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Chri� Church MattersI S S U E 2 7T R I N I T Y T E R M 2 0 1 1

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‘There are two educations; one should teach us howto make a living and the other how to live’John Adams.

“Education, education, education.” Few deny how important it is, buthow often do we actually stop to think what it is? In this 27th issue ofChrist Church Matters two Deans define a balanced education, andmembers current and old illuminate the debate with stories of how theyfill or filled their time at the House. Pleasingly it seems that despite theincreased pressures on students to gain top degrees there is still time tolive life and attempt to fulfil all their talents.

The Dean mentions J. H. Newman. His view was that through a Universityeducation “a habit of mind is formed which lasts through life, of which theattributes are freedom, equitableness, calmness, moderation, and wisdom. . . ."Diversity was important to him too: "If [a student's] reading is confined simplyto one subject, however such division of labour may favour the advancementof a particular pursuit . . . certainly it has a tendency to contract his mind."

As John Drury points out education is communal; it can make the world abetter place for all. Thus Christ Church’s reach extends to America with thechoir tour, to India with the Chaplain’s work in Saakshar, and toChristchurch, New Zealand with assistance after the recent earthquake. Itshould also be fun, as evidenced by the number of thriving clubs andsocieties, and in the acquisition of a very special malt whisky for the House.

For as long as I can remember I have heard that higher education is underthreat. Of course it is; for particular political or philosophical reasons, becauseof financial constraints, because of globalisation and competition, andsometimes because of the unintended consequences of our own actions.

Education is too important to be left at the mercy of politicians and tothe vagaries of the economy, so institutions such as Christ Church andOxford must seek self sufficiency and financial independence. Only thencan we be sure that future generations, with aspirations to fulfil theirpotential in all areas, are able to benefit from an education that producesknowledge and understanding, creative thinkers, and a culture which“insists on becoming something rather than having something”.

There are many small appeals for help in this issue: for the Harding GlassCollection, the Allestree Library, King Charles’ gate, for New Zealand andSaakshar. All are important and if they appeal to you, your help would bemuch appreciated. But our greatest task is to ensure the future funding ofthe Tutorial system, so your support to preserve the Tutorial post in yoursubject, in perpetuity, would be immeasurably valuable. As George Peabodyreminds us, “education is a debt due from present to future generations”.

Simon OffenChrist Church Association Vice President and Deputy Development [email protected]+44 (0)1865 286 075

Editorial Contents

Eliza EaglingAlumni Relations [email protected]+44 (0)1865 286 598

FRONT COVER: One of apair of globes made earlyin the reign of KingGeorge III and inscribed'Geo: Adams No 60 FleetStreet, London,Instrument Maker to HisMajesty K.G.III'. This isthe signature on some ofthe finest scientificinstruments of theeighteenth century.George Adams Sr (1720 -1773) was an opticaldesigner and writer whowas also well known as amaker of mathematical instruments and globes. Among his worksare "A Treatise on the Construction and Use of Globes" (1766) and an"Essay on the Microscope" (1771). It is not known how the globescame to Christ Church, but it is likely that they were commissionedfor the Library. Some "shades" bought in 1765 were possibly theframed glass covers for the Terrestrial and Celestial globes.

DEAN’S DIARY 1

CARDINAL SINS – Notes from the Archives 2

A BROAD EDUCATION – John Drury 4

THE ART ROOM 5

REVISITING SAAKSHAR 6

CATHEDRAL NEWS 7

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL CHOIR – North American Tour 8

PICTURE GALLERY PATRONS’ LECTURE 10

THE WYCLIFFITE BIBLE – Mishtooni Bose 11

BOAT CLUB REPORT 12

ASSOCIATION NEWS AND EVENTS 13-26

TODAY’S CLUBS & SOCIETIES 27-30

CHRIST CHURCH LIBRARY, WAR MEMORIAL 31

GODLEY TIME CAPSULE 32

THE HOUSE WHISKY 33

KING CHARLES’ GATE 34

ALLESTREE LIBRARY 35

OVAL HOUSE 36

BOOKS WITH NO ENDING… 37

2012 JUBILEE 38

THE CHRIST CHURCH ASSOCIATION OPEN DAY 39

EVENTS LISTING inside back cover

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Dean’s Diary‘I think the main reason Keith did not emerge witha degree was his love of motor racing… and that hewas moonlighting at the Tech. learning welding. Atany rate he thoroughly enjoyed his time at theHouse’ – the Dean gets some charming letters.Not exactly, however, what we mean by aneducation with latitude, although you never knowwhat might come in handy.

I find myself being pleased when we win thingsand when members of Christ Church turn upstarring in the Playhouse or making ridiculousspeeches in the Union, and yet happy too whenwe turn in a decent showing on the NorringtonTable. And then angry when hearing speechesfrom university apparatchiks which define the‘student experience’ and see degrees in terms of‘delivering the outcome’ of employability. After all,the tutorial system, like other aspects of life here,is intended to cultivate imagination tempered byclarity of thought, enabling people to have poisein their chosen discipline and indeed elsewhere aswell. The ideal is a nice balance between idealisticcommitment on the one hand and healthyscepticism on the other. The mix of educationalhappenings and adventures which go towardsachieving that end is hard to define withprecision, but a mix it is.

Among the dangers of the present fee changes isthat they will contribute to a gradual shift awayfrom seeing higher education as providing thepublic benefit of having an educatedpopulation. If such education ceases tobe seen as primarily for

the common good, the alternative is to treat itmainly as a private advantage for the individual.That is a more exact and measurable target, butone which will cause all those who have valuedthe idea of a university to sharpen theirarguments or to turn in their graves. It may bethat we at the House had a small pang ofjealousy when the Pope came over to beatify anold member of a college the other side of therising bollards in Oriel Square, but we can allbenefit from reading John Henry Newman’swritings about what a university can and shouldbe. It is not a factory.

Colleges are strange places which can becomebureaucratically egg-bound, narcissistic,frightened, self-protective. One could go on.Communities which exist for themselves aloneare not going to improve their inmates andshould die. The best are those which are diverse intheir natures with a due sense of balance betweentheir internal life and the obligation to turn (andbenefit from turning) outwards to the worldaround. Well, that for a start at least….. �

Christopher LewisDean

k English Royal Balletprincipal dance, LaurenCuthbertson, photographedin the Deanery Garden byJason Bell

i John Henry Newman

K Oxford Playhouse

KK An undergraduate inthe Master’s Garden

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Judith Curthoys Archivist

Cardinal SinsNotes from the archives

College societies were two a penny innineteenth-century Christ Church. Therewere serious academic gatherings suchas the Essay Club, or WEG, founded byWilliam Gladstone in 1829 with some oldschool friends. Gladstone’s intellectualinterests earned him little respect fromthe more hearty members of collegewho actually broke into his rooms andtried to beat a little more light-heartedness into him. Other clubsbalanced debate with dinner, mostinsisting that discussions should notinclude topics that were toocontroversial. Rule three of the TwentyClub, which began as the EclecticDebating Society in 1886, for example,specifically forbade any subject involvingtheological matters. Other societies werepurely for undisguised pleasure: Loders,or the Christ Church Society, was therefor fun and riot, and caused deans Liddelland Paget no end of trouble.

have been allowed into Christ Church orto have performed on behalf of theMission.

There were other small and often short-lived clubs, like the Choral Society.Instituted in 1827, with its first meetingon 3 February, the programme wasanything but heavy. The membersgathered in a different private room eachweek, and the resident of that room wasresponsible for ensuring that the piano,hired for a full term, was installed in timefor the meeting – something which musthave been most unpopular with theMeadow men of the day - and that apianist was engaged. The first ‘director’was Philip Egerton, later politician andpalaeontologist with a particular interestin fossil fish. New pieces of music were

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Some clubs, though, had a more definedfocus. Plays hadn’t been performed atChrist Church since the seventeenthcentury but were revived in thenineteenth with the support of the Liddellfamily. The University was not particularlyimpressed and tried hard to limit thetypes of production to Shakespeare andclassical plays, but Mrs Liddell in particularwould have none of it, and the deanerywas often the backdrop for drama of allsorts. Who was going to argue with theVice-Chancellor’s wife? The DramaticSociety performed farces such as My dressboots or the burlesque La! Sonnambula!,presumably a spoof version of Bellini’s1831 opera. In 1898, the Canterbury Theatreproduced, for the benefit of the HouseMission, a drawing room comedy calledDebt. The programme listed the renownedmusic hall artiste, Marie Lloyd, in one ofthe female roles; undoubtedly a joke, asshe was probably the least likely person to

J The Twenty Club, 1887

K Henry Liddell

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presented to the society each week, andany kind of vocal music was admissible.Membership of the society was by ballot,and men from other colleges could beadmitted as honorary members.

It was a well-to-do society, most of themen being titled, and the choice of musicwas eclectic. At the first meeting, therewere songs by Henry Bishop fromColman’s play Law of Java first staged atCovent Garden in 1822, pieces from DonGiovanni, songs from Rossini’s Il Tancredi,ballads such as the Red Cross Knight, and

glees like Dr Hayes’s harmonisation ofGently touch the warbling lyre, for fourvoices.

It seems that the Choral Society survivedfor only a very short time, and thesurvival of its minute book is lucky. Otherclubs and societies have vanishedaltogether, which is a great shame. Ifmembers have any memorabilia oforganisations that they belonged to, andthat they could bear to part with, theArchivist would be delighted to add themto the collection! �

Athletic ClubRecords from the late C19. Photographs from 1920 – 1942

BeaglesRecords from 1875 – 1973. Photographs from 1894

Boat ClubRecords from 1860 – 1990s. Photographs from 1878– 1997, 2008

CricketRecords from 1859–1983 [including Nondescripts,Servants’ Cricket Club, Warrigals]Photographs from 1892, 1898, 1905, 1906, 1925,1947, 1951, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1998

FootballRecords from 1930s. Photographs from 1891 -1958/9

HockeyRecords from 1932 – 1936. Photographs from 1905– 1936

Lawn TennisRecords from 1883 – 1933. Photographs from 1910 -1923

RugbyRecords from 1932 – 1935. Photographs from1897 – 1937

The RunciblesA sports club, but which sport? No records

SwimmingPhotographs from 1923

1880 SocietyRecords from 1999 – 2003

Anonym ClubRecords from 1891 – 1914. Photographs from1892 – 1906

Antiquarian Print SocietyRecords from 1988 - 1989

Cardinal ClubRecords from 1892 – 1961. Photographs from1889 – 1911

Christ Church Society [Loder’s]Records from 1814 – 1914. Photographs from 1866

Dramatic SocietyRecords from 1864 – 2000. Photographs from1940, 1960

Essay ClubRecords from 1933 – 1939

Graduate Common RoomRecords from 1961.

Junior Common RoomMiscellaneous papers (no minutes, for example)from 1960 – 2000

JuntaRecords from 1958 – 1968. Photographs from 1968

Law ClubExisted in the 1950s. Now the Mansfield Society?

Mermaid ClubRecords from 1905 – 1926. Photographs from 1896 – 1906

“P” ClubRecords from 1845 – 1998. Photographs from1860 – 1888

Twenty ClubRecords from 1887 – 1952. Photographs from1896 – 1928

SurvivorsRecords from 1920 – 1951

Known clubs and societies with archive material

L The Cardinal Club conducted mock trials ascomedy theatricals.

I The Duel Scene - 1902 performance ofTwelfth Night

L Cast of Twelfth Night, 1902

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Christ Church:a broad education

‘You may be doomed to enlighten a People by yourWisdom & to adorn an age by your learning. Itwould be sinful in you to let the powers of yourmind lie dormant through idleness or want ofperseverance when they may at your maturity aidthe cause of Truth and Religion & enable you tobecome in some ways a Benefactor of the HumanRace’.

Nowadays a Dean addressing the freshers in Hallcould well put the same ideas in less lugubriouslanguage. That was Ruskin’s father writing to histen-year old son in 1829. When the boy came up toChrist Church eight years later he had already, withparental encouragement and participation, readextensively from Homer and the Bible to Scott and(surprisingly) Byron, published poetry and prose,started a mineralogical dictionary, learned to drawbeautifully, travelled far and wide in Europe andfallen in love. For all that, Christ Church was theright college for him. He lived quite in his own wayamong the odd set of hunting and sporting menthat gentlemen commoners usually are with theencouragement of his tutors: Osborne Gordon inhis reading and ethics and Henry Liddell in hisartistic interests. He was familiar with themenagerie in Canon Buckland’s lodgings andassisted him with geological illustration.

The hunting and sporting men have receded, butthe undergraduates and graduates who rangeabout among the arts and sciences, sports andplays, each ‘in his own way’ remain. So does theCathedral, beloved by Ruskin and still in happyalliance with the college, with its glorious musicgenerously fostering the flourishing of music atlarge. When I took over from Eric Heaton he asked

me point-blank what I thought religion was allabout. ‘Ethics and aesthetics’, I replied. ‘No,’ Ericrejoined, ‘just ethics’. He had raised Christ Church’sacademic confidence and frequented the tow-pathand the touchlines, but hissolid achievements still leftme, his grateful successor,with something to do – sowe started the Art Roomwith enthusiastic backingfrom the Censors.

What is the point of allthis? ‘The intelligence isled by joy’ wrote SimoneWeil. More jauntily: ‘If it’snot fun, it’s no go’ (DHLawrence). Enjoyment is fundamental. It isnourished by opportunities for self-fulfilment. Thetutors wheedle their pupils to make the most oftheir brains in their work and get the pleasure thatcomes from intellectual empowerment, of being ontop of it. They are aided and abetted, albeit with acertain jealousy on occasion, by the sense ofachievement and personal possibility got from abump on the river or organising a ball, a concert ora play.

It is not just an individual matter. It is communaltoo. Even in such a severely solitary business asdrawing from the model, the presence of otherpeople doing the same provides necessary orderand support. When it comes to rowing, acting ormusic-making this is more obvious still. It isdaunting being a fresher, a tremulous individualset among such articulate, even bumptiouslyunequal, equals. But join in and you soon find thattheir advantages are your enrichments. Being anddoing with them, keeping a kindly eye on them, asthey on you, is not a marginal benefit. It isfundamental too. Individual education incommunity ‘can enable you to become in someways a Benefactor of the Human Race’. �

John DruryDean of Christ Church

1991 – 2003

K John Ruskin

KK The Beaglers wereparticularly active in thelate C19 and early C20.Christ Church was theonly college to have apermanent pack whenthis photo was taken inabout 1910.

L University cricket matches were part of the summerSeason from the middle of the 19th century. ChristChurch’s own team was active from at least the 1850s

i Simone Weil

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Christ Church is the only college in the Universitywith an Art Room and specialist Art Tutor. It wasestablished by the previous Dean, the VeryReverend John Drury, because he was convincedthat many students maintained a positiveinterest in the visual arts despite pursuingacademic studies in other areas.

The Art Room has and does cater for many suchpeople from Christ Church and from theUniversity at large. It is said that a significantnumber of applicants to the college choose itpartly because of its Art Room. Retired academics,academic spouses and college staff also use theroom for studio work and discussion, thus makinga connection with the Christ Church community

in general. Both undergraduate and postgraduateFine Art student members of the college and atthe Ruskin School find the room and the Tutorvaluable additional resources for their studies.

The Art Tutor, Peter Rhoades, is present in the roomfor two afternoons and two evenings a week. Themost popular group activities, supervised by theTutor, are life drawing and printmaking; the lifedrawing class in particular attracts students fromall over the University. Although printmaking canonly be offered at modest technical levels, it isattractive in its range of media and specialisttuition. Intaglio (etching and collagraph), Relief (linoand wood block) and Screen printing are allundertaken and last summer a lively exhibition ofprintmaking work was held in the college.

There are occasional studio projects in drawing andthree dimensional works involving visiting tutors, anespecially popular one being modeling in clay. Otherthan use for supervised activities, the Art Room is anopen access studio space for an approved list ofboth groups and individuals. A University wideundergraduate art society uses it on every Saturdayduring term and much individual work takes place.

