RSMA Newsletter 2015

rsma newsletter

Newsletter of the Retired Senior Members' Association of Homerton College, Cambridge. July 2015

Cycling for Level Water Family history to social history

RSMA farewells

A word from the Editor

RSMA Committee: Chair:

John Axon

Secretary:

Charlotte Jenner

Treasurer:

Stephen Grounds

Events and visits coordinator: Pauline Curtis

Almonry: Judy Barham

Newsletter editor: Philip Rundall

Contributors:

John Axon, John Murrell, John Ball, Geoff Ward, Anne Thwaites, Pat Cooper, Rex Watson, George Hubbard, Rachel Evans, Sophie Hussey, Philip Rundall.

W

e delayed the publication of this edition of the newsletter because of the recent deaths of members of our association. We are therefore able to include pieces about these individuals - Mike Bibby, Christine Carpenter, Barry Jones and Helen Bunton.

Our feature story this year arose out of Anne Thwaite’s talk given on 20th February 2015 after one of the regular RSM coffee mornings, in college. After hearing her story, the word ‘heroic’ came to mind and I was determined to get a written record of her achievement, and we’ve got it!

Another piece that moved me and was a revelation is George's reflections on being a Bursar. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. Thanks also to Rex for another family history piece.

Design and layout: Patti Rundall

I’m delighted that the Principal has found time to write his second column describing the College's progress.

Please email articles in plain text or Word with illustrations to: Philip Rundall, 34 Blinco Grove, CB1 7TS. Tel:01223 240483 philipjohnrundall@gmail.com

Finally, please do think about making a contribution to the next issue. It doesn’t have to be long or particularly spectacular (like a long bike ride). I think members really like to hear what former colleagues are doing in retirement, be it travel, creative activities or research - whatever. Send material electronically directly to me (see below) and include a photo of yourself plus others, if necessary, to illustrate your piece.

Best wishes, Philip Rundall philipjohnrundall@gmail.com

CONTENTS Cover: Anne Thwaites and her husband Geoff at the start - end of their cycle ride Photo:Ian Thwaites

Chairman's letter by John Axon

3

A bike ride for Level Water

by Anne Thwaites

4-5

Principal's message by Geoff Ward

Recollections of a one-time Bursar

by George Hubbard

Family history

by Rex Watson

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 2

6 7 8-9

The new Homerton development

9

Charter Bursary Rachel Evans and Sophie Hussey

10-11

Barry Jones by John Murrell

Mike Bibby

by John Ball and Philip Rundall

12 13

Christine Carpenter by David Bridges

Helen Bunton by John Murrell

13 14

Elizabeth Cook by John Axon

15-16

John Ball's collection of French teaching books

16

Tigers by Philip Rundall 17 The Lost Prince by John Murrell

18-19

Emeritus by Patricia Cooper

20

Chairman's letter

by John Axon

A

s I write Holy Week is just beginning, with its promise of hope and renewal. Although the weather is wild and uncertain there is still the sense of spring in the daylight; despite the cold wind young lambs were capering in the fields around Ickworth last week. With all its seeming contradictions it's a time of year I love. It's a metaphor for life itself.

When I wrote my first newsletter, this time last year, we were facing a little uncertainty as the College changes. A year on, the new working arrangement with the College Development Office is beginning to show positive benefits for the RSMA. In the Committee we are trying to analyse the long-term future possibilities for the Association within the new College structures, for the RSMA is unique in Cambridge and whatever else might change with time we hope to ensure that the fundamental principles on which it was founded are projected into the future as a valued and distinctive feature of the College. It was very pleasing, therefore, that the draft report of the Principal's Vision and Purposes Group acknowledged the Retired Senior Members as an integral, valued part of the future as well as being a repository of the College's past achievements.

But there is always sad news. During this last year we have lost several

former, valued colleagues: Frank Whitford, Elizabeth Cook, Mike Bibby, Barry Jones and Helen Bunton, all of whom will long be remembered. Four of us attended Elizabeth Cook's funeral; I represented the RSMA at Frank Whitford's Memorial Gathering in London; Mike Bibby's funeral was held in private, and this week the Cambridge Crematorium Chapel was filled to capacity as we bade farewell to Barry. Helen Bunton's funeral is to be held next week, in Newnham Church. Tributes are printed elsewhere in this Newsletter.

"Memorial Celebrations", as they are now called, have a sad poignancy about them, for in celebrating a life well lived they disclose a great deal that was formerly hidden and private; in so doing they generate a heightened sense of loss that we learn so much, too late.

It was therefore a happy surprise in January when a book arrived in College from New Zealand, entitled the "Serendipitous Life of Jean Holm". Compiled by Jean's family, it tells the story of her bold decisions which brought her from New Zealand to England, and eventually to Homerton. Reading about her world-wide travels brought to mind many other Homerton pioneers, such as Louise Pirouet, who was inspired, I think, by the same spirit which fired Jean Holm, and Alison Shrubsole, who flew her light, single engine

aircraft to remote schools out in the African bush, with a brick in the cockpit as a landing aid. There must be many such stories, now lost to us, yet they are an alternative history which should be set alongside the official history, if only we could recover them.

The RSMA in Cambridge has continued, as usual, with vigour. Judy Barham has continued the Almonry work with her customary, quiet efficiency; Pauline Curtis has organised the coffee mornings, several visits and three very good Presentations. The first was a most appropriate talk from Dorothy Richardson on "How to deal with Stress"; the second was Anne Thwaite's superb account of her Bike ride from Homerton, London, to Homerton, Cambridge, by which she raised a thousand pounds for a children's charity called "Level Water", and her bike was no lightweight racer but merely a standard, heavy machine. Her husband trained and rode with her.

The third Presentation was Patti Rundall's account of her extraordinary, world-wide experiences as consultant to a major film, Tigers, that will soon be on general release. We're hoping it will be shown in Cambridge; if it is I suspect we'll need an RSMA block booking!

The Emeritus choir and the Book Club continue to meet.

The choir made a recording of French songs for Barry,

which he was able to hear shortly before he died. As on previous Christmases Pauline and Godfrey Curtis invited all RSMs to their house for a Christmas party, with music by Emeritus singers and musicians and excellent refreshments. Considering that they had only very recently moved into their new house, Pauline and Godfrey gave us an exceedingly warm and generous welcome which generated a very happy Christmas spirit for everyone present. If you are reading this in a new print quality, either in hard copy or online, thank Philip and Patti Rundall for their usual hard work and for taking advantage of our partnership with the College Development Office.

