The Newsletter of Homerton College, Cambridge & The Homerton Roll

Homertonian
The Newsletter of Homerton College, Cambridge & The Homerton Roll Number 15 | June 2011
in this issue | Charter Campaign | Beyond Our Studies | Rowing Blue
Homerton College 1

Homertonian
Issue 15 | June 2011
contents
CONGRATULATIONS TO EILEEN ALEXANDER
College
Principal’s Letter 3
College News 4
Research in Education 8
Student News 9
Retired Senior Members 20
Obituaries of former colleagues 21
Homerton Roll
Keeper’s Letter 24
Homerton Roll Committee and 24
Membership
Branch Contacts and News 25
Annual Roll Reunion 2011 28
The Homertonian is published once a
year to keep members informed with
College and alumni news. If you have
any suggestions for the next issue, please
contact the Development & Roll Office,
Tel: 01223 747270 / 747280;
Email: roll@homerton.cam.ac.uk
All our publications are available as pdf
files from the Homerton College website:
www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/homertonians
(an honorary member of the Homerton
Retired Senior Members Association) on
her 100TH BIRTHDAY on APRIL 2nd 2011
Homerton Retired Senior Members have
been delighted to welcome Eileen to a
number of their recent meetings, all of which
she has thoroughly enjoyed – particularly
the seminar on Homerton during the war.
She also came to the Charter Celebration in
June 2010.
Eileen was appointed to the Homerton staff
to teach physical education in 1937 by Miss
Skillicorn. She was seconded to join the
ATS from 1941–1945 and on her return to
Homerton was apppointed Vice-Principal of
the college. She speaks very warmly of Miss
Skillicorn and feels that working with her was
very significant in her subsequent career.
Eileen was born in Staffordshire in 1911.
The family moved to London and she
attended North London Collegiate School.
She trained as a physical education teacher
at Dartford and took up her first teaching
post at Felixstowe College for Girls in 1932.
In 1935 she moved to work at Tamworth
High School. (It was amazing to find
that also on the staff for her first term
was my mother – who was teaching
French.) Her next job was at Homerton.
She remembers her interview vividly –
she had to take a gymnastics lesson in
the gymnasium as Miss Skillicorn and
others watched from the stage. Eileen left
Homerton in1946 to become an HMI, a
position she held until 1951 when she was
appointed as Principal of Bedford College
of Physical Education.
In the 20 years that Eileen was at Bedford
the size of the college grew from 150
to 450 students and her staff grew from
9 to 43. To accommodate this huge
increase in student numbers she oversaw
significant building projects as well as
acquiring a good many houses for student
residence. She played a leading role in
the development of physical education
during these years and was awarded the
OBE in 1973 for this work. In addition
Eileen was President of the Physical
Education Association from 1959–1961,
and was a member of the Sports
Council and the CCPR Executive
Committee. She received an
Honorary Degree from
De Montfort University in 1995.
Please find us on facebook
Thank you to all of our contributors and
to those who supplied images.
The views expressed in this newsletter
do not necessarily represent the views of
Homerton College, Cambridge.
Cover image:
Holly Cracknell, Education Tripos
Cover photograph: Stephen Bond
Design and print management:
H2 Associates, Cambridge.
Eileen Alexander with student
Eileen still lives in her own home
and is determined to stay there as
long as possible! She marked her
birthday with a small lunch party
at a favourite restaurant and did
not want any great celebrations.
The College wished her a very
happy birthday and continued
good heath to enjoy the rich
variety of activities in which she is
still involved.
Margaret Whitehead
Lecturer in PE at Homerton College
1964 –1980
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Homertonian

principal’s letter
Kate PrettY
This time last year we received the
Royal Charter in time for a photograph
of that moment to feature in last year’s
Homertonian. All of you will know that
this was a long-awaited event and it was
followed in the summer and autumn by
a celebratory Garden Party in June, a
visit from the Chancellor in July and by
extra celebrations by former members
of the College in late September at the
Alumni Weekend, not to mention a
champagne reception by members of
the London Branch at the Oxford and
Cambridge Club in November. Also in
November I helped launch a Homerton
group in California, will visit the
Manchester Branch in April and hope
to visit others later in 2011. So, more
celebrations for me in the coming year
and little chance for the College to rest
on its laurels.
(as we do now), and to mitigate, where
we can, the effects of graduating with a
large loan to repay. The University will be
required to meet targets for the admission
of students from state schools, and since
admissions are managed by the colleges,
Homerton, like the other undergraduate
colleges, will have to continue to work
hard to attract state school pupils. We
do well at the moment but quite small
changes in the actual number of students
can have a disproportionate effect on
percentage targets. We admit nearly 200
undergraduates a year so even a small
variation in numbers – say six more or six
fewer from state schools – will change
our figures by 3%. Moreover, we do not
know how next year’s applicants will be
affected by high fees, nor whether they
will change the balance of our intake in
terms of subjects.
We still admit the majority of the
University’s PGCE students and many of
them studied with us as undergraduates.
The Government has very recently
announced a cut in teacher training
numbers, even at Cambridge with its
perfect OFSTED score, and also announced
a cut in teacher-training bursaries, only
funding students training to teach in the
sciences and modern languages. We do
not know the effect of this on either PGCE
numbers for Homerton or on the future of
university-based training, where, after this
year, future trainees will face an expensive
training year. It will be some years before
we shall see the full effect on recruitment to
the profession and there is some perversity,
or perhaps just normal economy, in the
Government’s decision that apprenticeshipbased
models are preferable to universitybased
training despite OFSTED’s clear
view that the latter are more effective and
usually better quality. Inevitably, I take
the view that professional training is a
matter for partnerships between university
departments and schools, but this is not the
cheapest option.
Therefore, this is a good time for us to
launch our Charter Campaign with its
emphasis on raising funds for student
hardship to allow all our junior members
to take full opportunity of their time at
Cambridge. I am committed to raising
funds for this purpose, which seems to
me to be the essence of our work as an
educational charity. We must admit the
best students, teach, maintain and nurture
them while they are with us, and send them
out from Homerton and Cambridge fully
prepared for the world which awaits them.
I just wish I could understand better what
that will be like. On top of these broad aims,
as an archaeologist, I have one very small
aim, which is to get Stonehenge in the new
national curriculum for History! I shall report
on both large and small next year.
Dr Kate Pretty
March 2011
Universities, like other parts of the public
sector, are facing cuts, and with cuts,
redundancies. Cambridge has been
relatively protected thus far and as a new
college we share the fate and protection
of Cambridge as part of the collegiate
university. Our charter application has been
timely – a year later and we might have
met more resistance to being accepted
as a new college. As I write, Cambridge
has yet to finally decide on a fee level for
undergraduates but we are likely to charge
£9,000 a year, with a bundle of measures
to assist students who need financial help
Teacher training couldn’t be any better,
says Ofsted
The Faculty of Education’s teacher training provision has scored the top rating of
‘outstanding’ in every one of 22 inspection criteria. Inspectors from Ofsted offered
no recommendations for improvement.
Mike Younger, a College Fellow and the then Head of the faculty, said, “ The Faculty
of Education is delighted to report the outcomes of the recent Ofsted inspection
of its early years/primary and secondary PGCE initial teacher training provision.
Inspectors concluded that the course was outstanding, and uniquely offered no
recommendations for consideration or further action. This is a remarkable outcome
and testimony to the quality of the partnership between the faculty and local schools.”
Homerton College 3

college news
HOMERTON COLLEGE CHARTER CAMPAIGN
One year on from receiving the Royal
Charter we are focusing on Homerton’s
future as part of the Cambridge collegiate
system. This year we have launched the
Charter Campaign focusing on three key
areas of College life: Students, Research
and Teaching. Our aim is to ensure that
all our students can enjoy an exceptional
and distinctive Homerton education
including outstanding facilities, teaching
and extra-curricular opportunities.
During the Easter vacation 2011 we
undertook our first Telephone Campaign.
Fifteen of our current students telephoned
Roll members over a two week period.
We hope this becomes an annual event,
allowing Homertonians to exchange news
and experiences at the College across the
generations. Over a third of the people
we spoke to have made a gift, while
others are giving the matter further
consideration. The College would like
to extend its gratitude to all of its donors,
past and present.
English, Geography, Law, Natural Sciences
and Theology. Their extra-curricular
pursuits included drama, music and sport,
but we also had a budding journalist
who has published nationally and
internationally, a Lay Chaplain, an
engineering student involved with
Engineering World Health and a student
hoping to set up allotments in the
College grounds. The students enjoyed
your wonderful memories of your time
at Homerton in addition to learning and
developing skills which will help them in
their future careers.
If you would like to know more about the
Homerton College Charter Campaign please
contact Alison Holroyd, Senior Development
Officer, at campaign@homerton.cam.ac.uk
or 01223 747270. Further details are also
available in the Homertonian section of the
website. All gifts, no matter their size, make
a real difference. Added together they
create an important resource to ensure
Homerton’s continued success and
excellence into the future.
Alison Holroyd
Senior Development Officer
The student callers who took part reflected
the diversity of subjects now on offer at
Homerton College. Their subjects included
Economics, Education, Engineering,
The telephone team
BENEFACTORS OF HOMERTON
Homerton has always relied heavily on
benefactors, and particularly legacies,
to support its work in teaching and
education. The earliest record we have
of a legacy comes just six years after
the King’s Head Society was formed:
Mr Charles Mason of the Victualling
Office, by Will dated 10 Aug. 1736,
bequeathed £150 to promote ‘…a work
carrying on for training up Youth in the
Grammar tongue for which purpose a
Society meet weekly at the King’s Head
Tavern, by Swithin’s Ally, by the Royal
Exchange.’ Another early benefactor was
Richard Moth, a minister who died shortly
after becoming a member in 1737. He
left both money and books to the Society;
the books were mostly theological works
and twenty five were selected, including
Gordon’s Geographical Grammar.
In our archives we have a list of early
benefactors in the period up to 1850.
Surprisingly there are sixteen of over £100
and one from the Rev. W. Miller of £769 in
1812 – a huge sum of money equivalent to
several million by modern standards. Another
given by a Mr Isaac Padman in 1829 was
for £895. An anonymous member of the
University of Oxford gave us £100 in 1833
– surprising because this was a time when
non-conformists could not enter Oxbridge.
Mr George Hammond left us £1,000 in
1839. One of the biggest all-time donations
to the College came from the celebrated
philanthropist Samuel Morley, who gave us
£2,000 in 1894 to assist with the move from
London and a ‘like sum’ in the following year
to help with refurbishment of the Cavendish
buildings in Cambridge. Samuel Morley is
consequently regarded as the founder of
Homerton in Cambridge. His portrait hangs
in the Hall and we use elements of the
Morley crest in our College coat of arms.
In 1936 we had the legacy in memory
of Mary Louise Macaulay, a student from
1909–11. She died prematurely in 1915
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Homertonian

