnach and I overlapped as graduate students at Jesus. One Welsh girl and one Irish, it was inevitable that we should arrange a celebration of our music and literature in the College Chapel. We chose Thursday of Eighth Week, 8 March 1984, as the midpoint between St David’s Day and St Patrick’s. Six performers presented a sequence of material on six themes – Nature, Love, Magic, War, Death, and Humour and Satire – and the evening was introduced by Ellis Evans, Jesus Professor of Celtic, of whom we were all so fond. 30 years on I close my career as a curator, collaborating with classical and folk musicians to devise concerts and broadcasts that revive historic Welsh repertoire rather than singing myself. But Celtic Miscellany created an enduring friendship with Edel, including many happy reunions in Oxford, Ireland and Wales.

make numerous visits across the Irish Sea, not least Edel Bhreathnach, her magnificent performance of Purcell songs at my Sir John Rhys Scholar (1983, Celtic Studies) wedding in 1988. I landed in Jesus College in 1983 as a Our first collaboration was Celtic Miscellany which Rhys Scholar in filled Jesus College Chapel and was presided over Celtic Studies to find by a proud Professor Ellis Evans. We had many myself among a adventures as we prepared for the evening, including lively, young Welsh- transporting a Welsh triple harp from Keble to speaking community. Jesus! To many in the audience, this was their first I had no choice but introduction to the rich cultures of Ireland and to immerse myself in Wales, and how they appreciated the evening. For the College’s Welsh years after the event, whenever we visited Jesus, we culture. Out of that were hailed with fond memories of the event. year came a I continued with a career in Celtic Studies and wonderful friendship medieval history, often visiting Jesus College Celtic with Rhian Davies Library and dining in College with my other great that has seen us friend and mentor Thomas Charles-Edwards, Nárbh exchange ideas and aoibhinn beatha an scoláire ag an am!

54 Ian Johnston, (1967, Chemistry) I’ve always believed enjoy dining facilities and Saturday night dances that it was not my in the Union Cellars, where I met my future wife, academic Rosalind. achievement at By early 1970 my by-then pregnant girlfriend A level, but my Rosalind and I were living in a shared house answer to Tony in Jericho. Our first daughter, Lucinda, was Downs’ question born in February 1970 – quite a novelty for an about what book undergraduate. Although it was no problem I was reading – that we had a baby, the fact that Rosalind and I Modesty Blaise, by got married in May 1970 did cause a problem, Peter O’Donnell, because I had an Open Scholarship and College which came free statutes indicated that Scholars should be with tokens from Nescafé coffee labels – that unmarried! Geoffrey Young helped me concoct secured my place at Jesus. a suitable letter of apology and supplication, and I was able to keep my Scholarship. After all, he I was awarded an Open Scholarship which meant pointed out that by the same statute College I had a rather spartan room in 13 Ship Street for Fellows should also be unmarried and clearly my first year. The twenty guineas I paid to join quite a lot were not! the Oxford Union provided the opportunity to

Elizabeth Paice (1976, PGCE Geography)

A typical week included lunch and dinner in the Great Hall; wine and cheese in the GCR; sherry parties with the Vice Principal; evening drinks and darts in the Jesus bar; and Sunday evensong in the Chapel with sherry and coffee afterwards.

55 Love Letters to Jesus College

Hardy Bouillon (1985, Visiting Student Programme) I fell in love with the entire Oxonian world. I experienced Oxford, and in particular Jesus College, as a paradise for someone keen to study his subject in an atmosphere he never experienced before, but within days realised that it is impossible to top. I cannot recall any bit that I disliked: the museums, libraries, pubs, Covered Market, punting, scones and strawberries, Pimms, theatre and music performances, JCR and SCR, squash, and of course lovely people in and around Jesus College. Dr D. A. Rees became my tutor. In one of the meetings with him, while I read out my paper, he suddenly picked up the phone and, without dialling a number, read out the shopping list lying next to Jonathan Musgrave him on the desk. I don’t know to whom he read it (1959, Literae Humaniores) out, or thought he would, but I thought, “What a distinct and philosophical way of letting me know that my paper was a bore.”

Pat Tyrrell (1968, Chemistry) One of my most abiding memories of College was the day of a fire in the rooms above Hall. John Ryan, the head porter, came out into the First Quad and shouted that the roof of the Hall was alight. At about the same time Dear Coll. Iesu, I didn’t act or write poetry… but I did the stalwarts of the Oxford Fire Service write some doggerel for you. When the heating broke came down the Turl with bells ringing. They down in the Meyricke Library during a spell of icy seized the hoses and, a little like a slow- weather in February 1962, I composed eleven lines of motion Keystone Cops, ran into the College. mock Homeric hexameters. Translation below: Unfortunately, the lead fireman misjudged the ledge on the Postern Gate and went down, Help us, Hephaistos, your suppliants seated here, followed in succession by his team mates. They Forever buffeted by the harsh darts of icy Boreas. were quickly up and setting up the hoses when Grab your bellows, Renowned Craftsman, in your the Home Bursar called for assistance in taking Sturdy hand and kindle fire beneath Etna, lest pictures out of Hall, whereupon we rushed in Death steal silently upon us and loosen our knees, to grab whatever we could. The fire, caused by And Hermes the Guide conduct our souls to Hades. an overheating kettle, was quickly extinguished For, just as neither the vine nor the pear-tree bears but it remains to this day embedded in my Fruit unless the son of Cronos pours down showers, mind! And Phoibos’s welcome brightness shines, So too we shall not last long enough to honour the Muses with our labours unless someone restores The heating here PDQ.

56 Andrew (1973, PPE) and Susan Meehan (1974, EnglishWe Language don’t claim & to Literature) be the first Jesus couple to marry but we must be among the first to have established such a long and continuous relationship – 46 years and counting! We got together at the beginning of the 1975 Hilary term: Andy, in his second year, was loitering in the lodge to eye up the newcomers, a packet of biscuits under his arm to tempt them up to tea in his rooms. I can confirm that the Teatime Assorted didn’t immediately sway me in his favour. minority – make our experience a unique one and A big part of the bond we formed at Jesus was the fascinating to compare with the significant changes shared fun and friendships we made there. The that have occurred since. memories have endured along with many of the friends: our lives weave in and out of each other’s, Today we live not far from Oxford and often return but the excitement, affection and sheer novelty to the places where our early shared history was of that time – when women were in such a small forged.