Should any Member of the House be interested insupporting the Christ Church Art Room and thework of the Art Tutor please contact:[email protected] �

The Christ ChurchArt Room

Peter RhoadesArt Tutor

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bigger space for Saakshar 4 to use, as thistiny school room fulfils a vital role.

There were also other positivedevelopments in Saakshar’s work. Regularand careful health checks are a part ofSaakshar’s care for the children of thesecommunities. Substantially under-nourished, with a poor diet, they areundersized for their age. In response tothis, a regular vitamin, mineral andprotein supplement is now given to allthe Saakshar children.

The high point of my visit was the SportsDay. About 100 children attended,collected from Nasirpur, Matiyala andMangla Puri in a big yellow bus, whilecooks worked to prepare delicious hotpuri and aloo sabzi (potato curry) forlunch. In addition to the races, there wasa cultural programme of educationalplays, songs and dances. One playperformed by girls from Saakshar 1 toldof the importance of allowing girls tostudy as hard as their brothers. Asha andher team put in a great deal of work togive the Saakshar children a day they willremember for a long time to come.

It was wonderful to see Saakshar in suchgood health and a privilege to beinvolved in their work with some verydisadvantaged children. I am verygrateful to all who have helped us tosupport them. If you would like to knowmore or make a donation, please go tothe website http://saakshar.chch.ox.ac.uk

If you would like to purchase images from thewebsite galleries in support of Saakshar, fineart quality giclée prints are available, eithermounted or unmounted. For informationcontact: [email protected]

I went back to Delhi in January to visit theslum school project Saakshar to see howtheir work was progressing. In fourcommunities Saakshar grapples with theproblems of low school attendance whichis the result of centuries of socialdeprivation among the poorest section ofsociety. Since my visit there 20 monthsearlier, we have set up a registered charity,Saakshar School Appeal, to supportSaakshar’s work, and have been delightedby the response from friends andmembers of the college. On this visit I hadthe chance to stay with the family of TobyPorter, a former Houseman, and each day Iwas met by Asha Kumar, the director ofSaakshar, in the minibus which was a giftfrom a member of Christ Church.

Delhi is cold and foggy at the start ofJanuary and across the city people huddlearound little fires by the side of the roads.I was very happy to see that all theSaakshar children have been given smartred jumpers, generously donated by localcommunity group Bharat Vikas Parissadand hats to wear too, given by a localsupporter. I also noticed that in Nasirpurslum, where Saakshar began, buildingwork was going on as a result of Asha’ssuccess in encouraging the people tolobby their Councillor for proper drainage.Now at least the polluted and dirty waterin the slum has been removed.

In October 2010, Saakshar opened itsfourth school in a small slum sandwichedbetween a huge and stinking drain andcorporate offices. When Saakshar’scoordinator asked parents if they wouldsend their children to Saakshar, twentytiny children turned up at 8.30 am, eagerto begin. I was thrilled to visit the schooland the children were very enthusiasticand made me feel extremely welcome. Iwas aware though of an urgent need for a

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Ralph WilliamsonCollege Chaplain

Re

The joy of drains, jumpers and sports day

Revisiting Saakshar Raisingsupport forthe Saaksharschool forslum children– promotingeducation forall

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Cathedral News

which took participants on a journeyfrom St Frideswide and the medievalorigins of Christ Church to singing songsfrom Alice in Wonderland.

In short, life in the cathedral is variedand rich. The daily rhythm of prayer andworship is supplemented by a widerange of activities, as the cathedral fulfilsits unique role of serving both a collegecommunity and the Diocese of Oxford –not to mention the large number ofinternational visitors who pass througheach year. �

At the time of writing, wehave just completed Lent,Holy Week and Easter. Thisarticle gives a flavour ofcathedral life during thisspecial and busy time ofyear.

The cathedral is privilegedto have a fine choir, andthose who came to the

service of music and reading for AshWednesday began Lent by hearing thehauntingly beautiful sounds of Allegri’sMiserere. The daily offering of choralworship helps many to reflect and pray,and we are grateful to the CathedralSingers – the cathedral’s excellentvoluntary choir – who also played theirpart during the vacation, including whenthe Cathedral Choir was touring NorthAmerica.

As befits a cathedral set within anacademic community, learning plays apart in our ministry. This year, thecathedral clergy lead a Lent coursestudying Marcus Borg and DominicCrossan’s thought-provoking book TheLast Week, which focuses on the eventsleading to Jesus’ crucifixion as recorded inMark’s Gospel. Throughout Holy Week,Canon Sarah Foot, Regius Professor ofEcclesiastical History, gave a fascinatingseries of addresses exploring the theologybehind J.S Bach’s St John Passion, whichwas performed on the Wednesday of HolyWeek by the Cathedral Choir and theSouthbank Sinfonia.

The Eucharist on Palm Sunday began indramatic fashion, with a procession fromTom Tower to the cathedral led by adonkey, echoing Jesus’ final entry intoJerusalem. Also during Holy Week, theSub-Organist, Clive Driskill-Smith, andOrgan Scholars Ben Sheen and MichaelHeighway, performed CharlesTournemire’s meditation on Christ’s sevenlast words from the cross, Sept Chorals-

Poèmes d’orgue pour les sept paroles duChrist (op 67). On the morning of MaundyThursday, clergy from across the diocesegathered in the cathedral to renew theirordination vows, while in the eveningthere was a service commemorating theLast Supper. Good Friday was kept as a dayof prayer and reflection, candidates werebaptised and confirmed by the Bishop ofOxford on Easter Eve, and hundreds ofpeople came to the cathedral to celebrateEaster Day.

The Sunday Times Oxford LiteraryFestival took place during Lent, and thisyear the cathedral was very muchinvolved. Poet and rock journalist SteveTurner was the speaker at a special ‘AfterEight’ service focusing on religion andpop culture. Joanne Harris, author ofChocolat, read from the King James Bibleat the Festival Evensong, and thepreacher at the Festival Matins wasOxford University’s Professor of Poetry,Geoffrey Hill. In addition, the cathedralhosted a talk by John Spurling on Listz,illustrated brilliantly by pianist GraceFrancis; old member Simon Walker gavea challenging talk based on his book TheUndefended Life; and Visitor’s Officer JimGodfrey led two late-evening musicaland historical tours of the cathedral,

Revd Edward NewellSub-Dean

L Director of Music, Stephen Darlington,conducts Bach’s St John Passion

K The Palm Sunday procession

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The recent two weekChrist Church CathedralChoir Tour of NorthAmerica was envisagedas a valuable contributionto the Choir’sinternational standing aswell as a first attempt atexpanding our donor basebeyond Christ ChurchAlumni. Our ultimate aimis to generate an

endowment for the Choir of $1,000,000.

One of the issues for us in raising funds generallyis that our alumni base in America is relativelysmall compared with the likes of Harvard orPrinceton, who raise funds on a consolidatedUniversity wide basis. If we can reach beyond ouralumni base we have the opportunity to explorenew sources of donation. The Choir, being such animportant part of Christ Church, and enjoyed byso many, can help access a wider public.

In December ’09 we formed an adhoc volunteer group

consisting of 2individuals from

a Charlotte and a Boston publicradio station,Rob Paterson,

a Canadian alumnus withexpertise in media andcommunications, StephenDarlington and myself.During 2010 we also added avolunteer in Washington DC and aPR professional from Charlotte. Priorto and throughout the tour we ran adaily updated blog and Facebook pagewhich each had as many as 1400 hitsper day at the height of the tour.

The initial funding for the tour, whichwas expected to cost around $100,000,was provided by donations from RobertRonus, a UK national living in the US, andme, with the addition of $31,500 ofperformance fees. The choir sang in 2church locations in Charlotte, NorthCarolina, The National Cathedral inWashington DC, and three further churchlocations in New York, Boston and Toronto.Total audience numbers came to over 3,500,with the largest audience being in theNational Cathedral, which was filled tocapacity with 1200 attendees. Wewere also the subject of radiobroadcasts in Charlotte,Washington and Boston, andthe Charlotte broadcast wassyndicated to a further 12 radio stations

Chris Rocker(1967)

North AmericanChoir tour

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throughout the US. All locations, with theexception of New York, where 4 British choirswere singing that week, were filled to capacityand we received standing ovations and requestsfor encores everywhere, with the exception ofBoston where we performed at Evensong.

We also sold more than 1000 CDs, and held wellattended receptions/recitals in Charlotte, hostedby one of the radio station board members, inWashington at the British Embassy, hosted by theDeputy Chief of Mission, in New York, in Boston atthe British Consulate, hosted by the consul, and inToronto. The choir boys proved to be excellent CDsalesmen at the receptions!

We are still at a relatively early stage incalculating the finances, however total incomefrom the tour, including a very generous pledge of$160,000 from American Friends’ President PeterPaine, appears to be something over $300, 000.Total expenses are estimated to be around$120,000, so we have achieved the first stepstowards the endowment.

We learnt many lessons along the wayconcerning things that we need to do better if wechoose to do this again, but I think that both thechoir and the organising team felt that this hadbeen a good first attempt with a relativelysuccessful outcome. The performance locationswould certainly love to have us back! �

L Rehearsal in GraceChurch, Toronto

K First sight of New York

KK At the Manhattenconcert

KKK I love New York

i Choristers in theNational Cathedral,Washington DC

Christ Church Choir recordings:

Recent recordings by the Cathedral Choir havereceived great public acclaim. By buying theserecordings Members will help to maintain thisseries of high profile recordings.

TAVERNER Missa Gloria tibi Trinitas Avie AV2123“The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral’s modernday members, under Stephen Darlington, allow theMass once again to soar aloft in the sameresplendent acoustic Taverner knew 500 years ago.”– Independent on Sunday

MORE DIVINE THAN HUMAN Avie AV2167Music from the Eton Choirbook“’More Divine than Human’…superbly sung in theoriginal dispensations by the Choir of ChristChurch Cathedral, Oxford, under the inspirationaldirection of Stephen Darlington, is a disc to set thespirits soaring. Glorious beyond words.”Richard Osborne, Best of 2009, GramophoneNominated for Gramophone Award 2010

HOWARD GOODALL Eternal Light: A RequiemEMI 50999 2 15047 2 3“The world premiere recording, delivered with greatconviction and no little beauty, underlines thecontemplative nature of the score… A simple,unpretentious and ultimately moving work.” –Andrew Stewart, Classic FM Magazine

EGON WELLESZ Choral Music Nimbus NI5852“All of the music here is sung to perfection byDarlington’s forces…This disc is a real stunner andwill probably take you by surprise as it did me.” –Audiophile audition

USA AND CANADIAN TOUR Nimbus NI1530A compilation of extracts from previous Nimbusrecordings.“.... the singing is superb, beautifully lucid andbalanced between the musical voices, with finediction, accurate intonation and an almost uncannyprecision at every entry.” – Which Compact Disc

Please order from the Development Office:[email protected]

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Dr Nicholas Penny, Director of the NationalGallery, London and one of the world’s leadingmuseum directors, gave the inaugural ChristChurch Picture Gallery Patrons’ Lecture onThursday 5 May 2011. He spoke on ‘Sculpture andthe Sculptural in Renaissance Painting’ to anaudience in the Blue Boar Lecture Theatre, whichwas filled to capacity.

The talk, in which Dr Penny combined two of hisfields of interest and research, gave an excitinginsight into how Renaissance painters inventedand used sculpture and sculptural forms in theirtwo dimensional medium.

It is a well-known fact that Renaissance painterswere inspired by sculpture and incorporated itinto their paintings. Furthermore, during thisperiod the contest between the arts, in whichsculptors and painters tried to assert theirsupremacy, was at its height. Sculptors arguedthat working in the third-dimension was closer tonature and therefore would inevitably outshinepainting. Painters countered that their art couldrival nature in many more aspects and evencreate a greater illusion of space; painting musttherefore be the leading art form. Leonardo daVinci, a master of all the art forms, stronglyadvocated the superiority of painting.

Nicholas Penny’s lecture emphasized the varietyof forms and ideas that painters used to depicttheir rival medium. It addressed the question ofhow truthfully painters depicted sculpture –

Leonardo daVinci, a master

of all the artforms, stronglyadvocated thesuperiority of

painting.

The first Christ Church PictureGallery Patrons’ lecture

when did they document and when did theyinvent in order to create the illusion of realitywithout its restrictions? The advantage thepainter has over the sculptor is the ability toportray a substance without being bound by thelimitations of the material; whether by paintingvery elegant and slender ankles in a marblefigure, which in real life would not be able towithstand the stresses and break, or by renderinga sculpted throne out of oversized goldsmith-work which can only be found in small jewelry,rather than in monumental sculptural forms. Thelecture gave a taste of this vast subject and surelyinspired further work on it.

After such a triumphant start we look forward tonext year’s speaker and lecture, which will beannounced at the beginning of 2012. �

Jacqueline ThalmannCurator

In January 2010 Christ Church’s famous glasscollection had to be put in storage when asbestoswas found in the two display cases which heldthe collection. The Picture Gallery is now raisingfunds for a new display case in order to show thisimportant collection of British 17th and 18thcentury glass to the public. Most of the glasseswere made for wine drinking and reflect thevaried situations and rituals in which drinkingtook place; this includes an early 18th century KitCat Club glass which is one of only two knownglasses of this kind in existence, it’s inscriptionreads:

“Dear Harriott D –,

Look at the fairest glass that’s filled the most,

And Harriott you will find the fairest Toast,

Look at her eyes if you their light can bear,

And Love himself you’ll find toasting there”

We are seeking £25,000 for a state of the artdisplay case which would allow us to show theglass again in all its splendour and at the sametime guarantee perfect environmental conditionsand security. Should any Member of the House beinterested in sponsoring this project, pleasecontact: [email protected] �

The Harding Collection: glass from the golden age

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John Wycliffeatures in acurious footnoteto the history ofChrist Church. In1365, he wasappointed bySimon Islip, theArchbishop ofCanterbury, toserve as wardenof CanterburyCollege, Oxford. Ithad originallybeen intended

that this College should be composed of amixture of Benedictine monks and secularclergy under a Benedictine warden, butIslip installed Wyclif, a secular, as warden. In1367, Islip’s successor, Simon Langham,wished to reinstall the monks, and this ledto three years of litigation which eventuallyended Wyclif’s residence in the College. Ashis DNB entry has it, ‘Wyclif latercommented that the foundation ofCanterbury College had been sinful, but itsdissolution (as he described it) worse.’Christ Church, courtesy of its secondfounder, was to profit from an altogethermore thorough dissolution of CanterburyCollege in the sixteenth century andacquired its buildings: hence CanterburyQuad (top right).

The task of dismantling myths about socomplex an individual as Wyclif, and aboutthe controversies that grew up around hisideas, is meaty and necessarilycollaborative work for modern scholars. Ofthe thirty publications I have produced sofar, most have been concerned with thevarious consequences, for Englishintellectual and literary life, of theWycliffite controversies. This year will seethe publication of Wycliffite Controversies,a collection of essays to which I havecontributed, and which I have co-editedwith Professor Patrick Hornbeck, a formerSenior Scholar at Christ Church. Theseessays investigate the various milieux,both scholarly and extramural, in which

Wyclif’s ideas were disseminated; thematerial remains of Wycliffite literature inboth English and Latin; and the impact ofthe controversies on other reformisttheologians in Wyclif’s time and afterwards.

Earlier this month, I co-organised a one-daycolloquium at Christ Church onmanuscripts of the Wycliffite Bible in Oxfordlibraries. Although c. 250 manuscripts areextant (far more than remain of the worksof Chaucer or Langland), the conditionsunder which these copies were produced,and the kinds of readership they achieved,are still largely unknown.