while working in a school at Soham; we still
have a room named after her. Significant
donations came from the Milton Mount
Foundation in the 1970s, one of £1,000 was
for the black and white Library extension,
and another £25,000 went towards the
purchase of houses. These were subsequently
sold and the money used for building
student accommodation. In 1978 the same
Foundation gave us £22,000 for the new
Biology Laboratories where a plaque now
commemorates their generosity.
The students themselves have been active
in fund raising, notably in 1973 when they
contributed £1,000 towards the new Squash
Court. In the 1980s and 90s the Wolfson
Foundation made substantial bequests
towards new student accommodation. More
recently we have received significant bequests
from individual alumni and former members
of staff. It is not possible to list all of them in
this short article. Marjory Morris, who will be
remembered by many in the Manchester
branch, and Joan Simms, wife of Tom Simms,
were on the teaching staff at Homerton, and
left us sizeable legacies. In 2001 we received
a generous anonymous donation in memory
Miss Whitley, a former staff member.
HOMERTON CONFERENCE CENTRE
It’s been an exciting year in the
Conference Centre and business is
positively booming. Due to the fabulous
facilities on offer and the excellent
service we are so proud to provide
Homerton is playing host to a hugely
diverse range of events in 2011. This
year’s client list includes The Brontë
Society, The Prince’s Trust, BP, the NHS
and Bell Language School. And it’s not
just all work and no play; a number of
local companies chose to hold their
Christmas parties at Homerton with
2010 being our best year ever! Bookings
are coming in thick and fast for 2011
and availability is now limited. However,
some spaces remain so if you would
like to enquire about Christmas events
at Homerton please give us a call.
Prices start from just £32.50 + VAT for a
sumptuous silver-service dinner.
We are also proud to announce the
launch of the new on-line booking
system for accommodation. It has
been designed to enable groups of
10 or more guests/delegates to make
bookings and pay for overnight bed and
breakfast accommodation online. Rates
vary throughout the year, but if you are
attending a Cambridge event and want to
‘re-live’ your Homerton years, speak to our
events team for further details.
During vacations weddings and civil
ceremonies play a big part in the life of
the Events Team. While we do not openly
advertise our wedding services (we’d be
overrun with enquiries!) we are always
delighted when our Alumni come back
to Homerton to get married. Packages start
at £75.00 per head. However, if you have a
connection with the College we are able
to put together bespoke options to
make planning your big day seamless
and stress-free .
Contact 01223 747218 or email
conferences@homerton.cam.ac.uk for any
further information about holding an event
at Homerton.
Alexandra Cox
Conference and Accommodation Officer
college news
Three former Principals have remembered us
in their Wills, particularly Dame Beryl Paston
Brown and Alison Shrubsole, and in equal
proportion our former Vice Principals Hilary
Shuard and Joyce Skinner. By the standards
of other colleges in Cambridge, these
bequests are not large, but they are none
the less significant and enable us to maintain
the momentum we need to complete new
projects and support the very high standards
expected of us.
If you would like to help Homerton by
making a bequest or legacy, please
contact the Development and Roll Office
at campaign@homerton.cam.ac.uk, or
telephone 01223 747270.
Dr Peter Warner
Fellow, Senior Tutor Paston Brown Room (formerly the upper art studio)
Homerton College 5

HOMERTON COLLEGE LIBRARY: Children’s Literature and other collections
I took over as Librarian from Geoff
Mizen in September, and since then
I have been getting to grips with the
uniqueness of Cambridge, and the
various aspects of my role.
The College Library sits in a wonderful
building, and has a very varied
collection of items. I feel very fortunate
to be working in such an environment.
Our main focus is on providing the texts
students require for Part I of the Tripos
examinations, but we do expand further
in places into the more advanced
subject areas of Part II.
Right Baby’s Opera,
Walter Crane
Below The chemist from
The Book of Shops,
Edward Verrall Lucas
Alongside this core role and
collection we have a number of
special collections. By far the largest
of these is the Children’s Literature
collection, which consists of around
8,500 items. Established in the
1960s, the collection was retained
by Homerton during the creation of
the Education Faculty Library, and is
accessible on application by students
from all Colleges. It is a growing
collection that we are fortunate to be
able to add to each year, and we aim
to retain everything, only discarding
some duplicates.
Within this specialism we have over
300 rare children’s books, a few of
which are on display just inside the
Library. These include both facsimile
items, modern classics and some very
early books for children. Some items
have been moved from the loanable
collection, whilst others have been
donated or purchased over the years.
We also have a small selection of other
rare books, including Haveth Childers
Everywhere by James Joyce: an extract
of Ulysses published by Joyce whilst he
was still writing it, and a first English
edition of Mein Kampf!
Many of the items have their own
particular charms. For example, we
have an edition of the Baby’s Opera
illustrated by Walter Crane, containing
music for children. We also have The
Book of Shops by Edward Verrall Lucas,
with a wonderful poem and illustration
for each shop one would frequent at
the turn of the 20th century. In contrast
our copy of The Golden Age by Kenneth
Grahame looks to be nothing special,
but is in fact one of a limited edition
of 275 copies signed by both the
author and the illustrator E. H. Shepard.
Each time I delve into our rare books
I come out with something new to
captivate me.
The rare book collection is not static,
and we do add to it when we identify
an item of value or significance in the
main Library, or when suitable items are
donated to us. We are always open to
donations but, to maintain the standard
of the collection, we will only accept
items that will enhance it in some way.
The Roll Office and Library are always
happy to talk to potential donors
about the suitability of items and the
donations procedure.
Liz Osman
Librarian
6
Homertonian 6

HOMERTON: The Evolution of a Cambridge College
When Senior Tutor Peter Warner
and former Vice-Principal Peter
Raby sat down to plan something
to mark Homerton’s Royal Charter
they set themselves a formidable
challenge. They wanted to produce a
contemporary portrait of collegiate life,
to sketch the history and inheritance
as well as to reconstruct what the place
felt like for successive generations of
students. The book which resulted from
their efforts, Homerton: the Evolution
of a Cambridge College, is a lavishly
illustrated compendium drawing on a
wide range of informed contributors.
In it readers of all varieties will find
something of interest to reflect their
time at the College and in Cambridge,
whether it be the buildings, the people,
the sport and cultural activities and
even what was formally taught!
Many will turn first to the final chapter in
which Janet Bottoms (Lecturer in English)
reconstructs students’ experiences of daily
life since the Second World War, drawing
on a rich archive of jottings and memories
they provided. There was a certain
diffidence in the immediate post-War
MUSEJI AHMED TAKOLIA CBE
When contacted by College, Museji wrote as follows:
years amongst both staff and students. One
alumna recalls how they ‘were but children
yet always called Miss’ whilst another felt the
staff were supportive but ‘a little stuffy’. There
were also strict rules about entertaining men:
there was apparently ‘a tiny room where men
could be entertained but the door had to
be kept open at all times and the “famously
fierce” domestic bursar supervised the event’.
Fast forward to the New Millennium.
The College now admits men and whilst
Education remains an important feature of
the cultural landscape, other tripos subjects
are taught alongside it. Students are actively
involved in student life across the University
and one of them gets elected as President
of CUSU, the students’ union. Nonetheless,
certain long-established and valued
traditions live on. One alumna, for example,
comments that ‘visits to other colleges made
me realise that Homerton was a friendly
and tight-knit community and its members
were fiercely proud of everything that they
continued to achieve’ whilst another reflects
that ‘from the first day to the last’, Homerton
was a place where ‘I felt I belonged and
a place that watched me develop from a
school leaver into a professional’.
“I received news of the CBE with due humility. I have
been lucky to work with some very talented and
committed people from all backgrounds and in the
service of all communities through a very wide range of
organisations, spanning the Cabinet Office, to charities,
in local government and through my non-executive roles
in social housing/regeneration, health and in education,
where I remain a Board member of OFSTED. Education
and learning has been and remains the centre of my
universe as it has given so much to me. Recognition like this means a lot, especially to
those in my family who have loved and supported me through the years.”
Museji Ahmed Takolia
BEd 1980 –1984 Chemistry and Education
A more detailed description of Museji’s work will appear in the Roll News 2011
As earlier generations of Homerton students
will confirm, such achievements had to
be fought for. Academia (and Cambridge
in particular) can be an unforgiving
environment, all too ready to criticise, often
slow to praise but ultimately prepared to
be convinced and give credit where it is
due. Elsewhere in the book the various
challenges facing successive principals are
analysed in some depth – the ‘battle’ for
the B.Ed, the development of a stronger
research culture, the need to rebuild much
of the building stock and, more recently,
the campaign for ‘convergence’ to name
just a few.
Those who commit themselves to careers
in education or other areas of public life
know, from an early age, that they will
never make a great deal of money but,
importantly, they also learn that there are
other ways to make their mark. As many
of those featured in this volume will attest,
Homerton’s greatest achievement seems
to have been to have given cohorts of
students the confidence and self-belief
to make their way in the world. As
Principal Kate Pretty concludes, ‘it is a
remarkable place’.
Copies of Homerton: the Evolution of a
Cambridge College, edited by Peter Raby
and Peter Warner, are available price £24.00
(including postage and packing), from: The
Development & Roll Office, Homerton College,
Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 8PH. Cheques
made payable to ‘Homerton College’.
Professor John Gray
Vice-Principal
college news
Homerton College 7

esearch in education
Research vignettes from some Homerton
Fellows within the Faculty of Education
Within the University, the Faculty of
Education conducts world class research
and provides an outstanding research
environment for staff and students. In
Homerton, the research tradition was
consolidated in the early 90s, in the early
years of Kate Pretty’s principalship, when
Professors Jean Rudduck and John Gray
were appointed to develop a coherent
research strategy. The tradition they
established, of practice-based research
which informs policy, teaching and
learning, is alive and well in the Faculty of
Education today.
Ros McLellan is involved
in a number of research
projects relating to her core
research interests in the
areas of student motivation
and creativity in schools. She is particularly
excited to have been commissioned
recently by Creativity, Culture and Education,
the charitable organisation behind the
government-funded Creative Partnerships
Programme, to look at the impact of Creative
Partnership work on student wellbeing, as
this brings together her different interests.
This project, which she is conducting with
her colleague in the Faculty, Professor
Maurice Galton, is underway and the final
report is due in December 2011.
The first phase of their research involves a
survey of 40 schools (half of whom have
been involved in Creative Partnerships
and including an equal number of primary
and secondary schools), to assess student
motivation and wellbeing and determine
the types of involvements these schools
have had in Creative Partnerships and other
creative initiatives. The second phase will
comprise extended visits to a small number
of these schools to find out more about the
work they do through observing creative
initiatives and talking to the students,
staff and the creative agents involved.
Through this we hope to build a better
understanding of how creative initiatives,
including Creative Partnerships, might
influence student wellbeing.
In the last UK government’s
Chief Inspector’s report
where subjects are
mentioned in detail, it was
noted that art and design
ranks as the best taught National Curriculum
subject overall in secondary schools.
Richard Hickman’s research has examined
the notion that successful teachers of art
and design have much to offer outside their
discipline in terms of pedagogy, focusing
on what factors, specifically in teachers’
lives, might contribute to effective teaching
across the curriculum. He has been looking
at the life-stories of ten artist/teachers,
using several qualitative research methods
– self-portraiture, autoethnography and
autobiography. The questions that underpin
his current research are: How do individual
life experiences inform art teachers’ teaching?
How in turn might others benefit from their
pedagogical practices? Richard has recently
completed a book based on this work which
advances the notion of ‘practical sagacity’ –
that wise teachers create congenial learning
environments through facilitating practical
engagement with materials, and this leads
to meaningful learning.
As part of Elaine Wilson’s
core work at the Faculty
of Education she been
researching the process
of becoming a teacher
and has analysed the changes that new
graduates and career changers go through
as they change identity and become
science teachers. The work is supported
by generous funding from the Gatsby
Charitable Foundation, which has been
used in two ways. Elaine writes: “We have
established a support network of novices
which extends beyond Initial Teacher
Education, particularly into the high risk
early years of teaching, and have then set up
a research programme focusing on better
understanding the process of becoming a
teacher with a view to reducing drop out
rates during ITE and helping new science
teachers to remain in post.” Together
with three research associates, Elaine
has published work relating to teachers’
emotions, self efficacy, self determination
and the support networks novices form.
The on-going research has extended to
include perfectionism in new teachers and
the role of strong faith in helping novices
to be resilient. The most recent research has
compared the experiences of novices on
the Faculty-based programmes with similar
novices in Canada, Hong Kong and Thailand.
David Whitley is intrigued
by a local study of poetry
teaching, funded by the
British Academy. David
writes that “poetry has an
odd status within our culture and education
system generally now – perhaps the most
prestigious of the older literary forms, it
is also the form that is least read by most
adults and many teachers lack confidence
working with it. Schools’ practices have
also changed quite a bit over the past
thirty years or so (pupils used to have
to memorise lots of verse, for instance)
while many universities, responding to the
challenges of theories such as feminism
and postcolonialism, have become more
attentive to the themes and ideologies, than
to the art, of poetry. The project I’m involved
in is distinctive, in that it covers poetry
teaching from primary school through to
university, asking questions such as: What
is the relationship between creative writing
and analysis in poetry teaching, and does
creative writing have to be relegated to a
minimalist role after primary school? Does
poetry require a different kind of attention
from the reader, and might this special
attention have a particular value in a fastmoving,
global, digital age? Does poetry
work best when we take it into ourselves in
the deepest recesses of our verbal memory?
Is it most vital when spoken or sung? The
results of early interviews with teachers at all
levels have been fascinating and I hope to
publish reflections on these later in the year.”
Mike Younger
Head of Faculty of Education
8
Homertonian
Please refer to the Research pages on the Homerton College website for further information.