57 Andy Simpson (1970, History) with an uncertain grip on the pole, Steve O’Flaherty (1970, History), and Pete ‘Buzz’ Armstrong (1970, English) punting on the Cherwell in summer 1972. Alumni Love Song David Newbold (1973, Modern Languages)

Love? To write of love you ask? My second year on staircase one Of old alumni, no mean task! Was really quite a lot of fun But, yes, a kind of love it was, Inside the tower, at the top and partly I believe because My room a sort of coffee shop. When we were there we had the luck I also had an unpaid role Along with H. J. Habakkuk As college lookout, in control To open up those boy zone gates Of movements in the street below And welcome girls as college mates To try to sort out friend from foe, But taking now a broader view An early warning when there were On those three years we all went through Potential raids from Exeter I mean, for those of you, like me, Which happened once or twice at night Who came in 1973, With drunkards looking for a fight What legacy still perseveres Or girls, because we now had some Through (nearly) fifty fleeting years? And over there they still had none What meaning can we now extract But mostly nights up top were calm What reminiscences enact? So near the stars, a sense of balm The legacy: a sense of place And then I had my stereo And people, who with quiet grace Releasing audio afterglow Filled quad and staircase, you know who With Leonard Cohen, sometimes Bach, I mean, scouts, breezing through Disseminating through the dark. like Francis, who would make your bed And in the porter’s lodge was Fred Year three, quad three, was not so nice While tutors, settled in their role, But third years need to sacrifice Would waft around on night patrol. Life’s pleasures and its bonhomie To exit with a good degree. To Jesus then our cohort came, Above the Palace was my set Like past and future years, the same, Staircase number I forget Offloaded in the Turl and left, That place they tell me long since went Long-haired innocents, bereft, For progress we cannot prevent: But seizing opportunity To build a new community Yes, some things pass, but others stay We moseyed off to find our rooms And love does not just fade away And mine was where wisteria blooms So etched deep in my memory People, time, geography On staircase twelve, a set for two, Are all still there, still hold their grip They’d put me with a Welshman, Huw. Preserving that relationship: But that was fine, (Cymru am Byth!) Alumni with their life’s great starter, And just above us, John Griffith Jesus College, alma mater. The public orator, no less, Came down to say hello, and yes, Now please forgive this artless verse – In Latin! with a friendly grin! You probably will not find worse – By half past six we’d settled in. Constrained by rhythm, rhyme, and more, And yet behind it all I’m sure Three years in college was my lot You understand my real intent, With rooms in all three quads, that’s not To focus on three years well spent The norm, I know, and truth to tell, And show that memories which we share I got to know the place quite well. Are proof of a true love affair.

59 Escape to … Jamaica Paul (1978, Physics) and Sylvia Bostock

Jesus College enjoys long ties with career was in Jamaican tourism, Jamaica. Alumnus and Rhodes planning renovations and access Scholar Norman Manley (1919, improvements for historic sites. Law) was the country’s Chief Before retiring in 2009, Paul was Minister from 1955-1959 and was Managing Director of the London appointed Jamaica’s first premier office of US Fund Management on 14 August 1959. Partnership Grantham, Mayo, Van Alumnus Paul Bostock (1978, Otterloo. Paul was one of the Physics) and his wife Sylvia divide founders of GMO UK in 1987 and their time between London became a partner in 1993. He built and Jamaica, where Sylvia was and implemented processes for born. Until recently, Sylvia was a quantitative investment and led barrister dealing principally with research into share valuation, asset family law and specifically child pricing, asset allocation and risk. protection cases. Before coming to the UK and retraining, Sylvia’s first

60 How and why you divide your While arguably biased, Paul is a big, around the world and the biggest time between UK and Jamaica? big fan of Jamaica and Jamaicans. treat is Wimbledon. We were From the year we met, we have If the ‘archetype’ is someone kind, lucky to get debentures for 2016- been travelling to Jamaica each humorous and relaxed that’s 2020 and (until 2020!) this meant year, usually a shorter trip in spring reasonably accurate – except on two seats for each day of play. But and a longer one in October. It’s the road. Jamaica has a very high perhaps the biggest benefits are a chance to catch up with family standard of education too – so the special restaurants, bars and and friends, mostly in Kingston and much so that the Jamaican ‘diaspora’ facilities there, which make each Spanish Town, and then make our includes millions of professionals in day a very special day out. In 2019, way to the North Coast – often North America and beyond. we won a ticket for a special day to meet and get some tips from the stopping at a couple of places on Sylvia is a huge tennis fan, playing stars – so Sylvia has now played the way. As ‘Skylarking’ (our home regularly, and is secretary of our with Martina Navratilova, Venus on the island) was being renovated, local club. We watch the men’s and Williams, Lleyton Hewitt, and now that it’s up and running, it women’s tennis tours as they move requires us to visit a little more. the highly characterful National Gallery on Orange Street in Downtown Kingston. The downtown area is of course the most historic, but it is still more of a practical business and trading area than a tourist destination. Our favourite lunch is to sit under the huge mango tree at Devon House on Hope Road. This offers excellent traditional meals at the Grog Shoppe, and a tour of the house is interesting too – the first mansion owned by a Jamaican businessman rather than a plantation family.

