The Queen's College Record 2023

Alan had an informed and reasoning brain and a good sense of humour. He had
many interests including visiting stately homes and heritage sites, reading, cooking,
gardening, and even studying Roman history. Sadly, in later life his mobility was not
good, and he became increasingly housebound. But he was always surrounded by
books and with a sports match blaring out from the TV.
He was a good and highly intelligent man who accrued a great wealth of knowledge
and enjoyed the company of friends and family. A fellow classmate from university
described him as a man who helped ten classicists to bond in lifelong friendship.
I can think of no higher tribute to pay to my father then this.
Obituaries
Helen Langwick
IAN DOBKIN
His Honour Judge Ian Dobkin died in October 2022,
aged 73. He had been suffering for a number of years
from Parkinson’s Disease, which came to limit not only his
mobility but also his contact with people important to him
over the years.
From Leeds, educated at Leeds Grammar School, he
came up as a Hastings Exhibitioner to read Classics Mods, with the intention of
changing after that to Law, and graduated in 1970.
Contemporaries at Queen’s will remember him as outgoing and active in college
life. One has recalled: ‘he was quite a presence during my time at Queen’s’. Indeed,
his room was a hub of hospitality. In 1968-9 he captained the College’s University
Challenge Team, along with Tony Ewin, JC Smith, and Graham Redman who was
replaced for one contest by Graham Parkes. After winning three rounds they were
defeated in a quarter-final.
As a Fresher, he expressed interest in The Eglesfield Players, as had I. So, in days
we were co-directing the College’s entry for Drama Cuppers. The play was not great
but for us it was the start of an enduring friendship. In that first year, he was cast in
the OUDS Summer Major, Aeschylus’s Agamemnon which was taken then to the
Delphi Festival, of all the more meaning to a classicist. In Trinity 1968 it was again
Eglesfield Players in the Provost’s Garden with Shaw’s You Never Can Tell; and in
1969 he directed Anouilh’s Becket there.
We shared with other friends our enthusiasm for theatre and music. Ian was not a
performing musician, but it – and especially opera – filled his life. His collection of
LPs was considerable already as a student. More than one friend has ascribed his
own discovery of opera to Ian at Queen’s.
College Record 2023 | The Queen’s College 101