Mansfield College Magazine 2009

Mansfield The MansďŹ eld College Magazine WINTER 2009

Principal’s Welcome At last! I have finally discovered why, with my otherwise irrelevant background in the control of infectious diseases, I was elected Principal of the College. No, happily there have been no epidemics whilst I have been here, but a student exam howler, reported in the Times Higher Education, explains that “Control of infectious diseases is very important in case an academic breaks out.”

Actually, three of our academics have broken out recently and have scaled the dizzy heights of academia, to be awarded the title of Professor, by the University, in recognition of their outstanding research and teaching. Ros Ballaster, Fellow and Tutor in English, becomes Professor of Eighteenth Century Studies; Steve Biller, Fellow and Tutor in Physics, becomes Professor of Particle Physics; and John Sykes, Professorial Fellow and Tutor in Materials Engineering, becomes Professor of Materials. Indeed, Mansfield’s small Fellowship can now boast a grand total of twelve Professors and we expect shortly to welcome one more, when an appointment is made to the newly-established Chair of Energy Materials, which will be associated with the College. Come to think of it, such a cluster of ‘cases’ could reasonably be called an ‘epidemic’ of excellence.

Talking of which, our students excelled themselves academically, this year. Over 93% of our finalists achieved either a First Class Honours degree (14) or an upper second (50). No one achieved less than a 2.2. Nine of our finalists won University prizes for outstanding performances in the final examinations. These were in English, Law, Materials Science, Physics and Oriental Studies. And 12 of our students received Distinctions in their first Public Examinations.

As far as our graduate students are concerned, their numbers are slowly expanding – we now have 53 – and we can truthfully say that Mansfield plays a full part in support of postgraduate study in the University. In recent years our graduate students have become more and more involved in College life, with the MCR/SCR dinners now a very popular feature of each term. As we build up the cultural activities within the College, we aim for even greater involvement of our graduate students, to the benefit of the whole Mansfield community.

The three new NonStipendiary Junior Research Fellows who have joined us this year are adding further lustre to that community. They are: Drs Carl Anderson, Jörn Dunkel and Nilu Goonetilleke, each with a brilliant research record already established.

Diana Walford presents Paul Ruddock with his Bancroft Fellowship on 16th June 2008

Records of a different kind are being made by our Development Office, thanks to the huge generosity of our alumni. During the all-toobrief time that Paul McCarthy was with us as Development Director, some £1.2m was raised for our 125th Anniversary Appeal, with a target of £2.8m by 2011, the year of our Anniversary. Paul has now, regrettably, left the College, but the Appeal goes on! Please help if you can.

As far as gifts are concerned, all gifts are delightful, but very large gifts are absolutely delightful (with apologies to Lord Acton)! So it was with great pleasure that the Governing Body acknowledged Paul Ruddock’s recent magnificent donation, and his many years of support for the College, by electing him to a Bancroft Fellowship (see photograph). Paul read Jurisprudence at Mansfield and graduated with First Class Honours, the first Mansfield Law student to do so. Since then, his career has taken him into the realms of high finance, but his love of art, particularly medieval sculpture, has led him to the Chairmanship of the Board of the Victoria and Albert Museum. Paul’s philanthropy, towards the V&A, towards his old school and to Mansfield, is inspirational; and his wife, Jill, too, is a tireless fund raiser for good causes; we were delighted that she was here, with Paul, at the Bancroft Fellowship award ceremony and dinner.

Times are undoubtedly hard for everyone at the moment, but the College’s affairs are, happily, going against the trend, and we are making very good progress on all fronts. I hope you will enjoy reading about some of our successes in this edition of the Magazine. ●

In this Edition…

1 2-3 4 6 7 8 9-12

Principal’s Welcome, Contents Senior Tutor, JCR & MCR Presidents, Bursar: Reports Access at Mansfield Personnel changes: SCR/staff Law Society and PPE Society Women at Mansfield Fellows’ articles

13 16 17 19-28

Feature: Mansfield Sports Past and Present From the archives: the changing landscape of Mansfield College Alumni Relations and Development Report Alumni articles and news

29 Obituaries 31 College events 32 Mansfield Association 33 Exam results Back cover: events calendar 2009

Designed by: Holywell Press Ltd., Oxford Edited by: Emily Henderson, Stephen Blundell, Katherine Morris We welcome suggestions and contributions from our readers. Please contact the Development Office (see back cover) for further information on any item in Mansfield.

Cover image: Keiko Ikeuchi

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Student Academic Successes 2007-2008 Lucinda Rumsey, Senior Tutor We are delighted with the academic success of our students this year.

Twelve of our first years were awarded distinctions and fourteen finalists achieved firsts, one of Mansfield’s best performances in recent years. Nine University prizes were awarded to our students. Amongst our scientists four prizes were awarded in Materials Science: third-year Michael Dowling was awarded the Ironmongers Prize for the best Presentation in the Part II examination; third-year Manuel Schnabel was awarded the QinetiQ prize for best third-year team design project, and also the Gibbs Annual prize for best overall performance in Part I, and first-year Robert Clough was awarded the Armourers’ Rolls Royce Prize for outstanding marks and distinction in first-year examinations. Harry Kennard (Physics finalist) was awarded an essay prize for the best third-year essay. Amongst our students in the Humanities two prizes were awarded to our English finalists, with Fay Skevington being awarded the Gibbs Prize for best Course II extended essay, and Kirsty Stanfield the Gibbs Prize for best Course I extended essay. In Law, third-year David Johnson was awarded the Simms Prize in Criminal Justice & Penology, and in Oriental Studies first-year Angelina Lonnqvist was awarded the Pusey & Ellerton Junior Prize.

We also award a number of College prizes each year for excellent academic performance, or to provide students with the opportunity to travel, in order to study or pursue cultural interests abroad.

Of our academic awards, Mansfield’s College Essay Prize was awarded to second-year lawyer Nicholas Broomfield.

The Principal’s Prize for academic progress was awarded to English second-year Paul Maiden, who was also awarded the Mason Lowance Prize for the best second-year essay in English, an award held jointly with Lotty Spurrell. As well as winning a Gibbs prize in English, Kirsty Stanfield was awarded the Mason Lowance Prize for the best performance in English Schools. Of our other subject specific prizes the Mahony Prize in History was awarded to second-year Alex Brayson; the Horton Davies Prize in Theology was awarded to second-year Tom Carpenter; the Worsley Prize in Law was awarded to third-year Rebekah Finch, and Fred Price was awarded the Henty Prize for best second-year performance in Geography.

We awarded Nathan Whitley travel scholarships to Paul Silcock (second-year Engineering), Simon Bowcock (second- year Materials Science), Melvin Chen (second-year Materials Engineering and Management), Shaolong Cheng (second-year Materials Science). Proctor Travel scholarships were awarded to Richard Phelps (third-year Oriental ➥ CO L L EGE RE PORTS AND NEWS

Studies), Ben Williams (first-year Geography), and to Luke Jessop (third-year Geography), who was also awarded the Henty Prize Travel Bursary. Robert Wellburn (secondyear Geography), Richard Pope (second-year Geography) and Daniel Butchart-Kuhlman (second-year Geography) benefited from the Geography Dissertation Fund.

Many of these College prizes and awards were established many years ago by generous donations from past members or friends of Mansfield College, to encourage the academic endeavour of our students. We are fortunate this year to be able to offer two new awards, the Sarah & Peter Harkness Prize for best performance in first-year examinations and the Sarah & Peter Harkness Bursary, both to be awarded to a Mansfield student living and having completed sixth-form studies in Yorkshire or the North East of England. The first recipient of the Harkness Prize is Robert Clough (first-year in Materials Science) and the Bursary will be awarded later this year. Sarah and Peter Harkness made these awards so that students from the North of England, a group currently under-represented at Oxford University, will see that Mansfield actively encourages their application to the College. Mansfield is very active in its outreach and access activities; as a result we have the highest Robert Clough, proportion of state-sector students in the winner of the new Harkness Prize University, and our students come here to study from all parts of the country and across the world. It is a great pleasure for us as tutors to see them thrive at Mansfield and achieve academic success in their studies. ●

JCR President James Naish At the end of Michaelmas, my time as JCR President will come to an end. All in all, it has been an eventful and productive year. In Hilary, we redesigned the JCR website and worked closely with the Bursar and Catering Manager to ensure that the college bar stays afloat. There was also a demonstration over proposals to change the college shield.

This was a highly emotive issue that saw alumni, tutors and students all voicing opinion over the proposals. The JCR held a meeting attended by more than seventy students, who overwhelmingly opposed change. The decision taken

by Governing Body not to change the shield was very well received. At Governing Body in the last week of term, a JCR paper proposing the introduction of a Senior Tutor for Welfare was well received.

In Trinity, more than £3000 was spent on refurbishing the JCR. As I write, we await delivery of three sofas and a screen that will divide the room into more comfortable quarters. A new 47-inch LCD screen has been installed on the wall and three huge beanbags occupy the space around

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it. I look forward to seeing the end result in November.

Trinity also saw intensive rent negotiations. Again, this was an emotive issue that was debated extensively and saw an active demonstration on the college quad. I remain gravely concerned about the disparity in the increase in the student loan and the increase in accommodation prices but the foundation of a college/student committee to look at the long-term schedule of price rises is a step in the right direction.

Four weeks into Michaelmas, further gains have been made.

Under the eye of the JCR Vice-President Leah Wolfe, academic review sessions have been established which give students the opportunity to give verbal feedback on tutorage to JCR representatives. Coupled with this has been the extension of a seat on the Academic Strategy Committee to both the JCR and the MCR. For this I am extremely grateful. Finally, we have attained college membership of the PULSE Gym at the Iffley Road Sports Centre. This will be of benefit to all undergraduates, graduates and visiting students.

I have enjoyed my time as JCR President – re-writing the constitution and attending three-hour OUSU Council meetings hasn’t been enthralling but I remain convinced that the JCR has made huge strides this year. I hope that similar steps can be made next year and that the undergraduate body at Mansfield will continue to play an active role in the decision-making process that affects the future of this great college. ●

MCR President Katie Moore In contrast to James, my time as MCR President has only just begun. We’ve had a great start to the term with the MCR growing in size yet again with 45 freshers this year.

We continue to have a diverse group with students joining us from 20 different countries and studying everything from African Studies and Theology to Computer Science and Clinical Medicine. This makes the MCR a great place to meet people from different backgrounds and fields and this range and variety is what makes the MCR especially fun and interesting.

Mansfield offers graduate students a lively social scene and through the many MCR events there is always a chance for members to get involved. This term alone we’ve had high tea at the Randolph Hotel, exchange dinners with Lincoln and Exeter Colleges, grad nights at Kukui and of course we’ve got many more events lined up including an international potluck dinner. This year’s MCR is also active in college activities and after a long hiatus graduates now have a large presence in rowing and football again.

of the Mansfield’s welcoming community, but also with a view to influencing many nations. In months to come you will definitely be hearing more from the MCR, as our members become an ever more integral part of Mansfield College life. ●

Bursar’s Report Steve Waterman We were pleased in October to be able to attend the Oxford City Council Area Planning Committee Meeting at St. Barnabas First School in order for the Principal to present our plans for the proposed Love Lane Student Accommodation building. The Councillors were very complimentary about the scheme and gave consent with an almost unanimous vote. The building with its additional 78 ensuite rooms, together with our existing accommodation, would be able to provide rooms for all students who wished to opt for College accommodation. There is also provision for a new JCR and MCR and other facilities on the ground floor, and in all represents a major step forward for the College. The Rick Mather design will allow for a generous amount of grassed area and tree cover to remain in that area of the College, and the proposed energy arrangements are based on heat exchange technology which has been used in many of his previous buildings.

Meanwhile, the bread and butter of buildings-related work continues within the College, with more now being spent on the improvement of the estate than ever before. Much of this work is ‘hidden’ such as new boilers, roof repairs, and improvements to our IT networks, but we have also managed to achieve a lot of visible improvements to student accommodation both on the main site and in the annexes – and at the moment we are planning for significant increases to the maintenance and redecoration programme for the 2009 season.

The books also continue to balance as far as our annual accounts are concerned, and the 2007-08 financial year ended with another (small) surplus. As with all colleges we watch with ‘interest’ the effect on our endowments of the recent financial turbulence, trying to second-guess what will happen next. In this respect it is almost comforting not to be so reliant on endowment for income as some of the older colleges – but it does mean that we need to ensure that other sources of income remain buoyant. It was therefore pleasing to see that our conference turnover grew again last year, and in particular the wedding trade was remarkably successful over the summer with 11 successful unions in all – an exhausting process for our accommodation and catering staff who nevertheless continue to receive excellent feedback from the happy couples. ●

The MCR’s location at the top of the tower is perhaps a fitting symbol of our contribution to the college – the centre

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Access at Mansfield: Oxford Further Education Access Initiative Helen Etty The Further Education Access Initiative is dedicated to increasing applicant numbers to Oxford from Further Education and Sixth Form Colleges, and to increase applicant support. The project was launched by Mansfield College in 1999 with its Access to Excellence campaign, when academic staff discovered that the Further Education sector was a particularly under-represented group at Oxford.

Mansfield obtained funding for the project from the Sutton Trust, Atlantic Philanthropies, and its own alumni, and convened the Further Education Consortium, which was a group of seven Oxford Colleges working in and outside Oxford to remove barriers, to work with FE staff and to encourage able students to consider applying to Oxford.

Over the last decade, the FE Initiative has grown to become Oxford University’s largest outreach project, and we are now in annual contact with over 400 Further Education, Tertiary and Sixth Form Colleges across the UK. Lord Patten, Chancellor of Oxford University, named the Initiative “one of Oxford’s most important and imaginative initiatives,” and the latest OFFA agreement called it “the most significant of Oxford’s access programmes.”

The Further Education sector represents 12% of Oxford’s annual intake, and includes Sixth Form Colleges (where most students study A levels), Further Education Colleges (centres for academic and vocational post-GCSE courses), and Tertiary Colleges, the main providers of post-16 education in areas where schools typically have no sixth forms. Students in the FE sector may face difficulties that students in school sixth forms do not: for various reasons, they have experienced a fracture in their education, they may be studying for non-traditional qualifications, and the large size of the institutions they attend can inhibit the access of information. Consequently, we work to provide staff in every FE College with a contact at Oxford, and to offer an accessible service for prospective Oxford applicants, giving them information and advice about their choices.

I have managed the FE Initiative for five years (I studied A levels at Franklin Sixth Form College in Grimsby before reading English at Somerville), conducting over 600 College visits to speak to staff and students about the realities of studying at Oxford. For students already applying to Oxford, we run over 70 Interview Workshops at Colleges each autumn.

We arrange many other events in Oxford, including two Open Days and an annual summer conference for FE staff, Interview Information Days, Study Days where sixthformers experience the tutorial system, and opportunities for group visits throughout the year. We also co-ordinate the University’s largest e-mentoring project, a support system CO L L EGE RE PORTS AND NEWS

Helen (far right) running an interview workshop at St. Francis Xavier College, London

whereby current Oxford students email sixth-formers who are interested in their courses. Students from 57 FE and Sixth Form Colleges are participating in 2008.

Since it is often by meeting current undergraduates that potential applicants’ misconceptions are dispelled, recruiting student volunteers is key to our work. My volunteer list numbers over 300 undergraduate students, many of them from FE backgrounds, who take part in e-mentoring, Open Days, and meeting prospective students.