Next term Coffee Mornings will be held as usual on the third Friday of each month during term; the programme for other events will be announced shortly after term begins. Last year two Education Bursaries were awarded: this year we will invite applications for the last Education Bursary in the current series, but we are now considering what Bursaries we might wish to award in future years. Education, certainly, and perhaps others related to some of the new Homerton programmes.

Discussion has only just begun but I hope we will be able to bring proposals to the AGM in September. continued on page 7

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 3

A bike ride for Level Water

by Anne Thwaites

I

n 2014, I reached university retirement age and so was relinquishing various aspects of my role in Homerton – notably, and without too many regrets, governing body and committee memberships. It seemed like a good point to mark in some way and a charity fund raiser was top of the list.

I knew about a charity which gives swimming lessons to disabled children (Level Water) and they were recruiting 50 people to raise funds during the year - I signed up. So now I was committed but needed to decide what to do. Something that was a challenge seemed in order and whilst talking it over with my husband, Geoff, we thought that a long cycle ride might be the thing. As avid Tour de France supporters we knew that le Tour was coming to England in the summer and that stage 3 was going from Cambridge to London.

This prompted the idea of a Homerton to Homerton cycle ride – a bit of investigation revealed that the distance from Homerton High Street, London (the original site of the college) to Homerton College, Cambridge was a bit over 50 miles, ideal.

Although I have cycled to and from work across Cambridge for many, many years, I have never cycled much further. So we needed to prepare and devised a schedule of weekly rides to build up the distance we were riding – time for a spreadsheet, my maths/IT teaching does come in useful!

The plan was to start in mid March with a ride of about 20 km (part of the psychology, more kilometres than miles feels a greater achievement) and increase by about 15% each week until we would be ready for the ride, around 90 km, sometime in June.

The next question was where to cycle on these weekly rides; to start with we used the guided busway – it has a wide, well surfaced cycle/ foot path beside the busway and we can join it near the Regional College as it heads towards St Ives. So a traffic free route where we could readily increase the distance each week. The first outing got us as far as Longstanton and I was very ready to turn back and head for home – the parts of the busway going through famland are exposed and the wind blows hard in March!

However it was a good place to go and on the fifth week we got to St Ives, a milestone and double the distance of the first ride.

Having built up the distance, we started planning circular rides going south so that we would ride parts of the eventual route. These took us out to familiar villages to start with – Coton, Comberton, Newton and Shelford – and one week we had planned to include Haslingfield, Barrington, Shepreth and so on. It was a lovely Sunday morning and all was well until we took the sharp right turn in Haslingfield, opposite the church, to head to Barrington.

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 4

A real hill; as I attempted to struggle up, a group of cyclists passed me with a cheery 'good morning' – it wasn't, I had to walk. Later, unfortunately, I discovered two descriptions: “Chapel Hill is a proper up-and-over and is a straightforward steep climb … be sure to be in a low gear as you immediately hit the 1:10 slope to the summit” and another “The climb up Chapel Hill is a bit of a shock to the system after riding across the flat fields from Cambridge.”

So that was the wake up call, there would be some hills!

These villages in south Cambridgeshire and then into Essex and Hertfordshire (Fowlmere, Thriplow, Chrishall, Elmdon, Arkesden, Clavering, Manuden, Furneaux Pelham, Braughing, Barkway, Barley) were a revelation – some lovely places, quiet lanes and in rolling countryside, such a contrast to the rides on the busway. Many of them seemed to have thriving pubs but mid-way through a long cycle ride didn't seem the occasion to stop for a leisurely lunch. However it has given us lots of places to go back to and explore further – maybe not always on a bike!

Having got as far south as Braughing, we were in sight of the Lee valley. So at the end of May we drove to Braughing and then cycled to Ware where we joined the riverside path of the Lee valley. It was lovely to be off roads again and most of the path to Waltham lock was good for cycling, sometimes a

bit narrow but only one stretch south of Dobb's weir was awful. By now we had looked at a reasonable part of the planned route and were feeling tolerably confident. A final ride took us back to the fens (and the winds), northwards through Cottenham and Wilburton to Ely and then south via Isleham, Burwell and Bottisham – 80km in just under four hours, not counting the regular food and drink stops.

Sunday 23 June was a glorious day, temperatures in the mid 20s and little wind; we caught an early train to Liverpool Street and set off northwards to Homerton High Street. Fairly soon we encountered road closed signs and lots of marshalls stopping the traffic but letting us through. As we neared the High Street we heard cheering – it was the Hackney half marathon in full swing with thousands of runners on the High Street. So our hopes of finding the plaque for the old Homerton College site (thanks to Peter Warner for telling us all about the area) were gone and we had a further problem in crossing the road! We found a spot with an island in the middle of the road at the top of a slight rise – enough to cause gaps in the stream of runners - and went for it. Fortunately we didn't fell anyone and were able to start the ride proper.

Nearly half the ride was along the Lee valley – a lovely tranquil ribbon from the Thames, past the Olympic Park all the way to Ware.

There were lots of people out enjoying the river side, walking and cycling as well as others on the water.

The path goes close to the Olympic white water centre and it was here that Geoff got a puncture; fortunately we had all the necessary spares but the new compact pump was hugely difficult to get to work – interesting how many passing cyclists either didn't have a pump or had one which didn't work! However he managed to get air in and we were off again. Lunch was in Braughing, a picnic on the green beside the ford and then the slog through Hare Street, Barclay, Barley and over the A505. This was onto very familiar roads and seemed to be more straightforward – the end was in sight. Getting onto the path beside the railway at Shelford saw us virtually back to College. A huge sense of achievement and then a short ride across town to get home.

On the day we cycled 64 miles, 104 km but more importantly raised around ÂŁ1000 for Level Water.

This will fund 100 oneto-one swimming lessons.

The charity was set up after the London Olympics and teaches disabled children to swim so that they can take part in mainstream swimming lessons and, for some, progress on to competitive clubs. They provide primaryaged children who have a physical disability or sensory impairment up to 50 one-

to-one swimming lessons.

Swimming for disabled children is great; the water supports their bodies, takes their weight and reduces pain. Swimming helps these children stay fit and healthy, socially active and it boosts their confidence and selfesteem. However it can be unsafe or ineffective for disabled children to learn in mainstream groups and without one-to-one lessons, most disabled children will never learn to swim.

Level Water works in partnership with existing swimming pool operators or lesson providers. The charity initiates the project, creates community links to find the children, provides additional teacher training and then ongoing support pays for one-to-one lessons at cost.