The colloquium was held to celebratethe imminent conclusion of a project toinvestigate and describe manuscripts ofthis Bible in the Bodleian Library. Dr. Kantik Ghosh (Trinity) and I werefortunate to obtain money from theJohn Fell Fund (another accidental ChristChurch link!) for a pump-priming grantto support the manuscript analysis

carried out by our colleague, Dr. ElizabethSolopova. It is gratifying that Dr.Solopova and Professor Anne Hudson(who pioneered the study of Wycliffitetexts) have secured funding from theLeverhulme Trust to investigate manymore manuscripts, and thus to enable usto understand in greater detail thecomplex religious culture of pre-Reformation England. While the widerworld celebrates the quatercentenary ofthe Authorised Version, an older, and stillmysterious, English Bible is not beingforgotten. �

l Wycliffite New Testament (MS 146, fol. 35).Manuscript produced in England during thefirst half of the 15th century. Written on vellum,in gothic textura semiquadrata. Headings inred. At the openings of the books, gold leaflombards with navy flourishing and floraldesigns. The volume was donated to the Libraryby Thomas Ballow in 1633.

Mishtooni BoseChristopher Tower

Student and Tutor inMedieval Poetry in

English

Wycliffite ControversiesThe task of dismantling myths...

LL John Wyclif

L Old Canterbury Gate

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Torpids 2011 saw another highlysuccessful campaign for the ChristChurch Boat Club; the Men’s First Boatretained the Headship for a thirdsuccessive year, holding off determinedchallenges from Pembroke andconcluding racing with a particularlyconvincing row-over on the Saturday. Thissignal success was supported by otherstrong performances across the Club,especially the Women’s 2nd Torpidgaining their blades – and also makinghistory by entering the fixed divisions forthe very first time, thirty years on fromco-education at the House. The Men’s 2ndTorpid – mostly composed of freshmen -held its fairly exalted place in Division IIIand the 3rd (Schools) Boat made threebumps.

Coming on top of four successive boat-burnings in both bumps competitionsover the last three years, and with theHouse crews at each level outmatchingtheir opponents, this has been somethingof a golden time for the ChChBC.

The men still hold (and have for threeyears) the positions of the highest First,Second and Third Eights – while thewomen’s Seconds hold their senior placeas well. One would have to go back somedecades into history to find a time whenthe House last dominated Oxfordcollegiate rowing quite so thoroughly. Inaddition, in 2008 the top Four reachedthe Final of the Visitors’ Challenge Cup atHenley Royal Regatta – an achievementunmatched by other Oxbridge collegesfor many years, while other House senior

fours have competed bi-annually at theHead of the Charles in Boston,Massachusetts – and placed high in therankings of the most prestigious event ofChampionship Fours.

The standard set by the Club is rightlyvery high, but not always easy to live upto. Success has come only as the result ofa great deal of hard work, of top-classprofessional coaching, of good – but notexcessively lavish – equipment, and of acertain esprit de corps that comes fromsetting and matching the very higheststandards. But it is not just the elite weconcentrate on. We want to be in positionwhere evrybody who wants to learn torow can do so, and receive good coachingeven if in the lower boat. It is a matter ofgreat pride to the Boat Club that thesuccessful Torpids crews over the pastfew years have been almost exclusively“home grown”.

Our young people learn a great deal intheir time with the ChChBC – and not allof it is measureable in simple rowingterms. It is always instructive watchingthem grow – metaphorically as well asliterally – as they learn to stretchthemselves, to manage their time and tocommit to wider concerns than those oftheir own individual lives. Many of themgo on to continue the Club’s proudtraditions of dedication and highachievement in later life – and remembertheir time on the Isis with affection. Onlythis can explain the numbers of memberswho continue to support the Club via theBoat Club Society – and this in turn allows

the current members access to goodcoaching, equipment – and to success,permitting the cycle to continue.

Thanks to the support of the Head of theRiver crew of 1985, and in particular AndyGreen, their cox’n, and of Sir WilliamGladstone, KG, we were able to buy a newmen’s 1st VIII shell in 2009, named inhonour of our royal co-founder in the500th year since his accession to theEnglish throne. “King Henry VIII” waspurchased in time to provide a suitableshell for the very talented crew of 2010’ssuccessful defence of the Headship. Thisyear we thank the Winklevoss family,Howard and Carol, and their twins Tylerand Cameron, both Blues who rowed inthat boat, for the gift of a new lighterWintech which will give our rowers achoice of boats for the next few years.

Such generosity from members of theSociety allows the Club to prosper. Itneeds your continued membership subsand, as we celebrate the 30th anniversaryof women’s rowing at the House, andapproach the bi-centenary of the Club in2017, it is surely fitting to reflect on thewider issues of what success on the riveractually means – and why it reallymatters. We are planning a number ofevents and an appeal over the next fiveyears to ensure the future success of theClub. I hope that all of you reading thisarticle, who believe as I do in theimportance of rowing, and indeed sportand extra curricula activities in general, indelivering a balanced education to ourjunior members, will support us. �

Boat Club reportJon Carley

(1980)

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The summer before Ienrolled at ChristChurch, I stoppedrowing. It was 2005,and the sport which Ihad picked up atUniversity had been a constant presence inmy life throughout the preceding 4 years. Ifelt I’d had enough of year-round trainingwith the US rowing team.

Yet when I arrived at Christ Church I knewI had not rowed my last stroke. The idea ofcontinuing the balance of curricular andextra-curricular interests was the primarydraw of coming to Oxford. Academically, I wasinterested in working in the field ofbiomedical engineering. I also knew that Iwould be trailing for another elite rowingteam and trying to earn the OxfordUniversity Boat Club’s dark blue blazer.

Initially the balance was ratherstraightforward - I worked on magneticresonance spectroscopy at the JR eachmorning, and went to Wallingford eachafternoon for training. That year Oxford wonin a manner rather reminiscent of this year’sexcellent race - a decisive push for open waterjust after the Hammersmith bridge, followedby victories of many lengths. After that,although I remained a student at ChristChurch, I started a partnership researchproject in the US. I spent time on each side ofthe ocean, learning a great deal from both mymentors. In 2007 I won another round of UStrials and spent the summer at internationalcompetitions. The other more momentousaspect of my ‘extracurricular’ life wasproposing to my girlfriend on a sunnyafternoon in October.

When it came to the final at the BeijingOlympics, I thought it might be my last racerepresenting my country, so I knew I had toput everything into it. Unfortunately, it wasnot our day. We rowed high and fast, butwithout the pounding rhythm that hadcarried us to first place at the World Cup inSwitzerland two months earlier, and weplaced 5th.

Jamie Schroeder(2005)

13

“If you don't know where you are going, any road

will get you there.”Lewis Carroll

EditorialThe response to our callfor articles on clubs,societies and extra-curricular activities wasoverwhelming. We’ve hadto increase the number of pages forAssociation News to help accommodate themand even then some other good things havehad to be postponed until the next(Michaelmas) edition to make space. Myeditorial scissors have been working overtimeI am afraid. Apologies to those whose articlesdid not make it in this time, or (perhapsworse) ended up pruned.

What survives though is a fascinatingarray of articles covering the extra-curricularwaterfront in all its richness and diversity. Oneof our authors I suspect spoke for many whenhe said that what he learned at the Houseoutside the lecture theatre was as valuable asanything he gained from going inside it.Some people went on to achieve recognitionand distinction in their chosen “spare time”activity. That wasn’t everybody’s experience,but all of our contributors gained immenselyfrom their participation in clubs or sports orwherever their fancy took them: social,practical and other skills; career-enhancingopportunities; or just simple pleasure. What isalso undoubtedly true is that, whateverpeople’s motivation for or gain from takingpart, the life of the college as a whole wasimmeasurably the richer for it.

What we did not cover was the benefit forthose not in the clubs. I for one was quick tohang up my oars after a brief skirmish on thewater, but that made me appreciate the skillsof the trained rowers even more. I enjoyedgoing to Manchester to support the HouseUniversity Challenge team as well as cheeringon those involved in various sportingactivities, listening to the musicians in theorchestras and groups, watching the plays puton by the drama societies. That’s before I evenget to the exotic performances of theNondescripts in Peck Quad after one of theirdrinking sessions.

Another call for articles was for our newcolumn, Prank’s Corner. We now have a richsupply of high jinks to draw upon. I’verationed you to only one this time, but morewill follow in future editions I promise. Pleasekeep sending them in along with views,thoughts and other comments on Houserelated matters.Fiona Holdsworth (1981), [email protected]

Balance The following year one highlight wastravelling back to Oxford, and being part ofthe Christ Church VIII that took Head of theRiver! Another was that my wife and I learnedthat we were going to have a baby inSeptember. Unfortunately, she went intolabour three months early. I spent time withher in the hospital and found it impossible towrite my thesis. Luckily my mentors werevery understanding and my daughter didfinally come home, happy and healthy, justafter my birthday.

Wanting my family to be able to comeand share in my Christ Church experience, Iset my degree day for May 2011. I approachgraduation as I write this and, looking back, Inow see that the most important lesson tobe drawn from my adventures in researchand rowing was the work-life balance I needas a husband and father.

I will always have my bark blue rowingblades hanging in my study to remind me ofmy experiences in my rowing ‘wonderland.’Lewis Carroll once wrote, “Everything’s got amoral, if only you can find it.” The moral I havefound is that Christ Church is an excellentplace to learn curricular and extracurricularbalance - and that one should always forththeir best effort in every aspect of their life. �Jamie Schroeder (2005)

CHRIST CHURCH ASSOCIATION NEWS / EVENTS

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Attracting anambassador

I remembertelling theMagistrate that“Drunk andDisorderly” wasnot an entirelyaccuratecharge. I’d beencirclingMercuryflawlessly,singing on mybanjo, beforefalling in. Even

then, the pace of my backstroke wasequally intoxicating to watch, I was told,especially the churning of whitewateraround my black tie and silk lapels.

Earlier that night, I’d managed toproduce the American Ambassador for adrinks party at the House, which washosted by then Dean Henry Chadwick. Mytutor, Teddy Burn, had suggested the eventto me. Being the sort who viewed anundergraduate’s duty as the promotion ofthe House’s social ideals within andwithout its walls, he’d said, “You were atYale. You must know the Ambassador.”

Although I’d come to the House fromYale, we were hardly close friends. What todo? Invite him, of course.

As a Yank at Oxford, I’d grownaccustomed to the occasional sneer orsupercilious remark from the less graciousof my English hosts. I’d often consoledmyself at breakfast in Hall by sitting nearthe portrait of Lord Grenville, whoseStamp Act helped to ignite the AmericanRevolution, and by eating the Kellogg’scornflakes Brits delight in. It evidenced thetriumph of our Yankee commercial spirit.

The trick was getting the Ambassadorto attend. My effort required enlistment ofthe well-connected through phone callsand letters, some string pulling, and thenpillaging and annexation of all influentialstrongholds until, at last, friendlypersuasion resulted.

My tutor was gratified that I had not letthe side down. The Dean was pleased, aswere the many invitees who got to meetthe American Ambassador at the drinksparty. Attend he had and drink I did. �

RowingExtracts from letters to my parents inTexas:

11 October 1960Last Wednesday Tony Louckes dropped in andsaid he had heard from a friend that I mightbe interested in rowing for the House. Earlier,at a reception, I had introduced myself toDean Simpson, who wasn’t particularlyinterested in the fact that I would bestudying his field, Theology, but asked, “Yourow, don’t you?” Tony asked me to go withhim to Windsor that night, where the crewwas involved in pre-term practice. Soon I wasrowing with Windsor Castle in the distanceand the Queen’s swans in the foreground(one of which I inadvertently bludgeonedwith my oar).

Two years ago the House was Head ofthe River – that means we were best – butlast year we fell to second. Our goal is toreassert our rightful place.

21 October 1960We surprised GeorgeHarris, the ChristChurch boatkeeper,who is serving as ourcoach (and a superbcoach he is). It isencouraging to hearhim shout, “Well rowed, House! Jolly goodshow, House!”

2 June 1962We have reached the last day of Eights, andare still very decisively Head of the River.Teddy Hall have given us no cause forconcern from behind. If we do remain Head,there will be a Bump Supper in the DiningHall.

[Editorial note: which there was. Furthereditorial note: while typing these extracts in2011, I am looking at the blue oar bladeemblazoned with the names of the eightoarsmen, the coxswain, and our fourcoaches, including George Harris, who maywell have been my best teacher at Oxford.] �

DancesportWhat with lectures from 9am,tutes from 3pm, dinner servedsharply at 6:20pm and many anevening Union debate or black-tiegathering, the typical Oxfordstudent engages with anundoubtedly jam-packed lifestyle.So what brings us to cram evenmore into this already dizzyagenda? The answer in my mindis simple - it’s an escape. I wouldspend the majority of my weekanalysing cellular particles that you can’teven see and really don’t do a lot. So was itany wonder that on a Saturday morning Iwould drag myself down the High Street towaltz, jive and cha cha cha across thepolished floors of Iffley? Being part of the

Beginners’Dancesport teamenriched my Oxfordexperience, allowingme to socialise inentirely new andvaried groups andcompete in an arenawhere academic abilitywas moot. It was justme, and myteammates, learningand growing andlaughing together. Forthose few hours you

weren't in Oxford, you didn’t have finalscruising towards you like the Titanic, youwere just taken over by the incredible highof true team spirit, the kind you can onlyget when there's a trophy involved. �

Sarah Mitchell(2005)

14

ChristopherWiliams

(1977)

Patrick Henry(1960)

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Breedingground forauthorsIn 1963 I and agroup of fellowundergraduatesfounded a societyfor aspiringauthors. As wecould not think of aname we called itthe AnonymousSociety of Writers. Itwas University-wide, but we met inChrist Church in therooms of variousmembers, to read our work aloud – mostlypoetry, short stories and fragments ofnovels – and give each other criticalcomment. The main founding memberswere myself, Tim Jeal (1963), FrederickTurner (1962) and James Gordon (1962).

As I recall, most of what we wrote wasfairly pretentious juvenilia, but for some ofus it was a step on the road to greaterachievement. Tim Jeal published his firstnovel while still an undergraduate andwent on to write other novels, a memoirand a series of highly successful non-fictionworks including his recent prize-winningbiography of the explorer H.M. Stanleywhich was Sunday Times Biography of theYear for 2007. Frederick Turner emigrated tothe United States, became a professor ofEnglish literature and has achieved fame asa poet and literary scholar. I myself haveproduced a series of books on the westernesoteric traditions as well as works offiction and of biography, including my bookThe Swan King: Ludwig II of Bavaria, soon tobe reissued in a revised edition by I.B. Tauris.So you could say that the AnonymousSociety has born fruit. Writers who camefrom other colleges included ChristopherHampton, who read from When Did YouLast See My Mother, which, soon afterwards,was performed at the Royal Court, markingthe beginning of a great career.

If any former member of the Societyreads this and feels like re-establishingcontact, I would be very pleased to hearfrom them. �

ChristopherMcIntosh

(1962)

The House in UniversityChallengeThe recent triumph of the ChristChurch team in UniversityChallenge brought backmemories of the House’s firstforay into the competition almost 50 yearsago. In 1963 Granada TV invited us to enterwhat was then going to be the secondseries of the programme. Selection of theteam was a pretty chaotic affair: samplequestions were read out to a packed roomof aspirants and we were invited to shoutout the answers. Despite confidentlyasserting that the first Olympic Gameswere held in 1896 (correct answer 776BC!) Ifound myself invited to join a teamcaptained by David Gillespie (1960) withJohn Penycate (1962), George Kiloh (1961)and Jeremy Orme (1962). During oursubsequent run, George and Jeremychanged places so that everyone had thechance to appear.

The programmes were recorded at theGranada studios in Manchester. Johnsported a trendy haircut which the rest ofus were convinced was the reason for hisgetting the majority of the fan mail. In ouropening appearance I was much relieved tobe able to answer the first ‘starter for 10’ –“what happened at Alamogordo?” (site ofthe first atomic weapon test). In those days,there were no professional questionsetters; Bamber Gascoigne, the producerand their friends all pitched in withsuggestions.

The qualifying rules weredifferent then. Teams had towin three matches in a row inorder to reach the quarter finals.We comfortably disposed ofPeterhouse, Queen Elizabeth,London and York and became thefirst team to qualify for theknock-out stage in that series. Wethen had to wait 18 monthsbefore there were enough teams

through to hold the quarter finals. Back inManchester 1965 we won our first matchbut then came up against Edinburgh. Herewe fell foul of the question setting process.The new producer was a music buff and thenumber of music-based questions rosesharply. Unfortunately this was not ourstrong-point, while Edinburgh had a realexpert. We lost by a narrow margin andEdinburgh went on to defeat by NewCollege in the final.