student news
HOMERTON OLD BOYS REUNION MATCH REPORT
‘Old Dogs teach New Tricks….’
Current XI 0 Homerton Old Boys 3
A famous Scottish football pundit once
suggested that ‘you could nae win
anything with kids’, and so it was that
on Saturday 30th October, a team of
Homerton ‘Allstars’ took on the current
Men’s XI in their annual re-testing of
Hansen’s first Law of Football.
Homerton Old Boys Team Line-Up :
Gk : Phil Hart (1996–2000)
Def : Joe Carr (2000–2001), Joe Davenport (2000–2003), Martin Harvey, Tom Hayles
Mid : Mikey Smyth (2005–2006), Zach Newby (2007–2010), Billy Overton (1999 –2003),
Ben Tanner (2004–2008, 2009–2010)
Att : Mike Turnham (2000–2003), Adrian Watts (c) (1996–2000)
Coach / ‘Gaffer’ (in absentia) Kam Jaga (2001–2004)
Team ‘Mascot’ : George Igler (2000–2004)
Delayed from the previous Summer due to
the re-laying of the once-fabled Homerton
surface, it was perhaps part of the current
XI’s plans to further disorientate the ageing
Old Boys’ team by presenting them with
a lush, green playing surface, as opposed
to the mud and ankle-turning rabbit holes
of their halcyon days. However, once the
match had begun, despite their advanced
years, it was the Old Boys who looked the
livelier side.
Reduced to a bare-bones XI, and thus
playing without fear of the ‘half-time
hook’, the Old Boys were able to ‘express
themselves’ in a footballing manner not
seen since New Order asked John Barnes
to try his hand at rapping. In the end this
proved successful and, buoyed by the vocal
presence of Igler on the sidelines, it was the
Old Boys who triumphed, with 2nd
half goals from Tanner, Smyth and Watts
settling matters.
Our thanks must go to Peter Warner for his
efforts in putting together what is (for many
Old Boys at least!) the sporting highlight of
their year, and for arranging the beautiful
trophy which now commemorates the
fixture. Thanks too to Ryan Stevens, the
current XI captain, for assembling a side in
the midst of a busy term, and for allowing
eleven ol’ timers to roll the clock back
once more.
If there’s anyone out there interested in
taking part in future fixtures, then please get
in touch with me via Facebook. The 2011
rematch is planned for Saturday 28th May,
and with luck, the better weather will bring
us the summer footballing spectacular that
South Africa 2010 failed to be. Here’s hoping
to see you there!
Adrian Watts (‘Ol’ Man Wattsy’)
Homerton Men’s Football (1996–2005)
Left to right Peter Warner, the Old Boys
Trophy, Adrian Watts
Left to right Joe Carr, Tom Hayles, Joe Davenport, Billy Overton, Phil Hart, Mikey Smyth,
Ben Tanner, Martin Harvey, Adrian Watts, Mike Turnham. (Not pictured: Zach Newby)
Homerton College 9

eyond our studies
This year, we have invited two students to give us their impressions
of taking part in university drama and sport at the highest level.
The Greek Play
The 2010 production of the Cambridge
Greek play, the Agamemnon by
Aeschylus, was by all accounts one
of the best of recent years. The
tradition of performing a play in
Greek every three years goes back
to 1882 – this was the 40th in the
series. We asked Phoebe Haines, who
gave an outstanding performance
as Cassandra, to write about her
experience. Katherine Jack, a third year
Education with English and Drama
student, played Clytemenestra.
Aeschylus tells us to ‘Overcome fear,
and behold wonder’. The business
of getting on a stage in any capacity
involves a certain amount of fearquashing;
to trounce these fears whilst
performing in an ancient language is a
veritable challenge.
contours of a range of languages, from
Italian to Catalan. The difficulty with
languages such as Russian and Greek is
the difference in alphabet. So the first
interpretative step was to convert the
Greek alphabet into phonetics which
I could speak and understand. While
much debate is meted out over the
exact phonetic sounds of the Ancient
Greek language, the commonly accepted
versions contain quite a few sounds that
aren’t found in many modern western
European languages, such as the ‘kh’
sound (found in modern day Russian
and Hebrew). Once I had negotiated
my way around the twists and turns
of this rich and flamboyantly textured
language, I found that the process of
characterisation followed with a greater
sense of immediacy and intimacy
than usual.
Aeschylus uses language to characterize
his dramatis personae in an almost
incomprehensibly complex way. Like
Shakespeare, a prescriptive style of blank
verse is used, though Aeschylus’ poetic
convention of choice (the dochmiac)
is far more intricate than our iambic
pentameter. Where Shakespeare’s
I approached my commitment to the
Greek Play with a certain degree of
hesitancy. Having quelled a number
of rumours involving our director’s
alleged determination to retain total
‘faithfulness’ to the script (which would
have involved compulsory head-shaving
and nudity on my part), by the end of
Easter Term 2010 I felt ready to begin
tackling the task at hand: namely, to
learn Ancient Greek in a matter of
weeks. While I had had some brief and
baffling encounters with Latin at prep
school, I had no prior experience of
Greek. The language, with its lyrical
lines and strangely guttural consonants,
sounded to me at first like some sort of
bizarre and incomprehensible Welsh/
Elvish hybrid. After a few sessions
with the wonderful Profs Diggle and
Bowen, I fell truly and obsessively in
love with this strange language. Rarely
approached from the spoken angle,
Ancient Greek is a language that evokes
a totally fascinating and visceral soundworld.
It’s also a joy to sing. Coming
from an operatic background, I am
used to learning at least the spoken
10
Homertonian

Left and opposite page
Phoebe Haines
as Cassandra
principal tool in distinguishing between
the social standing of two characters
is the difference between elevated
verse and the more phlegmatic prose,
Aeschylus formulates and subverts the
spoken rhythm with a type of sensitivity
more akin to that of a musical composer.
I began by learning Cassandra’s spoken
text, and was relieved to find that the
musical rhythms of our original score (by
composer and former Classics student,
Alex Silverman) mirrored the spoken
word with astounding accuracy. The
prescriptive rhythms inherent to the text
meant that Alex had the delicate task
of ascribing these rhythms accurately
to the music of his original score. He
used an octatonic mode throughout
(as this is the closest musical scale we
have to the modes of ancient Greece).
As Cassandra is in a state of heightened
emotion for her one, long scene in the
play, she speaks in lyrical outpourings
which lend themselves well to an
operatic idiom. While there was musical
underscoring used throughout the
piece, the Cassandra scene was really
the only example of solo singing in the
piece. It was therefore essential that we
acknowledged the expressive qualities
of the sung passages, while ensuring
that this scene didn’t jar stylistically
with the rest of the piece. In both the
rehearsal room, and onstage, this meant
accruing a stamina that would allow me
to act, sing, and move, while embodying
and maintaining a sense of Cassandra’s
hysterical despair.
Helen Eastman’s direction combined the
elements of the cerebral and visceral
just as eloquently as Aeschylus’ text
ties together the oppositional strands
of omnipotent fate and personal
indecision. We worked initially on the
physicalisation of Cassandra, and then
began to explore her mind-space and
inner world. Greek drama tends to be
typified by a fatalistic quality which
perhaps does not take hold of a modern
audience as powerfully as it would
have done several thousand (or even
hundred) years ago. However, I felt that
it was important to allow Cassandra an
individuality of thought which would
permit the audience to believe in the
originality of her situation, and the
decisions she makes. My most essential
task as an actor therefore was to assure
the audience of her capacity for choice.
This undoubtedly makes her short life
and untimely end all the more tragic.
Taking part in the Greek Play was
unquestionably the most thrilling
theatrical experience I have been
involved in while at Cambridge. The
physical process of learning and
performing the play was enormously
challenging but infinitely rewarding. It
is a tradition which should definitely be
kept alive in Cambridge; Greek Drama
is such a diverse, rich, and complex
artform, and yet has the ability to reach
out and grab hold of its audience with a
unique vigour. If Cambridge University
prides itself on both its historical and
progressive elements, then there is truly
no better emblem of this duality than the
Cambridge Greek Play.
Phoebe Haines
Education with English and Drama
2008 –2011
Homerton College 11

Sailing Blue
I first started sailing to avoid playing
Rugby. I lack any hand-eye coordination
and the traditional ball
sports that I was being asked to engage
in served little purpose other than
slight humiliation – and I had to run
around a lot, something that my
13-year self had serious issues with.
So I ticked the box marked ‘Sailing’ on my
secondary school form and attended a
course over the summer, hoping that I
would never have to touch a rugby ball
ever again. I loved it, and have never looked
back. Sailing has provided the backdrop
to my life, and I hope it continues to do
so in the future. Through it I have found
immeasurable confidence, thoroughly
enjoyed myself and found many friends. For
those of you not au-fait with competitive
sailing, here is a brief overview.
Above Having
just won the
Varsity match
Right On being
presented with
the trophy
(Felix in the
Blues Blazer)
There are three types of racing when
it comes to sailing: first, there is Fleet-
Racing where one boat wins, often out of
a fleet of over 150 vessels. Second, there
is Match-Racing – two boats pitched
directly against each other, as you might
see in the America’s Cup. Lastly, there is
Team-Racing – by far the most complex
of the three and participated in mostly by
Universities and Alumni teams across the
world, and something that I have devoted
my sporting life to for nine years.
A team consists of three boats, with two
people in each boat. A team-race consists
of two teams attempting to out-sail each
other over a short course – a race often
takes no longer than ten minutes. What
makes it interesting, and tactical, is that
beating that other team, not winning, is
what counts. Your boat’s finishing position
is the number of points your boat gets. (So
1st gets one point and so on) There are six
boats in the race, so there are 21 points on
offer. The aim is to get fewer points than
the opposing team. This can be achieved
through ten different combinations –
and not all of them include coming first!
Slowing down your opponents, letting
your team-mates’ boats through and giving
penalties to the rival team is the name of
the game – actually finishing a race can
sometimes leave you at a disadvantage!
I came to Cambridge in October 2008
and found a place on a strong University
2nd team – we came 11th at the National
Championships in April 2009. I spent every
Wednesday afternoon, and every weekend,
either training at Grafham (about 45
minutes drive away from Cambridge) or at
events around the country, from Aberdeen
to Southampton. I certainly learnt to be very
organised with work (and how to sail on a
Sunday with a horrific hangover…). I gained
a half-blue on being selected for the Varsity
match – which we then sadly lost.
In my second year, I ran successfully for
Captain, and was responsible for the
organisation of three teams with regards to
squad selection and training. We must have
done something right: sailing with the 1sts,
I came 5th at the National Championships
and earned my Full Blue (Full Blue status is
only awarded if a top-8 ranking is achieved).
Captaining the Varsity Match was a very
special experience, and winning was a
moment I will always remember fondly –
despite being summarily thrown into the
sea on our victory by the rest of the team.
Outside of Cambridge, I sail both an RS
200 and a Swallow (two and three-man
dinghies), the latter of which I took to Cowes
Week in 2010, coming a creditable 4th, and
being the first Swallow to ever finish a race
on the Royal Yacht Squadron Line.
This year, I have taken a back-seat, becoming
Commodore of the CU Cruising Club,
and focused a little more on my degree
(spending only four days a week on it was
starting to show), choosing only to organise
Cambridge’s annual sailing event, the Cam
Cup. I have taken on a few coaching roles
with a local school up near Rutland Water
to keep interested in the sport, and will
hopefully return to it next year!
Felix Danczak
Politics Psychology & Sociology 2008–2011
12
Homertonian

