Summer 2007 Newsletter

GirtonDevelopment Newsletter of Girton College Cambridge Summer 2007

newsletter

In this issue...

Editor Francisca Malarée

Design cantellday

Photography Girton Photographers,

Andy Darnton and Peter Ashley

unless otherwise stated

Print Cloister Press

Contact:

Development Office

Girton College

FREEPOST ANG6880

Cambridge CB3 0YE

+44 (0)1223 766672/338901

[email protected]

www.girton.cam.ac.uk

Copyright in editorial matter and this

collection as a whole: Girton College

Cambridge © 2007. Copyright in

indivdual articles: © February 2007

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted,

in any forms or by any means, without prior permission

in writing of the publisher, nor be issued to the public

or circulated in any form of binding or cover other

than that in which it si published.

Cover photograph:

Girton by night by Andy Darnton

Development CampaignWhy your support matters: the 21st Century campaign

priorities and College’s financial resources explained.

5

The Lawrence RoomA great many Classics alumni and tutees of Miss Dukehave supported the project to refurbish the Lawrence Room.Dr Thompson outlines why the funds are needed, and detailshow monies received will be put to practical use.

11

Girton in Sri LankaGirtonians forge more international links, this time in Sri Lanka,

thanks to an initiative by Barbara Isaac (Miller 1955).

14

Infidel Boat ClubThe Infidel Boat Club (TIBC) has been relaunched to bean inclusive networking group for Girtonian ex-rowers.Nick Sartain (1993), President of TIBC, on the group’s past,and its rowing and social activities planned for the future.

16

Interview: Philippa GlanvilleGirtonian Philippa Glanville, Director of Waddesdon Manor,

talks to Margaret Nicholson about her career as a Curator.

22

Please see back page for forthcoming events

Summer 2007 | Girton Newsletter 3

The clue was in the venue of the launch.A magnificent setting provided by theGoldsmiths’ Company enabled us tolook at ourselves afresh – for unfamiliarsurroundings afford fresh perspectives.

One perspective is given by theUniversity’s 800th AnniversaryCampaign, the view it gives on Girtonas part of Cambridge as a whole – notjust other colleges but the departmentsand faculties and institutions of theUniversity. Indeed the colleges andUniversity are working together in anunprecedented way, and this Girtonlaunch was a definitive step in the800th Campaign. Above all, it bringstogether the two parts of a student’sexperience that people remember.

Together colleges and University havecommon cause enough: enhancing theendowment of Cambridge, so that itspublic support is support for an institutionthat also rests on foundations it has builtitself. From a situation of having to make

up the shortfall between governmentfunding for teaching and research andwhat it actually costs, Cambridge wantsto be in a situation of financial flexibilitythat will enable it to expand itseducational mission in the innovativeways it chooses.

As the Vice Chancellor stresses,Cambridge’s contributions are to theworld’s knowledge and expertise. And ithas a responsibility in making sure thatits tremendous assets are put to thewidest possible benefit. This is reflectedtwice over: in the scope of its ambitionsin terms of outputs and outcomes forthe benefit of society – inventions anddiscoveries, intellectual enlightenment,technological development, the capacityfor critical reflection , and so forth – andin the scope (national, international) ofthe people it recruits into its own societyas teachers, learners and researchers.

It can only give out the best by drawingin the best.

A further perspective comes fromourselves. This is in the extent to whichyour college anticipated the groundson which the University would launchits Anniversary efforts. And here wehave to look at the success of our firstDevelopment Campaign. For it is thefoundation to what we are doing now.

Our magnificent Library and Archivebuilding, an award winning landmark

on the architectural scene twice over,has become a landmark for us. It urgesus to press ahead with improvementsto facilities for the College community.But what also spurs us on from thatfirst Campaign were the foundations ofstudent and staff support laid by theresoundingly successful studentbursaries scheme and and by provisionfor two teaching fellowships. Learningand teaching go together, and it is herethat our own ambitions merge withthose of the University. The primeemphasis of the Anniversary Campaignis also the emphasis of this, the secondGirton Campaign.

The rationale behind strengtheningstudent support was to ensure that no-one is turned away because of need.The rationale for underwriting teachingwill mean that Girton continues to offerthe best to its student body. It is a sadfact that what we could once supportfrom fees and general income is underthreat unless we find – and quitequickly – a means to make our teachingposts financially secure.

Goldsmiths’ Hall was to some extentan extraordinary venue for GirtonCollege, but we are no stranger tothe extraordinary. Girton has been anextraordinary institution from its verybeginning. This Newsletter continuesthe tale.

Professor Dame Marilyn Strathern FBA

The Girton year 2006This Newsletter comes at a moment when the new campaign is well and truly off the ground.You may well say, that's nothing new – Girton seems to have been raising funds for ever! Exactly:it has never stopped since 1869 ... From my own perspective, this is our second major drive sinceGirton's Development Office was established. Many of you know this in intimate detail, for youhave been more than generous with your own help. So what is new?

Girton Newsletter | Summer 20074

Welcome

Postgraduates and research students.In the last few years Girton’s numbershave shot up from around 150 – tonearer 250. There are more one-yearMPhil courses offered by departmentsand greater expectations on the partof research councils that the doctorateis preceded by a masters degree, butthe growth also reflects Universitypriorities and its ambitions as one ofthe world’s major research universities.Girton’s graduates form a highlyinternational body: much new talentdrawn into Cambridge. Graduatestudents have all kinds of needs,however, that make undergraduate lifelook very straightforward! At presentcollege resources to assist graduates

are low, though they were given agreat boost by the funding from 2006to form the Stribling Research Awards,supporting two graduate studentseach year. However, one practical stephas already been taken. We havemade an emphatic commitment tochild care bursaries, tenable for anystudent, and indeed any staff, at anynursery – although there there seems adistinct preference for the nursery wehave now completed on WolfsonCourt ground!

Early career support. For those oncepast the doctorate, Research Fellowshipsfor budding academics have alwaysbeen something of a jewel in our

intellectual crown. Here we draw fromall members of the community withinCambridge – and beyond – and ourResearch Fellows embark on careers allover the world. Many of Girton’steachers who also hold university postsbegan their careers as Research Fellowswith us. There is talk of remodelling thefellowships, perhaps lengthening theirtenure with adding a formal teachingelement, but the commitment toresearch is paramount. We need to doagain what was done with suchprescience many years ago, and re-furbish our endowment of ResearchFellowships in the arts and sciences.

Marilyn Strathern

The double need to support both teaching officers and their pupils dovetails neatly together. But College is

also becoming aware of another area of need that has been quietly growing beneath our feet – for those who

take their career beyond undergraduate level, still students, but not yet or not looking to be teachers. I refer to

postgraduates and research fellows.

Focus on Research Fellowships


Development

The Development Campaign

The Development Office

Kirsten Edbrooke Perry, who had

worked in the Development Office since

2001 as Development Officer, and

Caroline Venn, who had worked here

since March 2005 as Development and

Schools Liaison Officer, both left in

2006, Kirsten to devote more time to

her family, and Caroline to study for a

postgraduate teaching qualification.