The JCR received £160 for eachprogramme, half being split between theteam members. Still, £80 was a tidy sum foran undergraduate in the 1960s.

One personal footnote. Shortlyafterwards, I went through the Civil Serviceopen competition with University Challengeproudly on my CV. The chairman of the FinalSelection Board asked “some sort oftelevision programme is it?”. When Iexplained, he harrumphed “so you are a jackof all trades, master of none?” I’m not surewhat I replied but they let me in anyway.And little did I imagine that 35 years later Iwould myself be chairing the FSB – but Inever interviewed a candidate who hadappeared on University Challenge. �In memoriam David Gillespie (1960), died July2009

Michael Legge(1962)


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Drama withRichard Burtonand ElizabethTaylor1966 – Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylorcame to the Oxford Playhouse to perform inMarlow’s Faustus. It was an OUDSproduction. I was the production’s GeneralManager – and it was also the year of myFinals. The production was a “thank you” toNevill Coghill (of Chaucer fame) who hadtutored the young Burton as well as afundraiser for the Burton theatre. As laid-back undergraduates, we were determinednot to be impressed by the Burton-Taylorphenomenon – they were super celebs thatalmost had no equal at that time. But thislofty detachment did not survive their arrival– we were rapidly swept away by theglamour, extravagance and air of excitementthat surrounded every move they made.They arrived a week early and in addition torehearsals they mingled and socialised withus all. I remember an extraordinary eveningin Magdalen in the Master’s Lodging when

over dinner Burton recounted anecdote afteranecdote. They had just filmed Cleopatratogether and he had been spending timewith Churchill to perfect his verbalmannerisms... And then there was ElizabethTaylor – when she turned her violet blueeyes on us (by now) impressionableundergraduates we went weak at the knees.She played Helen of Troy, rising up from thePlayhouse stage trapdoor surrounded byclouds of dry ice. One final snapshot: cyclingdown the Turl during the second week ofthe production, I was stopped by my tutorwho said rather sourly he thought it wasvery unlikely in all the circumstances that Iwould get a degree. �Robin Bidwell (1963)

Extra-curricularactivity and jobhuntingJobs come from many sources. Some arefound through advertisements, some fromthe ‘milk round’ but over a lifetime asignificant proportion come out ofpersonal contacts. So what is an employerlooking for in a potential employee? Firstlythat he or she either can already do the job,for which they may be prepared to pay apremium, or at least is capable of learninghow to do the job within a reasonableperiod of time. In this increasingly politicalcorrect era and to cope with the largequantity of applicants, employers draw upcriteria which they require potentialemployees to meet. If an applicant doesnot fill the boxes and if tested does notpass they will not make it to interview.Secondly they need the newcomer to fitinto the team that they are growing. Theinterview is as much assessing whetherthe potential employee will meet these lesshard criteria as reassurance on theircapabilities. If an employer can identify andempathise with the extra-circular activitiesof a potential employee then there is agreater possibility that the potentialemployee will fit into the team. A largenumber of jobs are never advertised and infact may never exist until the right personapplies. So how do you find them?Speculative CVs? Sometimes it works, mosttimes it does not. Mainly because it is hardto both find the recruiter and double guessa job specification that does not exist.Another is from amongst the people thatyou get on with, those with whom youshare an extra-curricular activity, and letthem know that you are seeking a job. Donot overdo it, there is no quicker way to getavoided, but you never know when orwhere you might strike lucky. It worked forme and, even if it does not work for you,you can have a lot of fun trying!” �Angus Macpherson (1978)


which involved a wholeprocess of identifying booksdue to be published,requesting review copiesfrom the publisher, finding astudent working on therelevant subject area andgetting them to agree todeadlines. When time wasshort the work could be

stressful, but the feeling ofsatisfaction when the review we hadhelped to nurture had the highest numberof hits that week on the site was fantastic.

The experience of working for theOxonian Review was highly beneficial tome. The final year at Oxford can often feelvery claustrophobic, with exam preparationtaking centre stage and pressure constantlybuilding up. Having an extra-curricularactivity that helped me learn useful skills (Inow work as a Junior Project Manager in atranslation agency) and also gave me thesatisfaction of working successfully withina team was highly rewarding, and one thatI would certainly recommend to others. �

OxonianreviewDuring the final year of my BA inFrench and Spanish, I beganworking as an editorial assistantfor the Oxonian Review, apublication run by OxfordUniversity postgraduates whowanted some help with their editingworkload. I was put in the ‘Writers’ section,where we edited book reviews onbiographies, collections of letters andliterary criticism. The work was challengingas submissions were often ambitious andfull of clever references and cross-comparisons, at times resemblingacademic essays. As well as editingindividual sentences, we made suggestionsfor restructuring the content or addingnew sections in order to produce reviewsthat were stimulating, coherent andthought-provoking. We also often had tocommission students to write our articles,

Juliet Gryspeerdt(2005)

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The Meisterswingers band

Did you playbridge atcollege, or now?The Oxford University Alumni BridgeAssociation was formed in 1997, and hasheld an annual weekend congress inSeptember. We play mainly duplicate pairs,with some teams or Chicago, and includean educational bridge seminar. This year’sspeaker will be Sandra Landy, Englandinternational. All alumni, whatever theirstandard or experience, are welcome. Thisyear we meet at Worcester College from9th to 11th September. Details are on theOUABA websitewww.bridgewebs.com/ouaba

Whether you played at College, or havesince started, do come and join us for apleasant and social weekend of bridge inOxford. �Phil Meats (1975)


Print-making atChrist Church

My initialexperience withextra curricularactivities atOxford wasquite comical. Ilost sight ofthe cyclingteam withinten minutes ofjoining themfor a ‘gentlesocial ride’.

They were waytoo fast! I then decided to join the ChristChurch novice rowing team. This involvedbone-chilling 6am training sessions, nearlygetting ejected from the boat on threeoccasions and pulling several musclesduring my first and last erg session!

Nevertheless, I did stumble upon anactivity that demanded time andpatience, but was never tiring. Print-making in the Christ Church Art Roomfrom 7.30-9.30pm on Thursday eveningswas an activity I looked forward to. Duringmy year there I practiced etching, andlino/block cutting and printing. Once wewere introduced to the technique, ourtutor, Mr. Peter Rhoades, would let usexplore it on our own and would givehelpful tips from time to time along witha cup of tea! The entire process, fromselecting a design right to the momentwhen we would lift the paper and get tosee our print, was, as one of my fellowprint-maker would say, ‘cool’!

No classes were held during the longsummer that followed, but the Art Roomwas always accessible to us. Once myMaster’s dissertation was submitted andmy friends bid farewell, I returned to therefuge of the Art Room. I am glad for thetime I spent on the prints since I finallygave most of them away as gifts to mydear friends at Christ Church.

There are countless incidents that willalways remind me of Oxford, but theimage etched forever in my memory isone of climbing up the stairs of the OldLibrary building, opening the door to theArt Room, hearing friendly voices in theinner room and being greeted with awarm smile. �

Yamini Panchaksharam

(2009)

play each term. There werealso strictly unauthorisedout-of-town gigs, amongstthem some eveningsessions in Cirencester,whence players andinstruments travelled in anone-too-reliable anddistinctly unheated Commervan. In the days beforemobile ‘phones and 24 hourservice stations, running outof fuel on the return journey

was a disaster, especially when “younggentlemen” should have long since beenback in their colleges!

The leastinebriated bandmember havingbeen sent to findfuel, he somehowsucceeded in thetask, aided bymembers of thelocal constabulary.They kindly drovehim back to the vanto find an impromptu ‘jam session’ in fullswing – no doubt in order to keep warm –and the van rocking on its springs!

I like to think they were playing “Don’tget around much any more.” �

“The Meisterswingers”, residentband at the UniversityTraditional Jazz Club, playedterm-time Sunday evenings inan upstairs room of the PortMahon public house in StClements. A number of Housemusicians graced the line-upthere in the mid to late 1960s -Charles Richardson (1964)drums, Bill Grigor-Taylor (1964)clarinet and sax and my goodfriend Michael Langstaff (1966) doublebass. Sadly all three have now passed awayand so too another multi-talented bandmember with House connections, pianoand sousaphone player HumphreyCarpenter (Keble), whose father was thenthe Bishop of Oxford.

Although I myself didn’t play, I guess itwas through fellow geographer Michaelthat I got involved in the Oxford trad scene.One at each end, we carried his instrumentthe length of the High and acrossMagdalen Bridge from his room in the StAldates’ annex. On the return trip weinvariably stopped at the burger vanoutside Queens – the first to reach thewindow placing the order whilst the otherpaid!

The band played private parties andcollege balls and invited visiting bands to

Peter Rooley(1966)

Then...

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Crime –a challengeIn my day this was a club or society to whichI belonged. I don't know when it ended, orwho set it up in the first place or when thatwas.

I was studying Jurisprudence, and wasinterested in the philosophy of the law, aswell as the criminal law, and was young andidealistic, with a practical christianbackground about "saving souls".

The society had no links that Iremember with any religious societies,however, being more based in sociology andpsychology.

In a way, the title says it all: it suggestedthat "Crime" and Criminal behaviour was a"challenge" to the rest of us [largely non-criminals!]: the thought was there that wecould understand the behaviour, and helpdo something about it, to the benefit of theoffenders, and society. Serious stuff, foridealistic young men like me.

We had speakers who addressed ourmeetings, and went on outings to variouscriminal institutions.

Truth to say, I don't recall any particularspeakers, but I do recall visiting BroadmoorPrison Hospital which contains the mostdangerous criminals, with mental healthissues. The prison officers were helpful andcalm and the visit passed off withoutincident.

This visit seemed to stick in my mind, atsome level, and 3 years later I decided Iwanted to help offenders, and joinedthe Probation Service in London -first as an untrained assistant in1966, and then as a fully trainedProbation Officer from 1972. I workedat that for 23 years, and believe that Ihelped a number of people to turnaway from a life of crime.

Since 1991 the Probation servicehas been systematicallytransmogrified from a "helping-offenders-so-that-they-won't-offend-again" type of role to one of"supervise-them-so-closely-that they-won't have-time-to-offend" type of role: Iam clear that this latter approach does notwork.

The good thing about the society wasthat anyone could join it, regardless of theirfield of study, and be inspired by it.

I wonder what inspires people today? �Will Watson (1960)

Officers’ TrainingCorps and thecannabisjourneyI was reading for a degree in Biochemistry atOxford between 1961 and 1965 and, duringthat time, joined the OU Officers’ TrainingCorps (Royal Engineers). One of theopportunities that this gave me was to spenda couple of weeks in 1962 at Marchwood, nearSouthampton, to undergo training as an armyshallow water diver. As a result I becameaware of the phenomenon of inert gasnarcosis (raptures of the deep) – early signs ofgeneral anaesthesia that can be induced bycompressed air when it is inhaled by a diver atcertain depths that I never reached myself aswe did not dive below about 30 feet. I wasintrigued by this then little-investigatedphenomenon to the extent that once I hadobtained my degree I approached the RoyalNaval Physiological Laboratory in Portsmouthfor advice on how I might begin research intoinert gas narcosis. I was directed back toOxford, to Professor W.D.M. Paton of theDepartment of Pharmacology. He took me onas a D.Phil student to explore the anaestheticeffects of diving gases, and subsequently asan MRC-funded post-doctoral researchassistant to work on the pharmacology ofcannabis. I have been exploring thepharmacology of cannabinoids ever since,


August 1979. JohnFenton and DerickWalker at a loose endafter finals, flippingthrough the GuinnessBook of Records.

Longest punt ever recorded; 300 miles in1968? We could beat that! Borrow collegepunt, buy Shell Guide to the Waterways,head north on Oxford Canal. Guinnessagrees we can authenticate trip by publandlords signing our logbook lunch andevening. Good result. Navigatingbackwaters of Birmingham, spotted by one

performing research that has, for example,played a major role in the discovery that ourown tissues produce cannabinoids, now called“endocannabinoids”, in the pharmacologicalcharacterization of several naturally-occurringand synthetic cannabinoids, in theidentification of potential medicalapplications for certain cannabinoids, and,indeed, in the “re-medicalization” of cannabis1.This has been, and still is, a fascinating journeyfor me that would never have begun had I notjoined the OTC whilst an undergraduate atthe House. �Roger Pertwee (1961)1. Crowther, SM, Reynolds, LA and Tansey, EM (eds) (2010) TheMedicalization of Cannabis. Witness Seminar Transcript. Volume 40.The Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL.

young boy; “Dad, there’s two lads on t’canalpushing raft with stick”. Multiple renditionsof “Just one Cornetto” from bystanders ontowpath; give up explaining differencebetween punt and gondola. Reach MarketDrayton (Shropshire) and turn round.August 15th: Force 11 gales devastateFastnet race, two foot waves threaten toswamp two inch freeboard, give ourselves a day off. Reach Oxford after three weeksand 364 miles, skills honed, recordsmashed, entry in 1981 GBR assured,celebrity media welcome home (slightexaggeration). Not the hardest way tobecome world champions and still a gooddining out story. �Derick Walker (1976)Picture shows Derick Walker (punting) andJohn Fenton (1976) seated

Two Menin a Boat

L Part of my shallow water diving course at Marchwood, September 1962.

j Tincture of cannabis, a licensed medicine inthe UK until the early 1970s, that we used as asource of phytocannabinoids for our research.

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Oxford CanadaClubIn Hilary term 1957, I joined two friends at theHouse, David Mitchell-Innes (1956) and HughSockett (1956), in launching the OxfordCanada Club for the express purpose offlying to and from Montreal cheaply forsummer vacation employment. The intentwas to earn enough money in Canada to payfor the entire escapade. The next challengewas to enroll our passengers. This we didrather simply by dispatching yellow postersto college notice boards, announcing the fareand the travel dates. Two or threeundergraduate women enrolled in the group– not a bad showing considering how fewwere at Oxford in those times.

London airline brokers quoted us £7800for a Air France Super Constellation charter.At this price, we could offer a seat for £98 ona London-Montreal return flight, assumingwe could fill the plane with 80 payingpassengers. At the time, this was a veryattractive fare, about half the normal tariff,by no means inexpensive.

Few members of the group already had ajob awaiting them when we left London inlate June. By the time we arrived in Canadathe choicest summer jobs had already gone

to Canadian students. After a few days inMontreal, I heard that Canadian PacificRailways were recruiting temporary summeremployees as sleeping car porters. At therailway station I found my House nearcontemporary, Richard Sachs (1955), alreadyin his CPR uniform, as well as a Merton man,Adrian Stanford. We were hastily instructedin our duties: to convert seats into beds,prepare overhead bunks for the night, tocarry passengers’ baggage and to shine theirshoes. We were to take passengers to theirseats in the sleeping car (a deluxe version ofthe continental wagon-lit) and to help themas they stepped up to the train or down tothe platform, where we were to tip our capswith a deferential smile, and accept thecustomary gratuity.

Through the launch of the Club, HughSockett and I got to know many morepeople at Oxford, both from the House andother colleges, by acting as the Club’sreservation clerks and chief cashiers.

Then there were questions. Theproctors had seen our yellow posters andwanted to know how it was that we hadcreated a university club without the say-soof a Senior Member of the university. Wewent to Tom Quad to see Canon Simpson(later to become Dean) who by a happychance was a Canadian citizen. He agreedto chair the Club.

Men's CuppersFinal of 1995Dean's Collections had never seen anythinglike it. To those brave souls who stumbledback from Iffley Road half drunk on beer andeuphoria and went in for their termlyassessment wearing full facepaint as well asgowns: I salute you.

I have been lucky enough to see plentymore football matches and call it work, butthe Men's Cuppers Final of 1995 remains myfavourite match of all time and one of thehappiest days of my life. That cup run hadeverything.

You want against the odds victory bythe underdog? Well, how about beating aTeddy Hall team with five Blues in their side3-1 in the first round?

A comeback to rival Liverpool's miracleof Istanbul? Try going 2-0 down with 10minutes to go in a later round, equalizing inthe last minute, then winning on penalties.