Student Perspective: Lois Thomas One of the FE colleges with which we have built up new links is Carmarthenshire College in Wales, where we have worked with teachers over a number of years to help them encourage their bright students to see that Oxford is possible and affordable. Lois Thomas came to Mansfield in 2006 from Carmarthenshire College.

“The response from my friends when I told them I was applying to Oxford was mainly laughter! I was studying for A levels at a Sixth Form College, had been to a local comprehensive, and the prospect of studying at Oxford University seemed an unreachable target. However, I had a great teacher who encouraged me to apply and helped me look into the financial help that the university could offer me. I am now in my third year of my degree and despite finding it challenging and difficult, my tutors have been helpful and I have made lots of friends. I am glad I applied to Mansfield: a smaller college where everybody makes an effort to be friendly and there is a strong sense of community. I have been able to experience Oxford life and learning, from within a friendly, supportive network.”

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Initially, the Consortium comprised seven Oxford Colleges.

Today, there are twenty-two members and the number is rising (St Anne’s, the newest College, joined in November 2008). Applications to Oxford from FE have risen by 70% since the project began, and the number of offers given to FE students has increased by 12%. There is much to be done, but we aim to build on our successes and to enable all prospective candidates from the FE sector to make a competitive application to Oxford.

New Addition to the Team: Danielle Cluer Danielle Cluer, a recent graduate of Mansfield College and former student of Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College in Leicester, has recently joined the FE Access Team: As no other member of my family had been to university, let alone Oxford, the FE Access Initiative informed me of the opportunities that were available to me nonetheless.

While I value the experiences I had during my AS/A-levels, studying at Oxford gave me the chance to explore my subject in new and challenging ways.

The support of my tutors – Ros Ballaster and Lucinda Rumsey – made the transition a steady one and their continued guidance throughout the duration of my degree ensured that I got the most out of my time here.

Now, working for the FE Access Initiative gives me the chance to help students see past certain preconceptions and to make informed decisions about their education.

For more information about the Further Education Access Initiative, please see our website www.fe-access.org.uk or email helen.etty@mansfield.ox.ac.uk. ●

Mansfield Populace SCR Leavers Dr Michael Freeman Dr J Rowland Dr F Marchietti Adrian Viens Liam Condon Dr Romola Davenport Dr Julian Templeton

Stipendiary Lecturer in Geography Non-stipendiary JRF Non-stipendiary JRF Non-stipendiary Lecturer Junior Dean Stipendiary Lecturer in Human Sciences Assistant Director of Ministerial Training

SCR College Officers and Posts Tutor for Admissions: Tutor for Graduates: Senior Tutor: Dean: Fellow Librarian: IT Fellow: Tutor for Women: Welfare Officer SCR Steward: Junior Dean:

Ms Lucinda Rumsey Dr Tony Lemon Ms Lucinda Rumsey Dr Paul Lodge Dr Kathryn Gleadle Prof Steve Biller Prof Ros Ballaster Dr Helen Lacey Dr Tony Lemon Ms Maria Garcia-Lineira

Personnel Changes Newcomers: Terry Greenwood joined the Mansfield Porters’ Lodge in May from Lady Margaret Hall.

Emily Henderson joined Mansfield in June in the new role of Alumni Relations Manager.

Monika Dziasek rejoined the Mansfield team as Hall Supervisor in June. She had been taking a Masters in Poland.

Danielle Cluer, a Mansfield Graduate, joined Helen Etty in the Access Office in August.

Leavers: Carrie Fehr, Development Officer, left Mansfield in May for Lady Margaret Hall.

Paul McCarthy, Development Director, left in October.

Wendy Cameron, Accommodation Manager, left in January 2009.

Participants in a Masterclass and personal development programme in Newcastle-under-Lyme Schools pose before the Radcliffe Camera

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SCR Newcomers Dr Carl Anderson Junior Research Fellow Carl is a postdoctoral research fellow within the Genetic and Genomic Epidemiology Group at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford.

His research is aimed at characterising the genetic factors which underlie human disease susceptibility.

Dr Andy Gosler Supernumerary Fellow in Human Sciences Andy is Director of the Institute of Human Sciences where he lectures in Evolution, Ecology and Biological Conservation, and is University Research Lecturer at the Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology where he teaches and researches in bird ecology. He was awarded a Teaching Excellence Award in 2007 for his contribution to the Human Sciences degree.

Col Alexander Alderson MOD Defence Fellow A serving Army officer, Alexander is a visiting fellow with the Leverhulme Changing Character of War programme and the Department of Politics and International Relations.

His research is aimed at examining the impact that Britain’s military operations in Iraq have had on the way the Army should approach future operations of this kind.

Ms Michelle Buckley Stipendiary Lecturer in Geography In addition to her post as Lecturer in Human Geography at Mansfield, Michelle is currently a doctoral candidate at the Oxford School of Geography and the Environment. Her research explores the firms, finance and labour involved in urban construction and development in the Persian Gulf.

Personnel Profile Terry Greenwood: Porter

Revd Tanya Rasmussen Chaplain Tanya was ordained in the United Methodist Church in the USA. Prior to moving to Oxford she served as co-pastor of a United Church of Christ congregation on the South Shore of Boston from 2002-2006.

Dr Nilu Goonetilleke Junior Research Fellow Nilu is an immunologist investigating the T cell response to HIV-1 and M.tuberculosis infections. She leads a research team for Professor Andrew McMichael, that is part of the international Centre for HIV-1/AIDS Vaccine Discovery (CHAVI) network.

CHAVI aims to answer outstanding questions in HIV-1 immunobiology with the view to developing a prophylactic HIV-1 vaccine.

Dr Tom Lancaster Stipendiary Lecturer in Physics Tom is researching the physics of magnetism and superconductivity by implanting subatomic particles (called muons) into materials. He was previously a research fellow for the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 and a lecturer at St Catherine’s College, Oxford.

Dr Jörn Dunkel Junior Research Fellow

In May we welcomed Terry Greenwood to Mansfield from Lady Margaret Hall. In his spare time, as well as studying calculus and geology, Terry mends antique wireless sets, and has his own amateur radio station: call-sign G4AYR.

Above: Antique valvetester Rght: Terry’s amateur radio station

CO L L EGE RE PORTS AND NEWS

Jörn is a postdoctoral fellow in Prof Julia Yeomans’ group at the Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics of the University of Oxford. His current research interests cover various topics in statistical physics and thermodynamics.

Visiting Fellows Dr G Hyman: Theology (Michaelmas Term) Professor Natsuki Natake (Kanto Gakuin Fellow)

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Law Society Law Society President Nick Broomfield Mansfield College has a proud legal tradition, and has helped lay the foundations from which many successful practicing lawyers and academics have built their careers, boasting alumni in all aspects of the legal profession across the length and breadth of the country. Last year’s students have been no exception to this and everyone involved in the Law programme at Mansfield wishes David, Becky, Lloyd and Alexis the very best for the future. I’m sure this is not the last we shall hear of them! We are also delighted to welcome Pavlos back from his sabbatical, and we would all like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on the publication of his new book, Legal Rights, by the Oxford University Press.

Law at Mansfield is a diverse, cosmopolitan experience; with only thirteen undergraduates, studying Law makes you one of a close-knit group of people made up of students of different ages, cultural backgrounds, life experiences, outlooks on life and aspirations. It is an experience which offers far more than a legal education,

offering the opportunity to work alongside people from all academic years, graduate or undergraduate, whose knowledge and friendship you soon realise to be equally valuable.

Student activity at Mansfield isn’t just restricted to working side by side in the Law library: as well as having students representing both the college and the university in all kinds of sports and extra-curricular activities, Mansfield Law Society has become a flourishing force in the Law Faculty, becoming increasingly involved in offering Mansfield students, both those presently studying Jurisprudence and those interested in converting to Law after university, opportunities to plan for the future and to take part in events which they would otherwise have not had the opportunity to participate in. Michaelmas Term this year will have seen Mansfield play host to representatives from several City Law firms keen to speak to students about life as a solicitor, and we plan to continue this trend into Hilary and Trinity term.

The main date, however, on the Law Society calendar is always the annual Mansfield Law Dinner, which will take place on 21st February 2009.

This event traditionally sees Mansfield College welcome back alumni for the Law Society’s traditional black

Stella Mitchell speaking at Law Dinner, February 2008

tie dinner, which is a really enjoyable evening alongside old friends, current students and college professors.

The 2009 dinner promises to be another truly great event, and I look forward to seeing both past and present students alike in the new year! ●

Annual Law Dinner, 21st February 2009 Speakers: Martin Collier – 1978-81 Kathleen Russ – 1986-89 Richard Ellison – 1976-79 Brian McDonnell – 1989-92 Amanda Sanders – 1987-1990

PPE Society Mansfield PPE Society Dinner, 8th November 2008 The inaugural PPE Society Dinner, held on Saturday of IV week, was a splendid affair, enjoyed by all fifty who attended.

Not only were there the usual top-quality Mansfield food and welcome, but an exciting and memorable mix of alumni, current students and fellows.

Our speaker was Mansfield alumnus Mr. Justin Rowlatt, BBC Newsnight Journalist and renowned ‘Ethical Man’, following his year living on a low-carbon existence with his wife, Bee. Mr. Rowlatt gave an engaging and provocative talk about the future of carbon change and how we can (and need) to make a difference. Just as lively – and controversial – was the question and answer session that followed.

Truly, a good time was had by all!

Paul Fleming, PPE Society President

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Left: Speaker Justin Rowlatt with the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Right: Paul Fleming introduces the speaker at the PPE Society Dinner

Forthcoming PPE Society Events VI Week Michaelmas: A forum on ‘Britishness’, attended by academics and politicians Christmas Dinner: VIII Week, Michaelmas Term Hilary Term: A marathon West Wing series viewing!

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Women at Mansfield Tutor For Women: Ros Ballaster Women remain in a significant minority at Oxford among the undergraduate, graduate, and fellowship communities. Most colleges therefore designate one female tutor ‘tutor for women’, with special responsibility to represent the needs or concerns of that minority. I think it is also important that we celebrate the energy and success of our female members, and to focus on our positive achievement.

Women’s Dinner 14th November 2008 Rather than host another ‘Women’s Drinks’ session, Ros decided to organise a Women’s Dinner for students and tutors past and present, and staff. Designed to bring together all the women involved in Mansfield, this dinner filled the Hall with a variety of age-groups and occupations.

Three of our illustrious alumni gave short talks describing how they got from Mansfield to their current positions.

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.”

Margaret Fuller

Speakers Sarah Harkness PPE, 1980-1983, Guardian of Mansfield, Executive Chairperson, Keyways Publishing Sarah began her speech with the tale of her days at Mansfield, where she was one of the second year of women at the college, when a total of seven were admitted.

The girls of the year were actually put on the ground floor of B and C blocks, and there were no gates or CCTV back then! The theme ran through all three speeches that, whilst at Oxford, it is difficult to see why being there is going to be an asset, but that afterwards it never ceases to be of use. Speaking as a successful businesswoman, the advice Sarah gave was to attend women’s events and enjoy them, but to always be a presence vying with men in what is still an overwhelmingly male world.

Nell Freeman Human Sciences, 1999-2002, Photojournalist with Getty images

Maddie Rowe English, 19951998, Mills and Boon Editor

Nell’s profession has taken her to 23 countries, exhausted 3 passports, led to 12 exhibitions, ended a few relationships, and laid her up with a selection of tropical diseases. Recently she has been working in the Sudan with the Sudanese Liberation Army, and has been on an all-night vigil with the star wizards of Kenya. Currently she is working on the portrayal of AIDs. Her pictures depict the beautiful simplicity of the everyday, an everyday where ‘négatif ’ in blue biro is the signal of hope and life: an everyday that marks out those sipping rosé in the Council Room as ‘other’ in their own home.

Nell tells us that, as a woman, she can be a neutral presence in ultra-sensitive situations, and so can photograph the otherwise unseen.

Maddie moved through Georgette Heyer to Aphra Behn to Kate Millett, and through these early influences she pursued a long Mansfield career in the study of gender identity, embarking on a doctorate after an English BA and Masters in Women’s Studies. At a critical moment during her thesis she made a list of what she really wanted to do, and lit upon editing Mills and Boon. Maddie interrogates how, as a feminist and literary reader, she can be a Mills and Boon editor. Her answer to this seemingly-rhetorical question is twofold: this is a milieu where female desire is taken seriously. It is also a genre that is widely-read, often by those whose first language is not necessarily English: it can be seen as encouraging literacy.

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Fellowship Profile: Janet Dyson For as long as I can remember I wanted to do Maths, and I could never really imagine doing anything else. It can be an intensely frustrating business, but when it goes well it gives me a tremendous buzz. So, despite the fact that at my direct grant school in Brighton, young ladies didn’t do science, and my Chemist parents felt that it wasn’t a suitable career for a woman, I came up to Oxford (St Hugh’s) in 1967 to read Maths, and I’m still here.

I’ve been at Mansfield since 1977, when I was recruited to teach the first four undergraduate mathematicians to be admitted. We have come a long way since then as we built up expertise in spotting talent, and in the best ways to support students. Our students are doing extremely well and in the past five years more than 55% have got Firsts.

Former Mansfield students are working successfully in a wide variety of occupations all over the world.

In my research I apply rigorous mathematical methods to differential equations arising from various applied Maths problems. In my doctoral thesis I worked on a problem now known as the ‘pantograph equation’. This arose from the modelling of wave motion in the overhead wires delivering electricity to a train pantograph. The pantograph tended to bounce off the wires, unless the wire supports were close enough together. The aim was to find out how close the supports should be, but I was more interested in the Mathematics. The basic equation is a very elegant delay differential equation: y’(t)=ay(kt)+by(t), where t is nonnegative, and a, b, k are constants with 0<k<1. The solutions of this equation have a very rich structure and it has continued to be studied ever since. Delay equations arise in very many applications and I went on to work on some of the general theory of such equations.

I very much hold to the view that Maths is not a solitary sport and for the past 35 years I have worked with Rosanna

Figure 1: This shows how in a numerical simulation of a model involving both diffusion and haptotaxis a tumour modelled in 2 dimensions grows asymmetrically.

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Villella-Bressan from the University of Padua. More recently we have also worked with Glenn Webb from Vanderbilt University, USA, looking at problems from Mathematical Biology. Some of our recent papers study a model of the invasion of a tumour into surrounding tissue.

The growth of the tumour is governed by a number of different processes. The tumour cells move by diffusion, that is randomly, and they also move by haptotaxis, where essentially they adhere to the cells in surrounding tissue and are pulled into the tissue. The cells divide, producing increasingly aggressive mutations. They also produce an enzyme which breaks down the tissue and the whole process is fed by nutrients. All these effects can be incorporated into a system of partial differential equations for the evolution of the tumour and surrounding tissue in time and space.

Numerical simulations indicate that it is the term that models haptotaxis which gives the tumour its irregular fingerlike growth, seen experimentally. In our model the term which represents the degradation of the tissue at any point depends on the concentration of degradative enzyme all around that point. The problem is mathematically very challenging, but in this case we can make it tractable by using the diffusion term to control the nonlinearity caused by the inclusion of a term representing haptotaxis.

The attached figures 1 and 2 show how, in a numerical simulation performed in 2 dimensions, the tumour grows asymmetrically and the surrounding tissue is destroyed.

If the haptotaxis term is omitted the tumour grows symmetrically, contrary to experimental observation.