We are delighted that Sam Bowie has

now joined us permanently and taken

over the responsibilities of running the

Telethon and the Friends’ Groups, as

our new Development Officer. Sam is

an alumnus of Girton, and graduated

in 2002. We are very pleased that

Margaret Nicholson has returned from

maternity leave. She has come back on

a part time basis, having had a son,

Joseph, in February 2006. We have

also appointed another part-time

Research and Database Officer, Sarah

Westwood. Before joining the

Development Office, Sarah was the

College’s Records Management Officer,

and she is also the Archivist at

Downing College.

Contacts

If you have any queries about

fundraising please contact:

[email protected]

For queries on alumni events and

activities please contact:

[email protected]

Also, please visit our web site:

www.girton.cam.ac.uk/development

Nige

lSte

ad


Development

We were delighted that Dr MargaretBarton (pictured here with the Mistressand Dr Barton’s sister) was made aBarbara Bodichon Foundation Fellow ofthe College last year in recognition of hercontribution to the funds Girton makesavailable for student support.

Dr Barton read Medical Sciences atGirton from 1945 to 1948, thentransferred to the Middlesex Hospital tocomplete the clinical course. During hertime at Girton, she was one of only fivewomen studying medicine.

She specialised in Paediatric medicineand worked in Birmingham as a seniorRegistrar and Consultant Paediatricianfor many years. In 2005, she donated anendowment sum to Girton to establishthe Margaret Barton Bursary Fund.

The income from the fund is to be usedprimarily to provide maintenance bursariesfor full-time students in Medical Sciences.Candidates of the required standard togain admission to read medicine at Girton

in financial need, as defined by LEAcriteria, will be eligible for the fund.

After completion of the first threeyears of the course, all Girton medicalstudents, including existing bursaryholders, who are continuing withclinical medicine at CambridgeUniversity, will be eligible to apply

for bursaries for the clinical course ifthey are in financial need.

The fund complements the Emily DaviesBursary Fund, which is open to studentsin any subject, the Anne and CarolineWilson Fund for classicists, and the JeanLindsay Bursary fund, which supportshistory students.

Establishment of the Margaret Barton Bursary Fund

Girton College occupies a uniqueposition within the history of women’seducation, and as such the biographiesof the college’s alumni have been thesubject of a number of academicstudies. Previous versions of the GirtonCollege Register (Vol. I covering theyears 1869-46, Vol II covering the years1944-69) have become vital tools inreconstructing the developments andchanges in the societal role of universityeducation during the 20th Century. Asmany of you will be aware, theDevelopment Office has been compilingVol. III (covering all matriculants andfellows from the years 1970-2000) overthe past 4 years. We would like to takethis opportunity to thank everyone for

their interesting and detailed responsesto our various mailings.

It is with great pleasure that we are ableto report that the project is now nearingcompletion. All alumni and fellows(including several of those we had lostcontact with prior to the project’sinception) have been mailed copies oftheir entries and we are now in the finalstages of updating these records with theinformation provided. Final editing shouldcommence in July and we hope forpublication prior to the end of the year.

If alumni would like to add furtherinformation or have any commentsthey would like to make regarding

Register Vol. III, please do not hesitateto contact me.

Hannah JamesRegister Research Officer

[email protected]

Girton College Register Vol. III (1970-2000)

Dr Margaret Barton, Mrs Helen Kegie and the Mistress


Development

21st Century Campaign FocusTeaching and Research

College is continuing to raise funds forthe endowment of teaching and researchposts. It is essential that this be done inorder to safeguard the supervision systemthat is unique to Cambridge and Oxfordcolleges. Fundraising for these isongoing, with a post fully endowed inClassics, and with special funding in Law.Partial endowment for a post inMathematics is already in place.

The cost of endowing a mid-levelteaching post is £1 million, as thisgenerates £40,000 per year to cover thecosts of salary, commons and pension.

‘The experience of a Cambridgeeducation is the experience of beingtaught by the best minds in your field,and having access to the knowledge ofrenowned academics as supervisors.Those who have really had the greatestinfluence on our formation, aside fromour parents, are most often ourteachers.’ Professor Dame MarilynStrathern, Mistress.

What has been achieved so far:

• In this campaign, we have raised£500,000 for the Olga TausskyMathematics Fellowship

• £250,000 for the Bertha JeffreysFellowship, including a legacy

• £40,000 per year from an anonymousdonor supports the Lady HaleFellowship in Law

The Tower Wing

One of the College’s priority projectswithin the 21st Century Campaign isthe refurbishment of the Tower Wing.This includes changing the use ofrooms in the iconic Tower itself, andmodernisation of all bedrooms,bathrooms and kitchens across oneof the largest wings of College.

The Waterhouse-designed buildings,which date from the late 1880s, haveserved College well, and there are noplans to alter the exterior; indeed,extensive work was carried out duringthe summer of 2006 to maintain thesplendid neo-gothic facade. This firstphase, which cost £150,000, wasfunded by College. The main focus ofthe second phase is to improve thestudent accommodation, much ofwhich falls well below current standards– not just in our own eyes butaccording to the University’s guidelineson acceptable student accommodation

and bedroom to bathroom ratios.The plans also include adapting fiveC corridor rooms to en-suite.

Most of the Tower Wing’s corridorsrequire extensive works – newbathrooms and kitchens need to beinstalled, and the rooms themselvesneed complete restoration in terms ofheating, wiring, furniture andredecoration. The College successfullyraised over £1 million to refurbish theHospital Wing, the last project of thiskind, and the student rooms weretransformed and internet power pointswere installed. The target for thesecond phase of the Tower Wing is£750,000. The third phase, which wehope to begin in 2008, will costanother £1 million.


• Over £100,000 of the £750,000 goalfor this year


Development

The Sports Pavilion

Thanks to the support of alumni andfriends of the College, work has alreadybegun to create two new full-sizepitches for football and rugby on site.College is proud of its excellent recordin increasing women’s participation insport, and has very successful teams forboth men and women.

The pavilion will incorporate changingfacilities for home teams and visitors, asocial area and bar, and for the firsttime the college will have a permanenthome for its gym, which will be fullyequipped and have disabled access.College will also share access to thesports pavilion with the localcommunity. All donors giving over £500to the project will have their names

listed on a commemorative plaque inthe new pavilion.


• Over £100,000 has been raised

21st Century Fund

This is our unrestricted endowment fund.The College needs to build this up tosecure its income for the future. Incomparison to the universities in the USACambridge is underendowed. Mostcolleges would need endowments of£100 million for their levels of activity;Girton’s stands at £43 million.

We always welcome donations to helpartistic, cultural and sporting activities

within College. There are ‘Friends’ groupsfor the Choir, Chapel, Gardens, Library,and the People’s Portraits exhibition, andan endowment fund for the Boat Club.

If you would like to add your supportto other activities not listed here, pleasedo not hesitate to contact theDevelopment Director.


• Over £1 million has been raised inthis campaign for the College’sendowment funds.

How to add your supportto the College

Making a donation is easy: please fillout the relevant form in the centre ofthis newsletter, or alternatively call uson 01223 766672 to set up a directdebit or make a credit card donationover the telephone. If you require moreinformation about any of the projects,please contact the Development Officeon [email protected]

Annual Fund 2007We are delighted that so many alumni choose to support the College regularly by making a gift through the telethon andAnnual Fund. Last year’s telethon raised over £150,000 for College, and this year’s has exceeded this amount in funds donated.