Kim Clijsters, Jamie Murray, Goran Rose Hall is an archetype of the The Bob Marley Museum nearby is Ivaniševi´c, and Pat Cash. Great House: once – and perhaps full of character and also the Hope still – home of ‘white witch’ Annie Botanical Gardens, which showcase Where do you live on the island? Palmer. Annie is said to have many beautiful local plants and trees Our villa, ‘Skylarking’, is on the murdered three husbands and and a zoo. Silver Sands Estate, a quiet resort several slaves as well. For those interested in seeing on Jamaica’s north coast with its Dunns River, Mystic Mountain and Kingston from the Blue Mountains own secluded beach. The nearest and willing to stay overnight, town is Duncans and it’s 7km from Ocho Rios are about an hour drive to the East. The climb up the big Strawberry Hill is an exquisite place the historic town of Falmouth, a to stay and unwind. destination for slave ships that was rocks of the Dunns River waterfall busiest in the days of sugar trading. is the classic tourist experience. Must-see events Mystic Mountain offers a variety of It’s roughly halfway between the The annual schools’ track and field adventures – ziplines, water slides, large resorts of Montego Bay and championships – ‘The Champs’ – tree walks and a toboggan run Ocho Rios. takes place at the National Stadium (Cool Runnings without the ice). in Kingston each summer (check Must-see places to visit? Ocho Rios has always been a very dates during Covid), and there’s a popular area. The town itself has Near Falmouth is the Martha Brae good chance of seeing some future good shopping, restaurants and a river, offering a relaxing rafting stars. There’s test match cricket at beach at Margaritaville. There is a trip downstream and close to the Sabina Park, also in Kingston, but large craft market selling everything Good Hope Estate with outdoor dates vary. experiences including zip-lining, a made locally. There is usually a music festival in water park, and restaurants. A day trip to Kingston is around Negril around August, showcasing 2 hours travel each way. Jamaica Great Houses: Greenwood and local and wider Caribbean talent. Rose Hall are both 30-40 minutes now benefits from a north to west. Built on the hillsides between south toll road which links Kingston Best beaches and places for 1780-1800, Greenwood Great and the north coast, crossing the water sports? spectacular Blue Mountain range House is associated with the There are countless beaches and cockpit country. This has Barrett-Browning family and has around the island, offering a wide reduced travel times significantly. tremendous views of the coast. choice. The beach at Silver Sands is Places to visit in Kingston include special and you can be there alone 62 and most often share it with just a place to stop off, but it’s busy too not want to be easily found. You handful of others. If you are lucky, at – especially around the well-known don’t have to look far to see history times you can observe the beautiful Rick’s café where locals dive from on the menu – for example, the spectacle of turtles hatching and the cliff edge. For a more relaxing dish called ‘Cow Foot’ tells you that heading towards the sea. Early stay, Jakes at Treasure Beach on the Jamaicans were not always given morning beach walks are a great South Coast is lovely if expensive, the finest cuts. Another classic is alternative to a session in the sun but it’s not the easiest place to find. Curry Goat but our dentist nephew or sea. says to look out for bones – and he What are your food and drink knows! For lunch, hot patties are a Glistening Waters (8 km west) tips – the flavours of Jamaica? fine snack and there’s likely to be offers boat trips after dark to Jamaican cuisine is something else a choice of fish, beef, chicken or see the bioluminescent waters. and their dishes are distinctive and vegetable filling. These can be spectacular – or not delicious. Given fruit and vegetables – depending on recent weather. in almost bewildering variety and Best restaurants There’s a restaurant there too, with abundance and the surrounding Most typical are small family run a good selection of local meals and sea, there’s no lack of great tasting roadside bars and food stalls. There we love the fish dishes, including ingredients. For breakfast, ackee are some Jerk specialists too and steamed snapper and curried and salt fish is a delicious meal. The we’d recommend ‘Scotchies’ – if lobster. fruit juices are good – Paul likes travelling from Kingston to the To get out onto the sea, the big soursop, but choices include June north coast there’s one by Drax hotels all offer a wide range of plum, sorrel, local orange juice, Hall, just after the main road (A1) activities: pedalos, windsurfing, and many more – and of course turns west and runs along the canoeing, boating, water sports, Rum Punch is always good. You’ll coast. The conventional restaurants sunset trips, and evening cocktails want to try ‘Jerk’ dishes too. The are often attached to the hotels, on the sea. technique of cooking on burning and offer a choice of Jamaican and wood and under a cover is said to international dishes. For those travelling around Jamaica, have originated when the diners did the 7-mile beach at Negril is a good 63 Your top five tips for visiting Be patient, especially when travelling. Distances are not great, but roads can be slow especially inland, where they are frequently damaged by rainfall and mountain water. For the same reason, we’d suggest planning ahead. If you are looking for specific activities or attractions, make sure to stay somewhere not too far away. Around Montego Bay/ Falmouth, avoid visiting when the enormous cruise ships land (locals will know which days). We would say to avoid Christmas and New Year – it’s a time when many Jamaican families gather at the main resorts and most places are very busy.

64 The hurricane season is officially is generously large and private It’s generally easy to find fun things six months: the whole of June to and there are several different to do and great things to eat! Paul November. The risk is higher for restaurants. Maybe we are biased – would say that at around 32C just two months, in mid-August it’s where we were married. average temperature, it’s a little hot, to mid-October. We often visit in but everyone will enjoy seeing so Then again, the ‘couples’ hotels offer October as it is quieter. much of the sunshine. a great stay at half the cost. We’ve Take some US dollars as well as been to the ones at San Souci and For those wishing to visit Jamaica, Jamaican dollars. Quite a lot – Tower Island – both a little way Paul and Sylvia’s contemporary villa, especially those for tourists – is east of Ocho Rios. An all-inclusive Skylarking, near Montego Bay, is priced in US dollars, and it gives you deal gives you a big choice of daily available as a holiday let. Read more: some control over exchange rates activities and some great dining. www.jamaicaexperiences.com/blogs/ to have both. For a little extra we took a sunset details/article/start-the-skylarking. motor launch ride, just us and two Special thanks to Paul and Sylvia, Your favourite place and why crew. The onboard hi-fi played Bob who have kindly included a fridge We like the huge and luxurious Marley and we had a choice of Red magnet in this issue of Jesus News, Half Moon at Rose Hall just east of Stripe (Paul) or champagne (Sylvia) in celebration of the College’s Montego Bay. There are countless and canapés. Altogether a romantic 450th anniversary. activities on land and water and it’s and spectacular couple of hours. a place to be as spoiled as you wish. Most of the accommodation