The pool operator identifies their best teachers, runs lessons as normal, manages the teachers and families, and provides water time for free. Some of the swimmers may be faster than their ablebodied friends. That sends out a fantastic message about their ability and potential and helps to break down wider perceptions about disability. Finally their work will teach a critical skill that can prevent someone from drowning (the third-highest cause of deaths in children); it can allow the children to explore other water-sports, as well as swimming with their families and friends.

At the moment (March 2015), Level Water is working at fifteen sites (including Cambridge) in the southern half of England, and are increasing that to twenty in the next three months.

At each site they aim to provide lessons to up to twenty different children each year. The central management costs are covered privately by the Chairman and never deducted from fundraised or grant money.

So a new challenge was achieved and thanks to the generosity of many friends, family and colleagues more children will be learning to swim. Geoff and I enjoyed the regular weekly rides,

seeing new places and parts of the countryside that we had never visited; his support and encouragement made it possible.

Only question remaining is: what's the next target? www.levelwater.org donations: www.justgiving.com/levelwater

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 5

The Principal's message

by Prof Geoff Ward

I

t is just under a year since I wrote my first column as Principal for the Newsletter of the Retired Senior Members’ Association – how swiftly the time has flown by. I am pleased to say, however, that pretty much everything I hoped would come to pass has indeed happened, and that new opportunities are already bearing fruit.

With fingers crossed and touching wood, (which made it difficult to type), I wrote last time of our increasing confidence that Homerton would be able to admit undergraduates to read Medicine from October 2016.

I can confirm that this will happen. Notwithstanding the quota on numbers which put barriers in our way initially, the case has been accepted, and indeed I have received many congratulations from the Clinical School, Heads of House, and others who see the potential benefits not just to the College but to the subject, and to the growing biomedical world of South Cambridge. Unable to choose between two absolutely outstanding candidates for the new post of Clinical Director of Studies, we have appointed both. Now we know we are going into Medicine, we need to show that we can shine.

With this major development underway, new partnerships have begun to flourish. We have established excellent relations with the Department of Public Health

in the University, appointing jointly two new Junior Research Fellows who will come to us over the coming year. They are tasked not only with taking their own ground-breaking research on major diseases further, but with organizing events that will bring the Department and the College to a closer mutual understanding, sowing the seeds of further collaborative projects.

Our new friends also include donors. The two largest philanthropic donations which the College has received in its history have been given in the last twelve months. One benefactor, encouraging the success of talented women rowers, wishes to remain anonymous. Our other major donors, Jan and Erika Hummel, have given generously because they are engaged by the values which Homerton has always openly espoused, in combination with its new directions of travel. Jan and Erika are also advising me as I make the first moves to establish a Principal’s Circle of friends and benefactors willing to support Homerton in practical ways. We need to accept that the state funding of the twentieth century was a long blip in the much longer histories of Britain’s two great universities, and that philanthropy - so important to the origins of each Cambridge college must play a prominent role in

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 6

Homerton’s future.

As I write, the results of the General Election are being announced. While the broad contours of the outcome are clear, it will be some while before we know how the result will play out for universities over controversial issues such as student fees, research funding and the role of migrant scholars in sustaining our excellent international reputation. It is important that the College, like its University, remain fleet of foot, able where possible to diversify income streams in order to control its own destiny. To take an example of some importance to us, Magna, the first partnership between top 20 UK house-builder Hill and Homerton, a partnership worth £40 million, is announced publicly today.

Many of you will have seen the cranes and concrete on our new 3.5 acre site from the windows of the London train. By about this time next year, not only the residences but the buildings we will let to long term tenants, will be complete. The ensuing income stream will help us weather the changes which government and student choice may force us to face.

I have great confidence in the Bursar and her team, in our ever-active Estates Department, and in the vision we share with our business partners.

And so the College estate is moving to the top of the

agenda in terms of planning.

We will build new graduate accommodation. We intend to build a new Porters’ Lodge area, which will come nearer to Hills Road and make a more emphatic statement about who we are than does the current entrance to the Mary Allan Building. It will also benefit the growing collections in our Library.

We could build a new dining facility, a performance area and make major extensions to our current campus. We know we have to make serious alterations to our creaking kitchen facilities, so now is the time. A Working Group has been convened and tasked with making recommendations to Governing Body as to what we should prioritise in terms of developing the Estate. We would of course be mindful in proposing any changes of the sense of space and tranquillity which is so much part of our domain, and which sets us apart from other colleges whose buildings, however ancient and beautiful, are in many cases hemmed in by neighbouring colleges and by the growing bustle of the city.

What we offer in Homerton benefits not only our resident community, and those such as the RSMAs who are equally part of our life, but the wider world. I want us to be good hosts, not just to our alumni, but to conference guests and to young people encountering Higher Education for the first time.

Recollections of a one-time Bursar

by George Hubbard

It was a delight to see the nervous but highly ambitious teenagers assemble in the Auditorium for the finals of the Poetry by Heart competition. A previous winner of that competition is now studying and thriving here. I imagine that more will follow. As always, anything we do, or decide to begin doing, must take the College forward. But nothing we do will work unless it chimes with our traditions of serving the social good, and offering opportunity to the talented, irrespective of background.

I believe that what we are doing would be applauded by my predecessors as Principal, and I look forward to reporting back to you and drawing on your wisdom and experience as Homerton’s future unfolds. That future will be a bright one.

Geoff Ward __________________________ ...continued from Page 3

You will certainly be reading this after the event, but on April 11th this year, for the first time, there was an Oxford and Cambridge Women's Boat Race on the Thames, an hour or two before the Men's annual Boat Race. Daphne Martschenko, a post-graduate student from Homerton was in the Cambridge Blue Boat.

Whatever you think of a University Boat Race with crews of mostly postgraduate students, instead of the undergraduates of former years, it is one more

small sign of the future of the College that one of "our" postgraduates was in the Blue Boat. Sadly, neither of the Cambridge boats won....

I wish you all a relaxing and enjoyable summer.

John Axon

___________________

F

rom the December 1907 edition of University Olympians… re. The Bursar: Now in office see him as he strays Through mortgage, lease and deeds of other days The Audit comes, he must his budget state The other Fellows only chafe and wait With anxious faces painfully they hear The balanced lucre of the passing year On Bursar’s features watch what may portend And tremulous expect the dividend It comes at last. If of dimensions great They haste the Bursar to congratulate Then hurry homeward to relieve distress With promised bonnet or expected dress Of shrunken incomes should the Bursar tell Their painful mumurs in deep chorus swell With lagging steps they home reluctant go In trepidation to the coming woe Thus on the Bursar hangs the homes of fate To men of feeling a depressing state Yet hardened by the fast revolving years His anxious torment slowly disappears Come praise, come blame, come blessing or come curse The busy Bursar ceases not to burse.