Our dedicated team of student callers would also like to thank all the alumni they have spoken to over the course of the campaign!

Artist’s impression of the proposed new pavilion, Girton College


Development

Girton: The Financial Story

The College is funded by a mixture of public and private resources. As at

30th June 2006, the College’s net assets (total wealth) were £89 million,

broken down in the table below. Thanks to investment gains and

donations, net assets increased by 5.4% in the last financial year ending

June 2006, which runs from 1 July to 30 June.

Assets £

Buildings, furniture and fittings £46 million

Investment capital (also known as endowment) £40 million

Working capital £3 million

Total £89 million

Income and expenditure:The College’s income is constrained by term dates, and fee income is constrained bygovernment caps and the University’s fee charging policy. The surplus achieved lastyear is unusual and was due largely to the sale of a property which had beenbequeathed to the college, and the issue of special dividends on stock held by college.

Income source 2005/6 2004/5

Fees (constrained by government) £2 million £1.8 million

Student and conference income £3.3 million £2.8 million(rents, catering, rooms)

Investment income (including income £2.3 million £1.4 millionfrom donations/endowment)

Profit on sale of properties £0.7 million 0

Total £8.3 million £6 million

Expenditure

Type of expenditure 2005/6 2004/5

Education £2.6 million £2.6 million

Residence, catering (conference and student) £5 million £4.5 million

Total £7.6 million £7.1 million

The College’s endowment is used to support the deficit College faces on its educationaccount – as the tables show, plugging this funding gap costs between £600,000 and£800,000 per year. In addition to this, there are deficits on residence as the collegereceives inadequate state funding to maintain or improve its historic buildings, whichmakes alumni support for improvements critical, and it subsidises student rents belowthe market rate. College’s endowment is also used to support core functions, such as

Is Girton rich or poor?

The College’s endowment of £43 millionmakes it the 15th largest in CambridgeUniversity. The average size ofendowment is £78 million, but of the31 colleges in the University only sevencolleges actually have endowments largerthan £78 million. For the size of itsoperation, College needs an endowmentfund closer to £100 million. Girton isstretched by the following:

• Girton educates considerably morestudents than average, as evidenced byfee income, but depends on a less thanaverage-sized endowment to do it.

• Girton’s resources are spread morethinly than the average college’s – ithas a lower endowment per capita.

• Arguably, Girton bears adisproportionate share of the costof collegiate Cambridge.

teaching posts, learning, ResearchFellowships and research expenses,as well as scholarships, bursaries,and prizes.

Development


As Girton began as a women’s college,there was a steadily increasing need forplaces for women, and growth was apriority. Donations tended to followplans for expansion at a time whensupport from public funds for studentswas higher. As a consequence ofCollege’s early rapid expansion,endowment funds never caught upwith numbers of students admitted.

Why do we need donated funds?

It is critical that alumni and friendscontinue to support Girton, just as theyhave done from the earliest days of the

College, so that College can expand thesupport for teaching, learning andresearch which previous donors haveinitiated. College is fully behind fulfillingits original access mission by enablingGirton to give better academic andfinancial support to students. Donationsalso enable us to narrow the gapbetween Girton’s per capita endowmentand that of other colleges.

The priorities of the College, asencapsulated by the College’s 21stCentury campaign, will enable theCollege to be placed on a more securefinancial footing for the future.

On 8 March 2006, a special event tomark the launch of the public phase ofGirton’s 21st Century DevelopmentCampaign was held in the Goldsmiths’Hall in London. The Goldsmiths’Company is one of the Twelve GreatLivery Companies of the City of Londonand received its first royal charter in 1327.

Founded to regulate the craft or tradeof the goldsmith, the Goldsmiths'Company has been responsible since1300 for testing the quality of gold,silver and, from 1975, platinum articles.The Company’s current Hall wasopened in 1835, retains the style of anurban palazzo, and is one of London’shidden treasures.

The Mistress of the College, ProfessorDame Marilyn Strathern, spoke at theevent about the College’s newfundraising campaign, which focuseson endowing teaching Fellowships, therefurbishment of the Tower Wing, andraising funds for the College’sendowment fund.

The event also served to introduce theVisitor of the College, Baroness Hale ofRichmond, to the assembled alumni.She spoke about her experiences atCollege, and wished Girton well in itsfundraising endeavours.

The Curator of the Goldsmiths’Company, Rosemary Ransome-Wallis

then spoke about the history of theorganisation and its many collectionsand activities, including its current role inpromoting young talent and innovativetechniques in precious metalworking.

21st Century Campaign Launch

In the ‘Ancient Faces’ exhibition ofmummy portraits from Roman Egyptat the British Museum in 1997,

Girton’s first century AD portraitmummy Hermione, the teacher, heldpride of place. She was there in person,as indeed was a video of her CAT scanand a reconstruction of her face, finelysculpted in foam. She is one of theCollege’s most treasured possessionsand certainly the best known of thecollection of antiquities now housed inthe Lawrence Room. She was excavatedby Wm Flinders Petrie at the Fayumcemetery at Hawara early in 1911.

When he published his findslater the same year hedescribes (Roman Portraitsand Memphis IV, p. 8) howshe already ‘appropriately

rests in the library ofGirton College’. For shehad come to the college,purchased for £20 (a notinsignificant sum at thetime), as a present – inthe main – from thethird-year students of1911, aided by College

fundraising and somehelp from Old Girtonians.And as a gift to ourcollection, Hermione isnot alone.

Other antiquities from Egyptcame to us from the familyof our architect, AlfredWaterhouse, through thegenerosity of his Girtonianniece, GwendoleneCrewdson. A fine display ofTanagra figurines joins

Mycenean, Classical and Cypriotantiquities; all of these were gifts. So wehave an excellent teaching collection,with shards, pots, glass, figurines, andmany small finds brought together in theearly years of the College’s existence bygenerous donors and supporters of thecollege. And of particular local interest,which we plan to bring to the fore in ournew display, are the finds from the Anglo-Saxon cemetery from the ground onwhich Girton was built. A number ofmagnificent bronze brooches, wristclasps, a bone comb and other smallobjects were found together with aninteresting set of decorated funerary pots.

The Lawrence Room itself was set up in1935 and named in memory of AmyLawrence (Girton 1891) as a result ofdonations from her two sisters andmany friends. Hermione was movedfrom the Library and other collectionswere brought together in new casesthat were specially built at that time. In1961 the displays were modernised byAlison Roberts (1958) and in the 1990sSarah Quinn, later Clackson, (EugénieStrong Research Fellow 1996-98)worked on the Egyptian part of thecollections, digitising Margaret Murray’searlier catalogue and publishing ourEgyptian stela that dates from the reignof Amenophis I (1525-1504 BC).

Now, once again, new work is underway.In 1991 a flood caused damage to cases,walls and floor. This was the impetus formajor improvements with new lightingand power, low ultra-violet glazing andblinds, a new air-conditioning unit andsome display cases. Much of thecollection, however, was still boxed

up in temporary storage. It was toreunite these different sections of thecollection that the Lawrence RoomAppeal was recently launched. Much elseis planned. New display cases built tomodern museum standards have arrivedand Hermione has been promised a newcase. The most urgent conservation ofour bronzes was undertaken by a traineegraduate last year. For the first time allthe objects have been photographed andan extension of the digitised catalogue isunderway. Girtonians past and presenthave volunteered for this and otherwork. We are concerned to make ourcollections more available to our studentsin both teaching and other projects, andto extend the educational side of existingactivities, especially for primary schools.It is a challenging undertaking which hasalready generatedmuch enthusiasm.With the help ofcontributions weshall attain our goals.