65 Sport at Jesus

Rounders win (Exeter: 16½ Jesus: 19), and In the week of writing, JCRFC is Laurel Boxall (2018, English) can’t wait to continue this trend due to take part in the return of with our match against LMH this competitive inter-collegiate rugby coming Sunday. The Presidents at the Men’s Sevens tournament are currently working to set up at Iffley Road. The team, including a Rounders cuppers, updates to several new additions to the squad follow. from both first and second years, look forward to competing in the Rugby pool stage against colleges such as Ryan Walshaw Keble, Queen’s, and Balliol, with (2019, History & German) ambitions to qualify for the final. As the measures to counter the Despite persisting difficult pandemic continue to affect our circumstances, the Rugby Club The Jesus Rounders Club has ability to meet, sadly little has continues to offer an opportunity started off its first season with changed with Jesus rugby since my for members of the college to a bang! Our first match against last Sports Report in Michaelmas socialise across divisions of year Exeter was characterised by daring Term 2020. Despite the lack of group and subject, as confirmed by dives, numerous players really organised inter-college competition, the attendance of our first ‘social’ coming into their own, and a real several informal touch rugby in over a year, held at the Jericho spirit of camaraderie between the games towards the end of Hilary Tavern on Wednesday of 3rd Week different year groups – everybody Term were arranged which saw of Trinity Term. got involved! We smashed the participation from across the JCR. competition, taking home the 66 With regards to the rest of the on novice development through Netball term, we look forward to the the term. Although there will be Zara Siddiqi (2019, Music) opportunity of restrictions lifting to no spectators this year because of arrange further events, both social Covid restrictions, it will be great to and sporting, as members reach the get JCBC racing again and possibly end of their exam periods. something exciting to say in the next report. Next season, we aim Rowing to get both Men’s and Women’s Angus Alder (2018, crews out for Torpids and Summer Engineering) & Caitlyn Eddy VIIIs and perhaps a full year on (2019, Geography) the water! Football Samuel Lewis (2019, PPE) In such an uncertain year for sport, only one thing could be counted on: Jesus remains a football college. Netball this term has started strong, With no League title or cup to with the atmosphere at MCS being compete for, the men’s team the most collegiate experience we took matters into our own hands, have witnessed since lockdown competing in four friendly matches began. While our first two matches during Michaelmas Term. Needless were slightly rocky (Magdalen 12-5 to say, we won all four. All fans and Mansfield 13-7), we seem to were kept up to date after the be closing the gap, slowly but surely, with a very close match against This season has been another historic establishment of the Jesus Merton (8-7). With most of our challenging one for JCBC. However, College Football Supporters Club. experienced netballers now moved with restrictions easing we are The rest of the year was a quiet on to greener pastures, we have getting some long-awaited time one on the pitch, but the Club been very happy to welcome a new on the water. Over Michaelmas remained a tight unit, with socials cohort of eager Freshers who have and Hilary terms, training was being used as a chance to discuss all demonstrated a high level of limited to online land sessions over tactics for when we get the chance commitment and enthusiasm, and Google Meets, but this set us up to return to the beautiful game we all of whom have made themselves well for getting back on the water. love. A particular highlight was the deserving of a place on what will This year the club has pushed to handing over of the captaincy from be a competitive netball team. We become more integrated, with Sam Lewis to Adam Shaffer after a are thoroughly looking forward to men and women training together particularly rowdy night of karaoke. seeing what the year has in store on the water creating a great for JCNC and our future success. atmosphere within the club as a The upcoming game at Selhurst whole. Although rowing has only Park is an exciting prospect and a properly started this term, there first for the Club, as well as for the are plenty of keen novices who are Supporters Club. Here’s to making dedicated and learning quickly, as it an annual tradition. Up the Stags! well as returning novices from last year finally getting the chance to progress. Currently, there are plans to put out a Mixed Senior 8+ and possibly a Mixed Novice 8+ in 7th Week Summer Torpids, depending 67 Welcome our new Chaplain, Chris Dingwall-Jones

January 2021 was not the ideal time to begin work as Chaplain at Jesus College, or anywhere really. Chapel in an Oxford College, as I remember and envision it, is about getting people together. It’s about the buzz of choristers before a big service, about drinks in the quad, about discussing the meaning of life into the small hours. It’s about the cool stillness of a dim Chapel during exam season, about picnics and dinners, about a quiet word of encouragement in a corridor. It’s about community, openness, togetherness. Instead, I arrived in a mostly empty College, sat in a mostly empty study (while my books sat in a mostly empty house in Lancashire), and led services and meditation sessions on Teams. It was snowing. A bit of context. I’m Chris, and I’m the new Chaplain of Jesus College. I didn’t expect to end up as a College Chaplain, or, indeed, a priest in the Church of England. I read English at St. Hugh’s, followed by a Master’s in European Theatre at the University of Edinburgh and a PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies at the University of Kent, where I also lectured.

My doctoral research focussed every aspect of the parish’s life. I should get us some more drinks on ‘madness’ and embodiment in then’. My parish priest, on the other The interaction between my recent British theatre. My research hand, said ‘thank goodness for that, research and the community work was inspired initially by my own I thought I was going to have to I was doing in Camden fed into my experiences of mental illness as an invite you round and tell you.’ Oxford undergraduate, but spurred decision to move from academia on also by my work with a parish to the Church. It wasn’t as thought The selection process for ordination church in Camden Town, London, through as that, though – I only requires more than a revelation where I was living during my PhD. In voiced the idea, as much to my after a couple of pints, so after a Camden, the impact of poor mental surprise as anyone else’s, during a year of discussions, selection panels, health and (more importantly) the chat about life, the universe and and prayer, I was recommended inaccessibility of fit-for-purpose everything with my fiancée, Hannah. to train, and Hannah and I (now mental health services was clear in Her response was ‘well, I suppose married) moved back to Oxford