The final was the real highlight, ofcourse. Funded by a £50 grant fromthe JCR, what seemed like half ofcollege descended on the stadiumwhere Roger Bannister had run thefirst four-minute mile for anotherlandmark occasion.

Armed with leeks to taunt Welshopponents Jesus and a songsheet("No-one likes us"), Cardinal Wolsey'sRed and Black Army, led by my room-mate Andrew Bond, easily won the battle ofthe fans. Unfortunately, on the pitch, lack ofgoal line technology prevented captainHenrik Kraft adding to his early opener andJesus forced extra-time, before taking thelead with a penalty. Cue super sub DanHouser's equaliser and a shootout far moretense than anything England have ever putme through. When Chris Maher stepped up,everyone knew it was this to win it. I tried tostop people tempting fate by gathering onthe touchline. I needn't have worried. "Ooh-aah" Maher smashed it home and the pitchinvasion began.

Having arrived in Montreal, the groupdispersed in search of jobs. David Mitchell-Innes worked at an oil refinery outsideMontreal, as did Richard Snow (Magdelen).Rupert Evans (Merton) took a job in ashook factory in Ontario. Several membersof our group went off to the CanadianArctic to work on the construction of theDistant Early Warning or DEW line, adefensive installation to detect incomingSoviet missiles. The four of us who weretemporary sleeping car porters remainedbased in Montreal, travelling westward forour first trip no further than Winnipeg.

None of our group found themselveswithout gainful summer employment ofsome kind. Edward Cazalet (1956), now aHigh Court judge, and Stuart Wheeler(1955), now a celebrity in the financialworld, exploited their remarkable skills atBridge to make money en route as theytraveled west.

It did us all good to be thrown back onour own resources in Canada. We eagerlyaccepted employment wherever it couldbe found. We all learnt a lesson inCanadian and American values which lookto college students, through theirsummertime earnings, to repay loans andthus pay for most of their own waythemselves. �Mark Cherniavsky (1956)

The photo captures me in the centrecircle embracing vice captain Phil Haslam.He, Henrik and I had been friends since thefirst week of our Oxford careers. The way thefinal had brought the college together wasfantastic, but the real joy was in sharing themoment with them and Andrew.

Champagne has never tasted so sweetas it did being drunk from one of the oldestfootball trophies in the country. And theDean has probably never looked sopuzzled.�Dan King (1992)


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The best & mostvaluable educationI received atOxford was notthrough lecturesor books but theactual experienceof being there,being at theHouse, the peopleone met & thefriends onemade. An unforgettable part of thisexperience was belonging to a DiningClub such as Loders. Though what's notremembered is sometimes betterforgotten, some years ago I wasunexpectedly reminded of an event longfaded from memory. My son Shivraj whowas at Brookes in the late nineties rangexcitedly one day to proclaim "Data(father) I've beaten your record!" Whatrecord I exclaimed? I don't ever rememberhaving achieved any such distinction. "Thequickest time for drinking champagnefrom the Silver Lady Chalice," he informedme. I don't think I even held that dubiousdistinction but what was clear was thatmy son had beaten my time which wasrecorded in the Club book. How he evermanaged to get into Loders from Brookesstill remains a mystery but such is thedraw of an exclusive Oxford Dining Club. �Bapji Maharaja of Jodhpur (1967)

NondescriptsI went up in the last yearthat the House was an allmale under-graduatecommunity. I soon gotinvolved with the sportingaspects of college life -playing rugger, hockey, tennisto varying levels of success. Iwas on the fringes of therugger team that wonCuppers in 1979, and part ofthe Hockey team that got tothe semi-finals in 1982.

Somewhere in all this, I was invited tojoin the Nondescripts, a dining society forlike-minded sporting folk. We had dinners atthe end of each term and a summer Pimmsparty. I recall one sunny late afternoon,where we assembled in our Blazers and

Nondescript ties to drink Pimms, dilutedwith Prosecco (fizzy white wine) rather than

lemonade. The SeniorMembers were always invitedand many came - but tendedto be rather sensible. Theywould come early, drink oneor two carefully considereddrinks and exit stage leftbefore any boisterousactivity got started. Incontrast to the reports inthe press, none of theevents I recall got too out ofhand - although we oftenput people's shoes in

Mercury to see how well they floated... andthe Buttery was always a last resting post.

I don't know if the Nondescripts stillfunctions, but they were fabulous eventsand a core part of "my Christ Church". �Mike Wright (1979)

The Grey ClubWhen we were up my then best friendinstigated a new Christ Church societycalled the “Grey Club”. To be allowed to join,you had to be a down to earth sort of chapand be involved in no healthy sportingactivities for the House and in no othersociety. I was the only memberexempted from this rule, as a co-founder. I played both squash andthe mentally athletic sport ofbridge for the college and wastreated with some suspicionas ‘not grey enough’.

It was basically an excusefor talking rubbish anddrinking, usually in the Bearor the Bulldog (now re-namedI believe). 1 point for bitter, 1.5for Guinness and 2 for Newcbrown and so on until everyonelost count. Those Northernersalways won. Allegedly.

Of course, none of thisinterfered with our studies,which were taken very seriouslyat times.

It probably fizzled out oncewe’d left, but I’d be interested toknow if it rumbled on for awhile. �

Pip Kirby (1966)

Dining clubsAll colleges have them. Occasionally one issuppressed for a term or two as apunishment for rowdiness and politicianslike to sneer at the Bullingdon as “typicalOxford” (though in my three years at theHouse and sixty two as a Fellow of anothercollege I have never come across it). Ofcourse undergraduates will beundergraduates, but the two principal ones Ibelonged to were sober and enjoyable and Iremain very grateful for them.

The Nondescripts were revived in, Ithink, 1947 and on the Menu of the Dinnerof December 2nd 1948 which I came acrossthere are the signatures of over fifty. Wewere a pretty mixed nondescript lot butthere were several members of theGoverning Body present; Bosanquet,Dundas, Trevor-Roper, all blessing theresurrection, D.V.Hill the Steward tomaintain it, and Robert Blake newlyappointed. The old regime was thusrestored. The other Club to which I had thegood fortune to belong was The TwentyClub. Of the twenty attending the AnnualDinner on June 8th 1948 four were dons(the Dean John Lowe, Gilbert Ryle, DenysPage, Hugh Trevor-Roper, a formidablequartet). It was a serious enough affair,though I notice that the President, RogerPemberton, wrote his signature backwards.There were formal speeches of which Iremember nothing but at, I think, the nextAnnual Dinner Trevor-Roper proposed “TheClub”, not surprisingly a neat and wittyperformance. The Twenty Club was in origina serious debating society. By my timealthough the matters debated were serious,the speeches were always frivolous beingwell lubricated with mulled Claret. Ah,happy times!

Most of those whose signatures are onthese Menus are dead and gone but onecan only hope that such Clubs do and willcontinue. Oscar Wilde said somewhere “Aconservative is a man who has neverthought. A radical is a man who has neverdined.” I say nought of the first proposition,being myself of the spurned kind, but thesecond has some truth in it. The real usehowever of such societies apart fromproviding pleasure is, now at any rate, togive the nervous and gauche social ease,and I can attest that they indeed succeed inthat. Long may they flourish. �George Cawkwell (1946)

BapjiMaharaja of

Jodhpur(1967)

L Mike Wright

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Paris eventOn a particularly sunny Friday evening, more than 50 old members ofthe House gathered in a traditional French restaurant located in theheart of the fifth arrondissement of Paris, near La Sorbonne, where theOxford University European Reunion had taken place earlier in theevening. The setting and menu were of high quality (thank you Simon!)with champagne and duck breast specially prepared by Maitre Albert.

Our table was wonderful indeed, and reminded me of dinners inthe House not so long ago, where I met people from all over the world.On this particular night, I was sitting in front of a young British womanliving in Paris, and on my left and right were people from Germany andGreece. The mix of matriculation years was also of interest. At the startof the evening, I met a member who matriculated in 1952, currentlyretired and living in the South of France. After the speeches of bothSimon and the Dean, we ventured to local jazz bands in undergroundcellars. It was a fun night, one to remember and repeat in the future.

Look out for more events in Paris and elsewhere in France to come.I am the country representative for France and would be interested tohear of suggestions for future meetings. My email address is:[email protected] �Ben Hirsch (2008)

The FamilyProgrammeThe Christ Church Family Programme waslaunched in 2003 to welcome the familiesof undergraduates and to enable them tobecome involved in the House and itscommunity. Once a member, you arewarmly invited to attend future FamilyProgramme events whether or not yourchild is currently at Christ Church or hasgraduated.

For the family of new undergraduates,there is an afternoon tea at the beginningof Michaelmas term. Other annual eventsto which all members are welcome includethe Christmas Reception after theCathedral Carol Service, this year on 27November 2011, and a Family lunch in Hilaryterm. Members will also receive news of theHouse and invitations to Christ ChurchAssociation events via the biannualmagazine Christ Church Matters and, morefrequently, e-Matters.

If you would like to find out more aboutthe programme or wish to join pleasecontact the Development Office:[email protected] �

Eliza Eagling (2005)


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Norfolk lunchOne wintery afternoon this year, thanks toCatherine Blaiklock and her husbandGyaljen, alumni of the House convened inrural Norfolk for wonderful food andcompany. From one of the first women toenter the House as a student to one of themost recent to leave, the room was full ofold members with great stories. For me,the route from Christ Church to Norfolkhad been a simple return to myhometown, but many of those present

have stopped off at exciting destinationsacross the world before ending up in thisbeautiful county. But all of us wereinstantly transported back to our times atthe House with talk of Mercury, Peckwater,examinations and other, less academic,pursuits at Oxford. Listening to such tales, Ifound myself staying long past the lunchand heading back in semi-darkness to thebright lights of Norwich. I for one wasthrilled to discover just how many old boysand girls were residing so close to me, andhope it is not presumptuous of me to saythat I have made some new friends. As the

county’s newest House alumnus, I hopesoon to relinquish this title and welcomenew graduates to theendless skies ofNorfolk at our nextmeeting. �Nicole Albutt (2007)

5th year reunionThis was the second year in which YearReps and the Association combined toencourage those celebrating five yearssince matriculation to attend a dinner atWestminster School. Last year about thirtypeople attended from 2004. We thoughtthat we would repeat the idea for the 2005year group and to make for an even betteratmosphere the 2004 year group wasincluded again, with those from 2003 alsoinvited as they had missed out previously.

The dinner was held at WestminsterSchool on Saturday 6th November andwith numbers again around the thirty

Thanks to William Thuillier (1966) overtwenty Members of the House and theirguests enjoyed a fascinating evening atWilliam’s Gallery on Old Bond Street with a“Behind the Scenes” viewing. Williamexplained how he fell into becoming an artdealer and some of the skills needed andpitfalls to be avoided in the profession.There were some splendid Old Masters ondisplay and some excellent pictures too!William chose a number of them to

Thuillier Gallery event

mark a good evening was had by all. Themenu of smoked trout, rump of lamb andlemon tart was washed down with plentyof decent wine, and the speech by theSenior Censor over coffee and port wasshort and warming!

The Year Reps intend to continue withthe same formula thus in November 2011 allthose from 2004, 05, and 06 will be invited.If you belong to those years and are notsure that the Development and Alumnioffice have your contact details, let themknow! �Jo Lee Morrison, Berenika Zakrzewski, Charlotte Jepps, James WiseJo Walker, Costa Argyrou, Ben Hirsch andNed Gould

describe in somedetail and, ofcourse, to try tosell to us! A veryjolly evening washad by all, the onlydisappointmentbeing that many of us were confirmed inthe knowledge that our tastes are wildlydivorced from our financial wherewithal. �Simon Offen (1986)

L Catherine Blaiklock(1981)

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Oxford LiteraryFestivalThe ChristopherButler talkProfessor Christopher Butler, who retiredthree years ago, returned to the delight ofsome seventy people to give a talk duringthis year’s Oxford Literary Festival on thesubject of 'Why Does the 'High Culture' stillmatter?' This year’s festival had more thana sprinkling of old members taking part,with Stephen Clarke (1978), MichaelDobson (1979), and Nigel Lawson (1951)amongst others.

Christopher’s talk displayed both thegreat breadth and depth of his knowledgebut I am not convinced that Emerson iscorrect when he said that “it is the proof ofhigh culture to say the greatest matters inthe simplest way”! However Housemenand women spanning five decades wereenthralled and entertained by his typicallyhumorous delivery.

A drinks reception and splendid dinnerat High Table followed the talk, with thosewho studied English under Christopherinvited to attend. It marked the launch of‘The Christopher Butler Tutorial Fund forEnglish’; an endowment fund to secure thefuture of English tuition at the House inperpetuity. If you would like to hear moreabout the fund please contact:[email protected] �


23

Prank’s CornerIn my second year I was involved in anattempt to discover if there wasintelligent life in Oriel. To this end, amotley group of 2nd and 3rd yearsconstructed a 2 metre high rocket out ofpapier maché, bamboo and fireworks,which we placed in the centre of Peck.The purpose of the mission - carried outin 1975/6 - was to launch an unmannedprobe from Peckwater into Oriel college,which would make a soft landing, takesamples and collect evidence of life - ifthere was any to find. The launch wasadvertised in the House and evenmentioned on local radio. Quite a crowdassembled to see the great event.Unfortunately, despite an impressivebuild up, the rocket only climbed a fewmetres into the night sky before blowingup. NASA cut its funding of spaceexploration shortly afterwards, so, to thisday, we will never know what mighthave been discovered had the missionbeen successful. I won't mention my co-conspirators by name, in case they nowwish to remain anonymous - but we allknow who they were! �Mark Whitwill (1974)

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CHRIST CHURCH ASSOCIATION NEWS /BOOK REVIEWS

Review of SimonWinchester’s, The AliceBehind Wonderland.Oxford University Press, 2011. £9.99.

One of the most famousVictorian photographs isof Alice Liddell as adishevelled beggar girl,taken in 1858 by CharlesLutwidge Dogdson inChrist Church. Manycommentators havefound it disconcerting.On the edge ofpaedophile porn infact. And it has been used asevidence that there was something entirelydubious about Dodgson’s attitude to littlegirls. In addition to being sad he was madand bad. Winchester glances at thisproblem, but does not go into it asthoroughly as does Karoline Leach in heradmirably sceptical and much fuller studyIn the Shadow of the Dreamchild: A NewUnderstanding of Lewis Carroll (Peter Owen,1999). Sufficient to say that Carroll was notthe perverted monster some would like tobelieve him, and in the context of Victorianviews concerning the innocenceof childhood (these were pre-Freudiandays, remember) he is not so unusual orexceptional. Leach even suggests that hewas having some sort of affair with Alice’smother, wife of the Dean of Christ Church.

The Winchester study stretches itsmaterial. It would have been better as alongish essay, and it often looks like a pieceof book-making. It needs much morecontextualising: where does the Alicephoto stand in relation to the many othersimilar photographs taken by Dodgson,some of them showing nude childrencoloured-in in the most kitschy manner?These photographs need to be reproduced,or at least referred to in a scholarly way. TheChrist Church environment needs morecontextualising too. Leach does a muchbetter job, demonstrating the strainsbetween the Students and the Canons. Attimes Winchester’s shaky grasp of theenvironment is on display: on p.69 hespeaks of Dodgson’s ‘stunning’ view ofBroad Walk from the Meadow Building ,

and immediately a can of worms is opened.Presumably he means one of Dodgson’ssplendid photos of 1857, showing the elmsand iron bollards. But the MeadowBuildings did not exist in 1857, and thephotographs must have been taken from

the Fell Building , alas, demolishedin the early 1860s to make way forDeane and Woodward’s neo-Gothicmonstrosity. From time to timeSimon Winchester exhibits theinfuriating and insufferabletendency of modulating biographyinto fiction: ‘she, a naturally fidgetychild…’ That kind of thing. How doeshe know? The long passage on thetaking of the central photograph is anextended fanciful journey into the

novelistic (pp. 84-87). �

Bernard Richards (Research Lecturer, 1963-1968)

The Undefended Leaderand The Undefended LifeSimon Walkerlaunched two ofhis new books atthis year’s SundayTimes OxfordLiterary Festival,hosted at ChristChurch. Simon hasbeen working forthe past ten yearsaround the worldwith leaders ofbusinesses, schools, charities and churchesinviting them to explore what an‘undefended leader’ would look like. “Theworld is an increasingly complex, fragile andin parts, unsafe place. If leaders themselvesare ‘defended’ then they can often exacerbatethe existing situation, defending theterritorial claims of their own ‘tribe’ ratherthan enabling dialogue, trust andcollaboration.” Simon suggests that many ofthe world’s biggest issues can only be solvedcollaboratively and that leaders need trainingto become more undefended in order to riseto the immense challenges that face us all.