Dr Dorothy J.ThompsonThe Lawrence Room

Committee

Lawrence Room

The Lawrence Room


Travel Events

Girton College Chapel ChoirTour to Singapore and Australia 2006

The tour that Girton College ChapelChoir undertook in August /September 2006 was the most

ambitious in its history. Given its length –we were away for over three weeks –and given the very wide-ranging itinerary– we travelled down most of the easternseaboard of Australia, not to mentionthree days spent in Singapore – itinvolved an unusually large amount ofplanning and fund-raising. Most of thechoir were involved in organisingsponsorship of some sort, and in theevent the tour was funded from a varietyof sources – student contributions, grantsfrom trusts and foundations (not least theFriends of Girton Choir), and a number ofextremely generous personal gifts.

With all of that now behind us, wesettled down to the thirteen-hour flightfrom London to Singapore. Our time inSingapore was relatively brief, but wemanaged to see most of the city bymeans of a coach tour; this took usround the various international quartersof Singapore, as well as allowing us timeto sample the famous Singapore Sling inRaffles Bar. Our concert in the NationalUniversity Hall, attended by Mrs LeeKuan Yew (Geok Choo Kwa 1947), wasa great success, and the receptionafterwards gave us the chance to meetsome very hospitable Singaporeans.

One more overnight flight later and wewere touching down on Australian soil.Brisbane was the first and longest stop ofthe tour, and we were billeted with hostfamilies, the majority of whom sang inthe Australian Catholic University choir,with whom we performed a concert. Wealso gave one of the best concerts of the

tour in Brisbane’s Catholic Cathedral.From Brisbane we were able to visitToowoomba, where, in addition to a jointconcert with a local school choir, we sangin a woolshed and were introduced tothe finer arts of sheep shearing. We alsohad the opportunity to try surfing off theSunshine coast, and we admired thecrocodiles at the Steve Irwin’s AustraliaZoo only a day or two before he died.

Further south, away from the arid desertland, we arrived in sunny Newcastle – abeautiful coastal town equipped with anexcellent Irish pub. The locals fondly referto Newcastle as ‘Australia’s best keptsecret’, and we certainly took advantageof its beautiful white beaches at all hoursof the day. Here, too, we enjoyed thechance to perform with local forces – on

this occasion a church choir. Thefollowing morning took us further inlandas we climbed up into the BlueMountains towards Bathurst. Havingadmired the Three Sisters (a trio ofshapely rocks) en route, we were greetedby delighted hosts who astutely decidedthat we had brought the rain with us – acurse that we carried with us for most ofthe tour. The much-needed damp failedto impress some choir members, as theywere obliged to rehearse in anexpectedly freezing Bathurst Cathedral.However, a friendly audience andanother good performance from thechoir – here we joined forces with a localbrass band – improved our spirits.

In Sydney we were billeted withmembers of the Woollahra

Dr Ennis conducting the Chapel Choir


Travel Events

Philharmonic Orchestra. One choirmember’s first sight of Sydney HarbourBridge and the Opera House was froma yacht as she sailed past in her host’sboat – a fairly spectacular introductionto this vibrant city. Our concert with theWoollahra orchestra included some ofour more challenging repertoire, such

as Poulenc’s Gloria and Brahms’s Nänie.The Girton reunion at The Mint was avery spirited occasion with Girtonianspast and present exchanging anecdotesand catching up on life at college. Thechoir’s next musical engagement was ofa similar vein as the Cambridge Societyin Canberra treated us to a formal-hall-

style dinner and blithely informed us ofthe ten-hour coach journey to Bendigowhich awaited us.

Our hosts at Girton Grammar School inBendigo were delightful, and the jointconcert that followed our epic journeywas extremely well received. The schoolwas originally founded as anestablishment for girls and was inspired bythe women of Girton College, Cambridgewho had fought so hard for women’seducation. The Cambridge themecontinued in Melbourne, where the Deanof Trinity College, a former Cambridgelecturer, hosted us for our last three nightsin Australia. Our concert with TrinityCollege choir certainly raised the rafters,as their modest chapel resounded withthe voices of over fifty singers. The finalevensong in St. Paul’s Cathedral,Melbourne, was a fitting coda, not only forthe tour, but also for the year as a whole.

Dr Martin EnnisDirector of Music and Fellow

The Choir performing at the National University of Singapore's Cultural Centre Hall

The joint concert with the Woollahra Philharmonic Orchestra, Sydney


Travel Events

Girton in Sri Lanka

There are two things to be saidabout the Cambridge Society of SriLanka: it doesn’t do things by

halves and it doesn’t believe in wastingtime. About an hour after our arrival inColombo, following a 17-hour journeyfrom London, we were meeting ourhosts in the garden of the housebelonging to Mr and Mrs Obeysekere,leading members of the society. Theman of the house, a senior lawyer, was,as it happens, in Cambridge; but hiswife was on hand to make sure that wewere being properly entertained.

And so we were. The house itself hadbeen decorated with great vases of birdof paradise orchids and the glass doorsdrawn back, giving out on to a largegarden surrounded by high walls andimmensely tall trees. There were candle-littables laid for supper and servants flittedthrough the gloom. There were about

thirty people in all: mostly in their fiftiesand sixties. Their backgrounds werevaried: lawyers, family businessmen,diplomats, development economists andgeographers. But there were someyounger people too. One of the peoplewe met was a young lawyer who was, sohe told us, one of the very first men to goto Girton – an experience he enjoyedimmensely and one which he managedto combine with playing cricket for theuniversity’s second eleven, the Wanderers.

Although it must be forty years or sosince most of our hosts had beenstudents at Cambridge, it was touchingto see how warmly they greeted a groupof complete strangers – and how anxiousthey were that we should learn moreabout Sri Lankan history, customs, and,of course, food. The supper was barelyunder way when we were given athorough description of the egg hopper

– one of Sri Lanka’s most famousspecialities. Primarily a breakfast dish(which we subsequently met many timesduring our 12-day trip), the egg hopperis a delicate, filigree basket of batter witha fried egg at the bottom. To makesuccessfully, they told us, it needs a lighttouch and a steady hand. The fish currywas another great discovery.

But this was only the beginning. Newdelights were in store. The next day weset out in a little bus on a trip that wasto take us right round the island –northwards to the ruined city ofAnuradhapura, then down to the 1500year-old rock fortress of Sigiriya, acrossto the mediaeval capital, Polonnaruwa,before going southwards to Kandy, thecentre of British Sri Lanka, and toNuwara Eliya, the heart of thenineteenth century tea business. Aftertraining the eye to spot the icons of


Travel Events

Buddhism along the road, it came as abit of shock to encounter NuwaraEliya’s half-timbered, mock-Tudor HillClub which was built by homesickBritish tea planters towards the end ofthe nineteenth century.

