UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OXFORD ISSUE 11 | SPRING 2020 OUR FRIENDS IN THE NORTH Univ’s transformational expansion ALSO IN THIS ISSUE HEY MR PRODUCER ICEBREAKER SERVING THE CROCODILE British television comedy legend An expedition to revolutionise Arctic Science Ritual practices and their economy in Jon Plowman OBE (1971, English) an Ancient Egyptian Temple Contents From the Editor elcome to Issue 11 of The Martlet, Contents Wthe magazine for all members and friends of University College Oxford. I would like to thank all those who contributed to this issue. In particular, my colleague Dr Robin Darwall-Smith, College Archivist, for compiling the In College Memoriam section, Ariane Laurent-Smith for copy-editing the lion’s share of the articles, and Ariane and Justin Bowyer for their proofreading panache. From the Master 05 What’s Online 10 Sir Ivor Crewe on solidarity, Student travel diaries, Instagram influence This issue contains a section dedicated resourcefulness and resilience and a digital portrait of the artist to University College, North Oxford or “Univ North” – the largest expansion of the College in over three centuries. If Fellows’ News 06 Event news 12 you would like to know more about the College appointments Salons, suppers and seminars project, please do not hesitate to contact my colleagues Gordon Cox or Martha Cass via [email protected]. Icebreaker 08 Development news 13 Sam Cornish (2012, Earth Sciences) The Robin J C Mallinson Bursary I hope that you will enjoy everything aboard a drifting Arctic laboratory that this issue has to offer. If you have any comments or news, please email [email protected]. Kind regards, Features Sara Dewsbery Communications Officer N.B. Most of the content for this issue was compiled before the COVID-19 pandemic. Front cover: Rendered view of Water Court, looking south towards the Covered Seating Area (detail) Níall McLaughlin Architects Ltd 14 18 Printed on Edixion Offset: ECF Pulp, FSC Certified and EU Eco Label. Green Star Rating - 4. Serving the Crocodile 14 Hey Mr Producer 18 University College, Oxford, OX1 4BH Ritual practices and their economy in an An interview with British television comedy facebook.com/universitycollegeoxford Ancient Egyptian Temple legend Jon Plowman, OBE (1971, English) twitter.com/univoxford instagram.com/univcollegeoxford Registered charity no. 1141259 Chaletites reunited 32 ©University College, Oxford, 2020 Dr Jack Matthews (2011, Geology) Produced by B&M Design & Advertising My career is a classic bm-group.co.uk The opinions expressed in The Martlet are those of the contributors Return to Vatnajökull 35 example of the idea and not necessarily those of University College. All content correct at Oliver Vince (2012, Engineering) the time of going to print. that you never manage If you would like to share your view, please email: [email protected] or write to us at the above address. to shake off the people A large print version of this magazine is you meet at university.” available on request. Jon Plowman, OBE (1971, English) Contents I had an amazing experience at Univ. I think it’s the cornerstone of my life.” Caroline Marriage (1991, English) Features Special - Univ North 22 24 30 Univ Goes North 22 Memories of Stavs 24 A New Univ Community in The early story of Stavertonia Stories from former residents North Oxford 30 Endnotes 2019 Women’s Formal 38 Photographs by Michael-Akolade Ayodeji (2018, PPE) Tools of my trade 40 Bruce Taylor, Head Gardener Leading Questions 42 26 28 Caroline Marriage (1991, English) Music at Univ 43 Rendered view of Walnut Lawn, looking west towards Water Court Villa East. Grand Designs 26 A Sense of Place 28 Níall McLaughlin, Architect Kim Wilkie, Landscape Architect Sports and Societies 44 23 Announcements 46 Breathing life into a community is about much more than providing buildings, facilities or services. In memoriam 50 It is about creating a sense of belonging; knowing A walk around the orchard 54 that you are surrounded by a collective purpose that Dr Barrie Juniper nurtures us and reaches beyond us into the future” Angela Unsworth, MBE, Domestic Bursar and Fellow A Recipe for Medlar Jelly 55 Opposite: Rendered view of Walnut Lawn, looking north towards the student café (detail) Níall McLaughlin Architects Ltd College From the Master Solidarity, resourcefulness and resilience at Univ in a time of crisis had intended to write about “Univ North”, the College’s ambitious plans for the expansion of our site The College will emerge even stronger from at Stavs into a second community the crisis. In that mid-March week when the Ifor 250 students, and the main feature of this Martlet. But it was in the never to be Univ community had to separate from each forgotten week of the national shutdown in the face of the Coronavirus, when other, it came together in the spirit of solidarity, within a few days we sent almost all of resourcefulness and