HOMERTON COLLEGE BOAT CLUB
2010 to 2011 has been a solid year
for HCBC, consolidating on the ever
escalating positions in the bumps
charts. With a large novice intake in
Michaelmas 2010, we are looking
forward to a great rest of the year.
The 2010 May bumps gave us mixed results,
with the men and women faring quite
differently. Both women’s crews went down
four places; however, credit must go to the
girls in W2 who came together late in Easter
term to make sure that we kept our place
on the bumps charts. M2 embroiled in a
duel with Churchill 3, bumping and being
bumped on successive days to maintain
their place. A snapped rudder cable was
ultimately the only thing preventing
them from moving up the division. The
Men’s first boat, galvanised by the return
of Mike Thorp (Goldie) and Chris Bellamy
(Lightweights), rowed to blades, finishing
7th in Division 2, to finish the academic year
on a high.
October saw the new committee settling
in and welcoming 40 novices to the club.
Several new oarsmen and women brought
added experience. Early indicators at
Queens’ Ergs were promising as both of
our novice first crews made the final, the
women finishing impressively in 3rd, and
the men in 7th. On the water, things looked
promising, until unusually cold weather hit
in late November. With the Reach covered
in ice, the seniors’ races were postponed
until Lent term, whilst the novices raced
over a shortened course. The end of term
also saw the delivery of ten new oars for the
men after very generous contributions from
friends of the club.
The beginning of Lent term saw the Men’s
side gather a week early for outings in
mixed-ability eights and fours, the eyes
firmly on bumps. With the women back
on the river a week later, and all crews
preparing by racing at Pembroke regatta,
we entered bumps week with high hopes.
Whilst the women remained on the Cam,
the men prepared for bumps by racing
at Norwich and coming joint 2nd overall,
matching Cambridge 99’s for speed.
Lent Bumps produced five exciting days
of racing, with many (non-HCBC) boats
experiencing spectacular and expensive
crashes. M2 went down one place, only
getting bumped by a blades-winning
Downing crew, but otherwise producing
some gutsy row-overs. The girls were
slightly less fortunate, experiencing some
very fast crews just below them and going
down three places. M1 finished level after a
rollercoaster ride, with quick bumps, wide
Grassy’s and gaining whistles on the line on
the crew in front.
As well as the hive of activity involving
students around the club, this April will
mark the first alumni rowing day, with a
naming ceremony for “Stevie” Stephenson,
mixed eight paddling,
tub racing in front of
the boat houses, and
barbeques planned. If
you want to get involved
with alumni rowing,
or just receive email
updates about the club,
please get in touch at
ojr26@cam.ac.uk.
Ollie Rubens
Boat Club Captain
2010–2011
THE BOAT RACE
This year, the College is proud to have
our first representative rower in the
Cambridge University ‘Blue’ boat. Mike
Thorp (History, 2009 entry) will be at
‘Bow’ when the Varsity crews set out
from Putney at 5 pm on Saturday
26th March.
Left to right Anna Beare, Mike Thorp,
Chris Bellamy
Although Oxford won the 2011 Boat Race,
it is great for the College to have this
representation. Mike learned the art and
craft of oarsmanship while at school in
Chester and soon became part and parcel
of the University Boat Club on coming up
to Cambridge. Bearing in mind how he
manages to maintain a high academic
profile while at the same time training to
maintain a place in the First VIII, Mike is
testament to the epithet that ‘if you want a
job done well – give it to a busy man’.
We are equally proud that while Homerton
representation in the University Lightweight
boats is not unique, there are special
circumstances this year that are worthy
of note. Chris Bellamy (Engineering, 2008
entry) rows again for the Men but this
time as their President. On the same day
at Henley, Anna Beare (Asian & Middle
Eastern Studies 2010 entry) will be parting
the waves in the Women’s boat. . . the only
‘fresher’ to be doing so.
Philip Stephenson
Dean, and Senior Treasurer of HCBC
STUDENT NEWS
Homerton College 13

Griffins Club
Another memorable year of college
sport draws to a close with Homerton
teams continuing to shine.
Team of the season must be the Women’s
Hockey team. Promotion to the first
division can now be confirmed after being
unbeaten, scoring an average of over 8
goals a game and not conceding a goal
all season! The men have consolidated
their position in division 3 after last year’s
promotion, finishing mid-table in the
Michaelmas league. Playing numbers are
up, and the squad is currently trying hard to
secure further promotion this term.
Homerton Men’s Football have once again
strengthened their credentials as one of
the best squads in the University. Playing
numbers are high, with Homerton being
one of only two colleges putting out four
league teams. After last season’s promotion,
the first team have had a strong season,
finding themselves in the top half of the
first division. The 2nd XI are having a great
cup run, currently in the semi-final of the
shield, and are hopeful of securing some
silverware. For the first time this season,
Homerton have entered the 5-a-side
league, with the 1st team winning the first
division and the 2nd team coming runnersup
in division two. The women’s team have
impressed once again, winning division
one for the second year running and
are soon to play in the final of cuppers.
Hopefully when this article is read they will
be cuppers champions!
The Men’s Rugby team had a very
successful season. The season started well,
with Homerton progressing further than
any other college in the ‘Varsity Sevens’.
With another intake of good new players,
the squad has finally had the strength
in depth to show its ability in the XV-aside
version of the game, culminating in
winning Division 3 after some great, hardfought
wins against Emmanuel and Selwyn.
The squad looks forward to defending its
title at the college sevens tournament at
the end of term for the third successive
season. Women’s rugby continues to
develop thanks to the enthusiasm of the
team. The majority of the squad are new
to the sport. However, this does not show
on match days where some of the rugby
played has been fantastic.
The Women’s Netball team did not have
the best start to the season but have really
developed over the past few weeks thanks
to being very enthusiastic and getting
good numbers out to training. Recent wins
over Girton and Magdalene have rewarded
this determination and the team now looks
forward to a good cup run. This season the
mixed-netball team has been revived and
they are also hoping for success in cuppers!
Other teams include the Ultimate Frisbee
team who have had a very good season
with excellent wins over Churchill and
Downing. The Badminton teams have had
good seasons, highlights including the
women’s victory over John’s and the men’s
victory over Caius. The men’s Basketball
team have formed a new joint team with St
Edmunds, and are also playing very well so
far this year.
Unfortunately, I cannot report on the
summer sports teams in this report.
However, I would like to wish the cricket,
tennis and croquet teams the best of luck
for next term. A final mention has to be for
Homertonians who have represented the
university this year: Iona Stevenson (Golf ),
Lawrence Burton (Golf ), Barney Mayles
(Football), Seb Dunnett (Rugby), Andy
Murdoch (Rugby), Jon Rackham (Rugby),
Paul Best (Cricket), Holly Peters (Hockey),
Rachel Smith (Hockey), Nat Thomas
(Sailing), Felix Danczak (Sailing), Jo Hall
(Lacrosse), Sophie St-Clair Jones (Fencing).
If you are interested in receiving more
information about the Griffins club please
feel free to get in touch at hus-griffins@
homerton.cam.ac.uk.
Robert Howard
Homerton College Griffins President
2010–2011
14
Homertonian

HOMERTON COLLEGE MUSIC SOCIETY
The collegiate organisation of the
university provides many benefits, not
least the opportunity to maintain, at
college level, a musical community
large enough to have its own
orchestra, but small enough to remain
personal and flexible. According to
our constitution, the HCMS aims to
“cultivate the musical life of the College
by encouraging both the appreciation
and performance of all types of music at
all levels”, and this I feel we have done
well over the past year.
Left
Pandemonium
Middle Charter
choir
Bottom
Will Roberts
conducting
the orchestra
STUDENT NEWS
Our termly concerts, held this year in the
Great Hall, continue to be successful with
students and staff alike. Consolidating the
uniquely diverse spread of music making
at Homerton (from steelpan arrangements
to sacred vocal music) in a single concert
is a challenge unlike any other, but one
which is always met admirably by the
many students involved. After a festive
Michaelmas concert complete with
Christmas carols from the audience, the
spring concert at the end of Lent term
was an admirable display of the wealth
of musical ability at Homerton. No doubt
the decision not to charge entry to the
latter was a contributing factor towards
the student turn-out, which was of
record strength!
Beyond these now traditional concerts, this
year’s Homerton recital series has offered a
platform for high-quality chamber music,
showcasing talented Homertonians as
well as attracting performers from other
colleges. We have heard recitals from
singers, pianists and string players, all of
which have been a delight to attend. With
the recent repair and re-housing (in the
Cavendish building) of the harpsichord, I
hope that chamber music at college will
continue to grow in quantity, quality and
reputation in the future.
Aside from the successes of practical music
making, this year has seen a review of the
structure of the music society, leading
to constitutional reform and a thorough
and much-needed revision of procedures
for instrument storage, maintenance and
hire. As dryly administrative as these tasks
may sound, they are important steps to
ensuring that the society’s success remains
consistent as the student population which
it serves constantly changes.
Alumni are always welcome to musical
events at college, and anyone wishing to
find out more about the society can visit
our website at www.srfc.ucam.org/hcms, or
follow us on Facebook.
Will Roberts
HCMS President 2010–2011
Homerton College 15

PILKINGTON TRAVEL GRANTS
Each year a number of students are awarded travel grants from Pilkington Travel and the Gates
Cambridge Trusts. Here are two examples of the excellent work done overseas by our students.
BACK PACT 2010: INDIA AND NEPAL
In July 2010, funded by the Pilkington
Travel grant, I joined a group of fellow
students on a month-long trip to
schools across India and Nepal. Our
aim was to use drama workshops and
performances to initiate a cultural
exchange between Cambridge and a
number of institutions in the area. We
devised a twenty minute performance
based on a European folktale and set
off for India. Arriving just before the
monsoon began in Delhi, our initial
days were spent getting used to the
immense heat and the culture, and
coincided with the Commonwealth
Games putting its mark on the city.
We began in a large school in Lucknow
which was funded by a British
businessman, moving on to charity schools
in the fascinating Varanasi, then the
Jamghat shelter for street-children in Delhi
and continuing to several schools funded
by British/Nepali charity initiatives in
Kathmandu. Our aim was to challenge the
imaginations of the children we met and
discuss our ideas about creative learning
with teachers. The workshops shared
drama games with children, which was a
privilege, especially an instance when a
simple call and response game concluded
with a once-shy girl shouting dance moves
to a crowd of 100 pupils, whilst locals
sat on the perimeter walls staring as we
shared the fun! I was fascinated to see
that many children who had lived in slum
areas seemed to adapt more quickly to
imaginative thinking games than those
in school.
During one game in which an invisible ball
of sound is passed between players, even
the youngest children at Jamghat were so
entranced by the ‘ball’ that they clambered
to grab it, creating new noises and
movements as it was passed. It was striking
to compare this to pupils in prestigious
schools who were adept at taking in and
reproducing information without as much
ability to think critically and creatively. It
Top Group
Singing
Right Matilda
and students at
Lucknow
often seemed that the young children
who had the need for resilience were
particularly responsive when asked for
individual, artistic thought. All the children
with whom I worked were enthusiastic
and shared their traditions with us: from
Rajasthani dancing, Indian soap-opera style
performance to colourful Nepali dress.
Having studied drama, I realise the
commonality it highlights between
different cultures. The sharing of
ideas and passions is essential for our
understanding of others. So I would
encourage people of all ages to step
beyond their comfort zone and to
share something which matters
to them.
Matilda Stickley
Education with English and Drama
2007–2010
16
Homertonian