One of the joys of travelling in Sri Lanka –a slow business at the best of times isthat so much – topographically, culturally,ethnically – is packed into such acomparatively small and exquisitelybeautiful space. In the course of a singleday, you can descend from mist-shroudedmountains more than 2500 metres highto the palm-fringed beaches of the IndianOcean. Everything changes: climate, birds,wildlife, and, above all, plants. The RoyalBotanical Gardens at Kandy has a simplyamazing collection of trees, flowering

plants and shrubs that must be amongthe best in Asia. It is no accident that SriLanka was once thought to be theoriginal site of the Garden of Eden.

Most tours take in only one of the twoof Sri Lanka’s ancient capitals, but theorganiser of our trip, the charismaticNirmala de Mel (1959), the Girtonianfounder of Rickshaws, the Sri Lankantravel company, was adamant that weshould see both. We thoughtAnuradhapura, the first, was impressive.But we found so much to see at thesecond, Polonnaruwa, that we skippeda planned trip to a game reserve wherewild elephants were promised.Obviously, the deity that looks afterGirtonians was on our side because aswe passed the reserve in the evening on

the way home we saw half a dozenelephants from the road.

The trip was not all wild life and ancienthistory. As we travelled along thesouthern coast of Sri Lanka whileworking our way back to Colombo, wesaw plenty of evidence of the tsunamitragedy of December 2004. Most of thedebris had been cleared; memorials hadbeen raised to commemorate the victims;and some new housing had been built.Shops and some hotels had been rebuilt.There were many new fishing boatsalong the harbours and on the shores.

Nirmala de Mel herself was co-founderof Agromart, a women’s self-help groupwhich endeavours to train women invarious skills so that they can becomeindependent, and gives what shedescribes as ‘micro-credit’ so that theycan purchase needed equipment. Shetold us how, after the tsunami, groupsfrom the unaffected part of the countryhad got together to travel southwardsand offer immediate help to theirfellow-members.

On the last day that Ann Chillingworth(Duff 1961) and Barbara Isaac, the tourleader, were in the country, they weretaken to see a traditional house in Gallethat is now being renovated with helpfrom Agromart to include facilities forteaching lacemaking, jewelry(silversmithing and stone-cutting) andother activities. In Kurunegala theyvisited a silver workshop where youngwomen orphaned in the tsunami werebeing taught.

After the trip which took place in earlyMarch 2006 was over it was decided todonate a percentage of the profits toAgromart to help some of the womendirectly affected by tsunami and todedicate the donation in honour of thememory of the family of SonaliLissenburgh (Deraniyagala 1981) wholost her husband Steve Lissenburgh(1982), her parents and her two sons inthe tsunami.

Pepita Aris (Heesom 1957) andStephen Aris

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Aris

Sport

The Infidel Boat Club

TIBC has competed largely thanks to thegenerosity of GCBC loaning equipmentand so the bulk of TIBC rowing has beenback on the Cam. In addition, though,the club has also been seen on theThames in London and the Loire, Nantesand we made our mark on Peterboroughsummer regatta a couple of years ago,although admittedly that was mostly inthe bar. Most recently, a TIBC crew racedSenior Fairbairns in December 2006(although this length of race is not toeveryone’s taste!). It’s not all water-work

though, and there have been three verysuccessful TIBC ‘annual’ dinners inLondon restaurants, something we planto repeat in the near future.

TIBC is currently looking to the futurewhere priorities are to develop betterlinks with college, to expand ournumbers and to organise a few moresocial events. We particularly want to geta wider spread of alumni involved,and this needn’t involve entering racesagainst the young and fit of the country.

The club is for the members and eventsand activities can and will be organisedto suit us. So, if you want to get in touchwith any of your old crewmates, whetheron or off the water then send yourdetails to [email protected] to Francisca Malaree at the GirtonDevelopment Office and you will beadded to our mailing list.

Our website is at www.theinfidel.co.uk.

Nick Sartain (1993)

The Infidel Boat Club (TIBC) is Girton’s alumni boat club and since its formation in 2001 has enabled more

than forty Old Girtonians to get out on the water. Mostly this is to reminisce about ‘the old days’, but

occasionally a bit of rowing gets done. There is no organised (or even disorganised!) training but a high

standard of inventing just how good we once were is expected.

Members of the GCBC and the Infidel Club (TIBC) gatherat Girton’s boathouse

The Infidels preparing to raceFairbairns 2006

Sport


TIBC at Nantes

Jam

esAp

plet

on

Tom

Ellio

t


Sport

In February 2007, College

welcomed back past members

of the Hockey Club for the

mixed match at Wilberforce

Road against the current

combined hockey teams.

Players enjoyed lunch after

the match. If you would like

to join in next year, please email

[email protected]

Andr

ewLe

ader


Alumni Events

Alumni Events

From a formal black tie dinner to casualdrinks in a London bar, the next eventwas one of our biannual informal drinksevenings. These have been a greatsuccess and have prompted several minireunions for those living or working inthe London area. Invitations to theseevenings are via e-mail so if you wouldlike to hear about them please contactthe Alumni Office and ensure we haveyour latest e-mail address.

The first reunion of 2006 was the 2ndGeographical Society dinner, as withthe inaugural dinner this was verypopular and gave current geographystudents the chance to meet and chatto past Girton geographers. Mr RobertPiggott (1979) religious affairscorrespondent for the BBC, gave anengaging talk at the end of the dinner.Proceeds from the event and a rafflewent to the Dr Jean Grove MemorialFund, a fund that is available toundergraduates to assist in dissertationcosts – there has been a massivedecrease of funding available fromLEAs over the last two years as moneyhas been diverted to other areasof geography.

In March 2006 there were two dinnersfor some of our more recent graduateswith the 10 year reunion dinner forthose who matriculated in 1996 andthe MA Congregation dinner. Vice-Mistress Dr Julia Riley presided over the

1996 reunion dinner extending a warmwelcome to those in attendance andreviewing some of the changes thathad occurred in College in recent years.

In late spring a London bar againplayed host to an informal drinksevening, with around 30 or so alumnigathering to catch up with friends.A few weeks later the 1981 and 1986reunion dinners were held jointly on thesame night. Dr John Marks again kindlyoffered to preside over the occasion,much to the delight of many of thosepresent who remembered him fromtheir student days. Dr Marks talkedabout the newly opened Duke Building,the ambitious plans to redevelop thesports pitches, and build a new sportspavilion, and the continuous need foralumni support to help the Collegeremain competitive in today’seducational climate.

September saw the Girton CollegeChoir tour Singapore and Australia;this provided a great opportunity toorganise a drinks evening for OldGirtonians in Sydney, NSW. The eventwas held at the Mint, in Sydney’sMacquarie Street, and the choirperformed a number of sacred andsecular pieces. Many thanks to pastFellow, Mrs Margaret Renaud for allher help with the occasion and forco-ordinating the bookings. Continuingthe theme of international gatherings

there were receptions organised for OldGirtonians in New York and Boston inNovember 2006. The Boston receptionwas co-ordinated by Cambridge inAmerica and was organised in honourof a visit by the Vice-Chancellor,Professor Alison Richard. ProfessorRichard spoke passionately about theUniversity of Cambridge’s achievementsboth nationally and internationallyand emphasised that alumni play a vitalrole in ensuring Cambridge cancontinue to succeed.