I have always found that my teaching informs my research and vice versa. Teaching and research came together in a novel way during the summer when I discovered at a conference that a former maths undergraduate from Mansfield, Stephen Gourley, is also working on cell-cell adhesion. We are now all working together on a model which is closely related to the tumour invasion model. ●

Figure 2: This shows how in a numerical simulation of the model with haptotaxis and diffusion the surrounding tissue is destroyed by the tumour.

M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

An Interview with Dr Mary King Fellow of the Rothermere American Institute, member of Mansfield College SCR To Mary, being a member of Mansfield means a great deal personally, in terms of both enduring friendships and collegial relations. The size of the College brings people together, facilitating relationships, and its history is unique. She cites the Wednesday Chapel service followed by dinner as exemplifying an important part of the ethos of the College, and thinks the Nonconformist origins and history of the College are to be protected and preserved.

To Mary, an institution is defined by the individuals associated with it, and Mansfield has provided her with a special aperture on Oxford University. Given tensions in the relationship between Britain and the United States of the past few years, Mary feels that the proximity of the neighbouring Rothermere American Institute (RAI), literally next door to Mansfield, can be a focal point for formal and informal exploration of major, topical issues that face both countries – and the relationship between them that had been trivialized and weakened in recent years. Now that the RAI is well-established, it can fulfil a broader role in offering opportunities for engagement with ideas, and share in the intellectual life of the College and University through its frequent seminars and conferences. For Mary, the RAI unlocked the riches of Oxford University, and ‘inside I found the secret garden of Mansfield College’.

During the Carter Administration in the United States, Mary was in charge of overseeing the US Peace Corps. She has worked with President Jimmy Carter since 1971, when he was still governor of Georgia. When he swore Mary into office in the White House Rose Garden in March 1977, he said that Mary ‘has a sensitivity and courage that is absolutely superlative’. I asked her if she and Carter had influenced each other’s views of world peace. ‘Jimmy Carter is not a man given to baroque embellishment’, Mary states, but by inference she thinks she can answer this question affirmatively. On a practical level, for nearly a decade of his post-Presidency, she acted as his envoy with business and political leaders in the Middle East. On a deeper level, Mary says they share values, backgrounds, and worldviews.

The U.S. civil rights movement was significant for both of them, in different ways: Mary worked at the heart of the movement for four years, handling the national news media for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee; Carter could not have been elected President until the movement began to lift the stain of racial segregation from the American South. In Carter’s introduction to Mary’s 2007 book, A Quiet Revolution: The First Palestinian Intifada and Nonviolent Resistance (New York, Nation Books, 2007; London, Perseus Books, 2008), he says the 1960s civil rights movement ‘made it possible for white citizens to hold their heads high, because white southerners could feel proud that their region had resolved a predicament of centuries, with relatively little bloodshed. . . . The long journey for civil rights became . . . a national struggle for rights and reform, F E L LOWS’ ARTICLES

and made it possible for me as a white southerner to be elected by the entire nation as the thirty-ninth President of the United States’. Moreover, both Mary and Carter come from southern Protestant backgrounds – Mary’s father was the eighth Methodist minister in six generations in Virginia. Their mothers were each in the nursing profession.

This means a collegiality in their philosophical and ethical frameworks, Mary says, and when they communicate the conversation is not about values, but on concrete steps Mary and Jimmy Carter, during his visit to Mansfield and practical solutions. in 2007.

Carter – Mary tells me – thinks deeply about the meaning of honour, justice, Truth, standing up for what you believe, taking risks, making one’s life count, and confronting injustice.

Mary is Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies with the University for Peace, an affiliate of the UN, which specializes in Irenology (the study of peace). I asked her to delineate her personal definitions of peace, and peace education.

Peace is one of the deepest yearnings of the human psyche, Mary tells me, yet definitions differ according to cultural traditions, and pressures such as food insufficiency, environmental degradation, impoverishment, and injustice.

An exponential increase in knowledge on how to build more peaceable societies has occurred since 1978, when the concept of ‘peace-building’ was first used, by the UN in Namibia. Today, the fastest growing area of the social sciences world-wide is peace and conflict studies, which is expanding both the generation of knowledge and its dissemination. Africa has 26 centres for peace and conflict studies, and in the United States 400 centres or departments for peace and conflict studies are at work. Insights from the field are affecting many sectors of human society, from international relations among nation-states to industrial disputes to local matters. Peace education may involve all segments of a society. It teaches in the broadest sense of the word the prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts, and thus may involve the media, mass communications, and non-formal education.

An article entitled ‘Sex and Caste’, written by Mary King and Casey Hayden in 1966, is credited by historians with having sparked what is now called second-wave feminism.

Feminism has passed through three waves since the 1960s (the bid for equality, the claim of difference, and the search for less restricting definitions). I asked Mary where feminism is now. ‘The question of whether women are different or equal to men is still vexing, but probing the question remains important, although it will become less so in the future. Feminist work is centred on women and

➥ 10

generally emancipatory. Yet it is possible to analyse gender in political activity from perspectives other than that of the feminist’. The last thirty years have seen an exponential growth of gender studies, Mary says, which, along with peace and conflict studies (in which gender plays a central, cross-cutting role), are likely to have long-term impacts on the leadership and organization of human societies. ‘Gender is neither a variable, nor a special addition, but is central to understanding fundamental power dynamics. Human rights violations have been germane to foreign policy ever since President Carter put them on the table of international diplomacy in the late 1970s, yet violations pertaining to women’s rights are not – a deficit that must be faced’.

Gender, Mary states, has more to say to the human race than feminism: feminism in a word means choices, whilst gender affects all spheres and aspects of human life. ‘Patriarchy has been a principal method of organizing human society for millennia, yet emphasizes the interests and needs of only half the population. Important insights came into conflict resolution from gender studies, including appreciation of the costs to societies of the exclusion of women, and the value of non-hierarchical relationships’. Today, internationally, Mary notes, ‘generative ideas in gender studies often come from Africa, where men are frequently leaders for gender equity in universities and parliaments – having seen the poor results from societies organized around extreme patriarchy’. Much of Mary’s work with the University for Peace in the past six years has been with academicians in African universities and civil-society organisations, where, she reports, they often have a keen grasp of the effects on society from socialising young males towards warrior roles, at the expense of other dimensions of human capability. According to Mary, her African colleagues are sophisticated in their appreciation of the need to change existent negative attitudes towards women, in order for Africa to achieve its promise. She also maintains that they are less self-consciousness about the need to probe the salience of gender, in comparison to her Western colleagues. Whether male or female, in Africa civilsociety leaders are often ahead of their Western counterparts.

Mary has two forthcoming books: The New York Times and Democratic Transitions in Former Soviet States, 1977-2004, 1977-2004, concerns the nonviolent revolutions of Eastern Europe (Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, the three Baltic nations, Serbia, Ukraine, and Georgia) that brought about peaceful transitions to democracy, as viewed by Times correspondents. For university students, it aims to encourage the study of History through newspapers. In addition, with a grant award from the United States Institute of Peace, she is completing the field work for a book on an historic struggle against untouchability in India: Conversion and the Mechanisms of Change in Nonviolent Action: The 192425 Vykom Satyagraha Case.

Case. It is the story of a 603-day nonviolent struggle against the caste system that deserves better historical analysis than has been offered to date, she says, and is relevant because of the persistence of exclusion and caste. ● EH

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Review: The Geography of Human Conflict Neville Brown [Sussex Academic Press, 2008] Reviewed by Tony Lemon, Geography Fellow Neville Brown has had a fascinating and richly varied career, all stages of which have helped to inform his latest book.

He came to Mansfield having taken early retirement from his Chair in International Security at Birmingham, but his earlier career has spanned, inter alia, naval service as an aviation meteorologist, defence journalism overseas, and research at what was then the infant Institute for Strategic Studies.

As its title suggests, this is an ambitious book. Human conflict could be interpreted in many ways by different disciplines – anthropology, sociology, theology, philosophy, politics and international relations, for example. Social geographers might focus on class or ethnic conflict at national, regional or local scales, and today’s political geographers would probably employ behavioural approaches. Most of these perspectives appear at some point in Neville Brown’s work, which has a remarkable inter-disciplinary breadth, but the predominant standpoint is strategic studies – albeit with a call for a more inclusive ‘survival studies’. This is in keeping with some of the other works he has published while at Mansfield, including New Strategy through Space (1990), The Strategic Revolution: thoughts for the 21st century (1992), Global Instability and Strategic Crisis (2004) and Engaging the Cosmos (2006).

Neville’s engagement with climatic influences, reflected in his 2001 volume History and Climate Change, is also apparent at many points of the book.

It is difficult in the space of a short review to convey the immense scope of this 160,000-word book. The underlying question is no less than that of human survival in the shrinking global village, in the face of, inter alia, the fragility of the international financial order (foreseen here and brought home to us all even since this volume was completed), the global information explosion and the menace of biowar. Chapter 1 includes the telling observation that the most serious blind spot in our understanding of world order is not the physical environment but our inner selves. The inevitability of human conflict is tacitly assumed throughout the book, whose lessons and plea for ‘survival studies’ relate to coping mechanisms rather than offering any recipe for fundamental change in human behaviour.

The political geography is cast in a traditional mould, largely untouched by the behavioural perspectives that have influenced ‘critical geopolitics’. In the disciplinary speak of international relations, the assumptions are ‘realist’.

The style is often conversational, and those who know Neville will almost feel as they read this book that he is speaking to them over High Table! There are many attractive turns of phrase – Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, for ➥ M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

instance, is ‘the morning star of youthful environmentalism’.

There are innumerable nuggets of wisdom: in discussion of religious faiths, for example, the notion of an earth with neatly defined belief systems is dismissed in favour of more refined ‘geographical expression of the nuances and ambiguities within belief and commitment’; arms controllers are ‘always striving to prevent the last war’; space reconnaissance ought to have allowed more measured assessment of Iraq’s possession or otherwise of Weapons of Mass Destruction. There are also sweeping, confident generalisations: ‘the Mongols were never inclined to tarry long, individually and collectively, in alien taiga landscapes’; the ‘resilient toughness of East Asia’ has benefited from ‘the absence of Church-versus-state dichotomies’.

Much attention is paid throughout to environmental influences on human action, sometimes explicitly, as when reflecting on Karl Wittfogel’s ‘hydraulic despotisms’ or the influence of climatic changes on the Mongols, but often without warning: thus Orgerd, a fourteenth-century Grand Duke of Lithuania, is driven back from two advances ‘along the great morainic ridge’, Israeli forward defence against Syria in 1973 rested on fourteen telal (small hills of volcanic origin), and the Arab world lacks ‘the geographical strength in depth’ of Europe, Russia or China. Surprising linkages sometimes appear, as when the original sites of Rome and Stockholm are compared. The author’s meteorological experience enables him to discourse knowledgeably about carburettor icing on aircraft or radiation fog on runways.

Throughout the book there is a remarkable combination of inter-disciplinary breadth and empirical grasp across time and place, whether the Miocene, the Vikings, Vietnam, the Cold War or ‘the highest frontier’ (space). The text skips nimbly across time and place in a manner that is exciting if intermittently bewildering: the direction and structure of the argument might sometimes be clearer, but interest, excitement and sheer surprise are consistently maintained.

Where else would one learn in the same volume the origin of the term ‘fifth column’ (Franco’s military strategy in 1939 Madrid), that silver was mined in the uplands of the Abbasid caliphate in ninth century Mesopotamia and that half of Nazi Germany’s production of ball and roller bearings came from Schweinfurt, Bavaria? Where else might one be invited to compare the ‘strategic revolutions’ ushered in

by Martin Luther and Mikhail Gorbachev, fundamentally transforming the complexion and structure of Christendom?

A single chapter on ‘Peripheral Wars’ spans the Greek civil wars of 1944-9, the defeat of the Kuomintang by Chinese Communists, the Korean war, the Indo-China wars of 194675 and early Israel-Palestine conflict including the Suez war of 1956, each treatment rich in empirical information as well as informed judgements. Later, the penultimate chapter returns to a detailed discussion of Israel and Palestine, whose conflict is rightly seen as playing a central role in potential planetary conflict.

Inevitably in a work of such scope, specialists in particular disciplines, periods or regions will find assertions to dispute, F E L LOWS’ ARTICLES

judgements to contradict, and no doubt small factual errors to correct. As a southern Africanist I would question the description of overcrowding of the tribal reserves as ‘one determinant of the South African situation’, regarding it rather as an outcome of white colonial, segregation and apartheid policies. As an Oxford geographer throughout I have a rather more positive take on Mackinder’s geopolitics. But such quibbles should not detract from the magisterial nature of such a survey, and the sheer fascination of the subject matter. It is also ‘geographical’ in the broadest traditional sense of that term, uniting concerns of environment, space and place in the earth as the home of humankind. Not since Isaiah Bowman’s 1921 classic, The New World, has a political geographer aspired to a global survey within the terms of his or her own geographical discipline. Neville Brown’s book does something similar but goes far beyond the confines of a single discipline and with far greater sense of history. Such breadth is deeply unfashionable in our fragmented academy, and will no doubt be assaulted from many directions.

It is however deeply refreshing, an intellectual adventure which will surely challenge the reader to find out more about some, at least, of its myriad strands and to ponder the challenges posed by human conflict and survival in present and future generations. ●

The Geography of Human Conflict: Approaches to Survival, Neville Brown Hardback £55/$75 , ISBN: 978-1-84519-169-6 Paperback £17.50/$32.50, ISBN: 978-1-84519-170-2

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Feature: Mansfield Sports Past and Present

MCBC 80 years ago...

Mansfield College Boat Club www.mansfieldrowing.co.uk Mansfield College Boat Club has had another successful year on the river. Most notable is the continued achievement of the Women’s 1st VIII. Torpids took them to the top of Division III and Summer Eights brought a second set of blades in as many years, bumping LMH, Corpus, Trinity and Lincoln. The Men recovered from a nightmare crash in Torpids to reach the highest finishing bungline in Eights for any Mansfield crew, 11th in Division II. There were also solid performances from both Men’s and Women’s 2nd VIII, showing that despite its small size, Mansfield continues to punch well above its weight.

A positive year for the Boat Club wasn’t confined to the Isis, either. Mansfield was proud to see Felicity Hawksley represent the University at the Henley Boat Races, where her Lightweight crew were narrowly beaten by the Tabs in shocking conditions on the Royal Regatta course. Flic has inspired others in the boat club to try to take their rowing to the next level, with five rowers trialling for one of the four Oxford squads this year.

The Boat Club has also benefited this year from the purchase of 8 sparkling new Concept 2 ergometers for the Longbridges boat house, bringing the working total to 12 and providing one of the best facilities on the Isis.

Partly funded by MCBC, the machines are sure to provide copious amounts of pain for our rowers for years to come.

The cost of purchasing these machines brought into sharp focus the heavy investment that is required for a boat club to run well. MCBC benefited from the fire of 2005 by being able to replace almost all of its equipment, boats and blades.

The long-term down side is that all of our equipment will reach the end of its serviceable working life at around the same time. With this future financial burden in mind, we have started planning now. The Boat Club is looking to raise £100,000 to invest in an endowment that will provide annual income to be saved towards replacing our equipment.

By planning now we hope to secure the future of Mansfield College Boat Club for many, many more successful years to come. For more information visit our new website (www.mansfieldrowing.co.uk) or contact the President.