He has been running training coursesfor blue chip firms such as Accenture,McKinsey & Co and KMPG with some

surprising and profound results and is nowlooking to create a not-for-profit Foundationto develop the research behind thisapproach. The Leadership CommunityFoundation will create a FellowshipProgramme for leaders involved intransformational work, who wouldotherwise be unable to access this kind ofinput and support. More than five hundredglobally have already been trainedin undefendedleadership in placesof huge need suchas Zimbabwe, India,Eastern Europe,South Africa andBurma.

The Foundationis looking for donorsand supporters. If youwould like to knowmore about thecampaign Simonwould be delighted to speak to you:simon.walker@theleadershipcommunity.

org or visit www.tlcfoundation.org.ukSimon’s two new books The

Undefended Leader (hardback 570pp, rrp£25.00) and The Undefended Life(paperback 230 pp, rrp £11.99) areavailable fromwww.theleadershipcommunity.org or onAmazon. �Simon Walker(1990)

Rifts of the EarthAs life expectation lengthens secondcareers, derived from hobbies or otherinterests, have become increasinglycommon, especially when redundancyhas forced change upon thoseunfortunate enoughto experience it, or,more happily, whenearly retirementallows onesufficient leisure toexplore a newdirection.

After a career insecondary schools,Simon Freebairn-

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CHRIST CHURCH ASSOCIATION NEWS / BOOK REVIEWS

Melvyn Bragg with (from left to right):Dr Mary Ann Lund (University ofLeicester); Dr Erin Sullivan (ShakespeareInstitute, University of Birmingham),Professor Julie Sanders (University ofNottingham) at a recent recording of theIn Our Time programme on RobertBurton, (1577 – 1640), who was a Memberof Christ Church. The photo was taken byTom Morris (1995), Producer of theprogramme. �

Smith has taken up writing. Kindle, thenew vehicle devised and promoted byAmazon, has provided a simple methodof publication, and by this means he haspublished four novels, of which the latestis "Rifts of the Earth."

Set initially in East Africa, this is astory well rooted in the world in which wenow find ourselves: to what degree arefirst-world nations entitled to plunderscarce minerals found in third-worldcountries? If the resources of the planet arefinite, as presumably they must be, what islikely to happen when essential materialscan only be found under the territory ofpoverty-stricken nations? "Rifts of theEarth" explores possible consequences.Innocent acts of ordinary individualsquickly affect the decisions of powerfulgovernments.

Max Leidentrott, sailing home in hisyacht from the Far East, accompanied by hisfamily, is attacked by pirates off the coast ofTanzania. A small occurrence noticed by hisson while they are together in captivityleads to the discovery of huge reserves ofoil. Modern communications ensure thefind does not remain secret for long. Lustfor control of such an asset soon leads on toruthless exploitation on the ground at thebehest of seemingly respectableadministrations on the other side of theworld. Sounds familiar? It's happening allthe time.

Although the stuff of fiction, Rifts of theEarth represents both a protest and a plea forjustice. But can the powerful be expected tolisten? �

Simon Freebairn-Smith (1955)

Animal RightsAnimal Rights, publishedby Oxford University Pressin 2011 as part of their“What Everyone Needs toKnow” series, is theculmination of workbegun at Christ Churchin 1993. Preliminary workon Christian andBuddhist views of animal issues weredeveloped in my doctoral dissertationsubmitted in 1997 to the Faculty ofTheology, and this was later published in2001 by Oxford University Press as TheSpecter of Speciesism: Buddhist andChristian Views of Animals. My work atChrist Church spurredme to participate inscholarly debates atthe American Academyof Religion (AAR). Theseconversations led toformation of the“Animals and ReligionConsultation,” whichnow meets annually atthe AAR and which I co-chaired for its first sixyears.

I have also had theopportunity to teach at Harvard LawSchool as the Barker Lecturer in AnimalLaw. This helped me develop the legaland moral issues described throughoutAnimal Rights. The book also presents avariety of religious, philosophical andscientific issues, and thus is intenselyinterdisciplinary. Because my goal was to

express issues and argumentsin language accessible to awide range of readers, thebook has been well received inmany countries and is nowused in courses from a varietyof disciplines. As the reviewerin ForeWord said in January2011, “Animal Rights is asuperbly written, well-researched work that

objectively looks at the subject matter,explores all sides of the issue, and makesgood on its promise to provide theinformation ‘everyone needs to know’about animal rights. Waldau's book willvery likely become the animal rightsbible and be an indispensable source for

any serious discussion of thetopic.”

Animal Rights will becomplemented by anothervolume to be published byOxford University Press underthe title Animal Studies—AnIntroduction. Building on thework in religion and lawdescribed above, this volumewill include chaptersdescribing the study ofanimal issues in courses

focused on art and literature,history, sociology, geography,anthropology, philosophy and ethics,critical studies, cultural studies, publicpolicy, and education. Additionalinformation is available atwww.paulwaldau.com �

Paul Waldau (1993)

L Paul Waldau

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My parents may once have had aspirations ofraising an Olympic athlete or star musician, forthe requisite lessons formed major componentsof my post-school world. Unfortunately for allconcerned, there aren’t many swimmers who are5’2’’ and even fewer professional musicians whostruggled to reach Grade 1. Instead, I have to say,all I had ever wanted to do was dance. Yet as afresher at Oxford I made a joyous discovery – theUniversity offered not only a world-classeducation, but more importantly a Latin Americanand Ballroom Dance team. Better still,‘Dancesport’ welcomes beginners as well astrained dancers. I’ve been hooked ever since.

It’s certainly difficult to fit what dancing hasgiven me into just one page. The process of learningto create and control movement remains bothexhilarating and immensely satisfying. I’ve gainednew perspectives (fake tan, scraped back hair anddiamante jewellery can, in certain circumstances,be a look you’re after). A trip to Florida with theteam to compete, and of course visit SleepingBeauty’s castle, was a wonderful bonus.

What else? Sports teams allow you to meetthose at other colleges but, more than this, theyprovide the grounds for an intense bondingexperience. And over the past six years, my fellowdancers have turned, not simply into friends-in-need, but loyal and generous friends-in-every-situation. Dance partners in particular becomevery significant. I once heard someonedescribe partnerships as a marriagewithout the good bits!

Whether unfair or not, it is true that most dancepartners spend more timewith each other than anyoneelse. I am very lucky then, formine is great fun, gentle-hearted and as willing to lookcritically at himself as he is ableto show me where I am goingwrong. He is also my best friend,and we are close in a way madepossible through mutual support,through the hours spent in pokysquash courts, through rising and falling together both in waltz and results.

Winning is of course uplifting and joyful, butI’ve found not making a round can be devastating.What to make of results? Some have argued withgreat vigour that the highest achievers are simplythose who have put in the most work. Yet dancinghas shown me there is more to the ‘gold medal’than toil and ambition, necessary as they are.Achievement is often tempered by luck-of-the-draw: who your coach is, how much money youcan spend and, of course, the talent you are bornwith. Thus it seems misguided to base self-love, orlove of others, simply on results. And those who dooften find themselves aboard a heart-and-gut-wrenching roller coaster.

Yet I do not believe in the phrase ‘it’s thetaking part that counts’. What counts isstretching, twisting, turning and leaping your wayto being a better dancer. What counts is makingyourself, your coaches and your partner proud, butin a way which glances over the vagaries of thetrophy cabinet and instead looks to those with acapacity for continual self-improvement and anunmoving sense of dedication.

On a lighter note, when Hume or the Frenchpost-modernists were getting me down, I neverfound a better way to escape the rigours ofacademic life than by tying back my hair andgliding around the floor. I was happy, whetherdancing a cha cha to Gaga or accompanied bythat Perrault-inspired Tchaikovsky waltz and my very own Prince Charming. �

Eliza Eagling (2005)Alumni Relations Officer

InSpired: Dreaming of a waltz

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GCR: Kerrith DaviesMy time in Christ Church’s GCR has broughthome to me the staggering diversity of graduatelife in Oxford. I’ve met students of all ages, hailingfrom every corner of the Earth and engaged in abewildering array of different courses. Some areaspiring academics; others hope to use theirknowledge more practically. Many choose not toimmerse themselves in Common Room life, butfor those that do the GCR provides a multi-disciplinary, multi-cultural space that fosters anendless exchange of ideas and life experiences,engendering fresh perceptions and perspectivesnot just on any one individual’s research orpreferred activities, but on any aspect of globallife. Such discussions encourage graduates tocommunicate their ideas and passions ever moreclearly to those neither experienced nor even,necessarily, that interested in their field. I stronglybelieve, then, that my involvement in the GCR hasmade me both a better scholar and a betterteacher. More importantly, by involving mesocially as well as professionally with enthusiasticstudents from both all kinds of backgrounds andacross the world, being in the GCR has made me, I hope, a more aware and understanding person.

Every one of us has a different notion of what itmeans to live well – for some it involves thesingle-minded pursuit of one goal, be itknowledge, success, power, money or love. Formany others it is achieved through a plurality ofvalues, through a balanced life. Thus for those atuniversity, pursuit of the “good life” is oftensought through supplementing academic studywith the extra-curricular. We have asked currentmembers of the House to comment on theirsocieties or sports teams and below they describein their own words the enrichment and pleasurestheir involvement has afforded them.

JCR: Matthew BarrettAbout a third of the job of President has beensome semblance of what I expected, the rest hasbeen a cacophony of new experiences. Some havebeen challenging, a few have tested my patienceand humility, but overwhelmingly it’s been animmensely rewarding tenure. I am continuallyastounded by the breadth and diversity of ourundergraduate community, something which I’dnever before appreciated. People are fascinated byeverything, and they don’t take a passive interest.Rowers are up before it’s light to train, people runcharities and tutor schoolchildren, they writeplays and scrutinise the Hall menus weeks inadvance. But despite the colourful differenceswhich make Christ Church a vibrant place to live,the memory that sticks out for me is that we allhuddled together on a chilly winter’s eveningdrinking piping hot mulled wine and eatingmince pies to watch Bill Lewis (legendarycustodian) switch on the lights of the first JCRChristmas Tree. What a great man he is.

Eliza Eagling(2005)

“Bad times,hard times –this is whatpeople keepsaying; but letus live well, andtimes shall begood. We are thetimes. Such aswe are, such arethe times.” – St. Augustine

Today’s clubs and societies

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LACROSSE: Laetitia Campbell and NatalieNewmanWhen we started the team in our first term herewe weren’t sure how many people (if any!) wouldturn up for the first practice. To our amazement,we had a rather sizeable turnout and weeklypractices commenced immediately with the helpof ten new sticks bought for us by Christ Church.Considering all but four of the team werecomplete beginners, it is incredible how quicklyeveryone took to the game. We have some verytalented players on the pitch, something which isclearly demonstrated by our fantastic results inthe College League and Cuppers.

We are both extremely proud of our team which,although still in its early days, has not failed tomaintain the sporting prowess that Christ Churchboasts. Captaining the team has been a greatexperience and we hope that the team’s successwill continue under next year’s new Captains!

WOMEN’S ROWING: Ellie DarlingtonMany students take up rowing for the first timewhen they arrive at Oxford and, for the most part,never look back. This is certainly something I canrelate to, having little previous sportingexperience and only agreeing to try rowing toappease a fellow fresher who didn’t want to goon her own! If you’d told me that I’d end up ascaptain, rowing not just at college level but alsowith the University development squad and forother clubs, I wouldn’t have believed you!

In the past 12 months, the women of ChChBChave participated in various external races, mostnotably the Boston Rowing Marathon last year inaid of Cancer Research. Our efforts raised over£1000, and we finished in second place in our

category, which was almost as satisfying as beingable finally to go to the loo after a 4 hour row!This year, the women’s side has been verysuccessful, with the 2nd boat achieving ‘blades’ inTorpids, and two women being selected for theOxford University Lightweight Squad. Being amember of the Boat Club has introduced us to somany experiences that we would never havedreamt possible without it, and left us withmemories that will remain with us forever.

MEN’S ROWING: Ian MaconnachieI started rowing at Christ Church in Michaelmasof my first year and now, two and a half yearslater, as Captain, I’m enjoying the experiencemore than ever. Rowing is a big sport in Oxfordeven without the Boat Race. A lot of colleges takeit very seriously, including ourselves and we arecurrently Head of the River in both Torpids andSummer Eights. It isn’t all about the top boatsthough - our boat club has a lot of depth and ourlower boats still achieve highly within the

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we’re winning, losing, or singing, everything isdone as a team, as a college, regardless of wherewe once went to school, what year we are in orwhat subjects we read. It has provided me withthe chance to meet some fantastic people andplay some good sport, and for that I am verythankful; long may itcontinue.

THE NONDESCRIPTS:Matthew SwainThe NondescriptsSports Society is oneof the House’s oldestsocieties and bringstogether sportsmenwho have achievedthe highly soughtafter Oxford ‘Blue’,or those who haveshown significantcommitment tocollege sports. The program thisyear has been incredibly busy with events rangingfrom golf days to trips to the dog races, with anaim of maintaining a sporting theme throughout.It is a great way to meet like-minded people fromdifferent sporting arenas and I have greatlyenjoyed my time as president. I hope that thesociety continues to prosper as it has done overthe last few years.

CARDINALS: William Wells The Cardinals have continued to enjoy asuccession of entertaining evenings throughoutthe year. Each term revolves primarily around thecocktail party, hosting over five hundredmembers of Christ Church and other colleges foran evening of improvised jazz and artisancocktails. It remains a notable fixture of theOxford social calendar, and offers a chance forfriends of Christ Church, as well as members oldand new to come together.

THE ART ROOM: Freyja Cox JensenThe Christ Church Art Room is always open. Nomatter what the time, the day, or the season,whether after lengthy labours in the library, orsimply on a sunny Sunday afternoon, here is aspace set aside for something very separate fromthe usual activities of an Oxford academic.

In the nine years I have been here, I have seen theArt Room move from Tom Quad to Old Library, andlose none of its character. I have witnessed the ebband flow of various student art movements,

university. Torpids this year went very well for theclub which is encouraging for Summer Eights inJune. I’ve been privileged enough to see five boatburning celebrations whilst at the House, andhopefully by the time you are reading this therewill have been at least one more.

FOOTBALL: Chris WallworkMy first year was particularlyspecial because we won the JCRPremier Division for the first timein decades. College football is agreat opportunity - it enablespeople who may not be ofUniversity standard to competeat a very high level and tobenefit from the active socialside. Anyone remotelyinterested in sport will tell youthat college sport is one of thebest things about OxfordUniversity.

RUGBY: Fraser King Being a fresher at ChristChurch can be quitedaunting. Once you are over

the initial hurdles of findingyour way to tutorials or acquainting yourself withthe porters late at night, there is still the scaryprospect of integration. Whilst making friends isnot difficult at the House, at first we often feelmore attached to our former schools than to ournew collegiate home in Oxford. As a sport, rugbyhas long been recognized as a bondingexperience for men in any context, and the sameis true for us here. Fighting it out on a muddypitch week after week for the college instils asense of belonging like nothing else. Whether

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sampled structuredclasses in drawing,painting andprintmaking, andmet a wonderfullydiverse range ofcharacters from theuniversity world andthe wider community.They are drawn to thisplace in its embrace ofartists of allbackgrounds andabilities and by thegenerous welcomeextended by theexceptional Art Tutor, Peter Rhoades.