The final occasion in this last year’salumni events calendar was the secondof that year’s evenings in London.This evening was co-hosted with theLondon Girton Association, who haverecently appointed a Young AlumniOfficer, Miss Laura Julve (2003).Laura and other LGA members werein attendance to answer questionsabout the LGA and to let those whocame along know about future eventsthey have planned.

2007 promises to be an equally busyyear for the Alumni Office with eventsalready planned in Canada, WashingtonDC and New York in addition to ourregular programme of reunions andreceptions. If you would like moreinformation about these or havesuggestions for the Alumni Officeplease do not hesitate to contactthe College.

Alumni Events 2005 / 2006

The latest series of alumni events started in September 2005 with the 25 year reunion for those who

matriculated in 1980. Senior Life Fellow Dr John Marks presided over the evening and it was a wonderful

gathering of alumni, several having travelled from abroad to attend. For many it was their first visit to

Girton since graduating and there was much reminiscing about student days.


Alumni Events

US Alumni EventsThe Mistress was delighted to see many alumni from northern California in April2006 at the home of Dr Angela Hey (1972). Those who attended were treatedto a special ‘Girton ice-cream cake’ in red, white and green. The Mistress spokeabout the new campaign and our work together with Cambridge in Americato fund fellowships, refurbish the Tower Wing and build a new sports pavilion.

We also organised a networking evening at the Cornell Club in New Yorklast November. The speaker was Mr Nigel Newton, the Chairman and CEO ofBloomsbury Publishing, who is credited with discovering JK Rowling. The eventwas held jointly with Selwyn College. Mr Newton spoke about the challenges andopportunities facing publishers today in the age of self-publishing and the internet.

For later this year, we are pleased to announce that Professor Dame MarilynStrathern will be honoured with a President’s session at the AmericanAnthropological Association conference in Washington DC in December. We arein the process of planning an alumni event for 4 December; please contact theDevelopment Office if you would like to attend.

The Mistress cutting the GirtonCake

People’s Portraits Reception and Auction

We were delighted to welcome backmembers of the Friends of People’sPortraits and alumni and friends to theannual reception for the addition of anew portrait to the People’s Portraitsexhibition. The painting, Dede Costa, bySheldon Hutchinson RP has now joinedthe other portraits in the collection.

Mr Hutchinson told the assembledguests about the sitter, Dede Costa, whowas not able to attend the reception.The welcoming speech was made byDame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll, who is theformer Director of the Victoria and AlbertMuseum and is now the Chancellor ofthe University of Lincoln.

The People’s Portraits collection reflectsordinary people in Britain at thebeginning of the new millennium. Itcaptures those who would not normallybe able to commission a painting, andcame to Girton having toured thecountry in 2000. The exhibition is free

and open to members of the public dailybetween 2 pm and 4 pm.

The College has an alumni group, theFriends of People’s Portraits, which isopen to anyone who wishes to supportthe exhibition. The benefits include entryto the opening of the Royal Society ofPortrait Painters’ summer exhibition atthe Mall Galleries, and invitations to thePeople’s Portraits reception and dinnerwith the Mistress.

We are delighted to announce thatHilary Goy (Corke 1968) was the winningbidder for the auction of a Portraitgenerously offered by June Mendoza RP.

Dame Elizabeth Esteve-Coll andDaphne Todd Dede Costa & Sheldon Hutchinson RP


Alumni Events

Donors’ Dinner2006

Last year’s dinner for donors to theCollege took place a little earlier thanusual as the Mistress was on sabbaticalfor the summer vacation. However, thisenabled us to have a very special formof entertainment at the dinner in theform of a performance from the CollegeChapel Choir. The Choir entertainedguests with a selection of secular andsacred pieces; Justorum Animae byOrlando de Lassus, Gustav Holst’s I Lovemy Love, and Let’s do it, by Cole Porter.

The presence of the Choir was muchappreciated as it was in the process offundraising for a tour of Australia andSingapore at the time. A full report ofthe successful tour is on p.14

This year’s dinner will take place

on 14 July, and is by invitation.

Top Guests at the dinner, includingcurrent students. Above: the Choirperforming a selection of songs inthe Hall.

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Fellows and guests at the reception, and a full dining hall


Alumni Events

Bluestockings

In 2009 the University of Cambridge willbe commemorating its 800th birthday: amagnificent achievement. The history ofEnglish university education will bemuch in the public eye during thecelebrations, and most people willassume it’s a history shared to areasonable extent by men and women.But that same year will mark anothersignificant date: the anniversary of thewomen’s colleges at Oxford becomingfully incorporated members of theiruniversity. Guess how long ago thatwas? A mere fifty years. And thathappened only eleven years afterCambridge finally awarded Degrees to‘undergraduettes’ in 1948. So while thehistory of university education for menin England is venerable, for women it’sshockingly short.

I’m writing a book to coincide withthese celebrations, called Bluestockings(Penguin, 2009). It centres on the livesand words of those pioneering womenwho, between 1878 (when LondonUniversity first gave them Degrees) and1939, broke new ground as universitystudents. My research recently involved

a three-day stay at Girton, workingwith Kate Perry in the archives. Throughthe letters, diaries, and reminiscenceslodged there I’ve begun to build up anintriguing picture of who those womenwere, what motivated them to come toCollege, and how they spent their days.

A few quick examples. Apparently, in theearliest days of its history, Girton’sstudents were considered slightly sinister.They tended dangerously towards‘strong-mindedness’, and no-one quiteknew what they were doing holed upfirst in Hitchin and then in thatimposing, impenetrable institution in thevillage. Various learned theoriescirculated about their intent. Somemedical men thought them traitors –wilful or otherwise – to their sex and thefuture of the race. Doctors had ‘proven’that mental exercise for women spentenergy that would otherwise be used onfertility. As an earlier commentator put itin the 17th century, women should have‘Fruitful Wombs but Barren Brains’.

Others considered intellectual ladies tobe infidels, uppity modern Eves,

perilously usurping God’s natural order.One gentleman Professor wonderedwhere things would end: ‘If given theBA, they must next have the MA, andthat would carry with it voting andperhaps a place on the Electoral Roll…Even the BA degree would enable themto take 5 books out of the Universitylibrary… I am entirely opposed to theadmission of women to ‘privileges’ ofthis character. And I honestly believethey are better off as they are.’

I’ve found plenty of Girton girls whoworked cheerfully and with integrity tobaffle such opposition. Do you know ofany, I wonder? If a female relativestudied at any English university before1939 (not just Cambridge) and youknow something of her life there, doplease let me know. Write to me c/oJean Edelstein, PFD, 34-43 RussellStreet, London WC2B 5HA, or emailme via www.jane-robinson.com, whereyou can download a questionnairefrom the ‘news’ page. I’d love to hearfrom you.

Jane Robinson


Alumni Interviews

GirtonInterviews

At Girton Philippa chose courses mainlyfocusing on History from pre-1600. Shealso learnt about American History,which proved useful in her futurecareer. At that time the library wasopen all night, and she would take theday for socialising, and work early inthe morning or late at night. To her,studying at Girton was a ‘privilege andresponsibility’, and she was determinedto make the most of the opportunity.