Not sure it was ever quite like that in my Homerton

days (1976-93) but, all the same, my early days were a gentle introduction to what was to come. The college was adequately funded and there was time to enjoy life, to partake in combination room discourse with colleagues, to learn and to appreciate some of the social niceties of college life. Much of that, though, was to change in the 1980s when universities and colleges came under serious pressure to generate their own income and become more self sufficient.

Bursars were elevated to senior management and required quickly to become entrepreneurs. Sound financial management was, for a time, thrown into conflict with the aims of colleagues set on maintaining academic standards and traditions. In Homerton’s case this was spectacularly demonstrated when the funding council demanded that we raise over £8 million to finance essential large scale building maintenance costs and we were faced with the very real prospect of relocating the College. The Principal at the time was a sick man and it fell to me to demonstrate to the funding council that we had done everything possible to meet their demand. I became involved in a protracted series of negotiations with a prospective purchaser, alternative landowners in Cambridge, planners and local residents – not to mention, of course, facing a

vociferous body of College staff, students and alumni.

So much of the business had necessarily to be conducted in strict confidence and now, more than 20 years on, I still recall the pain of having, all too often, to offer half truths and unsatisfactory explanations to my friends and colleagues in College.

At the time I worshipped at St John’s Church, just across the road, where my wife Lis was the curate. Most of the congregation lived close by and so I got a critical earbashing on Sundays too! Nobody wanted a supermarket on the site, least of all me or the planning authority. No other buyer could offer the money we needed and so, to everyone’s relief, we were finally able to demonstrate to the funding council that relocation was not an option. Thus followed a substantial payment from the public purse which kicked off a substantial programme of repairs and improvements, which the College has since developed so successfully.

That so many friendships survived this test is a tribute to the staff and many others committed to the wellbeing of Homerton. I count myself a fortunate man to have been part of the place and to have been able to carry so many treasured memories into retirement.

Sadly, since George wrote this piece his wife, Liz died peacefully, but after a long illness. A number of RSMs were able to go to her funeral at St.Mary's Church, Ely on the 29th of May.

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 7

From family history to local & social history and a grandfather's influence

by Rex Watson

M

any people in retirement take up family history as an interest. This doesn’t apply in my case, in that I have been at it for fifty years!

The 1960s were pretty much computer free, microfiche free, even microfilm free, so I did my share of handling dusty documents. I have always tried to flesh out the bones, as it were, by taking an interest in associated local, social, occupational history, etc. Indeed for some aspects the ‘local’ history has for me taken on a life of its own. Fellow RSMs may remember an article I wrote for the newsletter a few years ago on my publication on a Lancashire Baptist church, and there have been a couple more since, on another church, and on the Mormons near Manchester.

Recently I wrote an article for the Journal of the Burnley and District Historical Society (‘Retrospect’) on my grandfather’s life.

Actually his life hardly feels like ‘family history’, as I knew him well, and was well aware in general terms of his interests, career, etc. I was 18 when he died, in his nineties. He himself was very interested in, and knowledgeable about, the history of the Burnley area. Perhaps I may first just acknowledge his contribution to my mathematical development.

He was exceedingly ‘good with figures’, not least because his work as a trade

union secretary required tussling with complicated wage lists for various fabrics (and maybe tussling with employers!). I was introduced to card games at an early age, with the need to calculate scores from the ‘hands’ one had, involving in some cases subtraction as well as addition. The upshot was I could do ‘hundreds, tens, units’ addition and subtraction on paper before I started school. (Do I hear the word ‘sad’ ?)

I take it as axiomatic that fellow RSMs love their subject, and indeed intellectual enquiry generally ‘for its own sake’ (even Education !). I should next like to recommend a book published in 2001 : ‘The Intellectual Life of the British Working Classes’, by Jonathon Rose. The author explores with a wide variety of sources the phenomenon of the ‘self-made man’ (in an educational sense), typically in Victorian times. He uses the term ‘autodidact’. (I am afraid it is very largely for the less fair sex.) After reading the book ten or more years ago, I felt that it was acting as a trigger towards a piece on my grandfather, Richard Bright Watson.

With the aid of various sources, including particularly newspaper reports, I was able to piece together a brief biography, paying attention particularly to work, political activities, public service, and leisure. It is on the last of these that I wish to say a

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 8

Above: Rex Watson and his grandfather Richard Bright Watson

little here; I will use extracts from the article (next three paragraphs).

A newspaper cutting of 1953 gives some information, from Richard. ‘When I was 18 I was a member of Westgate Sunday School, and my teacher was a man of advanced ideas. He introduced us to Ruskin’s books and later we formed a Ruskin class and held meetings at our homes to discuss his books’. Ruskin’s ideas, concerning social justice and opposition to materialism, may well have contributed to Richard’s embracing of socialism.

The 1953 cutting also informs us that when he was 18, Richard and friends formed a rambling club, called the Nomads. I have a small old notebook of Richard’s which he used sporadically over the years from about 1894, with details of some of their activities.

The title was an acronym, for Nature Our Mother And Defender (though in fact the name preceded this). Four rules are given (there may have been more). The first set out that a member must attend six rambles out of a possible twelve, and provide a kettle, horn and potsherd!

The second insisted that no Sunday School duty should be neglected, the third that all members should ‘tend’ towards socialism, and the last that there should be a contribution of a halfpenny

Richard Bright Watson

per ramble. The Nomads might seem to be parallel to the Ruskin classes, to improve the body rather than the mind. Perhaps the one word to sum up these activities and attitudes to life would be ‘ascetism’.

In one respect Richard, and other Nomads, were ahead of their time. From around 1900 they rented a cottage at Thorneyholme Square near Roughlee, using it at weekends and holidays. Most of my information about this comes from my father’s diary, written in 1983. The journey in the earlier days would be on foot, perambulators and all. The rent is thought to have been 1/6d or 1/9d a week. The main families involved were Watson, Bates, Newsham (William) and Hartley (James). At one stage, the agent, who had a

The new Homerton development

small ‘hotel’ at Thorneyholme, is thought to have seen the rented cottage as taking away his trade, and attempted to end the lease. The tenants fought this successfully, ultimately at court in Colne. Later the Nelson Corporation bought the estate with the intention of making a reservoir.

Fortunately for the cottagers the scheme was abandoned, and as a result the cottage came up for sale, at the princely sum of £100!

