Mansfield Lives: sharing memories

Mansfield is proud of the thousands of its alumni contributing to communities all over the world. With the help of Simon Giddings (Physics, 1989), we have embarked on an exciting project, Mansfield Lives, to create a digital archive to capture and record the lives and experiences of Mansfield alumni while living and studying in Oxford.

Launched in February 2024, Mansfield Lives aims to create a digital collection of alumni memories, capturing the rich history of Mansfield College as ‘lived’ by its students and staff. Within four months of its launch, the archive already contained over 160 items. They range from classic pictures of celebrating the end of finals, and participating in team sporting events, to the less exciting – but equally significant – cooking dinner in student houses. Items also include a letter offering a place as an undergraduate, typed assignments received and a video of College history.

Next for the project is building a functional, searchable digital archive within the College’s new website. Over time, the aim is for Mansfield Lives to be a vibrant digital resource containing thousands of items by, and for, alumni.

A huge thank you to everyone who has already submitted items to us. We hope that more of you will consider contributing. Your photos, videos and documents representing your time at Mansfield and Oxford are the building blocks for a rich archive and resource for our entire community to enjoy.

So, do you have a picture from a College Ball, or from a sporting event? Maybe you have a photo or footage of croquet on the Quad, bikes at the Porter’s Lodge, a quiet time in the University Parks, cooking with friends, drinks in the student bar, or from celebrating your finals? Whatever you have, we’d love you to share them by adding them to the Mansfield Lives archive. It will only take a few minutes.

Head over to the alumni section on the College website to contribute.

A group of friends at Mansfield marking the end of their time together at College in the summer of 1976. Contributed by Martin Stott (Geography, 1973)

A collection of pictures taken at the Mansfield Spring Ball, 1995. Contributed by Ben Shaw (Geography, 1992)

Summer VIIIs, 1992. Men’s First VIII. The boat was new to the College. I believe it was the first one the College Boat Club had purchased in ten years. It was bought second-hand from one of the London rowing clubs. On our first outing in it, excited, we swerved to the right to avoid hitting a swan and rowed the boat straight into the bank, putting a hole in the side of our brand new purchase. It took four weeks for the repair. Embarrassing to say the least! Contributed by Simon Giddings (Physics, 1989)

Visit of President Bill Clinton to receive an honorary doctorate in 1994. Contributed by Ben Shaw (Geography, 1992)

Programme cover for the 1992 College Ball. Contributed by Ben Shaw (Geography, 1992)

Mansfield VSPs, 2004/05. This is a group photo of most of the Visiting Students, all from various universities in the United States, who attended Mansfield for the 2004/05 academic year. (Several VSPs were unable to participate in the photo the day it was taken.) At the time, the students were referred to as JYAs (Junior Year Abroad), but are now called VSPs (Visiting Student Programme). Contributed by Matthew Putorti (VSP: History & Politics, 2004)

Mansfield College Bar, winter 1989. The bar, run by students, was then at the bottom of the Library staircase, near the JCR. I remember it always being lively. Contributed by Simon Giddings (Physics, 1989)