Her tutor at Girton, Dr MarjorieChibnall, had the biggest influence onher subsequent career. Initially she askedPhilippa to consider taking a PhD, butPhilippa did not feel she had the passionfor a particular subject to sustain thestudy involved. Dr Chibnall persisted inorder to persuade Philippa that she wassuited to a career involving research,and suggested the course at UniversityCollege London (UCL) in ArchivesAdministration. Taking this courseproved a great choice professionally, andpersonally too, as Philippa met herhusband during her year’s study at UCL.

Following the course, Philippa’s first jobwas at the Museum of London as Tudor

and Stuart Curator. She feels veryfortunate to have been in the right placeat the right time to be involved in thedevelopment of the museum from theinitial planning stage. She and the othercurators, who were all older men, hadthe chance to think through a ‘story’ forLondon, one that incorporated both richand poor, and showed what is differentin a city to in the country.

Financial constraints due to highinflation in the 1970’s delayed theopening of the Museum until November1976, and also meant the museum didnot have money for marketing. Instead,the museum formed a partnership withCapital Radio, and Philippa and hercolleagues gave talks, for example onSamuel Pepys, in return for advertisingof the museum.

Forming the Museum of London, whichis the largest urban history museum inthe world, had been a chance to set upa new kind of museum, and thecurators learnt very quickly whatworked and what did not. One of themost successful aspects of the museumwas that local people were so quickly

engaged, with those working locallyvisiting it in their lunchtimes.

In 1980 Philippa was appointed asSilver specialist at the V&A. Roy Strongwas Director of the V&A at that time,and believed her experience at theMuseum of London meant she waswell placed to implement ideas thatwould shake up the hermetically sealedworld of the museum, and helpdemonstrate to Margaret Thatcher’ssatisfaction the value of the museum.She is justifiably proud of having therare ability to manage change andbring fresh light to a subject whiletaking people with her.

Philippa had developed an interest insilver because for the archivist there is aclear “paper trail” for silver. Silver hasalways represented value, and thereforeitems are marked, and even if a silveritem is melted down the weight isrecorded. Philippa transmits her sheerpassion for silver in talking of thephysical properties of it, its distinctivesmell and weight, and the way that ifyou tap it then it rings like glass. She canhear if the piece has been damaged and

Philippa Glanville1962

Philippa came to Girton to read History in 1962, the year that mandatory grants were introduced. As one of eight

children of a vicar, she did not come from a rich background, and was pleased to find that a cut-glass accent was

not the important qualification for a Cambridge education. Instead she experienced Girton as an ‘opening out’,

and felt excitement at being able to discuss many things with other similarly bright and competitive people.

repaired from the sound of it. Philippaviews the value of silver as social history– the ways the changing use of it can beused to track the mind-shifts betweendifferent societies – as inseparable fromthe aesthetic value of silver. Philippa hasheard herself called the Mother Superiorof Silver, and listening to her talking withgreat warmth and enthusiasm, onestarts to become equally enthusiasticabout silver.

Philippa says that when in 1997 the V&Acompleted a Learning Styles exercise, itwas confirmed for her that unlike mostcurators who might learn by reading, sheis one of the 25% of the population wholearn by handling things. This preferencehas meant that she has been ahead ofher time in championing interactivelearning in museums. She wanted thepublic to handle the silver, because ofwhat they’d gain from this way oflearning. She also visited Americanmuseums, to see how they encouragepeople to enjoy the objects in their care.The way she made the silver moreaccessible was by putting the objects in akind of cage, that people could reachinto and touch the objects. At first thepublic were not sure what to make ofbeing allowed to handle the silver, butthe interactive learning style is one thathas now become familiar. Luckily for thecontinuing project, she also proved verysuccessful in raising funds for the displaysin the new Silver Galleries.

In 1999 Philippa was invited to becomeDirector of Waddesdon Manor, andalways welcoming a new challenge,she accepted. Baron Ferdinand deRothschild built the Manor inBuckinghamshire in late Victorian timesbut in the Renaissance style of a French16th century château. After beingbequeathed to the National Trust in1957, it opened to the public,promoting itself as a museum of Frenchfurniture. Philippa wanted to expand itsappeal by building on the curiosityabout an aristocratic way of life that

people had developed from watchingMerchant Ivory films. The way ofdrawing people in was for them tounderstand the use of the house thatshe describes as a ‘pleasure palace’, andwith this approach Philippa was able totreble visitor numbers.

Philippa’s career has obviously alwayshad an educational aspect to it, and inrecent years this area has expanded. Atthe V&A she was involved in setting upthe Design History MA with the RoyalCollege of Arts (RCA), and supervisedthe first PhD on the programme on thesubject of silver. At Waddesdon, she hasformed academic links to institutionsincluding Warwick University, Oxford

University and the Courtauld Instituteof Art. An online forum has been set upcalled the Rothschild Research Forum,which presents access to a host ofsources on Rothschild history forresearch, and the opportunity tocommunicate with colleagues workingin the area internationally.

Philippa has also spoken at the Louvre inParis, and also in Germany, as the courtstyle of dining retains a greater similarityacross international boundaries thanbourgeois dining. The more she thinksabout it, the more Philippa feels she hasalways been lucky and blessed to beable to follow her ideas and pursue acareer she loves.


Alumni Interviews

Philippa Glanville (1962)


Food and Wine

Girton CollegeFood and Wine Club

The club is designed to allow membersall across the UK (and overseas) anotherchance to communicate with each otherand to receive exclusive food and winerelated benefits. The club is completelyfree to join, and is designed both forthose who consider themselves to beconnoisseurs of food and wine, as wellas for those who simply enjoy eating anddrinking! There is an online wine shop, aseries of restaurant offers and discountssourced especially for the club, exclusiverecipes and several forum areas formembers to add their comments aboutthe wine and the recipes. Regularmonthly wine reviews by fellows haveproved popular, with Dr Colm Durkanproviding our first review, and Dr MartinEnnis our second. We are keen toencourage members of the club tobecome more involved and so wouldlove to hear from members who haverecipes that they would like to share,restaurant recommendations, and whothink that they would be a good choiceas a wine reviewer one month!

Perhaps the most exciting thing aboutthe new club is the fact that we willhave the chance to provide more events.Our first wine tasting event is in the finalplanning stages and we shall be

releasing details to members of the clubvery soon. Nearly all of the clubmembers have completed the shortquestionnaire on the website which hastold us that the majority of you wouldlike to have a wine tasting alongside ameal, in London, and allowing partners.Our first event will be at a centralLondon restaurant, with a meal pairedwith wines chosen to complement theingredients. We are very excited aboutthis first tasting, and look forward toreleasing more details soon. In additionto those who expressed a preference forLondon there were also members wholisted other places that they would liketo attend a tasting, including Cambridge,Manchester and Bristol. We are planningto hold as many regional events aspossible, and will let everyone know assoon as we have details!

In addition to the events we are planningto add more features to the website inthe near future, including wine barrecommendations, food and wine masterclasses as well as more recipes.

Following an email to those that we hademail addresses for back in December, andthe recent telephone campaign, themembership sign up for the club has been

fantastic. For those who have not yet hadthe chance to register, the best way to doso is to visit www.girton.cam.ac.uk and tovisit the alumni and roll pages, clicking onthe ‘Food and Wine Club’ page. There is ashort registration form, and you will needto provide your name, matriculation year,and an email address so that we can sendyou your username and password. Themore members that we have the morethings that we will be able to organise andprovide for the club so if you haven’talready signed up please do so!