Three of the tenants did buy the property, but as time went by two were bought out, leaving Richard as the owner of two houses! He would retain it until the mid-1930s.

My father related many tales of times spent there, it would be a marvellous retreat from the grime of Burnley, Brierfield.

Lest you be wondering about the middle name, Richard’s father was an admirer of the Liberal champion of the working man, John Bright. It was said of Richard, ‘Bright by name, bright by nature’.

Incidentally, by way of further political contrast, Richard’s greatgrandfather, born in 1796, and whom Richard remembered, was a known Chartist!

So there we have it. In 1963 I, with other family members, scattered Richard’s ashes on the slopes of Pendle Hill (of Lancashire Witches fame). So many of my interests and inclinations I owe to him.

Rex Watson

H

omerton College received planning permission from Cambridge City Council for a £60 million re-development of a three-acre site adjacent to its site on Hills Road. Purchased in 2011 as part of its investment portfolio, the site borders Purbeck Road, Harrison Drive and the railway line, and will incorporate both residential and nonresidential development. As part of the development, Homerton will also pay for the road layout to be changed to provide a designated turn for cyclists turning right from Hills Road onto Purbeck Road.

Professor Geoff Ward, Principal of Homerton added: “We believe that approval of our planning permission will deliver benefits all round. Not only will it provide long-term income for the College which can be re-distributed in terms of bursaries and scholarships, but it also addresses the need for accommodation for our Fellows and academics, freeing up much-needed

housing in the City for families. The development phase over the next two years will also bring good employment opportunities in the area”.

Keith Waters, Estates Manager for Homerton said: “This announcement marks the start of our next 20 year development plan which will centre on academic needs. We are delighted to receive the go-ahead and are looking forward, not only to increasing our provision of housing for Fellows, but also having the opportunity to make visual improvements to what historically has been a neglected area.

The existing site is rail passengers’ first view of Cambridge when they travel from London by train and we believe that our plans for high quality, welldesigned buildings will enhance the public perception of our City.

Text taken from the Homerton website: http://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/ planningapproved

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 9

Charter Bursary: Bavatas holiday Club

by Rachel Evans

W

ith the help of the RSMA Charter Bursary, I had the privilege of spending the last two weeks of July volunteering at the Bavatas Holiday Club in Rotherhithe, London. The club provides child care and activities from 8 till 6 each weekday during the school holidays for children whose parents are at work or otherwise unable to look after them. This service was clearly valuable in the local community and the club’s two members of staff (pictured below) and I sometimes cared for up to 22 children of ages ranging from 11 down to just 3 years.

As the children were on holiday, we were keen that their time at the club should be as enjoyable as possible and consequently, much of my time there was spent supervising (and often participating in) their free play. With such a range of children, their activity choices varied greatly and our hall and playground would invariably be host to several games simultaneously. Hence I found myself observing the children, and engaging with them, playing everything from table tennis to train sets, snooker to skipping, and dollies to drawing.

The club staff were equally anxious that our children should not miss out on the types of opportunities and outings that they might otherwise have had in the holidays with their parents.

Each day had at least one organized activity or trip out to the local area. We took the children to several nearby play parks as well as the library, cinema and swimming pool. Group activities back at the hall included cooking, belly dancing, team games, zumba and the immensely popular Taekwondo classes. Hence there was always plenty to do in terms of organizing the children, making sure they had everything that they needed, and ensuring their safety.

Despite its primary function as a fun form of child care, there was no doubt that the club was an educational experience for all of the children involved. The setting was ideal for them to practise and improve their social skills and the staff undertook to teach them how to share space and equipment, and diplomatically resolve any quarrels. We also tried to help the children learn basic skills for independence such as tying their laces, washing their hands and sweeping the floor after lunch. This was done through direct teaching but also through encouraging older and more able children to scaffold and assist their peers. It was extremely useful for me personally to see the large developmental differences between children of different ages and, sometimes, between different children of the same age, as evidenced by the ease with which they completed and

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 10

learned such tasks.

The club appeared particularly useful for the several children who were four years old and about to start reception classes in a few weeks’ time. For them, holiday club provided a taste of a setting relatively similar to school and was able to introduce them to the types of behaviour that would be required such as listening carefully to follow instructions and prolonging concentration on particular activities. In this regard, I believe we had some success.

One little girl had English as a second language and it was a joy to see her gain in confidence and gradually speak more and more both to the adults and to her friends as the fortnight progressed.

Meanwhile, another fouryear-old boy showed marked improvements in focusing on and persisting with the hour of reading with which the children started their morning, and I was able to make some steps towards helping him to write his name.

I am delighted to have had this opportunity to work with the children at Bavatas.

It was a challenging yet delightful two weeks during which I really feel that all the staff and children enjoyed activities with and learned from each other.

Above: Left to Right: Myself with one of the children and the Bavatas staff (Ade and Bernie).

Charter Bursary: Christian Sports Camp in Derbyshire

by Sophie Hussey

I

have been offered a place on the Secondary Religious Studies PGCE course at the Faculty of Education and am very much looking forward to commencing the course in September 2014. As a valuable means of enhancing my teaching skills this summer, particularly in relation to my chosen subject, I have applied successfully to volunteer as a ‘trainee leader’ at a residential sports camp for around two hundred young people aged 11-17, arranged by the organisation ‘Christians in Sport’. (Christians in sport holds weekly meetings at the University of Cambridge).

The primary focus of the week, which ran from 8th-15th August at Repton School in Derbyshire, was to offer a range of sports activities and coaching for the young people, combined with a significant Christian focus, including daily Bible study, prayer groups, inspiring talks and worship.

Before the course began, I undertook two compulsory days of residential training vital to my role as a trainee leader. This involved sessions on serving and safeguarding young people, covering essential topics imperative also for those in the teaching profession. This was also a valuable time of preparation, familiarizing ourselves with our duties and responsibilities on the course and the location, accommodation and facilities available.

From Monday to Friday, the day was structured in order to cater for all interests and abilities, beginning with a morning jog before breakfast and leading into the first of two sport sessions each day.

The young people could make choices from Rugby, Hockey, Football, Tennis, Cricket, Athletics, Netball and Swimming. There were further choices for the second sport of the day and specialist coaching for each of these sports was provided. For these sessions the young people were divided up into groups of six or seven, each given the name of a country from different parts of the world; this gave an international flavour, reflecting the Olympic spirit.

Later, in the afternoon, all the young people came together to participate in a ‘team challenge’, an event involving a series of mini sports activities.

The evenings were further structured around the Christian message with another service, talk and a Bible session.