This is the Mansfield/St Catz combined VIII in 1929.

John Marsh (former Principal of Mansfield) is back right, and CE Dean (1924-1930), who gave the College this photo, is sitting on the second row, second from the right.

MCBC 100 years ago...

“A powerful and lusty crew...”

This extract comes from the JCR notes of the 1909 Mansfield Magazine (Winter edition).

“The strong crew which formed the Mansfield first eight last year has disbanded, and its various component parts are now to be found sculling and whiffing in various strange waters.

They were a powerful and lusty crew, and though they splashed a good deal and did not always keep perfect time, yet they carried the boat along well, and we miss them more than we sometimes think. As to their present doings, we are glad to know that they are nearly all ‘planted’ ministers, and doing well.”

MCBC Today

Daniel Harvey, President 2008-2009 mcbc-president@mansfield.ox.ac.uk

Above: Mansfield W1 celebrate Eights blades for a second year running.

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M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

Donald MacDonald English 1984-88, Patron of Mansfield College A few years after leaving Mansfield I was back in Oxford, and I bumped into one of my tutors. “Well”, he asked, “was it all worth it in the end?”. “Worth it?”

I said, “It transformed my life.” He seemed genuinely surprised by my reply, and genuinely pleased. I came up to Mansfield in the Autumn of 1984, to read English. I imagine it is the same for everyone arriving at Mansfield for the first time.

The beauty of Champney’s buildings, and the expansive open quad, meeting tutorial partners, receiving reading lists, exploring the town. In those first weeks, nothing about Oxford failed to match up to my dream. I loved reading English, and the experience has remained with me ever since. I still return to the texts, and my enjoyment of all the arts has been hugely enriched.

However it was rowing that dominated my time at Oxford.

I remember turning up for trials at the OUBC boathouse in Michaelmas. My kit was somewhat threadbare. They were all gathered there in one of the bays, these huge athletes in tracksuits saying “GB”, “USA”, “Australia”. I was pretty terrified, but as the term played out I learned some valuable lessons. Everyone in the squad had talent, but no one was unassailable across the board. I would have to keep my nerve, refuse to be intimidated, and stay in the game. As the term wore on, many of the apparent leaders fell away and others came through. Before long I emerged as one of the leading scullers in the group. Others may have been bigger, or stronger, but my boat went faster through the water.

Dates for the Diary We would like to warmly invite all our friends and Alumni to this year’s racing: Torpids 25th-28th February 2009 Eights 27th-30th May 2009 Eights Black Tie Dinner 30th May 2009

After the Boat Race, I could spend time with the Mansfield Boat Club. It was refreshing to be coaching and rowing, with everyone getting so much pleasure from the sport.

The thing about high-level competition is that day to day it is relentless and often grim, but you do it for that one glorious moment when you might capture the ultimate prize. I remember one early summer morning on the Isis.

The sun was rising and a layer of mist covered Christ Church meadow. As we turned the boat round at Folly Bridge we stopped to hold the moment. Everyone knew that this was special.

I can’t really avoid mentioning the Boat Race mutiny, since it dominated my time at Mansfield. Twenty years on it is hard to imagine how big the thing became over a few short weeks, with journalists and TV crews camped outside college, and even in my front garden. Mansfield’s position was particularly delicate, since three of the protagonists were Mansfieldians, and we weren’t all on the same side.

Throughout the dispute, the college never wavered in its even-handed, calm and dignified support.

My short time at Mansfield was filled with the most extraordinary experiences. I learned a great deal about myself and others. I learned about setting big goals: Oxford was a huge goal for me, and seemed quite unattainable. From the moment I first started looking, Mansfield was consistently welcoming and helpful, and I was never in any doubt about making it my first-choice college. I left Mansfield a more complete person than when I arrived, with a perspective and a sense of self that has underpinned everything since – and as time has gone on, I have come to realise, more than I could then, what a special time it was in my life. ●

Fundraising Appeal We are seeking Friends of the Boat Club to help us build an endowment of £100,000, so as to secure the future of MCBC. We rely heavily on the generous donations of alumni to renew our equipment, all of which has a limited life span. An endowment of £100,000 will provide £5,000 per annum to be saved towards the following purchases:

Two new racing VIIIs can be purchased with £35,000 £4,000 is the cost of two new sets of eight oars Two new cox boxes would be obtained with £1,500 A new ergometer can be obtained with £1,500 Each donation will make a real difference.

E: development@mansfield.ox.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1865 270998 Above: Mansfield M1 close in on Merton.

M A NSFIE LD PAST AND P RESENT

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Football Mansfield-Merton football seems to be undergoing something of a revival. After several years spent languishing at the bottom of the JCR Second Division, in 2007-8 the Firsts stormed to the league title and promotion, while the Seconds also went up, in their case to the top reserve division.

The start of the 2008-9 season has also been promising, with the Firsts lying second in the table at the time of writing. Full results can be found at www.ouafc.com.

Also encouraging was the creation of a Mansfield/Merton women’s football team at the start of this season. The ladies are improving with every game, and now realise that you aren’t allowed to run up and score when the goalkeeper places the ball on the ground before taking a goal kick.

Mansfield Second Year Theologian Henry Fox with a chance against University College in one of the crunch matches of last season. He missed.

games were more keenly contested than the score would show. Our great difficulty has been in getting a line of forwards together. Nearly every match has seen a different line out, with the result that it has been all at sixes and sevens, and no goals have been scored.”

From the Mansfield Magazine, Winter 1908

110 years ago...

Mansfield Football: 100 years ago...

“The football team has not been having a very brilliant career this term.

So far we have not won a single match, our most successful performance being against Jesus, with whom we drew, 3-3.

To Christ Church and Leighton Park Robbie Coleman School we lost by six goals, but both ➥

MCFC 1898 Team

Cricket Following Merton/Mansfield’s (M and Ms) unbeaten season in div. 2 in 2007, the newly-promoted team were written off early by pundits and students alike and were expected to have a tough 2008 with college cricket’s finest teams. However, what resulted was perhaps the best performance from an M and M cricket team in recent history.

Beginning our campaign against Teddy Hall, we soon found our feet and beat them easily by 92 runs. Our next game was against Balliol but in a tight encounter the M and Ms were victorious by 14 runs. Special mention should go to Chris Lloyd and Kohi whose acceleration towards the end of our innings posted an insurmountable total.

We then moved onto Pembroke who, in another tight match, we defeated by 2 wickets with “Bowler” Brown and “Rookie” Bowcock seeing us home. Our first, and only, loss of the season came against Worcester. We then moved onto Keble who, after an easy victory against us in cuppers in 2007, perhaps expected us to capitulate. However, after some fine performances we came out winners by 20 runs. We also had two games rained off and Queens conceded leaving us with 5 wins and a loss to bring us to the last game of the season.

News spread quickly on the Monday of 8th Week that Worcester, the division leader and champions, had lost heavily to St. Anne’s. This loss left them trailing the M and Ms on bonus points and the championship would be assured if we could defeat New College in the last game of the season. What resulted was a fantastic team performance, bowling New out for 116 and putting on 100 for the first wicket (Harjhit Bhogal with a magnificent half century). Miles Tompkins hit the winning run to seal victory and the championship by 9 wickets. This victory, under pressure, is testament to the group of players who turned out week in week out. Special mention should go to the captain Greg Betts but more importantly to Miles Tompkins and “Happy” Andy, finalists in 2008 but fantastic stalwarts for M and M cricket over their years here. They, and those others that left in 2008, will be missed. However, the 2009 season looks to be just as exciting, as the M and Ms take to the field as defending champions.

Dan Brodie

15

The day the Mansfield Cricket Team won the league against New College

Cricket Club: Founded 1896

Mansfield Cricket Club was formed in 1896 and, according to the records, the above photo was the first photograph to be taken of the newly-formed club. The 1897 Mansfield Magazine records the budding success of the Club: “The Cricket Club which was formed last year still continues to exist, but under far more favourable circumstances. Last year we had no ground, and consequently could only play a few out-matches and get a little practice; this year we have played more matches, and have had regular practice. We owe our best thanks to the Council for their very kind grant of £50 for this year, which has enabled us to hire the Old White House Ground.”

M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

From the Archives: the Changing Landscape of Mansfield College

Anyone for tennis?

This photograph, (left) dating from 1950, shows four members of the Congregational Society (including Elaine Kaye, second left, then at St Anne’s, and Trevor Watt, first right, a Mansfield Ordinand) enjoying tennis on the College Lawn. The postcard (right) shows the old tennis nets on the lawns.

The Principal’s Lodge

The Mansfield Obelisk

The Principals of Mansfield used to live in a Lodge that lies where the Porters’ Lodge is situated today (see below, and on the left above). The Lodge was demolished in the early 1960’s to allow the construction of the John Marsh buildings.

The Mansfield Obelisk (see above on the right of the Lodge, and see right) was presented to the College in 1928. It was discovered in the grounds of Spring Hill College, which was of course the original site of Mansfield. The Obelisk bore a motto, Dux femina facti*, which referred to Sarah Glover (née Mansfield), who was one of the founders of the College.

The original magazine entry from July 1928 reads: “One piece of news gave an unexpected flavour to the dish – that an obelisk discovered on Spring Hill property is to be presented to the College. We understand that it is to be set up in a sacred “grove”**, and foresee the possibility of the archaeologists of another era claiming it is an interesting relic of the ancient ritual of Nonconformity in the Dark Ages.” * [“Woman leader of the deed” – from Virgil’s Aeneid, said of Dido.] “**Or perhaps it would be more correct to say “as a grove” – though it would seem to bear more resemblance to Mazzebah that Asherah.”*** ***[This footnote refers to the fact that Mazzebah, or pillar, is used to refer to the male genital organ, whilst Asherah, or grove, refers to the female genital organ.]

Unfortunately, and contrary to the 1928 prediciton of longevity, the obelisk crumbled as it was moved to make way for the new buildings.

EH M A NSFIE LD PAST AND P RESENT

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Development News In last year’s magazine we saw the launch of Mansfield College’s 125th Anniversary Fund Campaign. In the run-up to the College’s 125th Anniversary in 2011, we are implementing a scheme which simultaneously encourages alumni and friends of the College to renew involvement with Mansfield, and to lend their support to the development of the College. Participants can choose one of four levels, from Guardian to Patron to Friend to Supporter, or they can select their own level of giving. At every level, the College seeks to recognise the contributions made. For example, Guardians are entitled to become members of the Development Board.

Guardians and Patrons are invited, each year, to a gala dinner in College, unique to their group. Friends of the College can have their names inscribed on a plaque and receive a limited edition print of a painting of Mansfield, and so on.

Little Sue Keane Richard Hargett (Maths 1994-97, Patron of Mansfield, below right), decided to name his old bedroom, A15 (see above), after Sue Keane (top right, in A stairwell). Sue has been a Scout at the College since 1981.

She is extremely touched by the gesture.

Richard now works for Merrill Lynch.

Guardians’ Dinner, 28th June 2008 Most of Mansfield’s Guardians gathered in the new Garden Building for a dinner given in gratitude for their generosity and support.

Donations given as part of the 125th Anniversary Fund are spread across three areas. We aim to safeguard the tutorial system, the jewel in the crown of an Oxford education. Our second aim is to ensure that Mansfield’s support for its students, in terms of bursaries, hardship funds, scholarship, travel and other awards, library and IT provision can match the best on offer in other colleges. The same applies to our third aim, in terms of the quality of the physical environment in which our students live and study.

Our progress in this campaign has been inspiriting. At just over a year into the campaign and we have twelve Guardians, and over sixty Patrons: most of those donating at the higher levels are alumni or parents of alumni, and it has been a moving experience to find that so many of our past students still hold such a warm place in their hearts for their old College. We would like to offer heartfelt thanks to all of our donors for their dedication and support.

The success of our 125th Anniversary Fund is a great tribute to the splendid work of Paul McCarthy, in his all-too-brief time as our Development Director. The College owes Paul a great debt for what he accomplished.

We are currently recruiting for a new Director and are looking forward to another successful year in 2009. ● DW&EH

Top: Giles Harrison (Geography 1986-89, left) and Geoff Fuller (Law 1980-83, right) talk to Tony Lemon (Geography Fellow).

Left: Stephen Sayers (History 1972-75, centre), with Pam Berry (Geography Fellow, left) and Diana Walford (right).

Patrons’ Dinner 18th October 2008 We invited all of Mansfield’s Patrons to a gala dinner in College, attended also by several members of the SCR. The evening was a great success.

Above: Patrons and guests at dinner in the Dining Hall.

Left: Andrew Hurst (Law 1984-87), with Tamsin Wilkinson (wife of Stewart Wilkinson, English 1988-91).

E: development@mansfield.ox.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1865 270998 W: www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk Development Office, Mansfield College, Oxford, OX1 3TF, UK

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M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

We aim to do much more than stand still!

Tony Lemon, Geography Fellow

Alumni Relations News

It has been enormously encouraging to see the level and the number of alumni who have supported Mansfield in the past year. People frequently ask why we need support – a simple question, to which the answers are complex, but essentially twofold. First, levels of government support have declined since the withdrawal of the direct college fee and reduction of the overall amount received by the University, which now has to be shared between the centre and the colleges. This threatens to undermine the tutorial system – the first thing mentioned by most Oxford graduates when asked what they most valued about their academic experience, but a system which is much more labour-intensive than the lecture-based teaching of most universities. Hence we are giving a high priority to endowing our Tutorial Fellowships – two in Theology, one in Physics and one in Materials are already fully endowed, and we are past the half-way mark in Geography. Secondly, Mansfield has a much smaller endowment to fall back on than almost all the other colleges, thanks to its history as a relatively recent foundation and a small theological college for most of its history. If we are to compete with wealthier colleges in terms of numbers of Tutorial Fellows, provision of accommodation, facilities and bursaries for students from poorer backgrounds we have to raise increasing amounts of money: it is a matter of running to stand still – but we aim to do much more than stand still!

In order to keep up with the growth of development at Mansfield, and to cater for the growing number of alumni who wish to return to and keep in touch with their old College, we created the post of Alumni Relations Manager. This means that the Development Office is run by the Development Director, the Alumni Relations Manager, and a part-time Database Manager, Vinca Boorman.

Fortunately the success of so many of our graduates in their chosen careers is now reaching the point where increasing numbers of you are able and eager to give something back to Mansfield, so that the College may give others an environment in which academic, sporting, social and intellectual activity can flourish. We are hugely grateful. ●

Left: Gaudy for Matriculation Years 19901999 Below left: London Drinks, April 2008 Below: London Drinks, October 2008

Details of forthcoming events can be found on the back cover.

I began at Mansfield in June, in the eighth week of the Trinity Term during which I had taken my Finals in English and French at Wadham College. I leapt over the wall into the welcoming arms of Mansfield, who took a leap of faith in employing me firstly as a temporary Alumni Relations Manager, and then in the permanent position. I am delighted to be here, and have found Mansfield to be the friendliest of colleges.

My aims for the future of Alumni Relations Manager include getting as many alumni involved with College as possible, and to include students in these activities. I believe that encouraging the mixing of students and alumni in a social setting leads to the reunion of old friends, as well as the chance for students to discover the possibilities that lie before them. This idea had already been put into practice before my arrival with the first Annual Law Dinner, but, as the PPE Society Dinner and the Women’s Dinner have proved such successful events, I have decided to run a Theology Dinner and an English Dinner, as well as Law Dinner, in Hilary Term.