The food and wine club is the first of itskind for the College but we have plans tointroduce clubs for sport, culture and travelin due course.

In December 2006 the Development Office launched the new Girton College Food and Wine Club tooffer members of the Girton community another way of interacting with each other and to receivemore benefits from the College. The club is principally online based and has its own website, which isaccessible via the alumni pages on the college website. The site has been designed so as to be easy touse, and has a unique grass-effect banner to remind members of the wonderful lawns at the College!


News

News

Girton's new library and archive buildinghas won a Civic Trust Award. This wasannounced at the awards ceremony inBlackpool in March. An Award is thehighest category of recognition fromthe Civic Trust. Other categories areCommendations or Mentions. CivicTrust Awards ‘are given to projects thatare of benefit culturally, socially oreconomically whilst making anoutstanding contribution to the qualityand appearance of the environment.Winners of Civic Trust Awards receive acertificate and a plaque for permanentdisplay on the award-winning site’.

The plaque and certificate will behung adjacent to the National Awardplaque from the Royal Institute ofBritish Architecture (RIBA), which thenew Library and Archive was awardedlast year.

Our architects, Allies and Morrison, alsoreceived an Award for the new vistorcentre at Welney’s wetlands reserve.

Girton’s newLibrary and ArchiveBuilding winsanother award!

Commenting on this memorablevictory, the captain, Dan Lee, said:

‘…I can't say we went in veryconfidently, especially when wediscovered we were up against maturestudents from Sussex, ourselves beingmere 1st years. But humiliation wasavoided as we took an early lead, andalthough Sussex briefly recaptured the

lead at 120-125, we rallied andeventually won 190-140! All in all, aterrifying but enjoyable day, we all leftbeaming and were thoroughly sneeredat by Jeremy Paxman.’

The Girton team then were eventuallyknocked out by University CollegeLondon (UCL), who went on to thesemi-final of the competition.

Girton triumphs over Sussex in UniversityChallenge

Girton’s victorious University Challenge team, from left to right:

Calum Aikman, Andrew Duckering, Jimmy Breck-Mc Kye, Peter Hall, Dan Lee (c)

For the first time in at least two decades, a Girton team has made itthrough the initial rounds of University Challenge. The team, consistingof Dan Lee (captain, studying Economics), Jimmy Breck-Mc Kye(English), Andrew Duckering (Mathematics), Calum Aikman (History)and Peter Hall (reserve, studying Physical Sciences) beat the Universityof Sussex 190-140.


News

The College has copies of the Girtonbook ‘Thirty Years in the Life of aCambridge College’ available for sale.The book is a detailed examination ofthe college’s transition from a single-sexwomen’s college to a fully mixedinstitution. More than a navel-gazingexercise, this book reviews variouschanges in teaching and research andwider society over the period since the1970s and the challenges facing highereducation in the future.

It also includes alumni accounts andfeatures pioneering women from theera before the College took thedecision to go co-residential in 1976,and reflects upon the social changes inCambridge and internationally whichhave shaped Girton as it is today.

The book is edited by the Mistress andValerie Horsler (Sheen 1964), andincludes contributions from the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University,Professor Alison Richard, as well ascontributions from Baroness Perryof Southwark, Professor Gillian Beer,Professor Melveena McKendrick andmany alumni from the transitional yearsof becoming co-residential.

Beautifully illustrated with original andarchive photography, and published inhardback, the book is available for just£23 from College, plus postage andpackaging. These make ideal gifts forGirtonians of all generations, if youwould like to order a copy please call+44 (0)1223 766672/339893 or [email protected]

Girton ‘Thirty Years’ Book

The College has another Visitor, of thefurry variety, who has become a familiarface to students, staff and Fellows atCollege. Although not an officialCollege cat, as he has various other‘homes’ around Girton village, he hasbecome a much-loved member of theCollege community.

His regular haunts include the Porters’lodge, where he is often standing guardagainst intruders, and the DevelopmentOffice, an especially warm room inCollege. He has been known to getinto scrapes with various rabbits in thegrounds, and is often seen patrollingthe corridors.

Buster

Saturday 14 July 2007Roll Garden Party and AnnualGeneral MeetingFamilies are especially welcome. Pleasecontact [email protected] formore information.

Saturday 14 July 2007Donors’ dinnerHosted by the Mistress and held in the Hall.This is by invitation, for donors to thecollege, and is black tie.

Saturday 15 September 2007Reunion Dinner for thosematriculating in 1982 and 1987To be held in the Hall. The cost will beconfirmed shortly by mail but pleasecontact [email protected] if yourequire more information.

Saturday 22 September 2007Roll Weekend/Roll DinnerThis event is open to all alumni, the speakerwill be Joyce Westwood (Murrant 1935).Please email [email protected] formore information.

Sunday 23 September 2007Roll WeekendRoll Weekend events, including Friendsof the Garden event. Please [email protected] for more information

Thursday 25 October 2007Alumni Formal HallAll alumni welcome, places pricedat £8 (£9 with wine). Please [email protected] to book.

Friday 26 October 2007Infidel Boat ClubBlack tie dinner at the Oxford and CambridgeClub, tickets £50. [email protected] for tickets.

Saturday 24 November 2007Old Girtonians rugby and footballmatchTo be played on the pitches at College.Followed by dinner for players andcurrent teams, details TBC. Please [email protected] if you areinterested in joining in.

Tuesday 4 December 2007Alumni reception, hosted by theMistress, Washington DC, USADetails TBC, please [email protected] formore information.

Wednesday 5 December 2007Alumni reception, with the Mistress,New York, NY, USADetails TBC, please [email protected] formore information.

Saturday 16 February 2008Geographical Society reuniondinner, in HallSpeaker TBC, reunion for all Girtongeographers past and present.

Thursday 28 February 2008Alumni Formal HallAll alumni welcome, places priced at £8(£9 with wine). Please [email protected] to book.

March 2008Girton College BallDate to be confirmed.

Friday 28 March 2008MA DinnerBy invitation, for MA graduands and theirguests.

Friday 11 April 20081998 Reunion Dinner, in HallPlease email [email protected] tobook tickets.

Thursday 22 May 2008Alumni Formal HallAll alumni welcome, places priced at £8(£9 with wine). Please [email protected] to book.

Events Calendar 2007/8 Old GirtoniansHonoursCora Heptonstall – awarded anMBE in 2004 for ‘services to thecommunity’

Queens Birthday Honours 16 June 2006

OBE

Professor Alison Mary Smith, latelyHead, Department of MetabolicBiology, John Innes Centre, Norwich.For services to Plant Biochemistry.

New Year Honours 30 December 2006

DBE

Ann Patricia Dowling, Professor ofMechanical Engineering, Universityof Cambridge, services to science

OBE

Irene Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive,Institution of Mechanical Engineers,services to workplace learning

Girton College Cambridge

Development OfficeGirton College FREEPOST ANG6880 Cambridge CB3 0YE+44 (0)1223 766672/338901 [email protected]

For more events information, and updates, please seewww.girton.cam.ac.uk/development/alumninewsevents.html

Documents

Summer 2007 Newsletter