But there is more to the Art Room than theproduction of whatever its users choose to call‘art’. Exhibitions are sometimes held, but they areincidental when compared with the socialfunction the room fulfils. For the Art Roomprovides a haven, out of the swing of the sea ofwork, daily life, and the pressures that accompanyan academic career. It is a space that gives itsusers the time to relax, to explore, to interact, tocreate, or just to be. Without it, we would bemuch the poorer.

FLOWERS AND FAIRIES: Astrid GrindlayBeing a member of Flowers and Fairies has madea pronounced difference to my time at ChristChurch - from the first invitation to events youbecome involved with, it has always provided aframework to form great friendships. This year wehave enjoyed many successful events, notably a‘foxhunt’ which got everyone involved in fancydress and some light exercise! Hopefully nextterm we will be busy with our bid to win a placein Summer Eights, which will provide some relieffrom the term of exams ahead.

THE ALICES: Chloe Mills“The president and secretary of theAlices would like to invite you to join oursociety…”. Having read the first line ofsuch a sweet invitation, I became“curiouser and curiouser”. However Iquickly came to realize this was notthe Alice in Wonderland fan club I hadfirst imagined, but a facilitator forgirly get-togethers with a touch ofclass. That having been said, theAlice-themed party, with cocktailsserved from a teapot, has been ahighlight of a wonderful butslightly mad year in this society.

COLLEGE CHOIR: GeorgiaGibson-SmithSo far in my experience asconductor, the choir hassung a fantastic concertof Handel’s Messiah, andhad a successful trip toSt George’s Chapel,Windsor, as well as theregular services in theCathedral. With all theundertakings of thechoir, the weekly(sometimes twiceweekly!) rehearsals require a lot of dedication.Yet it is so important to hang on to a social lifeand breadth of experience amidst all the hardwork, and for me there is nothing more pleasingthan to hear a glorious ‘amen’ soar through thewonderful setting of Christ Church Cathedral on aMonday evening.

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The Friends of the Cathedral now have informationabout most of the 223 Christ Church men who fell inthe First World War, and are starting to look forinformation about those recorded on the SecondWorld War memorials.

Several families with links to Christ Church mournedin both wars: Lt Nigel Cornwallis Madan, Royal LancashireRegiment, who came up to Christ Church as aScholar in 1908, and graduated in 1912, was killed inaction near the Bluff, Ypres when he was 27, and iscommemorated on the Menin Gate memorial. Hisnephew, Lt Nigel Madan Burney, GloucestershireRegiment, was born in 1916, the year his namesake

The Christ Church LibraryWe are delighted to announce that the Library restoration project won the2011 RICS Conservation Award for the South East Region. Against impressivecompetition it was deemedoutright winner in its field.Congratulations go to all thosewho worked on the restorationand a huge thank you goes toall who donated to the Libraryproject. There will be areception for all Library donorson Sunday 18th September at5pm. Invitations will be sentshortly, but please contactthe Development Office ifyou do not receive one. �

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Christ Church rolls of honourdied. He graduated in 1937, having been a member ofthe Officer Training Corps, and was the first ChristChurch man to be killed in the 1939-45 War, aged 23.He is buried in Beuvry Communal CemeteryExtension, Pas de Calais.

If you have a connection with any of the fallen ineither war, and can assist with information or – ofgreat value – a photograph, please email. PennyKeens and Katharine Broome will be delighted tohear from you. Email: [email protected]

(Please note the new e-mail address – the oldaddress was usurped and is no longer active) �

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Just a week after the devastatingearthquake that rocked Christchurch on22 February, a welcome diversion fromthe grim stories of death and destructionemerged. It lifted Cantabrians’ spirits,and was quickly picked up by the world-wide media contingent in town to coverthe disaster.

On 22 February, the bronze statue ofChristchurch and Canterbury’s foundingfather, John Robert Godley, was shakenfrom its plinth in Cathedral Square, andlanded face down on the pavement.Almost a week later, an eagle-eyed craneoperator working on stabilisingdamaged buildings around the Squarenoticed something sitting atop theplinth. A fellow worker climbed up andfound not one, but two time capsules.

This chap, Sean Haggerty, gathered upthe capsules and marched them off tothe Mayor of Christchurch, Bob Parker, atEmergency Operations HQ. The Mayor(who sits on the Museum Board) askedme to come to his morning pressconference so that he could do a livehand-over of the capsules into theMuseum’s safe-keeping.

The media interest was phenomenal!The first capsule comprised a brokenglass bottle containing a rolled upparchment. At the time of the mediabriefing, I noted that it smelled notunlike a good French blue cheese. Nowthat it has been relaxed, unrolled anddried by conservators, we know it to be arecord of the shift of the statue from infront of the Cathedral to beside theCathedral in 1918.

The second capsule, in a handsomecopper cylinder, was opened by theMayor a couple of weeks ago. It markedthe move of the statue back to itsoriginal position in front of the Cathedral in 1933, and contained a rangeof Christchurch newspapers from 1918and 1933.

Once the statue has been re-erected inCathedral Square, it is likely that thecapsules will be re-placed beneath it,hopefully together with a third capsulerecording the events of 2011.

Canterbury Museum buildings andcollections came through theearthquake in remarkably good

condition. The buildingsare the onlyexamples ofthe city’snineteenthcentury neo-gothictreasures tohave comethroughrelatively unscathed. Less than 1% of theMuseum’s 2.1 million collection itemshave been damaged. It is hoped that theMuseum will be able to re-open to thepublic in July. �

News of the AppealTo date Members of the House andworshippers in the Cathedral have raisedthe magnificent sum of over £40,000 tohelp Christchurch, New Zealand. The moneyhas been transferred to Christ ChurchCathedral N.Z. and they and we are verythankful. Of course, subsequent events havetaken over the headlines but our help is stillneeded. It is not too late if you wish tocontribute to the fund: please send chequesmade payable to “Christ Church, Oxford (NZFund)”, to the Development Office, ChristChurch, Oxford. OX1 1DP.

John Robert Godleystatue time capsules

Anthony WrightDirector, Canterbury

Museum

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The House’s catering and hospitalityorganisation is a substantial one,sustaining term time service tomembers, vigorous vacation conferencesand events programmes and regular oldmember Gaudies. The actively managedcollege cellar is an essential support, andhas been run for well over 20 years byPeter Keddie, Christ Church’s Bars &Buttery Manager.

The advance purchase of Clarets andPorts has long been a feature of prudentcellar management, delivering stocks ofmid-range and top end wines, a processcalling for patient and watchful planning.Ten years ago, a fortuitous opportunityarose to extend this in a northerlydirection, this time combining prudenceand foresight with a sense of newadventure. This was the House’s firstacquisition of a hogshead of malt whisky.

Scotch whisky distilleries are almostroutinely mothballed, and thenreopened, to accommodate the ebb andflow of market demand. In 2001, thefamous Islay distillery Bruichladdich hadreopened in new ownership and wasoffering distilled spirit with a choice ofpeat levels and cask maturation. Weopted for a well peated spirit, to bematured in a first fill sherry cask, this tolie at Port Charlotte on Loch Indaal, a sealoch. Periodic sampling monitoreddevelopment, until readiness for bottlingwas confirmed early in 2011.

Several influences, some planned, someaccidental, have contributed to the finaloutcome. The sherry has yielded a fruity,raisiny tone. High peatiness defines theisland origins, and a salty note tells ofseaside maturation. A distiller’s vigilancehas added a further, somewhat uniquecharacteristic. A damaged barrel stave in

John HarrisFormer Steward of

Christ Church1986-2011

the final year necessitated speedytransfer to a new cask and, with sherrycasks in ever shorter supply, a Madeirabarrel was used. This has contributed afurther nuance to the complex finish.Such was the distiller’s enthusiasm (fullyshared by the small House tastingpanel!) that the first House malt hasbeen bottled as a numbered limitededition of 390 bottles. It has beenreduced from higher cask strength,but only to 46% ABV, and has notbeen chill filtered.

Private cask malts in numberededitions can attract collectors,though this (like its Claret andPort cellar companions) isintended for the enjoyment ofmembers and others.Nonetheless, Bottle No.1 clearlyhas a certain cachet, so offersare invited from Housemembers, past and present.The proceeds will be donatedto the Christchurch NewZealand earthquake appeal. Thewinning bidder will also receiveBottle No.2: one to enjoy, andone to keep - for a while! Pleasee-mail your bid for the pair ofbottles to:[email protected] by31st of July.

A bottle of ‘The House’ Malt(full title: 2001 Port Charlottecask number 896) is available tomembers calling personally atthe Buttery for £79.00. And asfor the empty Madeirahogshead, this has now beenrefilled with newly distilledspirit, to build continuity ofsupply into the future andanother adventure in 2021. �

‘The House’Malt Whisky

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On 29 October 1642, after Oxford hadchanged hands twice, Charles I enteredOxford and the city became his court, hismilitary headquarters, and Christ Churchhis home for the next four years.

Once he and his entourage were settled,he began to make arrangements for hiswife, Henrietta Maria, to join him withher own household established inMerton College. And so, during the coldwinter months at the beginning of 1643,smiths and labourers were given thetask of knocking-through two gateways:from the garden by the cathedral,through Corpus Christi, and into Merton,to allow the King easy and private accessto his wife’s quarters. No accountssurvive at Christ Church or at CorpusChristi to bear witness to the opening ofthe gates but the Merton archives recordFabro lignario et aliis operariis viam denovo et ostium per Collegium CorporisChristi aperientibus - £1 16s 8d.

On Friday 14 July, Charles and his queenwith all their traine, came into Oxford.They rode into Christchurch in a coach,and as soone as they were alighted, the

kinge had the queene to her ownelodginge or court appoynted in Mertoncollege through Corpus Christi backeside..

The residents of Christ Church - court,college, and cathedral - tried hard towork together, but the strain was great.Those students who remained werepressed into service buildingfortifications, and the Chapter appealedto the Commissioners for Fortificationsfor a more lenient assessment of ChristChurch’s contribution to the defences ofOxford in view of the cost of providingfor the King. The students complainedvociferously that their meals had beenreduced, which seemed grossly unfair asthey were in armes on the King’s behalf.

When the Scots entered the war againstthe king in February 1644, Oxford was indanger of being encircled. An attack onthe city was beaten off in August, andthe King set off the following Spring onthe new season’s campaign with somehope. It was only a few weeks, though,before the Royalists suffered defeat atNaseby, and the King retreated back toOxford with nowhere else to go. Houseswithin three miles of Oxford were burntdown to prevent their use as billets, themeadows were flooded, and Wolvercote -at the vulnerable northern and open endof the Oxford ‘peninsula’ - wasgarrisoned. After the fall of Woodstock,the King fled, but the siege of the city,masterminded by General Fairfax,continued until 20 June, when the

Public chaos,private calm

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articles were finally signed. PrincesRupert and Maurice were granted safeconduct out of the country, the Bodleianwas placed under armed guard toprevent looting, and the purge ofRoyalists from the University began.

The gate between Corpus Christi andMerton has long been filled in, but theone between Christ Church and CorpusChristi is still there, much repaired andrather dilapidated with age, the onlyphysical reminder of the war andCharles’s residence here.

It is proposed to repair and strengthenthe gate to put it into good workingorder. Repairs will be restricted to piecingin of appropriately selected sections ofoak where the boards have rotted away,consolidation of decayed timber, and re-fixing of the horizontal ledges usingstainless steel screws. However somemaking good is needed. Layers of earlypaint survive on the west face and thesewill be analysed to see what colour itwas originally painted. (It appears neverto have been painted on the reverse). Thewest face is to be redecorated and theeast to be consolidated and treatedagainst the weather. All details of thedoor will be fully recorded by drawingsand photographs before and after therepairs. A repair schedule has beendrawn up by experts and we are seeking£8,000 to carry out the work to thisromantic piece of Christ Church history.Please contact:[email protected] should you beinterested in helping. �

Judith CurthoysArchivist

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The Allestree Library contains around3500 books which were bequeathed byRichard Allestree in 1681 for the use ofthe Regius Professor of Divinity and hissuccessors. Allestree was a Student ofChrist Church, a Royalist soldier duringthe Civil War, and returned after theRestoration to be made a Canon. It wasAllestree, with his great friend, Dean JohnFell, and John Dolben, who put ChristChurch back onto an even footing afterthe years of turmoil. He was the first tomove into the new north wing of TomQuad when it was completed in 1665.

Allestree’s books, although given to theUniversity, have always been at ChristChurch. In 1946 Christ Church formallytook over their administration. There is abias towards theology, but there aremany other subjects, including classics,science, medicine, mathematics, andpatristics. In addition, there are 138 booksformerly owned by Henry Hammond(1605-1660), and the parochial library ofWotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire,deposited here for safekeeping.

But the little room over the south cloister,accessed by a spiral staircase between theOld Library and the Wolsey Tower, is in asorry state. It is prone to hugefluctuations in temperature and humiditywhich causes mould and mildew. Somebooks have suffered from more active

destruction by book-worms and silverfish.It is rather grubby, and in need of aprofessional deep-clean and redecoration.Some of the shelving is unsuitable for thestorage of rare books. And the floor, whichis made up of a wonderful collection ofmedieval tiles, cries out for properrecording and preservation.

The Marc Fitch Fund has generouslygiven a grant towards the work on themedieval tiles, but we are looking foranother £12,000 to help restore thebooks and carry out the urgent work onthe rooms and book shelves. If you areinterested in making a gift towards thisfascinating project, and being takenaround the library by the Archivist,please contact:[email protected] �

The AllestreeLibrary

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Judith CurthoysArchivist

LK Images from the Allestree Library

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our hearts, strongly, we can be likeDenzelWashington. You know he isfamous because he works hard; we can belike him if we work hard too.”

Since completing the academy projectSalma has been training with us on ayouth leadership project and is lookingforward to this year’s summer!

Young people will also developtransferable skills in leadership, IT,communication skills and literacy thatwill benefit them in the future. Hassancontributed to the Film Academy lastyear and is now one of our YoungLeaders: “Most people become leaders forthe name, but if you want to be a goodleader then you must practice this toprove you are a good leader. Most of thegroup were pleased with me and thismakes me happy. I thought that it wouldbe a good start for me to improve, and Icould do something on filming, I alsothought that I would be able to meet andwork with professionals, now I feel likemaybe one day I could be a camera man,

Film academy at Oval House!Young refugees at Oval House will havethe chance to learn acting and filmmaking with a dedicated summer school.This three week project will offerdisadvantaged young people a positiveand creative activity in their summerholidays where they will gain anunderstanding of the film productionprocess, from the conception of an ideathrough to an edited short film for screen.

The project also offers a really valuableopportunity for vulnerable andmarginalised young people to build newsocial networks, make friends and receivesupport for their social and pastoralneeds. One of last year’s participants,Salma was incredibly shy and lacking inconfidence. Her confidence quickly grewand she took on a central acting role inher group film!

“The Film Academy is good, I practiced myEnglish and learnt to produce films, howto act, how to edit and how to direct. Wehave so much fun and see so many goodteachers and actors. If we make it from

an actor, or producer sometime in thefuture, who knows? But here you havethat chance and this is what I am herefor”.

Oval House is a living, thriving artsorganisation which is a testament to itsfoundations as a Christ Churchphilanthropic mission, founded and runby Christ Church men in the 1930s.Alongside cutting-edge performance weresearch and develop new methodologiesfor education and participation.

Times have changed, but the support wereceive through our Christ Churchconnection remains crucial, to meet aneed that is every bit as pressing as itwas when we were founded.

If you would like to sponsor a place for ayoung person to attend the FilmAcademy, or if your company would liketo sponsor our work – or just find outmore about Oval House, please contactValerie Boulet on 0207735 2869 [email protected]

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James Lawrie Treasurer

My reading tends to be ratherundisciplined with books chosen atrandom. Occasionally, I try to be morefocused and I read five of last year’sBooker Prize shortlist before the prizewas awarded, inevitably disagreeingstrongly with the eventual decision! Irecently had the opportunity briefly torevisit old haunts in Asia, where I workedfor 10 years in my thirties, and tried to tiemy reading into the trip.