Other events have included October London Drinks, a Gaudy, dinner for Mansfield alumni following the Law Faculty Mansion House event in London, and the Summer Reunion.

So far planned for next year are April London Drinks, a Gaudy in March, and an extraspecial Summer Reunion to mark the end of Ordinand training at Mansfield. We have also decided to extend our hospitality into further corners of the isle, with the intention of holding regional events in Scotland, Wales, and Northern England.

Emily Henderson

E: development@mansfield.ox.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1865 270998 W: www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk Development Office, Mansfield College, Oxford, OX1 3TF, UK

D EV ELOPME N T A ND ALU MNI NEWS

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‘A bridge between East & West’: the long march of George Ling Theology (DPhil) 1964-67

By John Whitley (Theology 1963-69) In autumn 1967, after three years at Mansfield completing a D.Phil in the Philosophy of Religion, George Ling with his wife Jennie and three young children left for China where they lived through nine of the ten years of the Cultural Revolution. This decision was viewed by friends with admiration and alarm, among them John Whitley who, after early correspondence, lost touch for almost 40 years until a reunion in 2006 in Oxford, when George was writing his book, eventually published as China Developing: Cultural Identity of Emerging Societies (World Scientific, March 2008, ISBN 978-981-277-863-5). From that meeting and recent emails John has constructed this sketch of the life behind the book.

Family Background and Early Years in China George Fusun Ling was born in 1932 in Qingdao, Shandong Province. His family background included Chinese tradition (‘the incense aroma from the ancestral altar’), Christian missions, pioneering education and engineering. Three generations before him studied in America and his parents met there. His father was an engineer and his mother became a doctor, aged 48, after bringing up her six children. George’s early education was in a home school run by his mother and friends, followed by middle school in Shanghai. He says this background defined his spiritual and cultural outlook and linguistic ability: “It seems that I am destined to be a bridge between the East and the West.”

‘American Blue-blood Education’ In 1949, with the Cold War looming, George aged 17 was sent to America, to Northfield Mt Hermon School, Massachusetts, where he learned the dignity of physical labour working on the school farm to subsidise the fees – a recurring feature of his student days. He then studied architecture first at Oberlin College, Ohio, then at University of California, Berkeley. There he met Jennie, a history student from Hong Kong with memories and education scarred by the Japanese occupation. They moved on to Yale Divinity School, Jennie for an M.A. in Religious Education, George for a B.D., leading to ordination as a Congregational minister. George speaks of his thirst for knowledge after his unsettled war years in China. “Coming from a family of engineers, but with a strong interest in art, architecture was a compromise. Delving into architecture I found I had to understand human needs, psychological, social and spiritual as well as physical. That led me to probe deeper into philosophy and religion.” Though later doubtful about a career as a clergyman, he remains convinced that studying Christian history and theology was essential to his understanding of Western culture.

In 1964, after 3 years in Hong Kong as Assistant Dean of

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Students at the Chinese University, George came to Oxford for his D.Phil studies on “Reason and the Absolute Claim of Biblical Revelation”.

The Return to China (The Cultural Revolution) In autumn 1967 George, Jennie and their three children prepared to return to China, following the family tradition of returning to serve in China after education abroad. With the Cultural Revolution in full swing, George saw its ideals as close to Christian ideals.

They travelled to Chengdu in Sichuan province, where George’s mother still lived, having served many years as a country doctor. They worked for over five years in a rubber factory, where George’s health suffered. They lived in the factory compound, sharing everyday life with other families.

The children became Little Red Guards. Hardest was not the expected material discomfort but the deep suspicion of their motives in returning to China, finding their dedication misunderstood and contributions unrecognised. Never physically abused but closely watched, they deliberately kept doors and drawers unlocked, “hoping that somebody would go into our flat while we were at work to satisfy their curiosity.” Later their talents were enlisted for teaching English at Sichuan University.

Opening Doors through Business and IT In 1976, the Cultural Revolution over, they returned to Hong Kong where George worked for 3 years as an architect. In 1979, under its open-door policy, the Chinese government asked the Lings, with their unique experience, to serve as a bridge between China and the West. So, inspired by the cultural exchanges achieved through trade on the Silk Road, they entered the world of business, wanting “to introduce positive facts about China to the West, while helping to fill gaps in China and introduce what was more advanced in the Western world.” The first project was to introduce the manufacturing of maritime cargo containers through their Hong Kong company. Then from the early 1980s they worked in IT, pioneering the introduction to China of microcomputers, computer-aided design, networking and integrated systems. Using a technical manager, they set up their own company, with George as Chairman and Jennie as General Manager. Now George is semi-retired chairman of two companies providing computer services to industry. He reflects that “without this business experience I would not have the breadth of observation that went into my book.”

The Book and Beyond Reflecting on what he has observed during his long journey, especially how treasured Western values and institutions have proved unhelpful in developing democracy in Asia, George’s book considers which values are or are not applicable to Asian emerging societies. Using his knowledge of Chinese culture, history and efforts to modernize, he offers a methodology which could help other developing ➥ M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

countries: examining one’s own culture to discover its essential relevant values, while analysing critically key concepts (respect for individuals, human rights, freedom, equality, democracy and law). He hopes the book may be useful to potential leaders of developing countries and help others understand their concerns. His concluding remarks address young China’s own search for identity in the current ‘spritual vacuum’. Continuing their ministry, George and Jennie now serve as mentors to needy rural students in Beijing, within a scholarship programme they run for the Yale Club of Beijing.

George will be pleased to hear from Mansfield friends and from anyone interested in discussing his book.

W: www.georgeling.com E: georgefs5@163.com ● John Whitley

“Saga of a Late Developer” Ken Coombe Geography (MSc and DPhil) 1990-96 Ken Coombe matriculated in 1943, and finally finished his studies at Mansfield in 1996. Here, as well as describing the quintessential college experience, he tells the story of a life spent returning to Oxford.

In 1943 I was still at VIth form, and I had secured a place at Oxford to read History – Hitler permitting, of course, because, like all my male peers, I was liable for conscripted military service. Miraculously, or so it seemed, there was “a short university course” service scheme for all conscripted males who had secured a university place. Such a course would last six months, prior to complete service entry with training in the service of one’s choice. Success thereby would entitle one to return after the war to complete one’s degree… In 1929 at the age of four, I had flown to Paris from Croydon, where the airstrip was a grass field with a tent for passenger boarding. I was taken by an intrepid grandmother; my airborne memories of sitting on her lap amidst an array of some ten or so basket chairs nonetheless convinced me that one day I would like to fly as a born aviator, so my choice of the RAF was an utter sine qua non.

So it was that at Worcester in April 1943 I matriculated and was thus joined by many other conscripts under the wartime university short course, all of us wondering what lay ahead.

The scheme was intended for sufficiently fit undergraduates who were able to do the basic RAF initial training syllabus for pilots and navigators, on top of the ‘normal’ university workload. This meant that all subsequent training was shortened and hence operational conditions speeded up.

Thus in a period of six months we had to complete three academic terms (without vacations), and do two full days’ military training per week in the University Air Squadron, then in Manor Road. We had to be on parade for 7am for physical training, prior to running back to Worcester

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for breakfast, and then we returned to Manor Road in Uniform by 9am.

Uniform was standard RAF, but with shoulder flashes as ‘Oxford University Air Squadron’, and our service caps with white flashes indicating aircrew cadets under training. All other days we dressed as civilians with the usual undergrad gowns. All tutorials and lectures had to be attended in gowns, which also had to be worn in the street when going between venues of such. At the end of our final term we took our Prelims (or ‘Honour Mods’ as they were variously known) on the understanding that failure or success would determine whether we could resume after ‘the duration of the present emergency’ – the term under which we were conscripted. Whether one came back at all was highly circumspect, but at 18, optimism is widespread.

Life was indeed pretty full: two essays per week with the necessary reading, tutorials and lectures, and the RAF syllabus of Principals of Flight, Airmanship, Air Navigation, Meteorology, Signals, Engines, Armament etc, together with ‘square bashing’ (drill training) et al. We had no service pay of course, but my father was able to give me an allowance to cover just my battels. College conditions were nevertheless enjoyable – especially the food in Hall. Practically all of us had come from boys’ public schools as boarders, where the rationed war-time food standard was pretty low. We made the most of Hall, having to dine in every night properly dressed: gown, jacket and tie, etc. Drinks were liberal, due to the now long-gone practice of ‘sconcing’ (drinking as a penalty for a breach of etiquette), and it meant that one could get virtually legless in College, but we were not allowed to drink in the town pubs. The Proctors, replete in Bowler hats, attended to such matters, and one could be sent down if so caught.

College gates were locked at 11pm, and there was no way one could enter or leave by that route; others, however were devised, of course. There were no mixed colleges – so perhaps we probably had more fun than today, as the challenges and attractions were greater, requiring more resource (and possibly guile) than exhibited now.

September came, and so ended my first Oxford sojourn and following a week’s leave, I was in the RAF proper. After various flying aptitude tests I was posted to Arizona, where I did my first (never to be forgotten) solo flight, and I obtained wings on Jan 25th 1945. Thereafter I progressed onto multi-engine aircraft, and finally served with four Lancaster squadrons, being based in Italy when the war in Europe ended. A posting to Egypt followed for re-grouping and re-arming for the unsavoury prospect of operations in the Japanese theatre, but the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan ended the hot war for me, and I then became redundant aircrew, and spent eighteen boring and tiresome

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months ‘flying a desk’ – awaiting my demobilisation. This finally occurred in 1947, and I then applied to Worcester for re-admission under the scheme.

The then tutor for admissions confirmed that they supposed they would have to take me back in due course – but I would have to take my turn, there being many more eligible for re-entry ahead of me on demobilisation and that it was likely that there would be at least a seven year delay. I was then aged 22, so I got married to a childhood sweetheart: among other things, I thought it a better option.

However I had to keep a wife (invariably non-working then) and body and soul together. My father had just restarted the family quarrying business, and I was persuaded to join this.

I soon decided that I was the world’s worst businessman, and I kept re-applying to Worcester, but without success, so for 22 years I managed a quarrying business learning a lot about quarrying Portland stone, but knowing little of lithology and applied geology. Moreover, it seemed to me that practice without theory was irrational, and that theory without practice was sterile, so I gave up and decided to become a school master, by means of a four year B.Ed degree course at Southampton University (1970-74). Incidentally, my only daughter graduated at St Hilda’s in 1974; so I attended her graduation, and she attended mine.

I taught Geography until 1979 in a small public school, and thereafter – as a last desperate throw, applied to Worcester to take me back – which they did at the mature age of 54, to read Geography. They conceded that I would need to do only two years (as my first war-time successful 6 months was counted acceptable). So in 1981, I obtained my first Oxford degree, some 38 years after matriculation. (Some studying the date sequences of my Oxford debut must have concluded that either this chap must have been extremely thick or similarly indolent). So at 56 I resumed teaching in boys’ public schools. Time was running out for aging schoolmasters, and I so missed Oxford and its ambience that I applied there to do a D.Phil.

I applied to Mansfield, and was accepted there at the hoary age of 65 (I am sure to the grave doubts of the then Fellow for Admissions, Dr. Lemon). So after six further years of enjoyable (but dirty) field work in Coastal Geomorphology, in 1996 I finally completed my doctorate. Better late than never I suppose: an Oxford span of 1943-96 invites scrutiny!

Now at the age of 83 I still lecture twice weekly in Coastal Geomorphology at the Poole and Ferndown branches of the ‘University of the Third Age’. ● Ken Coombe

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Ruby Wedding David Parry History 1965-68 David Parry married Jill in 1968 at Mansfield. This summer, they returned to College for their Ruby Wedding Anniversary celebration.

More than 60 friends and family members joined David and Jill Parry at the College on 14 September for their Ruby Wedding Anniversary – exactly 40 years to the day!

The weather was wonderful – unlike the rain in September 1968 – and the College quad and buildings made the perfect backdrop to the occasion. All three children, Rachel, Jonathan (Mansfield, PPE 1994-97) and Judith, contributed to a service of celebration and worship at which the Rev Shaun Atkins gave a typically insightful thought for the day based on Ephesians 5: 21-31. Joyful orchestral music was provided by Judith and John Brearley and wonderful choral music, sung by members of the New London Singers brought together especially for the day by Susie May, echoed round the College Chapel. Philip Burley, Jill’s brother and David’s best man in 1968, read Psalm 128 and Nerys Parry, one of David’s sisters and Jill’s bridesmaid, presented Jill with a surprise bouquet of flowers at the start of the service. The service was followed by a drinks reception during which the three grandchildren, Wesley, Lydia and Megan, were watched over proudly by their great-grandmother, Mrs Cicely Burley. Lunch followed in the College Dining Room which looked magnificent. A sung Gaelic Blessing sent guests on their way at the end of a really memorable celebration. ● David Parry

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A Year in the “Chain Gang” Bob Skelly English Language and Literature 1965-68 Patron of Mansfield I retired from teaching in 2001 at 55 whilst still having the energy to have a go at something else, and in 2002 to my surprise was elected to Southwark Council at the 10th attempt. After two and a half years as the Executive Member for Education and Culture in the Borough and then spells in Planning and Scrutiny, just over a year ago I was, at very short notice, presented with the opportunity of becoming Mayor of the Borough. I was immediately plunged into frenetic activity with only five days off during the year, but it was a dream come true and I loved every minute of it. There were numerous opportunities to listen to people’s life experiences and to get involved with the rich diversity of life in Southwark. I met schoolchildren, pensioners, volunteers, charity workers, bishops, business people and many others from all communities and ages, most of whom are unsung heroes of one sort or another.

It is a tremendous privilege to be able to tell them that it is impossible to put a price on what they do. The Mayor is usually asked to say “a few words” and it has been another privilege to find the words to encourage and vastly challenge such different groups of people.

It is amazing how pleased everyone is to see the Mayor.

He or she takes an impartial interest in everything that goes on in the Borough and is a non-threatening, nonpolitical presence who represents everyone. Like most municipalities, in Southwark we still have the old concept of the Civic Mayor who gives up politics for the year, rather than the new breed of highly political elected Mayors. One of the most interesting duties I have had to perform is to preside over Citizenship Ceremonies. In Southwark alone approximately 250 people a month are becoming British citizens and, in groups of about 60, after sitting through a speech from the mayor, they pledge their allegiance to the Queen and loyalty to the United Kingdom before singing the national Anthem. The preponderance is from West Africa but with representatives from all over the world except Western Europe. Not surprisingly, Iraq, Afghanistan and Eastern Europe are well-represented, but so are Australia and New Zealand. Southwark has the largest Sierra Leonean community in the country, and it was an honour to welcome the President of that nation to the Town Hall. We have welcomed people from everywhere in the world where there is war and conflict, famine and starvation or oppression and denial of human rights, and their children are in our schools – 106 mother tongues at the last count! The world has come to us, and what is remarkable is that everywhere I go in the Borough I am touched by the generosity of spirit and tolerance of everybody. I particularly pay tribute to the churches and other faith groups who contribute so much to the life of a Borough where 80% of the population claim to have a faith. Not only do they proclaim their faith, but are a virtual second tier of social service, particularly when A LU M N I N EWS

it comes to nurture the young people of the Borough and helping them to find themselves.

By and large we get on very well together.