HIV/AIDS EDUCATION, GHANA
Thanks to a £500 Pilkington Travel
Award, I was able to accept a placement
as an intern working with AIESEC
CUC (Association Internationale des
Étudiants En Sciences Économiques
et Commerciales, Central University
College), based in Accra, Ghana, from
August to October 2010. I was working
on the ASK project (Answers, Solutions
and Knowledge), an initiative centred on
HIV and AIDS awareness and education,
with the main focus on educating
primary and secondary school children
about HIV. The six weeks I spent as
an intern in Ghana were extremely
challenging, exciting, inspirational,
testing, and instructive.
Emily Taylor-Hunt on
her project in Accra
I had undertaken a lot of research
before arriving and I was ready to start
immediately. However, I soon realised the
organisation was very relaxed, I was not
given a huge amount of guidance, there
was poor time-keeping, and a very hasslefree
attitude to getting things done. While
this can be very positive, I found it difficult
to get used to this laid-back approach.
Even until the last week I still found it
extraordinary how, after already postponing
opening for a week, I would turn up at
a school to teach only to be told they
were closing and sending all the children
home for another week, just so they could
‘get things ready’. I quickly realised that
entering an internship with unshakeable
expectations was not helpful!
At first, the fact that the project I was
working on gave me a lot of freedom and
not much guidance was daunting. However,
I took it as a chance to do as much as I
could on my own accord. I spent hours
discussing HIV and AIDS with other interns,
planning lessons and discussing the issues
surrounding HIV and AIDS education. We
came up with creative ways of teaching –
using puppets, devising quizzes, creating
short pieces of drama, and making the
lessons as interactive as possible. We
taught children from 11 to 17 years of
age. It became clear how complex HIV
education is. The subject deals with issues
of prejudice, including homophobia and
racism. It raises questions of sexuality, selfesteem,
gender attitudes and individuals’
hopes and fears. I learnt a great deal on
my internship in Ghana and subsequently
I have been inspired to get involved with
HIV and AIDS education and awareness
locally, and now volunteer in Cambridge
with two charities. The skills and knowledge
I developed, and the experiences I had in
Ghana, are invaluable and I look forward to
building on them in my future career.
Emily Taylor-Hunt
Education with English and Drama
2009–2012
Homerton College 17

STUDENT NEWS
HOMERTON UNION OF STUDENTS
jcr
This year has been a busy and exciting
one for the HUS JCR, the undergraduate
department of the Homerton Union of
Students. Indeed, as I sit down to write
this article and cast my mind back over
the last few terms, it’s incredible just
how much the union has done!
The year began with the arrival of the
PGCEs, and the ‘PGCE Freshers’ week’
which was run in conjunction with the
MCR. Then undergraduate travel day
arrived, and the JCR exec were to be
found sporting fluorescent yellow jackets
in the car park, assisting new arrivals to
their rooms and reassuring them (and
their parents!) that they were about to
have the best three years of their life. The
first week of the undergraduate term is
undoubtedly the busiest for the exec,
and the team worked exceptionally hard
to run a variety of social events, as well
as ensuring welfare services and support
were present from day one. Within a week,
it was as if the new first years had been at
Homerton forever.
As the year progressed, the team
continued to work hard to represent
student interests to college, to arrange
events, and to raise awareness of current
issues. Holding live music events in the
bar, participating in rent negotiations
with college, organising a Burns night
formal and ceilidh, and running a
successful Green Week campaign are
just a few examples of the work that
the various exec members have done
over the year. I have been exceptionally
proud to have been able to work with
such an enthusiastic group of people.
By no means, however, is the JCR the
only group of people doing things
in college. Homerton’s musical life
has been flourishing, with a beautiful
Christmas concert featuring the
orchestra, choir, jazz orchestra and steel
pan group, and of course, Hatstands. Our
very own talent show has continued to
be a highlight of Michaelmas and Lent
term. One particular Homertonian who
deserves recognition for organising one
Above and left
Harry Potter themed
Formal Hall
of the most magical evenings in College
is Holly Cracknell, who organised a
Harry Potter themed formal – with
real owls! – to celebrate the Education
Faculty becoming one of the British
centres for children’s literature.
As ever, theatre in Homerton is strong
– HATS have been running a series of
acting, writing and directing workshops,
in addition to funding the Marlowe
Showcase, amongst other shows.
Equally, Homerton is doing well in
sport, fielding a wide variety of different
sports teams each week, ranging from
rugby to ultimate Frisbee! In all areas
of extra-curricular life, Homerton
undergraduates can be found
participating across the university; we
have university-level sportsmen and
women, musicians participating in
concerts across Cambridge, and there is
hardly ever a play in town that doesn’t
involve someone from Homerton in
some way.
Poster design by Kezia Harding
I feel extremely lucky to have been
able to spend a year working with, and
for, the Homerton undergraduates,
and have thoroughly enjoyed my time
as Sabbatical President. If you would
like any more information on the HUS
JCR, or would like to support Homerton
students in any way, please do
not hesitate to get in touch on
hus-president@homerton.cam.ac.uk.
Pippa Dinnage
HUS President 2010–2011
18
Homertonian

MCR
The MCR has had an exciting year in
this its second year of existence, in
particular as Homerton became a full
Cambridge college. His Royal Highness
Prince Philip, the University Chancellor,
visited College and talked to graduate
students about their life and research in
Homerton College.
STUDENT NEWS
The new academic year started off with
a brilliant and very well visited freshers’
week for our new students with a variety
of events ranging from a college tour, pub
crawls, clubbing, a ghost tour through
the historic city centre, to punting and a
cycle tour to Grantchester. The number of
graduate students in Homerton College
is steadily growing and so does the MCR.
There are now 325 PGCE students, 193 on
Master’s programmes and 119 studying
for PhDs. This year, we have 15 committee
members in the MCR, with posts very
similar to those in the JCR.
Above His Royal Highness
Prince Philip meets with
graduate students at
Homerton
Left MCR Christmas Dinner
Below MCR Christmas Tree
Bottom MCR Barbecue
One important role of the MCR is to help
to transform the college so that it better
suits the life and needs of the rising
graduate student community in Homerton.
We take this task very seriously and
communicate in many different ways with
college officials and committees to ensure
that this transformation works well. The
College initiated a graduate review with a
committee that consisted of tutors, fellows,
higher degree and PGCE students, and
members of the MCR exec. This committee
has been discussing how graduate student
needs can be better met. A variety of
issues, identified in a survey conducted at
the beginning of the review, have been
resolved. The recommendations of this
committee went to the College Council.
The second important role of the MCR
is to build a strong and vibrant graduate
community and to make graduate life
very enjoyable in Homerton. For instance,
the MCR organises a yearly conference,
where students and fellows can present
their research. There are also exchange
dinners with other colleges. Entertainment
highlights have been the very fancy MCR
Christmas Dinner in the city centre and the
highly amusing Burns Night that included
a formal dinner with poetry recitation and
ceilidh dancing afterwards in the Great
Hall. This was organised jointly with the
Fellows and the JCR. We also celebrated
the Chinese New Year in our recently
renovated common room. As our MCR
committee has become bigger, we are
currently organising events in brand new
formats, such as a regular movie night
in the common room and fun sports
competitions for graduates. The new PGCE
events officer position makes it easier for
us to organise additional events that are
targeted especially for PGCE students,
for example, the PGCE Christmas dinner.
Overall, I think that it is not an exaggeration
to say that it has been a very lively, busy,
but also very successful year so far for the
Homerton MCR.
Alexander Borek
MCR President 2010–2011
Homerton College 19

RETIRED SENIOR
MEMBERS ASSOCIATION
When I was elected to the chair of the
RSMA, almost three years ago, I set
myself a few ‘targets’. Not because it was
all the rage at the time, but more to fit in
with the college motto ‘Respice Finem’,
one I always thought to be particularly
appropriate for those involved in lesson
planning. This report will address the
degree to which some of those have
been met, while some are still awaiting
achievement. I shall draw a veil over
those I have decided to abandon.
We have continued to take steps towards
becoming more actively involved in the
social life of the College. With the majority
of members on email, news of college
events is now circulated regularly and
quickly so that RSMs can join in with college
events. We hope to improve on last year’s
‘Bronze medal’ (we came third) success in
the Homerton Charity Quiz Night. Another
positive development has been to solve
the frequently expressed wish of members
for an organised RSMA Formal Hall by
joining with the college’s Lent Term Alumni
evening, thus again welding our activities
with those of the college.
We now have an RSMA page on the college
website. The address is www.homerton.
cam.ac.uk and by clicking onto ‘Teaching’ an
RSMA section will be seen. As yet its content
is limited, but it’s a start!
The first grant of our Charter Bursary
in Teacher Education was awarded to
Chloe Davies BA, who gave an excellent
presentation to our AGM on her teaching
experience in Nepal, during the period
between graduation and the start of her
PGCE programme.
Membership this year has benefited from
the acceptance by Dr. Eileen Alexander of
an Honorary Membership, whilst the
‘young blood’ has come from the addition
to our numbers of Dr. Anne Sinkinson,
Stephen Tomkins, Holly Anderson and
Geoffrey Mizen. We offer them all a
warm welcome and look forward to their
significant contribution to our activities.
In addition we offer Stephen our sincere
congratulations on being elected to an
Emeritus Fellowship.
I feel confident that Eileen Alexander will
not feel offended by my reference to ‘young
blood’. Despite the fact that on 2nd April
this year she became our first centenarian,
no one who attended our Michaelmas Term
seminar and luncheon, at which Dr. Peter
Warner gave his excellent presentation on
‘Homerton at War’, will forget her lively and
lucid first-hand account of how to put out
incendiary bombs. In recognition of Eileen’s
birthday and her distinguished career and
contribution to the college, the committee
agreed to award, for this year only, a prize
in her name to the student who has
contributed most to sport at Homerton.
The ‘Crumblies’ Choir are no more, but this
is certainly not due to their unforgettable
initial public performance at the memorial
celebration for John Hammond last
September. It was felt that the name might
deter some RSMs from taking part, and after
due consideration and wide consultation
we have now become the classier ‘Emeritus’.
Meetings (not rehearsals) of what I prefer
to think of as a therapeutic noise-making
body, rather than a choir, have been regular
throughout the year and well attended,
though low in numbers in the bass section.
Led jointly by Barbara Pointon and Jane
Cursiter, the sessions are great fun, offering
the full range of musicality, from cleaned-up
versions of Rugby songs to choral works,
which have probably not been performed
since the 12th century.
The social aspect of our association has
always been a difficult area of the work
of the committee. In the past it has been
the practice to rotate responsibility for
organising excursions and lectures among
all members of the committee. This term
we have decided to focus this aspect of
our activity, and have co-opted Pauline
Curtis, who as a recent ex-secretary knows
the workings of the committee well, and
asked her to take on the specific role of
coordinating events and visits.
Pauline’s co-option was in part the
consequence of the sad loss of Tony
Robinson, who died in October last year.
Tony was relatively recently elected as a
member of the committee and brought
to that role his characteristic enthusiasm
and good sense. We shall all miss him
immensely. A fuller tribute to him will be
found elsewhere.
Attendance will always be an issue in the
success of any event and one factor in
determining that will be the degree to
which advanced notice can be given. With
that in mind, the next AGM will follow
the new ‘tradition’ of taking place during
the Alumni
weekend and will
be at 2.00pm on
Saturday 24th
September.
Professor John Murrell MBE
Chairman, Homerton RSMA
Chloe with girls
from the school in
Nepal, dressed for a
dance competition
20
Homertonian