68 so that I could do, among other isolating or out of work at the start things, another Oxford humanities of the pandemic – feeding hundreds BA, this time in Theology. After of families in the local area for two another three years, and now with weeks before the local borough a baby daughter, Agnes, in tow, we Council came on board. The prepared for further challenges in additional support was welcome, as Fleetwood, a former fishing town in a month and a half into lockdown, the North West, at the bottom of we welcomed Isaac, our second Morecambe Bay. child. Due to the lockdown, he was baptised in a champagne bowl in my In many ways, Fleetwood couldn’t study! be more different from Oxford or North London – a fairly static, This is the background I’ve brought rather than transient, population, to Jesus College – a sense that the 98% white British, solidly working work of Chaplaincy, the work of class. I had visited as part of a Christian ministry full stop, is first ‘mission week’ during my training, the work of building community, and fallen in love with the people, identifying the strengths and the Chris, Hannah & family. the church, and the views of the needs of a community, and working All of this requires trust, and Lakeland hills over the bay. alongside that community to realise a willingness to be vulnerable its potential. When I arrived, it was a bit of together. One thing I’ve learned a baptism by fire – community Of course, Jesus is a very different from work both in Camden and building wasn’t done by sending place now from its foundation Fleetwood is that things don’t get emails and arranging meetings, 450 years ago as a College training done if we aren’t honest about but by knocking on doors, sitting priests in the doctrines and both similarities and differences. in local cafés and pubs, and just practices of the new, Elizabethan, Interfaith work blossoms where generally hanging around. I’m from Church of England. Jesus today is there is space for honouring the Midlands, and it was a bit of a diverse community intellectually, difference robustly, and the same a shock to discover that meant I politically, and spiritually. As is true for any community: we are was a ‘Southerner’! The sense of Chaplain, I have to balance fidelity stronger when we are able to be community in the town is amazing, to my own faith and that of the authentically ourselves. and it was a joy to experience it church I’m ordained in, to the I arrived to an empty, snowy ‘from the inside’. religious history of the College, College. Today the sun is (just and to a College community which There was lots of space to be about) shining, there are people in largely doesn’t share this religious creative: I played in a rock’n’roll Hall and flowers in the quad. Life, background. covers band with the local Roman contingent and fragile as it always Catholic priest, served as Chaplain And this brings me back to is, is returning. It is my hope that, to a local independent school, and community, openness, and over the coming years, Chapel too led Bible studies including retired togetherness. We’ve all been will blossom, not just as a space fishermen, single mothers, and through an awful lot over the past for Evensong and Communion, well-travelled retirees. Soon after year and a half. There will be much but also for challenging art, for I arrived, I was part of a group of we need to process, there will deep conversations between faith local church and business leaders be people and experiences to be traditions, for holding open a space who bought a derelict local mourned, there will be unexpected for reflecting and making meaning hospital from the NHS. The strong opportunities to take advantage of, from all the fragments of ideas relationships between groups meant and there will be College traditions and experiences which make up that we were able to move quickly to be remembered, recovered, and university life. to provide support for people re-celebrated.

69 Development Update Brittany Wellner James, Development Director

On 27 June, alumni, friends, and Fellows past and present gathered at the University Church to mark the 450th Anniversary of Jesus College. Despite social distancing, guests managed safely to fill every corner of the church for the Service of Thanksgiving, while a virtual audience of 70 alumni and friends joined us from around the world. As the first in-person event we have held since March 2020, it was a joyful and moving occasion. The service was led by the College Chaplain, Rev Dr Christopher coleg? (What makes a college?) – see Helping with 450th Anniversary Family Day. Dingwall-Jones, who memorably page 33 – and a personal address members of the College community eschewed the lectern to deliver his from the Principal, Professor Sir together for the afternoon after College sermon on the theme “For Nigel Shadbolt FRS FREng, paying such a long period apart. all future times” from the elevated tribute to the College’s past and pulpit. Other original contributions sharing his hopes for its future. It A recording of the 450th included a reading by alumnus was also the first time the Choir Anniversary service is available to Llewelyn Hopwood (2014, BA could gather inside to perform in watch on the Jesus alumni YouTube Modern Languages), of Ll^yr Gwyn over a year, and they closed the channel, where you can also find an Lewis’ specially commissioned service beautifully with the College ever-growing catalogue of College Welsh poem, Beth sy’n gwneud Hymn. It was wonderful to bring films on topics from Elizabethan lute

The 27 June Service of Thanksgiving and Evensong for Jesus College.

70 playing to climate change! Recent Family Day, held in July, in which pupils from more remote areas, highlights of the collection include a alumni and their families were as well as establish paid Digital lecture by Rory Stewart, whose talk invited to College for a programme Access Internships for current Jesus on T. E. Lawrence was illustrated of events co-hosted by the Oxford undergraduates. The new interns by his own reflections on life in the Story Museum. will take the lead in creating exciting political arena, and a talk by our new online content for prospective We’re grateful to the many Principal on AI and Ethics, hosted students and schools, and work alumni who supported access and by alumnus Steven Hillion (1987, closely with Matt Williams and outreach this year. I am pleased BA Mathematics) and the JEN Shelley Knowles to make the most to report that our first in-College network. It has been rewarding to of the recording opportunities in access visit for more than a year grow our online presence and film the College’s new Digital Hub. took place in June with a small library over the past year and to school group from Newport. The Hub is scheduled to open find new ways to share this content In July this expanded to include with a soft launch alongside the with alumni. four visits from schools in South opening of the Northgate building The College’s 450th Anniversary London, and at the time of going to in Michaelmas 2021, with the first Campaign now has just under £3 press we remain hopeful that the events on site taking place in early million left to raise towards its Universify summer school will host 2022. Thanks to the generosity £45 million goal. It is the incredible 50 children from 25 participating of alumnus Alejandro Jack (2012, efforts of our alumni and friends schools – mostly from London, PGDip Global Business) the in recent years who have brought but also Bradford, Bristol, Leeds, first SOUTHWORKS Career us within sight of completing the Liverpool and Manchester. The Development Fellow of the Digital Campaign, and we cannot thank annual Seren residential held at Hub was appointed in June. you enough for your enormous Jesus in August will hopefully include Dr Janina Schupp joins the College generosity year on year. In students from approximately from the University of Cambridge, celebration of the Anniversary 40 schools across Wales. We have where she was an Affiliated itself, in June this year we held a received some fantastic alumni Lecturer in Architecture, and will be Giving Day, a 36-hour online appeal support towards our digital access responsible for delivering a curated to support the College’s 450th programme in recent months, programme of activities and events Anniversary Fund. The Fund will which has enabled us to set up in this exciting new space. We benefit student support, access and virtual reality classrooms for school look forward to sharing the Hub’s outreach, and the new Northgate programme with alumni and inviting building – all important priorities you back to College to experience for the College. We are grateful to this dynamic new space. the more than 300 alumni, staff and Despite not being able to host friends of the College who donated, the alumni events and gaudies we and I am delighted to report that were all hoping for in our 450th over £150,000 was received in Anniversary year, if you are looking total. The animation created to for proof that absence makes the accompany the day featured two heart grow fonder, look no further new College characters: Seren the than the ‘Love Letters to College’ Welsh dragon and Hart the stag section of this special edition of (pictured), and the video will now Jesus News: in our most challenging become a resource for the College year in recent history, it is clear access and outreach team to use on that College has remained close their future schools visits. to everyone’s hearts. We have We also marked the 450th Seren and Hart, our new College mascots for Giving missed you, and we can’t wait to Anniversary with the College’s first Day, June 2021. see you again!