Nevertheless it is impossible to ignore the notorious incidents of gun and knife crime in the Borough and in South London generally. Peckham particularly, in the heart of Southwark, has acquired an unenviable reputation, generally quite unjustified, for violent incidents. I have been tremendously impressed with the energy, talents and accomplishments of Southwark’s young people in music, art, sport, drama and many other areas, but I decided at the beginning of the year to make my charity appeal – another Mayoral tradition – for the Damilola Taylor Trust. This is named after the ten year-old schoolboy who was attacked and killed on his way home from Peckham Library after school, having only been in the country for four months. He had come here for better educational opportunities. The Trust was set up by his parents to try to reach the kind of youths who attacked their son, and the most vulnerable young people in the area.

Their work concentrates on mentoring within schools and using reformed gang members from the same background to speak to the teenagers and show them better ways of gaining respect and self esteem. I made a rather daring pledge at the beginning of the year that we would raise £50,000 for the Trust – daring because it was nearly three times what any other Mayor had raised in the past. Our confidence was justified however, and the final total will be in the region of £60,000.

One of the delights of being a member of the “Chain Gang” is the collegiality with the other Mayors of the 32 London Boroughs. We meet and share experiences on many occasions during the year at events as diverse as concerts, funerals, anniversary celebrations, receptions, balls and occasions such as the Mayor’s Service in Westminster Abbey, dining in the painted Hall at Greenwich and the “Whittington Walk” from Highgate Hill to the Mansion House in the city – fortunately all downhill – are lifetime memories. People didn’t believe I could walk five miles but I’ve got a certificate to prove it! The London Mayors Association is a very active and vibrant body which keeps present and past Mayors in fellowship and organises a trip abroad to a major city every year. This year many of us went to Vienna where we were received at the Rathaus and by a number of Mayors in small towns in the Danube Valley, happily in wine producing areas. Being Mayor has been tiring but more importantly an inspiring and humbling experience and I would recommend a year ‘in chains’ to anyone. ● Bob Skelly

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“Life in the fast lane” John Moulton Physics 1965-68 Member of Mansfield 500 On returning to Mansfield recently for Eights week and the Boat Club Dinner, I was reminded of how long it took me to discover that industry and commerce are not dirty words, and that they can actually be quite fun and very rewarding in more ways than one. My slow start in reaching this conclusion was not helped by coming from an academic family which knew and understood virtually nothing outside academia.

Having spent most of my student days either rowing, punting, playing the organ, playing hockey or organizing balls and parties, I graduated with little interest in pursuing a career in Physics. A discussion with a friend of my sister persuaded me that qualifying as a chartered accountant would give me a much better basis for a career and would open doors in a variety of fields. So having sworn after finals that I would never take another exam in my life, I found to my surprise that I was signing up for another three years of hard grind. As I had fallen in love with Oxford by then, I stayed on for my articles with a firm on the corner of St Giles and Keble Road. For some unknown reason, having never really worked hard before, I took to it like a duck to water and sailed through the course with flying colours.

The untimely death of my sister at the age of 41 shocked me into realizing that we’re only here once, and if I wanted a change I’d better get on with it. So when two people we had done work for asked me if I knew anyone who might be interested in being finance director of their racy small public company, I put myself forward for the job. My timing was abysmal – I joined 6 weeks before the Stock Exchange crash of 1987. Everything went pear-shaped including our share price crashing, one of our factories burning down and the MD dropping dead from a heart attack. At five minutes’ notice we had to agree an effective takeover by a chap who, it quickly transpired, operated in a manner which I did not feel was appropriate for a public company. So I had to rapidly negotiate my exit, and joined another much more solid public company as finance director, staying there eight years until, following another takeover approach, we sold the major part of the business to the largest company in the world in that field. Over the years I have worked in Italy, France, the USA, Eire and all over the UK, and been a director of companies in businesses such as road building, computers, restaurants, electrical wholesaling, lighting manufacture et al. But the financial dynamics of all businesses are essentially the same with minor variations, and so the role of finance director is much the same, regardless of the business.

On qualifying I decided to join a big international firm which meant moving to a big city, and I chose Bristol as being quite a nice place, joining what is now KPMG, as I had worked with them on a joint audit during my articles and liked what I saw. I rapidly began specializing in corporate finance, which involves things like acting for the sale and purchase of companies and flotations on the Stock Exchange. That was a good time, but I did not like the bureaucracy of the profession and didn’t want to stay there. So when my boss told me he was leaving to form a new small merchant bank and asked if I wanted to join him, I leapt at the chance.

Within a short space of time we had set up two venture capital companies, putting risk money into emerging businesses. When they then ran out of money and needed more, I began for the first time to understand what makes businesses tick. I began to acquire a number of non-executive directorships in diverse businesses including aluminium investment casting, flexible hose manufacture and motor dealerships (of which more later). Through a connection with the organisation which funded our bank, I suddenly got asked to step in as acting finance director of a fascinating company called Dartington Glass, which employed over 200 people in the manufacture of hand-blown lead crystal glassware.

So, quite by chance, having thought all my life to date that industry was not the place to be, I found myself right in the middle of it and loved every minute: I made the discovery that it is far more interesting to be involved in running a business rather than just acting as a professional adviser on the outside.

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Some people say that you make your own luck. Maybe that’s true. I certainly feel lucky to have ended up where I am now as finance director of Dick Lovett, one of the most prestigious privately owned motor groups in the UK. We only deal in premium marques, namely BMW, MINI, Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati and Lotus. We operate along the M4 corridor from Hungerford in the East through Swindon and Bristol to Cardiff in the West. We employ around 500 people and have a turnover well in excess of £250 million. My connection with the business goes back right to its beginnings in 1962.

The company has a wonderful ethos created by the owner who is one of the most honourable people I have met in business. We are totally focused on looking after the staff and the customers and I can honestly say I look forward to going to work every day. With a board of just three comprising the chairman (the owner), the managing director and myself we have no bureaucracy and take decisions quickly, though not always easily, and without the tedium of being a public ➥

company, trawling through the City talking to investment analysts and journalists.

In my increasing spare time I continue to enjoy my lifelong passion for mountaineering, which started when I was a schoolboy in Lancashire living near the mountains of the Lake District and North Wales, although nowadays I tend to go abroad more where the mountains are bigger and the weather warmer. In the winter, I return to the mountains for skiing. At home I enjoy living in the lovely Mendip hills with my wife and our menagerie of animals including dogs, horses, chickens and guinea fowl.

So what is the moral of the tale? Firstly that I owe Mansfield a great debt in helping to turn an immature schoolboy into a slightly less immature adult and in teaching me a lot about morals and decency. Secondly that you should keep an open mind to things you may start off by knowing nothing about, and lastly not to be afraid of trying new things. I am now looking forward hopefully to giving a bit of time back to Mansfield which has given me such a foundation in life. ● John Moulton

Tying the Knot at Mansfield Paul Jackson Geography 1992-95 Member of Mansfield 500 August 18th – not a date I will ever forget! Apart from the fact that my now wife, Carter, would never let me live this down if I did, whenever I go back to Mansfield, I will always remember this day with excitement.

Mansfield was the perfect venue to tie the knot. It brought back wonderful memories on my part and completely fitted the bill for my American wife, in that all her friends and relatives could get a touch of the heritage and tradition that is the Oxford University experience. A chance to check out a ‘real’ academic institution...

Full credit to Lynn Partridge (Food and Beverage Manager) and Lynne Quiggin (Conference and Events Manager).

They had inspiring ideas and ironed out all pre-marital organizational concerns. This included finding the best marquee for the Quad, delivering the perfect sticky toffee pudding for dessert, and (not the least of which) helping us stay on budget.

was extremely happy to have more than half his Geography class of 1995 back in residence. Well, when I say ‘happy’ I think more from a conversational point of view rather than an academic one!

The illustrious Mansfield alumni roll-call included: Brenda McKenna, Jess Tomlinson, James West, Paul Sutton, Stuart Ferguson, Ellen Loughnan, Sarah McKeown, Tim Millson, Andrew and Sian Croxson, Jon Davies, Shazia Mirza, Will and Caroline Elderkin and Anne and Mark Evans. Great to see them all standing in the Chapel singing their hearts out and great to see them in the college bar much later that night, still standing – how times have changed!!

During the reception, the marquee saved us from a torrential downpour. The band was on great form, and everyone packed in to dance the night away. It was a little disconcerting that, apart from my own smooth moves, most people’s dance styles hadn’t improved since the heady days of the Mansfield bops over ten years ago.

Great fun, wonderful memories and a superb time was had by all. Now we’re expecting our first child! Thank you Mansfield. ● Paul Jackson

Since writing this article, Paul and Carter have had a baby girl, Imogen.

Walter Houston was also critical to making the day a success – he generously allowed us to use the chapel and navigated the bureaucratic waters of getting married with relaxed authority.

We were very lucky that many Mansfield alumni were able to return to Mansfield and I know that Dr. Tony Lemon ➥ A LU M N I N EWS

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Transalpine Triathlon Ian Howard Law 1974-77 Patron of Mansfield College Ian Howard set off on July 1 on a mission to raise £10,000 for Marie Curie Cancer Care. His challenge was to cycle, run and swim his way from “the Med to Bled” in a mammoth 2,000 mile triathlon across the Alps. 52 days, 2,308 miles and 241,377 feet of ascent later, and Ian completed his “transalpine triathlon” with the total raised well in excess of his original target. The total raised currently stands just short of £17,000.

Ian, who was the British long course triathlon champion for the over-fifties age group in 2007 and has competed in four Ironman competitions, took a sabbatical from work as Director of M&A and Corporate Pensions at Siemens in Frimley, in order to complete the feat.

His route took him from Nice through the Maritime Alps on to Switzerland, through the Dolomites in Italy, then up to Austria and finally across to Slovenia. There was lots of zig-zagging around because Ian wanted to take in the 12 highest passes in the Alps, all of which are more than 2,500 metres high; Ian cycled or ran across each one and swam in the lakes he encountered along the way as well. The latter included Lake Geneva, Lake Annecy, and at the end, Lake Bled. He used no motorised transport for the duration of the challenge. The highest point reached by road was at the foot of the Tiefenbach glacier in the Oetztal in Austria at just over 2,800 metres. The total height climbed on that day exceeded 4,000 metres – around 13,000 feet.

The back-up crew consisted of Ian’s wife Judith, Rosie, the black labrador, and their camper van, affectionately known as Vanessa, which provided accommodation along the way.

Judith had the unenviable task of guiding the van up and down extreme gradients and around numerous hairpin bends day after day, and navigating at the same time.

The couple had various friends joining them along the way, some of whom were able to accompany Ian on various stages of the journey.

Ian, Judith and Rosie kept a blog each day so family and friends back home could keep up to date with their progress. In the final diary entry Judith wrote: “After a mammoth 124-mile final cycle leg Ian reached Lake Bled about 8.00pm on Thursday 21 August, tired but happy, and immediately jumped into the lake with Rosie in hot pursuit.”

Jaufen Pass in Austria in a severe thunderstorm on foot, to watching the Tour de France on Alpe d’Huez from the luxury of the CSC team’s corporate hospitality marquee!

Ian was a keen runner at Mansfield and in his second year, when he was captain of the University Second Team, known as the Tortoises, the combined Mansfield/Merton college team with Ian in it, won the University Cuppers crosscountry. In recent years triathlon has become his favoured sport. He chose to support Marie Curie Cancer Care after his mother died from cancer last year. The charity provides totally free nursing night care to terminally ill people who have made the choice of dying at home supported by their families.

Ian and Judith are both back at work now and thinking about their next challenge.

If you would like to help Ian raise even more for Marie Curie Cancer Care you can still donate at www.justgiving.com/ianhoward2 ● Ian Howard

Rachael Westgarth née Molsom English 1992-95 Congratulations to Rachael, whose twins were born on 19th September 2008. Emily Grace is on the left, and James Allen is on the right.

Ian and Judith had many adventures and experiences.

These ranged from crossing the

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M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

Dana Dunne PPE 1983-84 (VSP) Patron of Mansfield College Dana Dunne was featured in The Times in March this year and The Financial Times in July. Mr Dunne is a Patron of the college and a dedicated alumnus, with an exceptionally interesting and successful career record that pays tribute to his strength of mind and ambition.

Both newspaper articles are fit to burst with the accolades of Mr Dunne’s career.

Combining an education at prestigious colleges – the Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, and Wharton College, University of Pennsylvania – with a year of learning Spanish in Madrid, this born entrepreneur was aware of the future need for a foreign language in the increasingly global economy. At the Wesleyan University he demonstrated an astonishing diversity of interests, studying, among other things, astronomy, British politics, and genetics. He also trained himself preemptively and instinctively in technology; whilst at college he was already developing computer programmes for legal contracts during a Vacation job. He came across his own now-established programme years later, when he was working as a leader of McKinsey and Company’s telecommunications practices in their London, Brussels and Madrid offices. Mr Dunne also spent some time working for the corporate banking arm of JP Morgan Chase in New York in order to learn the banking business.

The major steps in Mr Dunne’s career include being appointed vice-president of strategy development, and then overall president, at US West International, followed by a move to the Business Division of the $10 billion Belgian

operator Belgacom, as general manager. A stint at a private equity group in London preceded Mr Dunne’s recruitment at AOL, where he was in charge of US transformation.

Thriving on the changeability of the situation for AOL, Mr Dunne told the Financial Times, “I love the sense of waking up each day to something different”. In 2007 he became the CEO of AOL Europe, and, whereas AOL was present in three European countries when he started in the role, its presence has now increased to thirteen countries.

Mr Dunne’s business attitude is a good indicator to the path of his success. He is positive, personable, thorough: “My responsibility is first and foremost to the people I lead and making sure they are comfortable with these changes. I have to make sure we have the right people in the right place doing the right things”(Financial Times). He is also primarily of an enthusiastic disposition; in March Mr Dunne told The Times that an economic slowdown would not necessarily affect internet business: “The shift online will continue for years to come and there is no sign of it plateauing.”

A high achiever on all levels, Mr Dunne runs marathons in his spare time. He has run the London, Paris and Washington marathons. His father worked for US company AT&T, a telecommunications giant, and Mr Dunne was inspired as a child by the early forms of computer technology that he saw in his father’s office. His mother, Diane C. Dunne, was featured in last year’s magazine. She is a real estate broker with Corcoran in New York. Not only is Ms Dunne also a Patron of the college, but she is also a member of the core group of alumni who are helping to set up Mansfield’s North American Alumni Organization (see back cover). ● EH

Brook Hall Cookery School Joanna Bulmer née Shannon PPE 1980-83

Above: Brook Hall Below: Joanna and Stephen

A LU M N I N EWS

Joanna Bulmer (née Shannon, PPE 1980-3) and her husband Stephen opened Brook Hall Cookery School in Winslow, near Buckingham, last year. The school offers one-day courses for amateur cooks, as well as corporate events/entertaining, private dining at Brook Hall and outside catering. Stephen was previously chef director of the Raymond Blanc Cookery School at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and has worked at Michelin-level restaurants all over the world.

Joanna’s previous career was in advertising, but she has maintained her interest in good food which evolved during her time at Mansfield, attempting to cook dinner parties on a two-ring stove on C staircase. Running a cookery school in their home has enabled Joanna and Stephen to balance work with spending more time with their children, Oliver (6 yrs) and Emily (4 yrs).