As a trainee leader, I was responsible for setting up equipment and running the tuck shop. I also helped out with sessions of netball coaching with the young people, allowing me the opportunity to develop my leadership and communication skills and to share my sporting skills with others. As well as this, I took on responsibility as a referee

of ‘team challenge’. After a day of observation of the coaches who were refereeing one of the activities, I was then allowed to take over and supervise myself, copying closely what I had observed from the coach and ensuring that I was firm and fair in my decisions.

I was given a further opportunity to hone my skills for the classroom on the last evening when I had to lead another sports challenge, having to give instructions clearly to a number of different groups of young people under restricted time conditions, encouraging me to be concise and clear with my explanations, as well as helping me to build up confidence to address, control and engage a group of young people of all ages and abilities.

The Bible study groups and 'Play, say, pray’ sessions, and various religious talks throughout the week helped me to deepen my understanding of Christianity and enrich my faith. The one-to-one and small group meetings

provided time for reflection and the opportunity for individual contributions from quieter and less confident teenagers, whilst the larger activities and events provided entertainment, games and singing, which encouraged a real sense of community, friendship and team spirit.

The staff and volunteers all showed incredible enthusiasm and commitment to the young people and encouraged them all to achieve of their best.

The week proved to be an immensely valuable experience for me before the commencement of the PGCE course in September, and I am very fortunate that I had the opportunity to attend. I am enormously grateful to the RSMA committee for the generous bursary alleviating the financial cost of participating in this valuable course.

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 11

Barry Jones 25 Dec 19381 April 2015

by John Murrell

B

arry Jones was born in Woking, Surrey on Christmas Day 1938.

He attended Woking Grammar School and went on to Birmingham University, where he gained a B.A. in French and German. After university, he taught French and German in secondary schools in Birmingham and Hertfordshire, whilst completing a Licence-es-letters in History from the University of Lille.

He came to Homerton as a Lecturer in the Modern Languages Department in 1971, eventually becoming Head of that department and, later, Lecturer in Education at the Faculty of Education of the University of Cambridge.

During his long career at Homerton, in addition to his brilliance as a lecturer and trainer of teachers, he made an immense contribution to both national and international teacher-development programmes. Barry was totally committed to the College and was delighted when he was elected a Fellow and, later, Emeritus Fellow in 2010.

He saw his role as helping the development of the theoretical and practical expertise of teachers, encouraging them to use their ingenuity and creativity to create lessons, which would early pioneer of the use of IT in languages, he devised the first computer game (Granville) for French learners in secondary schools at a time when BBC computers were making their appearance in classrooms. He published over a hundred books, articles and resource materials for teachers and children and developed an assessment process for teachers of modern languages for use internationally.

In 1996, the French government appointed him Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes AcadÊmiques. As a great Francophile, Barry was justly, though characteristically modestly, proud of this recognition of his contribution to French culture. rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 12

In 2013, Barry was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a terminal disease and asbestos-related cancer, which was probably triggered by exposure to the asbestos which was common in the schools and institutions in which he spent a large part of his life. Positive, good humoured and stoic to the end, whilst realistically accepting the limitations of his illness, he constantly sought alternatives, rather than giving in. Last year, he bravely put aside his illness to attend a conference at the European Centre for Modern Languages, at which he was able to experience first-hand the influence of his life’s work.

Until a few days before his death on 1st April this year, he was working with a dear friend and colleague on his selected writings, which will be made available online as a free resource.

Never ill-tempered, judgmental or intemperate, he loved life - his family, good wine, delicious food, the company of friends, and his never-ending project the reconstruction and upkeep of his beloved vintage Riley. In later years Calligraphy offered an outlet for his meticulous artistic talent.

He was a wise, caring, warm man with the gentlest sense of humour and an infectious enthusiasm for whatever he did. We were privileged to know him.

He is survived by his wife, Gwenneth and by their two sons, Daniel and Matthew, to whom we extend our sincere sympathies.

Top: Barry receiving his Emeritus Fellowship along with John Murrell, Ian Morrison and John Beck.

Middle: Barry and his beloved car.

Bottom: Barry and the RSMAs Emeritus choir.

Mike Bibby 1932-2015

by John Ball and Philip Rundall

T

o say that Mike Bibby was a complex character is an understatement; both his sympathies and his antipathies were strong and freely expressed. Multi talented in sculpture, ceramics and painting, his work developed over the years into a mature, distinctive style.

He had a discerning palate and assembled an impressive wine cellar. At one point we had a disagreement over a choice of wine for a College event.

Though somewhat aggrieved by his comments I had to acknowledge that he was entirely correct in his judgment.

A generous host, he cooked an excellent meal for Jean and I when we stayed with him on a journey to Wales.

He regaled us with lovely wines which led to a certain caution when driving the next day. He was a “character”, vivid in his enthusiasms, generous of spirit, occasionally cantankerous but generally benign. He was fortunate to find a supportive partnership in later life.

I

he appointed was a practising artist or art historian. That balance between being a maker of art and a teacher was deemed essential and something I personally fought for right up to my own retirement. Mike led a talented group of people with a firm but kind touch.

After Mike retired his creative work moved towards painting and an intense interest in the Worcestershire landscape. I was struck by his honesty when discussing his work and also his generosity towards me and my own painting. It was this later stage in our relationship that I treasure most. We had both slowed down, had time to take stock, and I came to fully appreciate him as a very generous and kind man. I will always remember Mike with affection.

Philip Rundall

John Ball

vividly remember meeting Mike for the first time at my interview back in 1973. His reddish hair and his height made an immediate impact as well as his big personality. For me, not being overly challenged in the verticality department, it was quite a surprise!

John Ball mentions Mike’s wine cellar, something Mike failed to mention at my interview. Upon being appointed, however, I soon was made aware of his extensive knowledge in this direction.

At my first departmental social event I was quietly advised by Colin, the art technician, to leave my bottle of Hirondelle under a chair. I cannot recall ever having a less than superb wine in Mike’s presence.

Looking back I admired Mike’s ambition to create an Art Department that was the equal of an Art School learning environment. Everyone that

Christine Carpenter 1908-2015 by David Bridges Colleagues will remember Christine Carpenter. She taught pottery in the Art Department and was already quite a senior member of the College when John Murrell and I joined in 1968. In fact she was my 'mentor' (though we did not use such terms then) on my first teaching practice supervision in a Huntingdonshire primary school. She was very accepting of my youthful naivety and total lack of relevant experience and gave me the confidence to believe that I would soon get the hang of it (though I don't think I ever did!). She was one of those rather formidable spinster ladies who dominated Homerton at that stage, and though her manner was calm and quiet (the 'quiet word' was a major source of instruction in the Combination Room in those days -- disregarded at your peril) there was quite a steely side to her. She was close to Dame Beryl and exerted considerable influence in the early days of the Academic Board, both inside and outside the meeting. Christine's daughter Alison told us that she died peacefully in her own home on 23rd February aged 107.