71 Access during the Pandemic Matthew Williams, Access Fellow

A horrifying side effect of the already awful pandemic was wrought on education. Disparities in educational opportunities and attainment were thrown wider still. Many in the poorest parts of the country suffered disproportionately under lockdowns and concomitant uncertainties. We in the Access Team faced our own, far more modest, fears. Namely, what use could we possibly be? Locked away, we were unable to offer the usual access services of visiting schools and welcoming guests to Oxford. permanent fixture going forward, schools, our 2021 offering will cater and will be magnificently enhanced to 425 young people from London To a significant extent our fears by the College’s new Digital Hub and Wales. This compares to the were misplaced, and, as many are due to open in Michaelmas 2021. 22 participants catered for in our discovering, there is a new normal inaugural 2017 summer school. that is demonstrably superior to the What specifically have we been up old normal. In the past we would to during the pandemic? As soon We have also launched digital struggle to visit physically remote as the lockdown kicked in, we were support for British Bangladeshi and coastal and rural communities – asked by the Welsh government Pakistani students – amongst the including, in particular, many of to cater for 100 young people who worst represented demographic the most under-served working have been denied an opportunity at the world’s top universities. class areas of Wales. We were to head to the US for a summer Utilising an online platform called also hampered by limited human school. As a result, we launched a Union Spaces, we have provided resources and frequently application and academic had to turn down support since February requests for help. With a 2021, and will follow the sudden spike in demand cohort of over 500 young for online services, we people through to their were able simultaneously submitting applications in to increase our October. workload and broaden In addition, we have our geographic range substantially expanded of operations. Having Jesus College Access thought it impossible YouTube Channel, offering to beat our 2019-20 all sorts of content – record of working with from 360° virtual reality 10,000 young people, tours; to videos on how new International Summer School we are now on course to smash to write personal statements and online in 2020 for 100 stranded it. Of course, we are anxious to essays; to mock interviews; to young people. This new venture get back to some semblance of taster lectures. In twelve months will be expanded in 2021 to 300 normality, and already have events we have received 347,000 views, participants. This means that, with planned in Oxford and around the 6 million impressions, and over residential and online summer country. But digital access will be a 4,000 new subscribers. You can see

72 more at youtu.be/RuOPy0oPuWk five years to help us run summer So what’s next? With the and youtu.be/dnWRvohpMZs. schools for some of the Capital’s Northgate House development most vulnerable and under- opening later this year, we are As ever, none of this work would privileged youngsters. Collaborating eagerly awaiting, in particular, the be possible without tremendous with a fantastic charity of former new Digital Hub. This will act as ongoing support from our Jesus Oxford students – Universify an interface between physical members, past and present. We Education – we will provide and digital worlds, where visitors have received substantial sums sustained access services, including can come and watch us in person to help pivot towards a stronger Summer and Easter schools, to whilst we broadcast to a far wider digital presence. In particular, two support these young people prior audience. We are also excited by generous donations have allowed us to their GCSE exams. the prospect of a recording suite to hire three of our undergraduates to develop a podcast series – “The as digital access interns over the Another new departure for 2021 people that make Oxford” – due to summer. They will help produce has been “inreach”. Outreach is all be launched soon. our new 360° content, which can well and good, but what about the be used by schools with cardboard under-privileged students we take? As ever, we are tremendously virtual reality headsets that we will Many lack the social networks and grateful to College members, both be posting to them. Examples of access to opportunities that their past and present, for their fantastic our 360° content can be viewed on more advantaged peers leverage support. Our work would simply our YouTube channel, and are best into careers. Working with alumna, be impossible without this help. seen on a mobile device. Alison Fletcher, we are piloting Looking to the College’s next 450 an inreach scheme for the JCR. years we are asking for support We have also received our A team of six have been given a towards an endowment that will first significant gift from private budget, after successfully presenting secure the Access Fellowship in sponsorship. An organisation their idea for a new digital access perpetuity. To find out more about with no erstwhile connection to platform. They will gain a range of our work, or to donate to Access at the College has recognised our marketable experiences and skills, Jesus, please contact transformative work in London whilst helping us to deliver our [email protected] and has offered £100,000 over access work. 73 Introducing the Jesus College Shakespeare Project Peter Sutton, Alumni Engagement Manager

He was not of an age, but for all time. These are perhaps the most and Professor of English Literature famous words ever written by Paulina Kewes, Departmental the great Jacobean playwright and Lecturer Amy Lidster, and myself, poet, Ben Jonson, through which the project will present abridged he expressed the most lasting of versions of Shakespeare’s plays, all the great epithets for his friend lasting approximately 90 minutes and rival, William Shakespeare. each, accessible to audiences of all And he was certainly not wrong. ages. Alongside the performances – which we also hope to film and From our everyday idioms through make readily available online – we to our political metaphors, as well will present tailored activities for as expressions of our deepest local schoolchildren on access visits hopes and fears, we continue to College, focusing on how the plays to appropriate the language, Peter Sutton. speak to young people’s concerns characters, and narratives of within today’s world, incorporating But where to start? It is our great Shakespeare – both consciously and a number of interdisciplinary hope that this project will continue subconsciously – to mediate and curriculum topics. And, as alumni to run in the years to come as explain the world in which we live and supporters of our College, we endeavour to work our way over four hundred years after his you too will get to share in this through the Complete Works of death. collaborative project, as we will offer Shakespeare. In the words of The In this special anniversary year, we a special alumni performance of each Sound of Music, we decided that the are delighted to commence a new play with an additional pre-show talk. beginning was a very good place collaboration between the Access The ticket price for alumni will help to start. We will never know for and Development teams – the Jesus us offer these performances free to certain the exact order in which College Shakespeare Project – in schoolchildren – for many perhaps Shakespeare wrote his plays and which we will curate an exciting their first experience of live theatre. every chronology that has been new strand of activities inspired Performed by the best actors from suggested has, to a greater or lesser by Shakespeare’s works as part across the university community, the extent, reflected the taste of the of our outreach and alumni event project will, therefore, bring together particular scholar. We wanted to programmes. Led by Access Fellow the students of our past, present, start this project with a great sense Matt Williams, Helen Morag Fellow and future. of joy, liveliness, and fun, so have