Brook Hall is a Grade II-listed, Queen Anne townhouse. Facilities include two state-of-the art teaching kitchens, period dining room seating up to 16 guests, drawing room, separate meeting room, three guest bedrooms and a walled garden with outdoor swimming pool. Cookery courses are run four days each week across a broad range of subjects including Fish & Shellfish, Meat & Poultry, Game Cookery, Flavours of the Orient, Italian Cookery and Delicious Desserts. For further information, please see www.brookhall.net or call 01926 712111. ● Joanna Bulmer

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For the Love of Animals Sidney Blankenship Theology 1967-69, MA (Oxon.)

Some people ask me how I ever got to Oxford. So here is a glimpse into my life that may explain the basis of my current work, and the photos that accompany this article. My father raised sheep on the prairies of West Texas in the 1930’s, following the environmental devastation known as the “dust bowl,” caused by speculators who sold vast acreages of grassland as suitable for cultivation. In the 1870’s, after the Civil War, American bison were being eradicated, and Indian tribes were being forced on to “Reservations.” The massive influx of European cattle and other domestic animals fuelled ecological disruption and the removal of indigenous animals such as the gray wolf, and other species whose natures conflicted with a settled society. My father eventually gave up the sheep business (he had hundreds, if not thousands, grazing on open range abandoned by disillusioned settlers). He sheared the sheep, but we never ate them. At this stage, he started farming on rented land.

I attended a rural public school in Adrian for twelve years.

After being valedictorian of a class of twelve students, I attended Abilene Christian College. I was Student Association Vice-President and graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Bible and Greek in 1966.

My application to Oxford was too late for consideration for that year, but I was accepted into the Bachelor of Divinity course at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. I re-applied to Oxford, and received a letter of acceptance to Mansfield.

I was also accepted by the University of Texas Law School, but theology was a more powerful influence for me. My experience did not disappoint me: with tutorials under George Caird, Donald Sykes, and R.C. Zaehner at All Souls, and the ever-caring Principal John Marsh, I received a B.A. degree in the Honour School of Theology in 1969. The camaraderie of my student days will always be with me: rowing with the college eight, tennis cuppers, the diners’ club(!), President of the Junior Common Room... all made life a pleasure which has never been equalled.

Collared peccaries

When I came down from Oxford I did research in San Francisco for a Dartmouth professor in kinetics and nonverbalcommunication, after which I returned to the family farm in Texas. My interest turned to the environment, animals, and the spirituality of Native American culture.

In 1980 I became a vegetarian. I bought two bison calves in South Dakota and began a restoration of this extirpated species, presentlya viable herd of 65 animals. My long-lost love of canids was revived with a closed population of dogs evolving into a virtual family. All my animals (bison, bears, African lions, whitetail deer, javelinas) are reared with a view to their social needs as a factor of the preservation and enhancement of species. They serve to keep my approach to research up close and personal.

Mansfield has been very generous in respect to this pursuit.

As a member of the North American Development Committee in the mid-1980’s, I returned for several College events including a celebration of the Royal Charter for full collegestatus in 1995. John Muddiman was instrumental in directing me to the Interdisciplinary Research Network on Environment and Society; and I gave a paper at Warwick University on “Culture and Animals” in 1994.

I attended the University’s Columbus Quincentenary event at the Guildhall in London in 1992. Having attended several University alumni events in New York, Houston and Oxford, and being personally acquainted with all the Principals of Mansfield since I was a student all those years ago, I am convinced that Oxford is an unparalleled support system for original research. The inauguration of the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics by Professor Linzey in 2007, which I attended last year, and the work of the University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, which I explored more fully this year, lends proof to that conviction.

My immediate research consists of a “Comparison of Deuteronomy 14 and Leviticus 11.” It is being undertaken concurrently with the compilation of a “Concordance of Biblical Animals.” Both theological works have their foundation in literary analysis, natural history and ethics. ●

The farm’s landscape, with white-tailed deer in the foreground, and bison in the distance.

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M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

Alumni News

Lindsey Mitchell English 1983-86

Dhruti Shah English 2000-2003

After practising as a Lawyer for fourteen years, Lindsey retrained as a psychotherapist and counsellor. She is delighted with the change and is living in Devon with her partner.

Dhruti worked for BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra as a broadcast journalist for six and a half months, and is looking forward to starting a new adventure at BBC News Online.

Ian Jackson Jurisprudence 1994-97

John Lombard PPE VSP 2001-02 John is currently living and working in Boston. He is the budget manager for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

Ian has moved from Ashurst to Herbert Smith, where he is a Senior Associate Solicitor. Herbert Smith is a leading and full-service international practice, which deals with transactions, projects and disputes.

Neil Hastie English&MSt 1996-00

Laura Baggaley English 1996-99

Neil is currently a Senior Economic Policy Adviser to the Scottish Government. He has held a number of high profile posts during a 7-year civil service career – including as Head of Strategic Communications and Principal Speechwriter to successive Scottish First Ministers. He lives in East Lothian with his wife, Carolyn, and their two children, Hamish and Molly.

Married Michael Caines (Somerville), baby daughter Mina in August.

Nigel Mottershead English 1997-80

John Glen Modern History 199396, Patron of Mansfield

Nigel now lives near Farnham in Surrey and is Director of Close Brothers Limited, running one of their divisions based in Surbiton. Contact details nigelam@btinternet.com

Elizabeth Hillman née Pennington Law 1987-90 Elizabeth had her first child, a baby girl named Olivia, on August 9th.

John got married to Emma on 5th August.

Paul Worsley Jurisprudence 1966-69 Paul is now a Senior Circuit Judge at the Old Bailey.

Philip Jones Geography 1978-81 Philip Jones assumed the appointment of Commander UK Maritime Force in September 2008 and holds, primarily, a contingent capability to command UK, Allied or coalition maritime forces worldwide, when assigned. He is also accountable for the delivery of a Battle Staff , at both 2* and 1* level, capable of meeting the requirements of a Joint task Force Commander and acting as a Maritime Component Commander. Promoted to Rear Admiral (2*) in February 2008, he had previously served a short tour as Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland, where he was responsible for the four Commodores who command Naval Regional activity across the UK, and also for Naval Security, Recruiting, Reserves, Youth and Cadets.

A LU M N I N EWS

Dave Stainforth Geography DPhil 2005Dave Stainforth has been appointed to an Associate Professorship in Physical Geography and will take up his post in August 2007. He is currently a NERC Research Fellow and is the Chief Scientist for climateprediction.net at Oxford University, the largest climate modelling exercise yet undertaken. David is a world leading climate modeller. His research interests are in climate physics and he works in the Middle Atmosphere and Climate Dynamics group of the Oxford University Physics subdepartment of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics. His research interests cover uncertainty analysis in climate forecasts, coupled Ocean/Atmosphere computer modelling and the analysis and review of renewable energy projects and policies in developing countries.

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65 Years of Friendship: Bennett – Thomas – Beck

by Geoffrey Beck (Theology 1942-46)

John Harrison Bennett B: Ipswich, Suffolk, D: Canberra, Australia 2007 Congregational Minister, Headgate, Colchester 1950-55 Sydney, Australia 1955-59; Adelaide 1959-71, Canberra 1971-85.

Vernon Lloyd Thomas B: Pencoed, South Wales, 1916, D: Pencoed, 2007 Further Education teacher, Banbury Tech. Lecturer in Department of Overseas Management and Administration Studies, Manchester University. Adviser to the International Labour Organisation, and other bodies.

Geoffrey Beck B: Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, 1918 Congregational Minister, Eccleston St. Helens 1946-50; Summertown, Oxford 1950-65; Warden, Chapel of Unity, Coventry Cathedral 1965-71; Central Free, Brighton (URC) 1971-84.

This article is about three Mansfield men who, aged 18, 24, and 26, in the academic year 1942-43, shared lodgings in 20 Osberton Road, Summertown, and whose friendship lasted 65 years. Vernon (26), our senior, was a Cardiff Philosophy Graduate, the youngest of eleven sisters and brothers, a lifelong socialist, born and bred in South Wales, with English his native tongue. Despite this fact, as a “theolog” he was a Calvinistic Methodist, the mainly Welsh-speaking Presbyterian Church of Wales. The SCM (Student Christian Movement) coupled with Mansfield made him ecumenical (ecumenism is the promotion of unity or cooperation between distinct religious groups or denominations of Christianity). In 1945 he went to study in Switzerland under the psychiatrist Carl Jung.

John (18) was the youngest of four, a cheerful, energetic, overgrown schoolboy, launching on his wartime History degree at St. Catherine’s (before Mansfield gained status as a Permanent Private Hall, students had to matriculate through the non-residential St. Catherine’s Society, which later became St. Catherine’s College) – at first rather missing his home, school and church in the Suffolk market town of Framlingham. In 1949-50, when JCR President, he did a thesis on “Congregationalism in Suffolk from 18701940”. Writing in 1996 for our Golden Wedding album, John recalled “the rigours of wartime rations and the pangs of hunger”. Mrs Lupton, our Baptist landlady, strictly divided everything into three portions to ensure fair shares.

It was a greatly matured young man indeed who returned to Mansfield after his 1943-46 service as a Royal artillery officer latterly in India, Burma, Thailand and Malaysia.

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In contrast I was a conscientious objector, the only child of 1914-18 Christian pacifist parents whose stance then had been costly in many ways: in comparison my 1939-42 saga of nine frustrating C.O.Tribunals was as nothing. (Conscientious Objector trials were set up when conscription was introduced in 1916 and again in 1939.

A committee chaired by a County Court judge assessed each application.) At brief notice I was “allowed” to sit my Sociology Finals at LSE-in-Cambridge. I had also met SCM member and Anglican Joy Crookshank, my wife-to-be, in Cambridge. She was training to be a psychiatric social worker, ending with a placement in an Oxford clinic near our lodgings. She brightened our lives with spring-time visits. For our 1996 Golden Wedding Album Vernon wrote: “She and I talked Psychology a lot, and I recall cycling along together to the digs talking about the nervous system – we wobbled along!”. I returned after a long illness in 1944 to find that he had a close Medical student friend, Elisabeth Browne, who became a psychiatrist. Lifelong friends, but they never married.

Vernon also reminisced in 1996, “Geoffrey and I were keen members of the SCM”. Our weekly meetings were in the Old Library of the University Church, and there were stimulating sermons in the Church on Sunday evenings – from Archbishop William Temple onwards. Thus the Church of St Mary the Virgin in the High came to have rich memories for all of us. In March 1952 John was married there to Dorothy Burgmann, daughter of the Bishop of Canberra and Goulburn. By then the vicar was Roy Lee, an Australian, so he and his wife were a friendly home-fromhome for Dorothy during her research studies. She and John had met during his final Mansfield year, and five months later he proposed marriage to her at Framlingham Castle.

John had promised to visit Australia “for two years at least”.

In 1955 the young minister, plus wife and two children (two more to come) sailed for £5 on a boat for emigrants – the “New Australians” of the 1950’s. The two years became fifty-two, with seven return visits, always by boat, to spend time with family and old friends.

As for Vernon, I know that his work took him around the world, from parts of Africa, to Bangladesh, Chicago, and Czechoslovakia, for example – but telephoning, rather than his inscrutable handwriting, kept us in touch, especially when he retired to his Welsh birthplace, and up to a few days before the end. And now I quote from two excellent Thanksgiving services dedicated to John last November in Tuggeranong United Church, Canberra and Pilgrim Church, Adelaide, in part by his family.

“From his arrival in Australia Dad was part of the movement towards Church Union [for he] was both a denominational and an ecumenical leader [who] loved his own dissenting tradition.” From 1959 to 1971 in central Adelaide and similarly in Canberra, “apart from his pastoral care, for him a city church and city pulpit was how he addressed issues of state and national concern. But … once Dad retired … he took other ways of making his views known on many ➥ M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

issues.” Dorothy was still busy in Amnesty International.

There were rallies and marches of which he wrote, such as opposition to war in Iraq.

Although from 1980 an Australian citizen, John remained loyal to English cricket! But above all, “to think of John is to be confronted with an image of a tenderness not found in every man, or every woman…A remarkable forgiver, a way of seeing in others what many could not see. A Jesuslike capacity. Or, as John had said, “We don’t have to prove ourselves worthy of God’s love…but gladly to accept it, to live in it day by day, and to share it with others.” ● Geoffrey Beck

The 1943 (Trinity Term) photograph of the Mansfield College Senior and Junior Common Rooms. The back row from right reads John Bennett, Vernon Thomas, Geoffrey Beck. Also of note are Dr CJ Cadoux (Vice-Principal, front row 3rd from right), Dr N Micklem (Principal, 2nd from right), John Marsh (Chaplain and future Principal, far right), George Caird (future Principal, middle row, far right).

‘Geoffrey Beck and John Bennett enjoying a brief interlude on the Cherwell in the Summer of 1943. Geoff is the handsome one.’ (!)

Obituary David Kerr 1945-2008 Theology 1966-68

by Sidney Blankenship, MA (1967) Yesterday I received the New College, Edinburgh, Photo: Divinity School, Edinburgh Bulletin 2008 in which I read with great sadness of the death of David Kerr who was a contemporary (1967-1969) at Mansfield. I last saw him in 1996 at the 150th Anniversary of New College which houses the Divinity School on the Mound in Edinburgh, an impressive week-long celebration with HRH Prince Philip and the Patriarch of Constantinople.

David Kerr was for a number of years Director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity in the Non-Western World at Edinburgh; and his perspective on Islam is especially one which I can appreciate. Having received his D.Phil. from St. Antony’s College after I left Oxford, he concentrated on Christian/Muslim relations at Selly Oak College in Birmingham and Hartford Seminary in America. His openness to the positive history of other traditions was a window into his soul. He came to Edinburgh in 1995 and drafted the World Council of Churches’ guidelines on “Dialogue and Community.”

He lamented the polemical approach of alienating other faiths.

This is the first I had heard of his death which occurred on 14th April of this year, after a debilitating illness in Sweden, where he had taken up a new appointment.

He was an inspiration to his fellow students at a unique period in Mansfield’s history, having previously studied Arabic and Islam at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies. He was highly critical of the post 9/11 governmental response from the West. During our days at Oxford, he and I shared notes from George Caird’s lectures on Romans, the occasional tutorial, and one of the intimate dinner invitations with John and Gladys Marsh in the Principal’s Lodgings, as well as another with Professor Zaehner at an Italian restaurant in Queen Street. Long-lost friendships never really come to an end.

Once when I came back to Oxford, I decided to visit Professor Zaehner at All Souls. I inquired for him at the Porter’s Lodge, and was informed that he had “passed on”; to which I replied without thinking, “Oh, well I guess I’ll see him there.” Somehow, I would expect that from David Kerr, as well. ● Sidney Blankenship

A LU M N I N EWS

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Mansfield College Events 2008 Summer Reunion Garden Party 22nd June 2008 Blue skies (and periodic gusts of wind) smiled upon this year’s Summer Renion, which was attended by a good number of students, alumni, families, members of College, and friends of Mansfield. A buffet lunch was served, the Mansfield Association held their AGM and presented the Student of the Year Awards, Pete Lay kept everyone entertained with live music, and during the afternoon cream tea was served on the lawns. Prof. Ros Ballaster gave the annual lecture in the Chapel, which was entitled ‘Uncovering the mysteries of the Arabian nights entertainments in eighteenth century England: a talk with dramatic interludes’, and which involved student acting.