determination that Old our students, Fellows and staff home. I am writing this in self-isolation with Jill in Members would expect. We shall weather the the Lodgings, privileged compared with storm and go on to build Univ North.” so many others to be incarcerated in such a lovely house with the Master’s Garden as my exercise yard. The College has almost closed. Only a small number of students who are unable to go home have stayed on, and a To outward appearance, we are income. But our defensive financial skeleton staff comes in for maintenance a ghost college this term. But Univ strategy has paid off: the ample liquid and security. continues as a serious scholarly reserves earmarked for a once in a The vitality of Univ is its close-knit enterprise, albeit in a new dimension lifetime emergency will not only sustain community of students and teachers, for a time. Digital communications the College for the duration – including and loyal staff, studying and learning, are enabling tutorials and supervision payments on the bond – but help to eating and talking, rowing and singing all to continue throughout the term, support students who find themselves in together. Having to stay away for all of and although all libraries have closed, financial hardship as a result of the crisis. Trinity Term is a huge disappointment online access to digitised journals and We are financially resilient. for our students, especially for the books is sufficient for most purposes. The College will emerge even Finalists and Masters students in their Governing Body and College committees stronger from the crisis. In that mid- last year. The University has guaranteed meet remotely but on schedule. The March week when the Univ community the award of classified degrees, based Choir Master has arranged virtual choir had to separate from each other, it on online examinations, but this will rehearsals every Wednesday with sheet came together in the spirit of solidarity, not feel the same as taking Finals in the music and recordings sent out online in resourcefulness and determination that Examination Schools, which, for all its advance so that all can listen and learn at Old Members would expect. We shall frisson of stress, is a shared and bonding the same time. weather the storm and go on to build experience, the culmination of years of Inevitably, Univ’s finances will be Univ North. Floreat Collegio Magnae Aulae close friendship. hit by the loss of conference and rental Universitatis! Sir Ivor Crewe The vitality of Univ is its close-knit community Opposite: Rendered view of view Ltd Níall McLaughlin Architects (detail) café student the Opposite: Rendered looking north Lawn, towards Walnut of students and teachers, and loyal staff.” The Martlet | Spring 2020 | 5 College Fellows’ news New appointments Tutorial Fellows Dr James Bryson has been elected as Univ’s new Sollas Fellow Dr Marina Filip has been elected as Tutorial Fellow in Condensed in Geology. Dr Bryson is currently Associate Professor of Matter Physics and appointed as Associate Professor in the Physics Mineralogy at Oxford. He was previously a Junior Research Fellow Department. Dr Filip was previously a postdoctoral researcher at the at St John’s College, Cambridge. He also spent 18 months as a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California postdoctoral researcher at MIT working on the paleomagnetism of Berkeley, and at Oxford University. She completed her DPhil in meteorites. He achieved his PhD from Selwyn College, Cambridge. Materials Science at St Cross College, Oxford and her Bachelor of His research focuses on the magnetism of extra-terrestrial material Engineering in Physics at the University of Bucharest. Her research and is concerned with the early evolution of planetary bodies and focuses on the computational materials modeling and design of the solar system. novel functional materials for optoelectronic and energy applications. Stipendiary Lecturers Professor Guido Ascari has been appointed as a Stipendiary Lecturer Dr Laura Wright has been appointed as a Stipendiary Lecturer in Economics. Professor Ascari is currently Professor of Economics in English Literature. She previously taught at Brasenose at Oxford. He was previously a Research Fellow of the Bank of College. While completing her DPhil in early modern drama she Finland and Professor of Economics at the University of Pavia. He worked as an associate lecturer at Oxford Brookes University holds a PhD from Warwick University and a Research Doctorate from and a Stipendiary Lecturer at St Hilda’s College. Her research the University of Pavia. His main research interests are monetary concentrates on sound effects in early modern drama; hearing economics, DSGE models of business cycle fluctuations, monetary and the body; sensory studies; theatre history and performance; and fiscal policy interaction, inflation dynamics, and expectations Shakespeare; Jonson; and the voice.