On the way we stopped for 48 hours inDubai to visit my nephew Will Lawrie andsee his new gallery specialising in modernMiddle Eastern Art(www.lawrieshabibi.com). In a vain attemptto get into the mind of literary Arabia, andkeep up with our son who has beenoffered a place at Cambridge to readArabic, I read Waguih Ghali’s Beer in theSnooker Club, which paints a subtle pictureof the complex relationship between theWest and the Orient at an earlier time ofsocial and political upheaval in Cairo. I alsostarted Sugar Street, the final volume inNaguib Mahfouz’ Proustian Cairo Trilogy.Written before the author becamedisillusioned with Nasser, the trilogydepicts the life of the patriarch el-SayyedAhmed Abdel Gawad and his family overthree generations, from World War I to the1950s, when King Farouk I was overthrown.With its rich variety of characters andpsychological understanding, the trilogywas perhaps the principal reason whyMahfouz was awarded the Nobel Prize forLiterature in 1988.

Our primary destination was Hong Kongto attend the wedding of an old friend.John le Carré’s The Honourable Schoolboypublished in 1979 has aged a little, butstill conveys the intrigue and uncertaintythat characterises the relationshipbetween the Fragrant Harbour and its

Chinese mother. Smiley’s well laidplans go awry at the last or dothey? Le Carré keeps one insuspense till the very end. Theover-riding importance of moneywhich permeates Hong Kong,now coined by the Chineserather than the foreign devils, iswell conveyed. For an historicalperspective, I indulged inanother old favourite, An InsularPossession by Timothy Mo,shortlisted for the Booker Prizein 1986. Its description of thecloistered life at the Hongs inCanton in the 1830s whenJardine Matheson had such aprofitable business in opium,with occasional rest andrecreation in Macao, evokesan era remembered perhapsmore by the Chinese than bythe British. The portrait of athinly disguised GeorgeChinnery, the celebrated artistof the China trade, is aparticular delight.

Although superficial, thisattempt to link books withdestinations did add to thepleasure of the journey and Ishall try it again. �

Books with no ending...Reading for pleasure

L Naguib Mahfouz

j John le Carré

I Lawrie Shabibigallery

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2012 JubileeA Weekend of Music22nd – 24th June 2012

We are proud and excited to inform Members thatthe House will be organising a remarkable spectaclein June 2012. Next year marks the Diamond Jubilee ofthe Visitor, it will be 51 years since the “1812”promenade concert was held in Tom Quad in aid ofOxfam, 200 years since the Battle of Borodino, 130years since the debut of Tchaikovsky’s overture, andthe year of the Great British Olympics.

This memorable celebration will be an exhilaratingand enjoyable weekend of musical entertainment forall Members and everyone associated with theHouse, displaying once again Christ Church’s traditionof musical excellence. We also hope to raise funds forthe Cathedral’s new music trust and Christchurch,New Zealand.

The Programme:Friday 22nd June 2012 (Ninth Week).

We have provisionally booked Dame Kiri Te Kanawa whowill perform with the BBC Concert Orchestra, some ofher young protégés, and the Christ Church Choir.

Saturday 23rd June 2012.

The Oxford Philomusica will be re-enacting thefamous 1961 concert in Tom Quad with a performanceof the following programme:

Walton’s Crown Imperial; Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto;The Grand March from Aida; The New WorldSymphony; 1812 Overture.

Sunday 24th June 2012.

The Oxfordshire Music Service’s celebration of theQueen’s Jubilee comes to a climax with a “Concert ofContrasts”, featuring performances by the childreninvolved with the Cathedral outreach programme, theCounty Youth Big Band, and the Oxfordshire CountyYouth Orchestra. Many school children from acrossthe County will be involved.

The weekend will, in addition, feature otherperformances, and offer accommodation and manydining and hospitality opportunities. There will be arange of tickets available to suit all pockets.

PLEASE SAVE THE DATE!

More information will be available on the website inSeptember and Members of the House will be given apriority booking period before tickets go on sale to thegeneral public.

For more information, please contact theDevelopment Office [email protected]

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The Christ Church Association Open Day, Sunday lunch inHall and AGM will be taking place on Sunday 18 September.Not only will it give you a good excuse to worship in the cathedral that day, but we have also organised talks on the HallPortraits and the Cathedral stained glass windows, a port tasting led by Jasper Morris of Berry Brothers, a special exhibition inthe Upper Library, an Alice tour for children (and yes, Harry Potter will get a mention), and tea!

Schedule8.00am Holy Communion in the Cathedral 10.00am Matins and Sermon in the Cathedral11.00am Association AGM and Committee meeting in the Dodgson Room11.15am Choral Eucharist in the Cathedral12.15pm Association Drinks reception 1.00pm Traditional Sunday lunch in Hall2.45pm Choice of the following talks/events:

Talk on the Stained Glass in the CathedralTalk on the Portraits in Hall Vintage Port Tasting in the Freind Room with Jasper Morris (1976) Exhibition in the Upper Library Alice Tour for children

4.00pm Tea and cake in the McKenna room 6.00pm Evensong

Annual Report 2011If you would like us to include your news relating to the calendar year 2011 in the next Annual Report please e-mail theDevelopment Office or use the space below and return it to the Development Office.

We are pleased to hear about new jobs and appointments, awards, achievements, marriages, children, travels and any othernews you would like to share with members of the House. The deadline for this year’s Annual Report is Friday 10th February2012. Please limit your entry to 100 words.

Development & Alumni Office . Christ Church, OXFORD OX1 1DPTel: +44 (0)1865 286 325 . Fax: +44 (0)1865 286 587 . Email: [email protected]

1546 SocietyAll 1546 Society Members will be sent invitations to attend Choral Eucharist and areception in the Deanery with wine and canapés. They will then be most welcometo join other Association members for lunch at the special price noted on theinvitation.

To Book Please download the booking form on the website, or fill in the form overleaf andreturn it to Eliza Eagling in the Alumni & Development Office by 2nd September.

Library Donors All Library Donors and members of the Governing Body will be sent invitations toattend a reception and viewing of the newly restored library at 5pm, when wine andcanapés will be served.

Prices The cost of an adult ticket, whichincludes the Association drinksreception, lunch, wines and coffeeplus all events (except the vintageport tasting) is £35.00.

The cost for children is £19.50.

There is an additional charge of£15.00 per person for the vintageport tasting, with ports rangingfrom the Christ Church House Portto Dow’s 1963.

Sunday Lunch MenuSmoked Salmon with Lemon and CapersBrown Bread and ButterSt Veran 2006

Roast Sirloin of Aged Beef withYorkshire Pudding, Horseradish, Chateau Potatoes,Glazed Carrots and French Beans with AlmondsVacqueyras 2006

Apple and Blackberry Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream and Christ ChurchCream

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Christ Church Association Day Booking FormSunday 18th September 2011 Please use a black pen and write in capitals

Your details

Title:....................First Name: ……………………...........................Surname:……………………...................................................................................

Matric Year:………....... Email:…………………………………………………….……………………..............................................................................................

Guests: (please indicate if they are under 12 years of age)

Title:....................First Name: ……………………...........................Surname:……………………..............................................................Child: Y / N



Dietary requirements (please specify who for)……………………………………………………….................................................................................

……………………………………………………….......................................................................................................................................................................

Attendance

Please indicate which events you and your guests would like to attend. Please note that you do not all need to attendthe same events, although children must be accompanied by an adult for the Alice Tour.

No. attending Event (please tick)

…………… �� Association AGM and Committee meeting in the Dodgson Room (11am) …………… �� Association Drinks reception (12.15pm) …………… �� Traditional Sunday lunch in Hall (1pm)

A choice of one of the following:

…………… �� Talk on the Stained Glass in the Cathedral (2.45pm) …………… �� Talk on the Portraits in Hall (2.45pm)…………… �� Vintage Port Tasting in the Freind Room (2.45pm)…………… �� Exhibition in the Upper Library (2.45pm)…………… �� Alice Tour for children (2.45pm)…………… �� Tea and cake in the McKenna room (4 pm)

Payment

£35.00 for an adult ticket, which includes the Association drinks reception, lunch and wines and coffee plus all events(except the vintage port tasting). £19.50 for a children’s ticket (up to the age of 12). £15.00 per person for the vintageport tasting, with ports ranging from the Christ Church House Port to Dow’s 1963.

�� I would like..….....adult tickets �� I would like………..vintage port tasting tickets �� I would like………..children’s tickets

�� I enclose a cheque for £………………. made payable to ‘Christ Church, Oxford’

�� Please charge £……………….. to my Visa/Access/Mastercard/Switch/Delta (we do not accept American Express)

Name of Card Holder ……………………………………………………………………………........................……………………………........................

Card No: �� Three Digit Security Code: ��Start Date …………………………….. Expiry Date ………………………

�

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FORTHCOMING EVENTS

27 NovemberFAMILY CHRISTMAS RECEPTIONChrist Church

Family Programme Members areinvited to attend a reception withmince pies and mulled winein the Lee Building following theAdvent Carol Service.

DECEMBER 2011

8 DecemberVARSITY RUGBY MATCH EVENT

Twickenham Stadium

There will be a hot buffet lunch priorto the match, and a high teaafterwards.

14 DecemberANNUAL CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL St John’s, Smith Square

The Choir of Christ Church CathedralOxford will perform a programme oftraditional carols interspersed withChristmas music. There will be a drinksreception following the concert.

19 DecemberWESTMINSTER & CHRIST CHURCHDINNER Christ Church

A reunion dinner for everyone whowas educated at both Christ Churchand Westminster.

For all events please contact theDevelopment Office unless statedotherwise: Development Office +44 (0)1865 [email protected]

Event booking forms are available to download at www.chch.ox.ac.uk/development/events

SEPTEMBER 2011

10 September1961 REUNION

Christ Church

A reunion dinner for Old Members who will be celebrating the 50thAnniversary of their matriculation.

16-18 September2011 OXFORD ALUMNI WEEKENDOxford

Join fellow alumni for three days oftalks, lectures, walks, tours and manymore activities.

Contact: Oxford University [email protected] +44 (0)1865 611610 or sign up for email updates atwww.alumniweekend.ox.ac.uk

18 SeptemberCHRIST CHURCH ASSOCIATION DAYChrist Church

All members are invited to the ChristChurch Association Family Day,Sunday lunch in Hall and AGM. Wehave also organised a talk on thestained glass windows in theCathedral, a talk on the Hall portraits,a port tasting led by Jasper Morris ofBerry Brothers, a special exhibition inthe Upper Library, an Alice tour forchildren (and yes Harry Potter will geta mention), and tea!

18 September1546 RECEPTION Christ Church

A reception in the Deanery formembers of the 1546 society.

18 SeptemberLIBRARY DONOR’S RECEPTION

Christ Church

Library donors are invited to areception and viewing of the newlyrestored library.

29 SeptemberGAUDY (1977-1981 MATRICULATES)

Christ Church

Contact: Helen Smith, Steward’s Secretary +44 (0)1865 286 [email protected]

NOVEMBER 2011

5 November5TH YEAR REUNION (2004 – 2006

MATRICULATES)

Westminster School, London

Drinks reception and dinner tocelebrate the fifth anniversary of the2006 matriculands. Open to all whomatriculated in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

11 NovemberNINETIES & NOUGHTIES LONDONDRINKS Zebrano Bar, London

Members who matriculated in thenineties & noughties are warmlyinvited for a drinks reception.

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

AT THE HOUSE IN 2012

Plans are well advanced for our 2012residential programmes. The year openswith another spring Special Interestweekend, scheduled for 18th to 21stMarch 2012, and the Crusades as itssubject. The programme's academicdirector is Dr Christopher Tyerman, whohas assembled an array of specialistspeakers from Oxford and beyond for afour day, three night event entitled'Wars of Christ: The Crusades and theEmergence of Europe.'

This topic reflects the strong ongoinginterest in historical themes and againaims to give guests the opportunity toexamine a subject of interest in somedetail. Crusader warfare, castles and themilitary orders are among the lecturetopics, as well as Byzantium, Richard theLion Heart and the Muslim response tothe crusades. The contemporaryresonances aroused by this subject willdoubtless arise in lectures, questionsand discussion.

18-21 March 2012SPECIAL INTEREST PROGRAMMEWars of Christ: the Crusades and theEmergence of Europe

As well as the essential ingredient ofsound, accessible scholarship, residentguests will also enjoy the House'shospitality, comfortable rooms, inventivemenus and the Buttery cellar. Pastexperience (and some market research!)gives us some cause for cautiousoptimism that this programme will againenjoy a good response: the recent Blood &

Roses event reached full capacity somemonths ahead. We hope you will considerjoining us. The full 2012 Special Interestprogramme is available online atwww.chch.ox.ac.uk/conferences. If you would like a copy e-mailed to you,please contact Becky Favell in theSteward's Office on 01865 286848 [email protected]

24 March-1 April 2012SUNDAY TIMES OXFORD LITERARYFESTIVAL

The Easter vacation at Christ Church nowalso regularly includes the Sunday TimesOxford Literary Festival. Based at theHouse, but expanding into neighbouringcolleges and large University venues suchas the Sheldonian Theatre, the festivalattracts many thousands of attendeesacross its nine day span. Next year thefestival will take place between 24thMarch and 1st April. The programmereceives wide advance publicity in theSunday Times and is also to be foundonline at www.oxfordliteraryfestival.com

The largest in-House conference nextyear is our ‘Conflict’ programme, the series now entering its tenth year.The Conflict series began with amemorable collaboration with theBletchley Park Trust, on the wartimeEnigma codes, and has made its waythrough espionage, the Trafalgar bi-centenary, the Atlantic Alliance and theMaking of the Modern Middle East. A listof all past programmes can be found onthe Christ Church website at:www.chch.ox.ac.uk/conferences/chch-events/previous

2-7 September 2012CONFLICT SERIES 10TH ANNIVERSARYCONFERENCEThe Chinese Century

The Conflict series celebrates its 10thanniversary by considering that great andre-emerging giant: China. The academicprogramme is led by Oxford's ProfessorRana Mitter whose speakers will examinethe long century that began with theOpium Wars and the fall of the Manchudynasty, through the rise of theNationalists, World War II and theCommunist victory, and the CulturalRevolution, with the ‘Middle Kingdom’ultimately rejoining the world. Perhaps itis the century that lies before us that willtruly belong to China. Among thespeakers is Lord Patten, the last Governorof Hong Kong.

The Chinese Century' will be held at theHouse between 2nd and 7th September2012. The full programme will shortly beposted to all on the Steward's Officemailing list, be available on the websiteat www.chch.ox.ac.uk/conferences and onrequest via [email protected]. An oldmember's rate is offered for the fullprogramme which, in addition to thecustomary hospitality, includes a choiceof outings on the programme’s middleday and a concluding Gala Banquet inHall, probably not on a Chinese theme!John HarrisSteward of Christ Church, 1986-2011.

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Development and Alumni OfficeChrist Church . Oxford OX1 1DP . United KingdomTel: +44 (0)1865 286325 . Fax: +44 (0)1865 286587 . Email: [email protected]

designed and produced by baseline . oxford . photography by kt bruce and ralph williamson, unless otherwise acknowledged

Visit from the First LadyOne of the first entries in the Christ Church Visitors’ Book(shortly after Stanley Baldwin) is the signatures of theKing and Queen of Afghanistan: 23rd March 1928. The mostrecent is that of Michelle Obama: 25th May 2011.

The First Lady came with an amazing assortment ofsecurity and other supporters. But the core of the eventwas quite intimate and informal: speaking aboutaspiration in general, and hopes for higher education inparticular, to a group of girls from the Elizabeth GarrettAnderson school in Islington. Why Oxford and why ChristChurch? Because Oxford in general and Christ Church in

particular (as well as looking impressive) encourageapplications from academically able people from every kind ofschool and background.

The day was a success. Of course it is hard to estimate whatthe precise effect will be of such ‘celebrity’ visits, but we hopethat the conjunction of the images of Michelle Obama, thegirls and Christ Church will help.

If you would like more information about the Christ Churchoutreach and access work, or would like to join the EducationNetwork, please email: [email protected]

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