Above left: Ros as storyteller Scheherezade, Paul Maiden (2nd year English) as Schahriar, and below them Dinarzade (Charlotte Spurrell, 2nd year English). Top right: lunch on the lawn. Right: Guardians Sarah and Peter Harkness, and family.

Annual Parents’ Dinner 20th September 2008 This year, so many parents decided to come to the Annual Parents’ Dinner that we had to move it into the Chapel! Tutors and senior admin staff also attended the dinner, allowing parents the chance to meet some of the names that they will hear recurring.

Many of the parents stayed in college accommodation, which allowed people to travel from the far reaches of the British Isles, as well as Germany, Switzerland and France.

Parent’s Comment “I was overwhelmed by the friendly atmosphere which pervaded the whole weekend. I have a much clearer idea of what life will be like for my daughter at Mansfield, and was left with the impression that it is supportive and caring while encouraging academic excellence. It was so helpful to meet other parents and discuss common issues, while relaxing over excellent food and wine in the marvelous Chapel. The personal touch was so evident all weekend, from the Porter giving us a guided tour of the library to the Principal and her husband speaking to as many parents as possible.”

Above: Pre-dinner drinks on the Chapel Lawn.

Parents’ Network Meeting 20th September 2008 16 parents attended the meeting. Parents attending represented students of the following matriculation years: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and the following subjects: Geography, English, Jurisprudence, Human Sciences, PPE, Theology, Materials Science.

Principal topics of discussion were the contents of the Parents’ Welcome Booklet and suitable events for Parents to attend. www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk/alumni/mansfields-parents.html

Above: Parents’ Network Meeting

Date for the diary: Next Parents’ Network Meeting: at the Summer Reunion, 27th June 2008. All parents welcome, even parents of alumni, no further commitment necessary. We value your opinions!

Oxford University Alumni Weekend 19th-21st September 2008 Lord Stockton (Patron of Mansfield and father of Louisa MacMillan, Oriental Studies 2001-05) participated in a discussion panel entitled ‘Europe in a new world order’.The panel also included Lord Patten (far left), Baroness Nicholson (centre left), and Dr Paul Flather (centre right).

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Next year’s Alumni Weekend: 25-28th September

Philip Rattle (English 1984-87, Guardian of Mansfield) gave a talk on ‘Private Equity in the Global Economy’.

In his talk he covered the basics of the field, whilst also delving into the more complex issues surrounding the economic crisis that was erupting as he spoke.

M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

Eighth Annual Hands Lecture “AFTER IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN SHALL WE EVER INTERVENE AGAIN?” Lord Ashdown of Norton-Sub-Hamdon GCMG KBE PC Tuesday 4th November 2008, 5:30pm Mansfield College Chapel

Lord Ashdown began his speech by reading out, verbatim, from the minute he had sent to Gordon Brown and David Miliband when it appeared likely that he would be going to Afghanistan as the UN’s Representative. The immediacy and pertinence of this advice to Ministers set the tone for the whole of his fascinating and deeply perceptive lecture, and for the answers he gave to the wide-ranging questions that followed.

No summary of Lord Ashdown’s presentation can do justice to it and will not be attempted here, as the whole of his text is available on the College website.

Lord Ashdown spoke to a packed Chapel, and his impressive speech was followed by an enthusiastic question-and-answer session. Given on the night before the US Presidential Elections, the speech was rendered even more poignant.

At the dinner following the event, Ashdown took yet more questions. Many thanks to Lord Ashdown for his dynamic visit to Mansfield. ● DW

www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk > college news

Mansfield Association President: Gill Kirk (English 1991-93, Mansfield 500) As always, we began our new year at the AGM, where we said thank you to Geoffrey Roper for giving us three years as Association President. Gill Kirk has taken the reins - and the opportunity to call for members (anyone who has been to Mansfield) to throw us ideas for activities or services we can provide. As we said in the October newsletter, all thoughts on college scarf macramé evenings / over 50’s-Balliol-bashing / spot the stolen library book nostalgia nights are welcome. All members can come to meetings. They’re in College, 6pm, on 11 February and 21 May. Our AGM is on Saturday 27 June.

2 0 0 8 EV E N TS AND EXAM RESULTS

Presentation of Minute Book by Moseley School, Birmingham 24 July 2008 Spring Hill College, Moseley, Birmingham trained ministers for the Congregational church from 1838 until it closed and transferred to Mansfield in 1886; in 1923 Birmingham City Council took over the buildings and it became Moseley School. Pupils, teachers and members of the Moseleians Association have made a number of visits to the College over the years, keeping alive the links between the two institutions. Their latest visit on 24 July was special because of a chance find of a Minute Book by an antiquarian bookseller in Norfolk who contacted Professor Carl Chinn at the University of Birmingham, a member of the Moseleians Association. The Minute Book, dating back to 1838, documents the education of many distinguished Congregational ministers and is an invaluable resource for the study of Nonconformity. The Association raised £200 to secure the purchase of the Minute Book for Moseley School and Richard Cobb, of the Moseleians Association, presented it to the Bursar, Steve Waterman, so that it may be kept in Mansfield College Library with other archives from Spring Hill. The Bursar presented two books to Moseley School: the 1890 memorial volume detailing the early history and events at the official opening of the College buildings in 1889 and the 1996 centenary volume by Dr Elaine Kaye ‘Mansfield College Oxford: its origin, history and significance’.

The College is very grateful to the Moseleians Association for donating this important archive. ● Alma Jenner, Head Librarian

We’re very much looking forward to working with the new Alumni Relations Manager, Emily Henderson, and we hope that together we can make sure alumni feel both up to speed with what’s happening at Mansfield and able to tap into the old student network.

Time for a very quick run-down of what we’re up to. We’re working with College on marking the 50th anniversary of Mansfield study holidays for pupils from London’s East End for (aka Mansfield House / Settlement). We’re sorting out our website – slowly but surely! Jocelyn Bell Burnell will be speaking at the Association Dinner, which we hope will be a big, enjoyable and interesting night, as part of the College’s Midsummer Reunion Weekend (put Friday 26th June in your diary!).

Feel free to get in touch with your thoughts and ideas: gill_kirk@lyric-communications.com. ● Gill Kirk

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Examination Results 2008

MBA Pass

DOCTORATE (DPhil) Materials Science

Alok Mathur Felipe Saavedra Daniel Stoddart Sebastian Stoddart Piyaphol Vudhivorn

Helen Marsh Social Policy Rodney Dacombe

MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY MPhil in Economics Pass Nils Braun

MAGISTER JURIS Pass

Hiroko Okado

MASTER OF SCIENCE MSc in African Studies Dist John Gibbons Pass Yvette Stephens MSc Biodiversity Conservation & Management Dist Marta Lang Pass Giorgi Lebanidze Pass Travers McNiece Dist Alexandra Webb MSc Computer Science Dist Michail Prusakov Dist Hao Wu MSc Maths Modelling Pass Nathaniel Fenton MSc Maths & Foundations of Computer Science Pass Stefanos Aivazudis MSc Political Theory Research Pass Banu Turnaglu

MASTER OF ENGINEERING (MEng) Engineering Science Class 2.i Matthew Morris Engineering, Economics & Management Class 2.i Daniel Smith Class 2.ii Zhengjia Zhou Materials, Economics & Management Class 2.1 Stanley Li Materials Science Class 2.1 Michael Dowling Semjon Terehhov

MASTER OF MATHEMATICS MMaths Part C Class 1 John McCarthy Class 2.i Colin I Taylor MMaths Part B Class 1 Daniel Harvey David Sims MMaths & StatisticsPart B Class 1 Valentina Iotchkova

MASTER OF PHYSICS (MPhys) Class 1

Paul Davies Philip Merchant

BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA) MASTER OF STUDIES MSt in Jewish Studies Dist Daniel Purisch Huda Salih MSt in English Dist Fran MacDonald Pass Hilary Havens MSt in History Pass Alice Pilkington MSt in Historical Research Dist Michael Wagner

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English Language & Literature Class I Emma Gerrard Fay Skevington Kirsty Stanfield Class 2.i Annie Catherall Danielle Cluer Kate Johnson Fiona Murphy Benjamin Shockley Julie Skeat-Smith Adam Watkins History Class I Alexander Morris Class 2.i Alexander Craven Thomas Foster

Guy Garden Simon Lerner Thomas Patterson Bethan Williams History & English Class 2.i Melissa Julian-Jones History & Politics Class I Nezam Bagherzade Class 2.i Rebecca Barnett Fay Burton Geography Class I Luke Jessop Class 2.i Gordon Campbell Andrew Cook Thomas LeversonGower Katharine Moore Joseph Pickles James Roylance Daniel Thompson Human Sciences Class 2.i Charlotte Chilcott Sean Leopold Jurisprudence Class I David Johnson Class 2.i Rebecca Finch Lloyd Thomas Class 2.ii Alexia Kapranos Mathematics Class 1 Horatio Boedihardjo Class 2.i Richard Collins Richard Dyble Maths & Philosophy Class I Charolotte Stonehouse Maths & Statistics Class 2.ii Pengzhu Xu Oriental Studies Class 2.i Sam Plumbly PPE Class 1 William Jefferson Class 2.i Emily Davies Julia Lerch Thomas Mann Julian Mansfield Susannah May Laura Zimmerman Physics Class 2.i Richard Harriss Harry Kennard Class 2.ii Martin Slater Ying Soon Philosophy & Theology Class 2.i Thomas Crawshaw Theology Class 2.i William Burrows

M A NS FIEL D CO L L EGE M AG A Z I N E

Roy Cooper Alexander Dacre Amy Icke BTh Class 1 Class 2.i Class 2.ii

MODERATIONS English Pass

Timothy Searle Caroline Vodden Jennifer Mills

UNCLASSIFIED HONOURS Engineering, Economics & Management Part I Pass Mengru Qu Engineering SciencePart I Pass Xie Feng Martin Moran Thomas Smith Materials, Economics & Management Part I Pass Sebastian Webb Materials Science Part I Pass Jennifer Brown Luke Hanson Pettengell Manuel Schnabel Mathematics Part A Pass Reuben Holt Lucy Mase-Robinson David Putnins Benjamin Rule Mathematics & Statistics Part A Pass Clayton d’Souza Elizabeth Rae Helbert Tsang Quang Tran Physics Part B Pass Wojiech Rzepala Physics Part A Pass Anna Antoniou Timothy Clarke Paul Lam Rory Morrison Vassilis Pandis Thomas Swinburne

Law Dist Pass

Charles Alderwick Luke Bullock Sam Caird Kathryn Davies Laurence Dodds Hannah Plant Marianne Turner Joanna Williams Giles Rabbits Martin Wood Noor Ashraf Jack Baumgardt T Mebratu-Tsegaye Ian Montagu

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS Engineering Dist

Geography Dist Pass

History Dist Pass

John Kerr Christopher Mertlitz Radoslaw Nowak Peter Harrison Evans Rachel Bowles Catherine Connor Christopher fort Benjamin Lazarus Robert Lee Andrew Taylor Ben Williams Tim Glebocki David Bruce Nicholas Gomes Alasdair O’Hare Vishal Patel Luke Webster

History & English Pass Daniel Clarke History & Politics Pass Jonathan Brooks Human Sciences Pass Sara Bainbridge Sonia Chandaria Martha Swales Materials Science Dist Robert Clough Jian Wang Pass Helen Dugdale Chirag Goyate Jack Spawton Oriental Studies Dist Angelina Lonnquist Harriet Publicover PPE Dist Duncan Lugton Pass Emma Baddeley Robbie Coleman Sarah Collier Khadija Gulamhusein Beatrice Male Physics Pass Joseph Barnard Tom Goodman Louise Kwok Robert Legg Hira Virdee David Wilkinson Theology Pass Rohini Bajekal Richard Batty Alastair Colin-Jones Daniel Cowley Henry Fox Andrew Green Orlando Lewis

HONOUR MODERATIONS Mathematics Class I Class II

Tristan Grey-Davies Perry Asbury Paul Carter Melanie Hah Bobby Sun Mathematics & Statistics Class III Jiaojiao Zhang 2 0 0 8 EV E N TS AND EXAM RESULTS

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Events Calendar

Saturday 27th June 2009 Midsummer Reunion

Saturday 7th February 2009 English Dinner

Commemoration Parents’ Network Meeting (see page 31) Mansfield Association AGM Type of event: the annual Mansfield get-together that gives alumni the chance to reunite, and parents the chance to visit their offspring’s College. This year’s reunion is held on a Saturday, and we are celebrating Ordinand training at Mansfield.

See page 31

Invited: alumni, students, SCR Type of event: subject reunion (guests welcome), a dinner to celebrate the love of literature.

See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk > alumni&development > events.

Book now!

Saturday 21st February 2009 Second Annual Law Dinner Invited: alumni, students, SCR Type of event: subject/profession reunion (guests welcome), dinner followed by short talks from Law alumni.

See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk > alumni&development > events.

See page 7 Book now!

Saturday 28th February 2009 Theology Dinner Invited: alumni, students, SCR Type of event: subject reunions (guests welcome), a dinner to celebrate Theology at Mansfield See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk > alumni&development > events.

Book now!

Saturday 21st March Gaudy 2000-2005 Invited: alumni who matriculated between 2000-2005, SCR Type of event: reunion for year-groups 2000-2005, guests welcome.

Accommodation: rooms available in college - book early.

See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk > alumni&development > events.

See page 18 Book now!

Thursday 30th April 2009 Alumni London Drinks Invited: alumni, SCR Type of event: alumni gather in a chosen bar for an informal evening. Champagne to be won.

See who is attending: guest list will be posted online nearer the time.

See page 18

Saturday 30th May 2009 Summer VIIIs and Boat Club Dinner Invited: alumni, students Type of event: rowing enthusiasts are invited to Summer VIIIs or just Boat Club Dinner, guests welcome.

See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk > alumni&development > events.

See page 13-14 Book now!

Friday 26th June 2009 Mansfield Association Dinner Contact: gill_kirk@lyric-communications.com See page 32

25th-27th September 2009 Oxford University Alumni Weekend Type of event: events occur all over the university for the weekend.

See page 31

Saturday 17th October 2009 Guardians’ Dinner Invited: Guardians, SCR Type of event: an annual dinner held in gratitude to our generous Guardians.

See page 17

Saturday 14th November 2009 Second Women’s Dinner Invited: Alumni, students, SCR, staff Type of event: an event to celebrate the successes of women at Mansfield.

See who is attending: guest list will be posted online nearer the time.

See page 8

Saturday 28th November 2009 Patrons’ Dinner Invited: Patrons, SCR Type of event: an annual dinner held in gratitude to our generous Patrons.

See page 17

Other events planned: Scotland Alumni Dinner Wales Alumni Dinner Nothern England Alumni Dinner Annual Hands Lecture (see page 32)

North American Alumni Organisation A group of Mansfield alumni, in conjunction with the Development Office, are currently setting up an alumni branch in New York.

Following a December meeting between core group members, an event will be organized for early 2009. If you would like to get involved or hear more about NAAO events, contact the Development Office (see contact details below).

Alumni Events: Alumni Bookings Alumni events are organised by the Development Office. Bookings must be made through the Development Office: by cheque, or by card through the post or over the phone, 14 working days before the event.

After the 14 day deadline, refunds cannot be given on dinner tickets or accommodation. Accommodation is only available during vacation. During term, there is one guest room.

Contact the Development Office for availability.

E: development@mansfield.ox.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1865 270998

www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk Development Office, Mansfield College, Oxford OX1 3TF, UK