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 13

Helen Bunton 1919 -2015

by John Murrell

S

ome time ago, Helen called me in and dictated to me what she wanted me to say on the occasion of her funeral. So what follows might be seen as the ‘authorised version’.

However, we used to joke that I knew three of her secrets.

Nothing exciting, just things she did not go out of her way to let people know. I am going to disclose two of those in the first line, and so, with some trepidation, I give you what might be seen as ‘very slightly revised’.

Marion Hewson Gotobed, was born in Scotton, Lincolnshire on 12th April, 1919. Her father William was a successful businessman and her mother, Kitty, worked for the Red Cross. She was raised in Downham Market, in Norfolk and educated at the Perse School for Girls in Cambridge, where she was a weekly boarder. This meant she often had to leave home at 5 am to catch the train to Cambridge. She greatly enjoyed school, and excelled in mathematics. After taking Higher School Certificate in 1938, she gained a place at Bedford College, which was the first institution to offer higher education to women, and was at that time a constituent college of the University of London, based in Regent’s Park. It was at Bedford that she took the chance to change her name from Marion, which she disliked, to the Helen by which we all know her.

On the outbreak of the Second World War, Bedford

students were moved to Cambridge, where under a special arrangement between the two Universities, she became a Newnham College student. She took a first in Part I of the natural sciences tripos, and decided to read Physics for Part II. This made her a rare bird, one of only two women in her year to make this choice. She looked back on this period a “Not an easy time.”, recalling that with the loss of the most able lecturers to the war, the availability of good supervision was limited, and even more irksome, since only two women were reading Physics, they were always last to be allocated laboratory experiments. Nevertheless, there were some consolations to be had socially, and it was during this time that she first met her husband-to-be, in the dark room of the Cavendish Laboratory in Free School Lane. She would not confirm that it was this meeting, which contributed to her graduating with a third….

In 1942 she spent a year at Hughes Hall in Cambridge taking a Diploma in education. Her teaching practice was at the then Long Road Grammar School for Girls, where she recalled on many occasions being mistaken for one of the Sixth Form.

This was followed by two years at Newcastle under Lyme Girls’ School, during which time she married John Bunton, who was then serving as an R.A.F. Officer. At the end of the war she taught

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 14

at Bedford High School for Girls, before moving to set up a family, first in Greenford, where Christopher was born, and then in Ruislip, where John was establishing a successful career with Philips.

This immediate post-war period was still a time of hardship, when the country was slowly being re-built and rationing was still in operation.

In 1953, Helen decided to refresh her scientific knowledge and took an M.Sc. at University College, London. Shortly after completing this, she saw an advertisement for a senior lecturer in Physics at Homerton College. She was interviewed by the Principal, Miss Skillicorne, in Millborough House, Hampstead, which was then owned by Homerton and used as a base for teaching practice in London schools. She recalled being in competition with “three very confident men”, but she was the one who got the job. For a while this involved her commuting to and from Cambridge at weekends, until the family moved to Cambridge a year later. In 1961, Penny was born.

Helen was head of the Physics department during a time of great expansion and change in teacher education and she played a significant part in the management of this change. Science teachers have always been in short supply and to counter this she initiated a supplementary Course in science for

qualified teachers, who wished to become specialists in science teaching.

When the University of Cambridge refused to offer a B.Ed. degree, Helen was involved in the negotiation to enable Homerton students to take a B.Ed. awarded externally by the University of London.

When three years later, Cambridge eventually saw the light, she was again involved in setting up the first Cambridge B.Ed., degree.

Her expertise was recognised nationally and internationally. In 1956 she was elected to a Fellowship of the Institute of Physics and in 1961 she was awarded the Walter Heinz Page Scholarship. This involved visits to universities in the USA including Princeton, Columbia, Caltech and Harvard. She enjoyed this experience immensely and, among other things, was glad to be able to enlighten her new American colleagues on the appropriate way to drink Laphroaig malt whisky (A secret she condensed to “Raw, not ruined. A splash of water is permissible, but only if it is Scottish water.”). In 1966, she was a member of the British Council Education Mission, led by Lord James, to Guyana and East and West Pakistan.

Retiring from Homerton in 1980, she was one of the influential founding members of the Homerton Retired Senior Members Association (the RSMs) and acted as its treasurer for five years.

Elizabeth Cook 1925-2015

by John Axon

She gave a number of generous gifts to the college, the most recent of which being a sculpture by a celebrated Tanzanian artist.

Asked what she enjoyed most about her time at Homerton she said: “ Helping to establish a sound base for science teaching in Cambridge – and being sociable.”

A confirmed Christian, Helen worshipped at Great St. Mary’s Church, where for 25 years she was a sidesman and on the PCC. Later, she became a very active member of her local church, St.Mark’s, in Newnham.

I have known Helen since I joined the staff at Homerton in 1968. She was one of a formidable group of ladies, who were members of a special generation.

Americans refer to them as “The Greatest Generation”, and for once their tendency to overdo the hyperbole can be excused. Theirs was a tough world. It was bad enough to be in a battle for survival against Nazism and Fascism, without being in a world where educating women was considered by many to be a waste of time, and intelligent women were allocated the tail-end of experiments. But this gave them a special strength. That strength was evident in the way Helen battled her long illness. She kept her own high standards and expected others to do the same. Two very ‘Helen’ examples: Once when I rang to ask if

I could visit, she said “Not before noon, Johnny. My hair won’t be right.” And when I visited her shortly before her final illness, as I prepared to leave I pulled a chair on which I had been sitting during our chat, back to its original position by the window. She watched how I did this, smiled gently, and said: “It’s been lovely to see you, Johnny, and I do enjoy your visits. But next time please remember that you don’t move an 18th Century chair by dragging it by its back.”

I will miss Helen, who was a classy lady, but I am happy that her pain has ceased.

John Murrell

O

n Monday 19th January 2015, Victor Watson, Judy Watson, Barbara Pointon and I met in Balsham Church for Elizabeth's funeral. It was freezing cold. Elizabeth had planned the service herself, from the coloured linedrawing of Forget-me-nots on the front of the service booklet to the photograph of a solitary woodland flower on the back. It was her last, silent conversation with us.