74 decided to begin with his three Taming of the Shrew. We cannot wait early comedies – The Comedy of to find out how young people will Errors, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, engage with these early plays asking and The Taming of the Shrew. These questions above love, friendship, three plays explode on to stage and identity, as well as the nature of with the verve and passion of a comedy itself. young writer learning his craft. We hope that you too will join However, they also all speak to us on this journey of discovery, our age in ways that belie the opening our eyes not only to supposed lightness of the material, Shakespeare’s world, but to our and will allow us all to reflect upon own. His plays belong to us all the darkness and uncertainties and whether you are seasoned of our own world through a theatre veteran or are discovering Shakespearean lens. For example, them for the first time, please do when Paulina and I had initial join us as we celebrate a timeless conversations about the project Paulina Kewes. Elizabethan within our forward- all the way back in September (spoiler ahead!) eventual reunion looking Elizabethan College. If 2019, we chose The Comedy of that, as we emerge from what we you would like to find out more Errors as the ideal play to start hope is the final lockdown, speaks about the project and our plans this project, as it is filled not only most forcefully. As well as plenty for the future, please email with laughter and excitement to of laughs, we can all expect a lump [email protected]. engage young audience members, in our throat at its unexpectedly but also engages with deeply beautiful and moving conclusion. The alumni performances will take contemporary issues, such as the We will then follow The Comedy of place on Saturday afternoons. plight of migrants, the questioning Errors, with Shakespeare’s under- The 2021/2022 season will start of traditional gender roles, and the appreciated dark comedy on the with The Comedy of Errors privileging of trade over human conflicts within adolescent love (27 November 2021) followed by lives. Little did we know that, as and friendship, The Two Gentlemen The Two Gentlemen of Verona we approach finally being able to of Verona, before concluding this (19 February 2022) and concluding stage the play – having postponed first year of the project with one of with The Taming of the Shrew the project by a year owing to the Shakespeare’s most performed, (yet (14 May 2022). Booking dates will pandemic – that it is the enforced also most provocative) plays, The be announced to alumni via events separation of a family and their emails.

75 Celebrating the Elizabethan College The Global Stage of Shakespeare and his Contemporaries

In June, as part of the ‘Celebrating the Elizabethan College’ strand of alumni virtual events, curated by Helen Morag Fellow and Professor of English Literature, Paulina Kewes, alumni were invited to a performance-based event which explored how Shakespeare and his contemporaries depicted new, old, and imaginary worlds, exotic peoples and fellow-Europeans, voyages of discovery and travels of the mind. Rife with battles, treachery, greed, and romance – and with a cameo by our founder, Queen Elizabeth I herself – we were delighted to welcome some of the finest actors from across the University to perform the scenes, which were directed by current Jesus DPhil student, Lucy Clarke, and Alumni Engagement Manager, Peter Sutton, with textual editing by former Jesus DPhil student and now Director of English, Simon May (2010, English), and his quondam supervisor Paulina Kewes. The event was compèred by 2nd year English student and The Chandos portrait of Shakespeare held by the National Portrait Gallery, London. Co-President of the Herbert English Society, Kaitlin Horton-Samuel, The evening also heralded the What excites you about the and introduced by Brandi Adams, College’s new Shakespeare Access project? incoming Assistant Professor of Project (see previous feature), as LB: It’s so exciting to see these English at Arizona State University, well as the publication of a set of texts doing what they’re supposed whose path-breaking research innovative digital resources – maps, to be doing: being performed. centres on the presentation of race extracts, lesson plans, accessible Often plays of this era – or at on the Early Modern stage. We also overviews – aimed at schoolchildren least, ones that are a little more heard from alumna Clare Williams and teachers in the late summer. off the beaten track – are treated (2005, English) who, along with These will be prepared by Simon as reading texts, shut up in stuffy Simon May, shared her thoughts on May and current Jesus DPhil libraries. But that’s not what these teaching Shakespearian drama and student, Felicity Brown, creator of are at all, nor what they should be. race in schools. the prize-winning app, WillPlay. They’ve got such life and humour During rehearsals, we sat down to them which can only be fully with Lucy Clarke and third year realised when they’re put in the English student, Lola Beal, to discuss mouths of people. the project. LC: I agree, it’s great to get to put on scenes from plays that are not