OBITUARIES OF
FORMER COLLEAGUES
Portrait by Anastasia Sotiropoulos
Professor Tjeerd Van Andel
(1923–2010)
Homerton has
unquestionably
lost a most
distinguished
associate with
the death in
September of
the Principal’s
husband. The College has its formal
‘members’ by virtue of their matriculation,
past or present employment, or election
into Fellowship; but the College also has
others who are just solidly associated with
the heart of its life. We commemorate the
man who was spouse and companion to Dr
Pretty over some 23 years and who enjoyed,
as he remarked, “the honour of being in
Kate’s shadow”. Professor van Andel made a
lifelong contribution to a breadth of natural
sciences, being indisputably both a physical
and intellectual adventurer and a scholar
of distinction. Tjeerd, or in his anglicised
form just ‘Jerry’, was a warm, witty Dutch
American whose quiet genial presence
among us was one that many students,
former staff and Fellows will recall with
appreciation.
Reared in colonial Dutch Indonesia, Tjeerd
van Andel grew up with a passion for travel,
human prehistory and the natural world. As
an archaeology undergraduate student in
Nazi-occupied Holland he was part of the
Resistance movement, unbeknown to his
German-born mother. A second degree in
geology and a doctorate in sedimentology
took him to work with Shell in Venezuela,
studying for the first time how marine
oil-forming sediments are built up. Then
with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography
he initiated the push for sub-oceanic
exploration and soon had launched a major
investment from the USA in the study
of Quaternary events – so becoming an
authority on past sea-level changes. His
career peaked in 1977 when, on board
the 22 foot submersible Alvin, two miles
down in the deeps, he was amongst the
first to witness the now famous geothermal
springs of the Galapagos Rift. He came to
Cambridge in 1987, where he first met Dr
Pretty, and became in 1988 Cambridge’s
first honorary professor. A protagonist of
interdisciplinary and collaborative research,
he ended his career by bringing together
the climatic and geological studies of a
major past ice-age with his own research
into Neanderthal archaeology. As a great
teacher he gave a polymathic range of
science lectures in several universities over
some 50 years. Passionate also about the
arts, in particular painting, he donated the
cost of the Principal’s College portrait, on
her arrival at Homerton, and enthusiastically
supported life classes in the Homerton
Art Department. Lord Rees, President of
the Royal Society, in tribute, remarked that
Tjeerd van Andel “will certainly live in the
annals of Science” to which we can append
“and Homerton College also”.
Stephen Tomkins
Emeritus Fellow
& Elaine Wilson
Fellow
Tim Everton (1951–2011)
Deputy Principal of Homerton College,
1992–2001
Tim Everton joined
Homerton in
October 1992 as
Deputy Principal,
having previously
been Head of PGCE
at the University
of Leicester. Born
in the West Midlands in 1951, Tim went to
Queen Mary’s Grammar School, Walsall,
and then read Mathematics at Keble
College, Oxford. He became a secondary
Mathematics teacher in Walsall and
Shrewsbury before taking a Masters at
Keele and starting in teacher education in
Ulster, from where he moved to Leicester.
This career trajectory was ideal for
Homerton. Tim’s early experience of college
life at Oxford, his period as a secondary
teacher and his knowledge of initial
teacher training and research gave him
enormous strengths with which to tackle
Homerton’s development. He was a perfect
complement to me and I owe him a great
deal, as does the College.
He began work even before he and Val
moved to Cambridge to set up a household
comprising three daughters, three little
black cats and two dogs. Early in June
1992 Homerton had been advised to make
an entry for the Research Assessment
Exercise. Tim had done an RAE before at
Leicester and he volunteered to oversee
Homerton’s entry, tirelessly travelling from
Leicester to encourage, exhort and oversee
the offerings from a staff who had never
encountered such an exercise. The College,
the staff and Tim emerged triumphant at
the end of the year with money to spend
on research. It was the beginning of a
ten-year period in which Tim, together
with John Gray and Jean Rudduck, put
Homerton on the research map. At the
same time he somehow managed to
maintain his own writing.
Tim’s extensive knowledge of teacher
education was an asset to all staff. Under
his leadership they found a balance
between teaching and research which
helped Homerton to emerge as “a leading
national provider of teacher education
with outstanding Ofsted grades”. Tim
understood how best to handle Ofsted as
the inspectorate became more draconian
and less interested in dialogue about best
practice. This he did with his customary
patience and calm, achieving outstanding
results from hard-pressed colleagues
and students.
Tim’s mathematical background was
essential for Homerton’s development.
Faced with an innumerate Principal whose
Homerton College 21

strategic direction was intuitive, Tim
provided the carefully calculated basis on
which strategic success depended. When
in 2001, he became Dean in the University’s
new Faculty of Education, his grasp of
finance and planning were essential parts
of that Faculty’s success and his talents
were respected and appreciated by the
University’s senior management.
Tim remained a Fellow of Homerton,
moving to become our first Emeritus
Fellow when he took early retirement
from the University. Despite the lure of
becoming a publican in York – a longheld
ambition – he remained closely in
touch with Homerton and was at our
Charter Garden Party in June 2010. His
death is untimely. No-one deserved a
long, unhurried retirement more than
Tim, for his energy and commitment
were unbounded. Homerton owes its
present status to his efforts and we shall
remember him with huge affection.
Dr Kate Pretty
Principal
Tony Robinson (1945–2010)
Senior Lecturer in PE, 1982–2010
Tony was
appointed as
PE Lecturer at
Homerton in 1982,
bringing a wealth
of experience
from St Ivo and
other schools
alongside his own sporting involvement as
participant, coach and referee. He served
Homerton and the Faculty of Education
in many roles, from Senior Lecturer in
the PE Department, to Director of the
Graduate Teacher Programme and latterly
as Committee member for the Homerton
Retired Senior Members Association.
Whoever suggested ‘Carpe Diem’ as a good
maxim for life might well have had Tony
in mind. He was energetic, down-to-earth,
young at heart, eminently practical, focused
and critical in his thinking. He applied the
pedagogical analysis from his PE practice
to wider areas of classroom practice and
teacher appraisal. His capacity for work was
striking, along with his efficiency.
Memories of Tony’s contributions to
the PE Department are legion, whether
developing the Primary course Games
programme, running extra-curricular
coaching courses, observing students
teaching Morley Memorial School children
at Homerton, or demonstrating the now
famous ‘snippets’ of PE learning at the start
of each year’s course for all primary students
as they observed children at work in the
Great Hall. The Secondary PE PGCE course
which Tony initiated in the 1990s attracted
international sports people who were
successful in, for example, Rugby, Rowing,
Ballroom Dance, Modern Pentathlon,
Swimming and Hockey. In 1995 –1996
Tony’s Secondary PE students contributed
significantly to improving the quality of the
Varsity Rugby team, but only, as he insisted,
if the potential props and the hooker
“could do dance and meet the gymnastics
requirements of the National Curriculum
as well”.
Tony ran a Returning to Teaching Course
and took a lead in the Articled Teacher
Programme, the first pilot scheme involving
school-based training, where he was an
enthusiastic tutor of the students involved
and staunch supporter of colleagues in
schools. He was Director of Secondary
School Liaison, with responsibility for
school placements and mentor training for
PGCE students and placement schools. He
achieved distinction as the first Director of
the Faculty of Education’s Graduate Teacher
Programme, opening up opportunity
and second chances for many who could
not access or afford a traditional training
route, who subsequently became inspiring
teachers in schools throughout the region.
Tony did not confine his professional talents
to the UK. At Kotebe College of Teacher
Education, Addis Ababa, he transformed the
Physical Education Initial Teacher Training
Programme by teaching Rugby to students
and staff. He used the novelty of the game
to demonstrate how one might successfully
teach anything. In Ghana he ran a three
week vacation programme for 280 teacher
trainers and, even before the return flight
landed back at Heathrow, he had already
written the first draft of the next course on
the back of a British Airways menu!
In summary, Tony was an inspirational
teacher and mentor and a great sportsman
with a huge sense of humour. He was
generous and kind, lived life to the full and
was a much valued and respected colleague.
He is sorely missed.
Trish Maude
Bye Fellow, with contributions from
other College and Faculty colleagues
Joyce Skinner (1920–2010)
Lecturer in History, 1952–1964
and Deputy Principal 1960–64
Joyce Skinner was born in Lincoln on 5th
September 1920, the elder of two daughters
of working class parents. Throughout
her life she never
forgot the working
class aspirations
and educational
opportunities she
experienced in the
difficult times of
unemployment and poverty in the 1920s
and 30s. With her sister, Ruth, she wrote
Growing Up Downhill in 1989, which was a
record of their childhood and a tribute to
their parents. Extracts from this book were
used in texts for the national curriculum
history books.
22
Homertonian

Joyce was a gifted student and a
scholarship to Lincoln Christ’s Hospital
Girls’ High School at the age of 10 led to
her going up to Somerville College, Oxford
to read history in 1938. A condition of her
free tuition was a requirement to teach
after graduation and in 1941 she attended
the Oxford University Department of
Education. It was during this period of
teacher training that she encountered a
schoolgirl named Margaret Roberts, of
Grantham, later better known as Margaret
Thatcher. It is reported that she was “not
that impressed by the young Margaret’s
aptitude for history”. She taught history
in a number of schools, including the
Perse School for Girls in Cambridge, where
she was Head of History from 1947–50.
Her teaching was scholarly, yet with
an ability to capture the interest and
enthusiasm of those she taught. She had
high standards for herself and expected
no less from others.
In 1952 she was appointed to a Senior
Lectureship at Homerton College,
Cambridge and became its Deputy
Principal in 1961. During her time at
Homerton she spent a year as a visiting
lecturer at Queen’s College in New York.
In 1964 Joyce returned to her native city of
Lincoln as Principal of Bishop Grosseteste
College. Her breadth of vision for teacher
education and a clear understanding of
national and local political issues enabled
her to guide the college through times
of great change and uncertainty. Under
her astute leadership the college became
co-educational, and its first degree course
in education was introduced. College
expansion saw the establishment of
outposts in Scunthorpe and Grimsby, an
in-service programme for serving teachers
and new buildings, including the library.
In 1974 she left to take up the post of
Director of the Cambridge Institute of
Education, becoming a fellow of Hughes
Hall. She served on many national academic
bodies and became the first – and so far
only – woman Academic Secretary of the
University Council for the Education of
Teachers. In 1975 she was honoured with
a CBE for her services to education, and
was subsequently awarded two honorary
doctorates.
On her retirement in 1984, she again
returned to Lincoln. A questioning, but
devout Christian, with a strong religious
belief, she had maintained a lifelong
association with the Cathedral. She
became an active member of the cathedral
community, chairing the Board of Mission
and Unity for the Diocese, editing the
quarterly journal of the Lincoln Cathedral
Community Association and acting as
a steward on the Information Desk. She
continued her role as a Bishop’s Inspector,
which involved reviewing theological
colleges and courses around the country.
The Cathedral’s services, with their rich
worship, music and splendour sustained
her quiet faith until the end.
Professor John Murrell MBE
Emeritus Fellow
OBITUARIES
Lilian Chapman (1922–2010)
HUS Secretary
When I first met her, as a fresher, in 1983
she was very much “Mrs Chapman”, wife of
the Head Porter, John Chapman. Indeed,
John and Lilian were married for 54
years and she saw her role very much as
supporting John in his job as Head Porter.
Many a time she told us of evenings when
John had been alerted to something
unusual happening in the grounds and
she would be up in the middle of the night
phoning the police and communicating
with John via walky-talky. She always went
the extra mile for other people.
She and John met when both were
working for London Transport. She was
down to earth and made people feel at
ease. She was practical and organised and
these skills proved useful when she worked
as a manageress for Lyons Corner House
Restaurants. She knew a lot about good
food, and later at Homerton would share
recipes with students who needed some
guidance in the culinary area! She was also
a very caring woman and this made her
well suited to working as a ward clerk at
Suffolk Hospital and as secretary to retired
NHS staff, arranging events and outings.
At Homerton she was HUS Secretary and
many former students will remember her
positive outlook. She would gently cajole
when students needed reminding to fulfil
certain tasks, but also had a great sense
of fun. In fact, one former HUS officer
specifically recalls her “chuckle”. Lilian was a
very interesting person and in turn always
showed great interest in the students,
including concern for their welfare. She
made many good friendships with both staff
and students and always made the effort to
keep in touch.
A lot of the principles that Lilian held dear
are still worth holding onto today, perhaps
even more so in our rapidly changing
society. Lilian’s optimism and generosity
of spirit saw her through the challenges of
Parkinson’s disease towards the end of her
life. The mutually supportive relationship that
she and John enjoyed throughout their lives
together is testimony to them both and one
that many have admired.
Lilian touched many people’s lives and made
a difference in this world with her caring
attitude towards others. For those of us
lucky enough to have known her, she will be
greatly missed.
Alison White
(née Hogg, 1983–87)
Homerton College 23