76 performed very often at all! I’m so that they can see one another the riots seem sure to turn into all- also finding that using Zoom has even as they are spread across the out bloodshed, where he reasons allowed us to think much more world, in Persia, Spain and England. with the rioters to put down their about the theatrical work that It’s a bizarrely prescient image of weapons. It’s a real rallying cry for these plays are often doing to get FaceTime, four hundred years early, human decency: More’s (pretty their audiences to imagine the and doing it over Zoom during convincing!) argument is that the far-flung spaces they’re set within: a pandemic when we’ve all been rioters should imagine themselves for example, in the Travels of the separated from our loved ones as refugees, and then think about Three English Brothers, Fame gives a has been unexpectedly moving. It’s how they’d feel if they were treated ‘perspective glass’ to each brother, also the first time I’ve had a chance in the same way. It’s an astonishingly to actively direct actors since my moving piece of theatre: in reality, production of The White Devil in More didn’t actually convince the Jesus Hall back in 2018, which has rioters to stop, it was done via been a nice treat. force, but in the play it’s quite amazing how his speech has the You are both working power to calm the rioters. Mere on a speech from one of lines before, they’re saying they’ll Shakespeare’s least known kill all the foreigners, but More’s works – The Book of Sir impassioned speech is enough to Thomas More – tell us more have the rioters realise they’re about it and why it is so in the wrong. It’s distressingly powerful and resonant today? resonant for today: the Londoners’ LC: In 1517, on ‘Evil May Day’, the arguments for their violence against citizens of London rioted against foreigners is unsettlingly familiar to what they perceived as the unfair us in 2021, all ’they’re taking our incursion of immigrant Lombard jobs/money/women’, in terms that merchants in the city. More’s speech could very easily be coming out of Lucy Clarke. comes at the tipping point, where the mouths of racists today. From 77 LB: Yes, it’s so easy to see very DPhil thesis, which was a real blow, recent parallels in that. More asks and this project is actually the first them to imagine themselves in proper theatre project I’ve been desperate need of refuge, imagine able to be involved in. themselves showing up at strangers’ doors and being met with the same And finally, what are your plans hostility. The speech has so much for the future? compassion. It’s calmly argued, LB: Get this degree finished! After compelling, kind. At the end of that, I’m not sure. It’s a weird time the speech he says a phrase which to be thinking about doing anything, particularly springs out to me – especially dramatic. I’d love to ‘mountainish inhumanity’. What a carry on, but what the future is brilliant phrase, and it just sums up looking like for young aspiring the insular, hateful way many of our theatre-people isn’t quite clear yet. current politicians act. Just before lockdown, I was going to be directing a production of Lola Beal. What theatre have you been Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops to the depiction of the suffering of able to get involved with since Conquer and – because it was so refugees – with their ‘poor babes at the pandemic? What have suddenly shut down – I still have their backs, plodding to the ports been the opportunities and the a fervour in my soul for that play and coasts’ – you could be forgiven challenges? and want to see it put up on its for thinking that Shakespeare had LB: I’ve been lucky and have done feet somehow somewhere. How I been looking at the desperate a lot of Shakespeare since the would manage that – who knows. journeys made by refugees across pandemic, and continue to do so. I also have a burgeoning Hans the Channel and Mediterranean. I think there’s definitely something Christian Andersen-themed cabaret Working on it with Lola has been to be said about how we return extravaganza, but I doubt that will a really amazing opportunity to to the familiar in times of panic. ever see the light of day. feel the power of the speech, and Having said that, I’m surprised I LC: The plan is to hand in my thesis the tantalising hope that maybe, haven’t seen more claustrophobic and start pursuing my next research just maybe, the right words could Zoom-Pinters. A lot of things have project, on the performance of stop people from behaving in such been moved onto Zoom, which is authority in early modern England. inhuman ways towards refugees fun and challenging in its own way. I’m planning on using practice as and immigrants. I’m also interested I did a Zoom play very early in the research workshops once again for to see how it works with an first lockdown and I’m obviously this work, staging arrests, riots and audience. Sir Thomas More was here doing one again now and it’s proclamations from archival records never performed, probably having very interesting to see how we’ve all around the country. Hopefully been banned by the Master of the all managed to adapt to it. There by that point I’ll be allowed to put Revels, in all likelihood because are strategies already in place actors in a room to yell at each of its depiction of anti-foreigner now for this kind of thing. We other about food prices and wave sentiment during a period of seem very used to it. Whether or swords around again! intensified anti-immigrant feeling not it will carry on when all goes during the mid 1590s. It’s a speech back to normal – I’m sceptical. I’m The recording of the event will be available soon on the Jesus College Alumni YouTube channel. For any that makes you take a good hard personally quite excited to get back further questions about the education resources, look at yourself, about how you in a theatre. please contact [email protected]. imagine yourself as safe because LC: The pandemic unfortunately you have a country, a state that (in put paid to a series of practice as theory) will protect you, but still fail research workshops I was going to Right: The first page of Shakespeare’s to recognise the human dignity of The Comedy of Errors, be running as part of finishing my printed in the First Folio of 1623. those without that privilege. 78 79

Forthcoming Events

Since we started hosting virtual 2021 in-person events: 2022 events preview: alumni events in autumn last year, we have been thrilled with the • Tuesday 5 October: • A new monthly series of virtual enthusiastic response they have London Drinks at the Royal events entitled #JesusFutures, received. We have been joined by Society in London with a talk by exploring the challenges and alumni from 22 countries (spread Professor Tim Palmer DSc, FRS, opportunities facing the world of across six continents), and from CBE on the Tube Alloys nuclear tomorrow (January – June 2022). project during World War Two those who matriculated in the • A complementary series of events (open to all alumni). 1940s right through to current exploring Wales in the 21st students, as well as connecting • Saturday 27 November: century (March 2022). with a broader non-alumni Alumni performance of The • Our very popular occasional audience of supporters. Comedy of Errors – the first series of events exploring the life instalment of the new Jesus We know, even as we look forward of T. E. Lawrence will conclude College Shakespeare Project to our return to in-person events with a major conference looking (open to all alumni – for more and welcoming our alumni back at multiple aspects of his life and details on this and future onto the College site, that large legacy (early 2022). numbers of alumni have been able performances, see page 75). • An exclusive virtual event for the to reconnect with College across • Saturday 4 December: members of our 1571 Society Zoom who would be otherwise 450th Anniversary Black Tie Gala (early 2022). unable to attend events. Therefore, Night in College (by invitation only). we are delighted to say that going • Our annual calendar of special • Thursday 9 December: forward we will run both in-person events will return in 2022, College’s first London Carol and virtual events. We hope that including the All Alumni Dinner, Service, preceded by a reception this will allow as many people as Commemoration of Benefactors, (open to all donors). possible to connect with College Summer Eights event, and the across the globe. Below, you will 1571 Society Luncheon. find some of the highlights of our 2021 virtual events: forthcoming programme for the • The return of our gaudies, • Wednesday 22 September: autumn, as well as a sneak peek at beginning with those postponed Celebrating the Elizabethan our early plans for 2022, with more from 2020 in 2022, followed by College, ‘Elizabeth I and Ireland; events to be confirmed. those postponed from 2021 in the Irish and England’ with 2023, etc. For your convenience, and to help the Dr Brendan Kane, University of environment, we now send all events Connecticut. (6pm BST, open to invitations electronically via our events all alumni). mailing list. These will contain details • Thursday 11 November: The College is now open to book B&B of when and how to book. A celebration of the life and stays for alumni visits. Please contact legacy of Harold Wilson with the Conference and Events Manager Access Fellow and Political [email protected] for Scientist, Dr Matthew Williams enquiries or to make a reservation. (6pm BST, open to all alumni). For further information on any forthcoming events, please contact: E: [email protected]

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