Homerton roll
KEEPER’S LETTER 2011
Dear Member
Saturday 25th September 2010 was a
memorable centrepiece to the Reunion
weekend. Following the arrival of the Royal
Charter in March, the Reunion enabled Roll
Members to celebrate Homerton achieving
full College status. We were blessed with
lovely weather, and the programme was
enjoyed by 250 members and guests. The
Charter was on view and speeches by the
Principal and Sir David Harrison, former
Chairman of the Trustees, recounted how
the College evolved and how its governance
had changed in the last 40 years. The Hall
was full for lunch and the Principal and Sir
David led the toast to the College. Dr Peter
Warner then introduced the College Horn
which was given by the Roll in memory of
three former Principals, Dame Beryl Paston
Brown, Miss Alison Shrubsole and Mr Alan
Bamford. He demonstrated how it is used by
students at Formal Hall.
Members enjoyed meeting up to reminisce
over coffee, lunch and afternoon tea, to
enjoy the tours of the gardens and College,
to listen to good music, and to hear about
‘the lost film of Homerton’. Very special was
the Homerton poem, written by Carol Ann
Duffy with music composed by Sir Peter
Maxwell Davies, and sung by solo voice.
All of this led to even more reminiscing.
The September 2010 Reunion provided
an opportunity for many to celebrate the
anniversary of their arrival at College or their
departure, and particularly for those who
were in the first cohort to undertake Year 4
of the Cambridge B Ed in September 1970.
Your Keeper also arrived then and witnessed
all the changes, even being at the final
meeting of the Trustees in March 2010.
The Royal Charter had arrived on Friday 12th
March 2010. By a very happy coincidence,
College members of the Roll visited the
Newcastle, Wessex, Oxford, Manchester and
Cambridge Branches in the following month,
thus being able to share the celebration with
many more Roll members. These continued
in London on Saturday 20th November
when the London Branch held a Charter
Celebration at the Oxford and Cambridge
University Club, attended by about 60. The
new book, Homerton: The Evolution of a
Cambridge College had just been printed,
and many were sold.
We must thank both Alison Holroyd
and Cathy Bogg for all of their work in
supporting the Roll, and all of our events.
They help the College to keep in contact
with all of you.
With best wishes
Dr Ian H Morrison
Keeper of the Roll,
Emeritus Fellow
THE HOMERTON ROLL NEWS
The Roll News is a newsletter for members
of the Homerton Roll. It includes news
about the Branches and reports of the
Reunion as well as death notices and
obituaries, but the emphasis is on your
news. We are interested in anything that
you have to share, from simple updates of
what you are up to now to more detailed
accounts of your work, travel, achievements,
publications and awards. The Editor, James
Thomson [HUS President 1988–1989],
welcomes any news that you have to share,
but especially articles under the general
heading of ‘After Homerton’, and any
memories of your time at Homerton that
you think might be interesting.
HOMERTON ROLL COMMITTEE
By publishing in November, we are able
to include so many more of your updates,
and also accounts of the Reunion. The
closing date is 30 September which means
that you just have time to include Reunion
reminiscences and photographs. Do keep us
busy; it is YOUR news.
The Roll News is available to purchase
and we will send it out to you in November.
It is also available on-line at
www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/homertonians
HOMERTON ROLL MEMBERSHIP
The Homertonian is sent to all Roll
members for whom we have a current
address. Please help us to keep in touch
by letting us know of any changes to your
contact details; you can do this on-line at
www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/homertonians/
updatedetails.html. We are sending an
increasing number of invitations by email,
so do let us know your email address if you
are happy for us to contact you this way.
We also welcome new members. If you
know of a Homertonian who was in
residence before 1980, is not a member
of the Roll and would like to join, please
contact Cathy Bogg, Roll & Alumni
Assistant. Life membership for these former
students is still £15.00 and covers the cost
of the annual mailing. All other services,
including the annual publication The
Homerton Roll News, are provided on a
break-even basis.
Chair: Dr Kate Pretty (Principal);
Keeper of the Roll: Dr Ian Morrison;
Editor of the Roll News: Mr James Thomson (1987–1994);
Teaching Staff Member: Dr Peter Warner (Senior Tutor and College Archivist);
RSM: Mrs Carole Bennett;
College Finance Officer: Dhiru Karia;
President of HUS: Miss Pippa Dinnage;
Vice-president (External) of HUS: Mr Jatinder Sahota;
Past student members: Mrs Lucy Barnett (née Allen; 1961–1964), Mrs Jean Carnall
(née Barrie; 1966–1969], Mrs Dorothy Elven (née Kemp; 1950 –1952); Mr Dominic
Norrish [1994 –1998); Mrs Diana Lucas(née Barber; 1959–1961) and Mrs Alison
White (née Hogg; 1983–1987)
24
Homertonian

Our database of College members is
shared with the Cambridge University
Development Office. Alumni of the
College (with the exception of former
HSHS students) are entitled to receive
copies of CAM Magazine and a CAM Card,
which identifies you as a member of the
University. The benefits of a CAM card,
and how to receive one, are listed at
www.alumni.cam.ac.uk/benefits/camcard.
BRANCH CONTACTS AND NEWS
During the year, there are groups of Homertonians meeting together around the
country. So if you are unable to make it to the Cambridge Reunion, you may find
that there is an active group near you. Each group has a local secretary/organiser.
Many Homertonians also attend Cambridge University local branches in the UK and
throughout the World. If you do not have a branch of Homertonians in your area
consult the University of Cambridge Alumni Worldwide Directory at
www.alumni.cam.ac.uk/networks.
When in Cambridge, members are entitled
to use certain College facilities. Please
bring your CAM card with you when visiting
College. Unfortunately, College has had
to increase its security measures recently.
It would also be very helpful if you let us
know that you are visiting College so that
we know to expect you. You can use:
• The Dining Hall, Buttery and Bar;
• The Library for reading purposes with
prior notification; it is not possible to
borrow books;
• Members are welcome to attend the
Alumni Formal Halls which are held
once a term. Details are available on the
Homertonian pages of the website.
United Kingdom Branches
Cambridge
Anthea Wicks 01223 234706
wicks.hmc.eeur@lineone.net
London
Erica Hirsch 0208 941 1084
ericahirsch@hotmail.com
Jean Carnall 0208 788 0118
jean.carnall@tiscali.co.uk
Manchester
Margaret Blott 01745 570913
mblott_8@yahoo.co.uk
Newcastle
Elise Wylie 01914 885106
elise.wylie@gmail.com
Oxford
Dr Dorothy Evans 01865 240209
fidevans@talktalk.net
Wessex
Coral Harrow 01258 820517
coralharrow@waitrose.com
Yorkshire/Derbyshire
Chris Cox 01142314488
c.j.cox@sheffield.ac.uk
International Branch
Southern California Branch
Angela Das
ad301@cantab.net
Dr Ian Morrison
Keeper of the Roll
Ms Alison Holroyd
Senior Development Officer
Mrs Cathy Bogg
Roll & Alumni Assistant
Tel: 01223 747270 / 747280
Email: roll@homerton.cam.ac.uk
Website: www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/
homertonians
Join us on Facebook. Details
of events and College news
are posted on our Facebook
alumni page, ‘Homerton College
Cambridge Alumni’.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
We do not have the current addresses
for about 2000 Roll Members. We publish
a list of our ‘lost sheep’ on the Homertonian
pages of the College website, at www.
homerton.cam.ac.uk/homertonians/
lostsheep.html. They are listed by year
of entry to Homerton College. If you
know the whereabouts of a contemporary
listed, please contact us at
roll@homerton.cam.ac.uk.
Cambridge Branch
There was a very enjoyable gathering
at Jane Westerby’s house in Sawston in
February with a good number present.
Our thanks to Jane for hosting this. It is
good that new members are joining the
group. We plan a meeting next term at the
College to see and learn about some of
the College’s painting and sculptures. The
date will be posted on the web site and
I shall contact members directly. We are
trying to vary the venues for meetings, so if
members have suggestions or can offer to
host please contact me.
Anthea Wicks (née Pearey)
1958 –1960
London Branch
The undoubted highlight of our year was
celebrating the Charter at the Oxford and
Cambridge Club in Pall Mall. A record
attendance of over 60 people met in
November over canapés and fizz, renewing
old acquaintances and making new ones.
We were delighted that Dr Kate Pretty was
able to come and outline to us so clearly
the complexities of gaining the Charter. It
was good to welcome Ian Morrison and
Peter Warner and many members of the
Roll Committee to celebrate with us too.
The tour of the Club at the end of the
reception made everyone keen to return
again for future events.
Last summer’s meeting was a guided walk
around gardens in the City and we also
met for drinks soon after the New Year. The
garden walk, led by an excellent Blue Badge
Guide, took us to an amazing number of
delightful gardens that most of us didn’t
know existed. Refreshed by a pub lunch,
several people then toured the newly
opened Galleries of Modern London at the
Museum of London. New Year drinks were
at The George Inn, near London Bridge.
This is another of London’s historic pubs,
a galleried coaching inn, and is owned by
the National Trust. As usual there was no
shortage of conversation though space was
at a premium!
We meet next in May for a tour of the Royal
Ballet School at White Lodge in Richmond
Park. This promises to be fascinating,
Homerton College 25

Cathedral. Details will be included in
the Branch letter which members will
receive soon.
Margaret Blott (née Davies)
1949–1951
Newcastle upon Tyne Branch
The North East Homerton Association meets
in the Spring and Autumn of each year.
husband, Ron, for being our hosts at our
social meetings which take place in their
lovely country Manor House in the village of
Toot Baldon, near Oxford. At each meeting
there, we gather at coffee-time for a time
of welcoming each other and exchanging
news. We then enjoy a planned activity – for
instance, welcoming a speaker, and this is
followed by enjoying a “bring-and-share”
lunch, very much supplemented generously
by Sonia and Ron.
Top Kate Pretty cut the cake before toasting
the College
Bottom Homertonians from 1947 through to
2010 attended the Charter Reception
particularly as we have the opportunity to
attend a ballet class.
All within reach of London are welcome to
join us. Please make contact if you’d like to
hear about our activities. We keep everyone
in touch by e-mail so please make sure we
always have a current e-mail address. If you
have ideas for outings, venues, activities or
speakers then we would also be delighted
to hear from you.
Erica Hirsch (née Straw)
1965–1968
&
Jean Carnall (née Barrie)
1966–1969
Manchester Homertonians
We are looking forward to this year’s annual
luncheon to be held on Saturday, 9th April.
This will also celebrate the granting of the
Royal Charter, and thanks to publicity put
out by College there have been inquiries
from prospective new members. We are
delighted that Dr Pretty will be our guest
of honour.
In 2010 we did not hold a Come-if-you-can
event, mainly because we changed the
date of our luncheon from January to April,
but this year we plan a tour of Manchester
In the Spring of 2010 we were delighted to
receive a visit from Dr Ian Morrison, Keeper
of the Roll, who gave us a fascinating insight
into the arrival of the Royal Charter. Mrs Mary
Dowse invited us to meet at her beautiful
home for coffee and cakes and so provide a
venue where we thrilled to hear Ian’s news
of Homerton. We lunched at the Badger Inn,
Ponteland.
In September 2010 another member of our
group, Mrs Avril Forrest (1957–1960) invited
us to her fascinating home. Here we were
again indebted to a former Homertonian,
Mrs Frances Somers, née Womack, (1958–
1960) who gave us a tremendous insight into
her role as a member of the Independent
monitoring board of H.M. Prison, Frankland.
We also enjoyed a super lunch consisting of
savoury and sweet dishes brought by our
members. Our next projected visit will be to
Seaton Delaval Hall, Northumberland in April
2011. This magnificent building is reopening
to the public after major restoration. Mrs
Madeleine Gair (née Kingersley, 1959–1961)
is arranging a private guided tour.
We enjoy our visits and the companionship
and friendship which is evident in all our
activities. We have recently welcomed two
new members and would be delighted to
receive others.
Elise Wylie (née Wood)
1958 –1960
Oxford Branch
As in previous years, the members of the
Oxford Group have very much enjoyed
our events together. As before, we have
been very pleased to welcome friends to
our meetings and also visitors from other
branches. We are very grateful to our
member, Sonia Hewitt (1944–1946) and her
In March 2010, we were delighted to
welcome our speaker, Dr Peter Warner,
who gave us an excellent update on all
happenings at Homerton and he caused
us all to have happy memories of the
very many parts of the College which he
described to us, in terms of current activities
and also in terms of how they now look due
to their upkeep over the years.
In July, we had planned a visit to Abingdon
to visit many places of interest, including
the very interesting Almshouses there.
Unfortunately, due to difficulties which
several of our members happened to have at
that time, we had to cancel that visit, but we
are looking forward to including it in one of
our programmes in the future.
In October, we were privileged to have
an extremely interesting tour of parts of
the famous Bodleian Library in Oxford, led
by Peter, the husband of our member,
Christine Jackson.
Our last meeting was a purely social one
at Sonia’s home in Toot Baldon, where we
spent the time sharing with each other
our recollections of our happy memories
of our time at Homerton and our activities
since then, and then planning our possible
programme for next year.
So, it has again been a good year for us. If
you would like to visit us – or join our group
– we will be very pleased to welcome you.
Please contact either, Mrs Sonia Hewitt, (at
the Manor House, Toot Baldon, Oxford OX44
9NG; Tel: 01865 343398), or Dr Dorothy Evans,
(Flat 8, Diamond Court, 153 Banbury Road,
Summertown, Oxford OX2 7AA;
Tel: 01865 515341)
Dr Dorothy Evans
1945–1947
26
Homertonian

Yorkshire and Derbyshire
Branch
Over the first two years since it was
re-formed, the Yorkshire and Derbyshire
Branch has swelled to a membership of
nearly thirty ex-Homertonians, spanning
a total of seven different decades. Our
meetings to date have thus been a very
interesting mixture of reminiscences.
In 2010 we suffered rather a dip, with a
combination of factors (and the Secretary’s
ever more busy day job) stopping us
meeting. However, messages of support
continue to appear, and we will continue to
run the biggest and most popular events
we can in 2011.
The meeting in the grounds and restaurant
of Chatsworth House is still a vivid memory,
with a number of us basking in the fine
weather and beautiful surroundings. We
hope this summer will see us on a similarly
splendid day out, somewhere interesting
in the countryside, or perhaps at the very
popular Yorkshire Sculpture Park for a
Homerton picnic!
If there’s a venue near you that you’d like
the Branch to visit, let us know. If you’d like
to join the e-mailing group, just to keep
up with what we’re hoping to do next, you
can contact the Branch Secretary, Chris Cox,
who’ll be happy to talk to you.
Chris Cox
1992–1996
Wessex Branch
Last October we decided to try a new
venue in Shepton Mallet which is more
central for most people, but it was not
such a successful choice as the food was
not up to standard. (I think the hotel had
better remain nameless!) Nevertheless the
Wessex members who gathered there had
a great time chatting together on a lovely
sunny day. Those of us who had been to
College for the Royal Charter were able to
show photos and mementos of that special
September Reunion.
Coral Harrow (née Hemsley)
1949–1951
Southern California Branch
As Alumni Secretary of Homertonians in
SoCal, I’m really hoping to be able to build
a Californian network for current and future
Homertonians to use to find professional
opportunities and work experience
placements here. This is, of course, largely
dependent on YOU! So please get in touch
and I will add you to our mailing list !
Should anyone hear of any opportunities for
Homertonians in Southern California, please
do not hesitate to contact me so that I can
communicate back to the College.
If there are events around Southern California
where you would like to meet up with other
AT THIS YEAR’S REUNION
Homertonians, please let me know and I will
send out an email.
Should anyone wish to be notified of
Cambridge in America events through the
emailing list, please let me know.
Should anyone wish to be notified of Oxbridge,
InterNations or other expat events though this
mailing list, please let me know and I will
forward you relevant emails or send out the
necessary invitations.
I should make it clear that none of these
events or emails are organized by the
College in an attempt to solicit donations
of any kind. The purpose of this group
is really to try to build something of a
community for Homertonians old and new.
(Also, wouldn’t it have been nice when
you’d moved here if you’d known about a
Homerton group?).
Angela Das
2000 –2003
Were You on the HUS Exec or involved with the HUS?
Do you have happy memories of hustings
and re-open nominations, of open
meetings and college committees or
even of rent strikes and marches? Did you
devote a significant amount of your time
to drinking coffee in the HUS office, or
perhaps editing BEd Times? Do you ever
look back to those happy HUS days and
wonder what became of everyone else?
Well, now is your chance to find out.
The Homerton Roll Reunion weekend
is always an entertaining occasion but
this year it features the added bonus of a
dinner on Saturday 24th September for
former members of the HUS Exec and
those involved with HUS to reminisce
about their days of Exec meetings and
making badges. You may want to make
a weekend of it – the main Roll dinner is
taking place on the Friday night and there
will be plenty of activities, both formal and
informal, taking place through the day
on Saturday. For those of you of a certain
era, though, a word of caution: the Union
Room in the black and white buildings has
long since been demolished, so there can
be no tear-stained visits to the site of our
former glories.
So, there you have it. Put September
24th in your diary, start getting in touch
with your friends and fellow former Exec
members, and I look forward to seeing you
there for what promises to be a great night.
James Thomson
1987–94 (HUS President 1989–90)
Saturday Dinner
The Saturday Dinner is intended for all those who come to the Reunion, but are unable to
come for Friday evening, or who wish to attend both evening events. Last year two of the
special year groups used it as a focus for their get-together. This year we are also hoping to
attract many of you who have been on the HUS Exec over the years, or who were actively
involved with HUS, as James has written above.
The Saturday Dinner is less formal and starts in the bar. We hope to see many of you there.
Dr Ian Morrison
Homerton College 27

HOMERTON ROLL ANNUAL REUNION
Friday 23 and Saturday 24 September 2011
Programme
SPECIAL ANNIVERSARIES organised for this Reunion
Friday 23th September
19.30 for 20.00 Dinner in the Great Hall
Saturday 24th September
Members of the Homerton Roll and their families
are invited to visit the College for the day. Special
Anniversary groups – meetings independently
arranged.
9.30 Registration – Coffee available
11.15 Principal’s Address in the Auditorium
12.15 Reception, followed by lunch with
(approx) wine
14.00 Tours of the College and Gardens
Dr Peter Warner and Dr Peter
Cunningham will give a talk ‘Archive
Films of Homerton’
RSM Annual General Meeting
15.00 Tours of the College and Gardens
Music
16.15 Tea – open to all attending
19.30 for Saturday dinner in the Fellows’ Dining
20.00 Room with a special invitation to
former HUS members
Please make every effort to book early. This
not only greatly assists the organisation and
planning, but also increases the possibility of
our being able to accommodate all who wish
to attend. This year bookings will close on
Friday 9th September. Please ensure we have
received payment by this date. Unfortunately,
we cannot accommodate any bookings
received after this date.
The University’s Alumni weekend will be
held from 23rd–25th September 2011. A full
programme of the University’s events can be
obtained from:
Cambridge Alumni Relations Office (CARO)
1 Quayside
Bridge Street
Cambridge
CB5 8AB
Tel: +44 (0)1223 332288
Email: contact@alumni.cam.ac.uk
www.alumni.cam.ac.uk
Please contact the people named below for more information on your Special Reunion this year.
If your year is not mentioned and you would like to help organise a Special Reunion, please contact
Cathy Bogg on 01223 747280 or by email at roll@homerton.cam.ac.uk.
Diamond Girls Going
1949 –1951
Diamond Girls In
1951–1953
Golden Girls Going
1959 –1961
Golden Girls In
1961–1964
40 Years On
1968 –1971/72
40 Years In
1971–1974/75
Special Request
35 Years On
1973–1977
30 Years On
1977–1981
30 Years In
1981–1985
25 Years In
1986 –1990
21 Years In
1990 –1994
Hus Reunion
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
26 June 2011
Family Day in College
30 September 2011
Copy deadline for the 2011 Homerton
Roll News
23 September 2011
Annual Reunion Dinner in College
24 September 2011
Annual Reunion in College
November 2011
Alumni Formal Hall in College (please
see the website for further information)
Contact: Coral Harrow (Hemsley) Tel: 01258 820517 Email: coralharrow@waitrose.com
& Shirley Cawthra (Beardwell) Tel: 0161 4393420 Email: shirley.cawthra@yahoo.co.uk
Contact: Majorie Warren
Tel: 0161 4851640
Contact: Diana Lucas (Barber)
Tel: Home – 01487 822812 Mobile – 07889 682859 Email: dmlucasuk@gmail.com
Contact: Lucy Barnett (Allen)
Tel: Home – 01865 343248 Mobile – 07799 891584 Email: glebecottage@gmail.com
Contact: Cathy Bogg, Roll & Alumni Assistant
Tel: 01223 747280 Email: roll@homerton.cam.ac.uk
Contact: Cathy Bogg, Roll & Alumni Assistant
Tel: 01223 747280 Email: roll@homerton.cam.ac.uk
Contact: Jane Bramhill (Williams)
Email: jabramhill@aol.com
Contact: Cathy Bogg, Roll & Alumni Assistant
Tel: 01223 747280 Email: roll@homerton.cam.ac.uk
Contact: Cathy Bogg, Roll & Alumni Assistant
Tel: 01223 747280 Email: roll@homerton.cam.ac.uk
Contact: Debbie Smith (Hill) Tel: 01200 427593 Email: deborahhillsmith@gmail.com
& Emma Morley (Till) Mobile – 07578 064571 Email: morleyem08@aol.com
Contact: Tiffany Cawthorne (Cleeve)
Tel: 01676 523957 Email: tiffandjon@hotmail.com
Contact: James Thomson – HUS President 1989–1990)
Tel: Home – 01353 661273 Mobile – 07588 568691 Email: jamesthomson68@gmail.com
& Jo Newman (Caspari) – HUS President 1978–79 Tel: 0208 4284436
Email: JNewman@nlcs.org.uk
17 February 2012
Recent Leavers’ Dinner in College
February 2012
Alumni Formal Hall in College (please
see the website for further information)
2 March 2012
Items for inclusion in the 2012
Homertonian to be submitted
May 2012
Alumni Formal Hall in College (please
see the website for further information)
21 September 2012
Annual Reunion Dinner in College
22 September 2012
Annual Reunion in College
28
Homertonian