She was born in Chipstead, Surrey, in 1925. Her father was a Fellow and distinguished Professor of Music at the Royal College and the first organist at Southwark Cathedral, a post he occupied from 1905 until his death in 1953. From Croydon Girls' High School she went on to Girton College to read English, in 1943, where she was awarded the College's Charity Reeves Prize for English. She took her first degree in 1946, and intended to continue to a higher degree with her research topic "The Tribe of Ben: English Classicism from Jonson to Dryden".

A number of post-graduate Fellowships at Radcliffe and Yale were immediately available to her and she decided to accept a one-year Augustus Anson Whitney Fellowship at Radcliffe College, Harvard. She left for the States in the autumn of that year and promptly published two articles in American Journals, one on the first edition of Thomas

Browne's Religio Medici (1643) and the other on the plays of Richard Brome, a 17th century playwright and sometime servant to Ben Jonson. On her return to Girton she became a Carlisle Major Research Scholar and was awarded a Cambridge M.Litt in 1951.

A university career seemed to be hers for the asking, but instead she took up teaching in schools in North Norfolk, at Beeston Preparatory School and at Runton Hill School. From there she moved to Sherborne Girls' School in Devon before finally finding her way back to Cambridge in, or about 1959, on her appointment to the English Department at Homerton, where she remained until she retired.

Elizabeth was one of Homerton's eccentrics: she was scholarly and aloof, vulnerable yet strong, a fastidious, demanding teacher, yet students invariably paid tribute to her patience. One of her trade-marks was an elegant, well-used chaise longue in her study and many a candidate was startled to find her reclining on this unusual piece of furniture, waiting to begin the interview. Other anxious candidates were no doubt heartened by the vase of flowers she kept on her desk. She was not afraid to be herself, and when so moved she could end a discussion with a sharp and peremptory remark.

Continued on page 16

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 15

Continued from Page 15

At one department meeting in College, a new, young colleague on a temporary contract described how, in her practical criticism classes, it was her practice to give her students a poem or passage of prose and invite them to 'respond'. Elizabeth retorted in icy tones that she had never in her life asked anyone to respond to anything.

Yet sometimes her defensive nature worked against her. Shortly after I joined the College I learned that for many years Elizabeth had avoided the Combination Room because of a disagreement some years earlier. After the next Departmental meeting, in a planned move, Elisabeth Brewer took her right arm, I took her left, and when we came to the parting of the ways we firmly steered her, startled but unresisting, into the Combination Room with the rest of us. She never again had coffee alone in her room.

In 1969 Cambridge University Press published her distinguished book, The Ordinary and the Fabulous in hardback and paperback. She modestly declared that her book was "an attempt to show that a grown-up understanding of life is incomplete without an understanding of myths, legends and fairy tales." It was much more than "an attempt." Victor Watson added: "Only a handful of academics ventured into the suspect and disreputable

world of classrooms and children's books. Her book was avant garde in its time, if only because it was written for teachers, librarians and students, and stressed the value and appeal which children can find in fabulous stories. Such a book was a valued rarity at a time when courses on children's literature were few and far between."

After she retired she concentrated on her work for Balsham church, looking after the flowers, the Church silver, as Church Warden, Sidesman, and as an occasionally intimidating member of the Parochial Church Council.

She increased her already encyclopaedic knowledge of horticulture and her extensive collection of books - many of which she later donated to the College Library.

Despite the scale of her literary interests she remained to the last rooted in the area of her original research, the early 17th century, and particularly the devotional poetry of Donne, Vaughan and Campion, but George Herbert above all. She debated them at length with her last mentor and good friend, Canon W. Girard in Balsham. Reflecting on the many discussions they enjoyed in those last years, he commented: "Yes, I am sure Elizabeth prayed with the Poets, and when those 16/17th C. Poets were Christian it is no wonder that poetry and prayer ran together... And yet, and yet,

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 16

Elizabeth and I often talked about language and religion.

She was no ‘backs to the wall traditionalist’ about language; but she did expect modern language to make sense and be imaginative...

We went to the theatre occasionally (Cambridge Pantomime and the Cambridge Greek Play.) On one memorable occasion we were driven to London to see the Young Vic put on Ted Hughes adaptation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. There was a lot of nude prancing around the stage, it fazed Elizabeth not one bit! We agreed, it was a very vigorous performance!"

The service ended quietly with Thomas Campion's Never weather beaten saile after which Elizabeth was taken out of the Church and driven away to the Woodland Burial Ground in Barton accompanied only by the Vicar. To my mind, the final photograph of a solitary woodland flower was definitely her last word.

John Axon Above and below: John Ball's collection of French teaching books is on display in Homerton Library in honour of Barry Jones. Do go and see them, they are delightful.

Tigers by Philip Rundall

F

or fourteen years we had to keep a secret. I knew about it because Patti was part of the story, the story of a Nestlé whistleblower from Pakistan, a story that eventually was made into a movie called TIGERS, by Oscar winning Director Danis Tanovic (No Mans Land) and Andy Paterson (Girl with a Pearl Earing and Railway Man) and starring Bollywood heart-throb Emraan Hashmi. Patti and her colleague Mike Brady were consultants on this movie all this time.

Patti gave a talk about Tigers to the RSMs in March, explaining how baby milk marketing is still threatening infant lives, and how the industry uses glossy PR to pretend that any criticism belongs firmly in the past. If you were not present at the talk do visit Baby Milk Action's website, where you can find out more and how you can help bring an end to these needless deaths that keep happening. Here, however, I am telling you the story from my perspective and the occasion of my first seeing the movie at a major film festival.

Why did we have to keep it a secret?

The answer is simple: for legal reasons.

Making a movie that attacks a huge corporation is a risky thing to do and to persuade financial backers to get involved is almost impossible. That's why Tigers is a film within a film, showing the struggle the filmmakers had to get this story to the screen and why after all this time we can hardly believe that its been made.

Briefly, Tigers is a dramatic telling of the story of Syed Aamir Raza, a former successful salesman for Nestlé who arrived at our home in Cambridge a few days after the Millennium. The movie starts with the 1978 Senate Hearing when Senator Edward Kennedy challenged the companies and called for a global marketing code. It then jumps to London 30 years later where the film makers are asking Aamir to tell his story.

We hear about his marriage, his job

with Nestlé and his heartbreaking and frightening attempt to get this company to change - a struggle that led to a sevenyear separation from his wife Shafqat and children Abbas and Shabhi.

It was Aamir's job to make friends with doctors, fund social events, provide birthday presents and gifts, anything that would lead to increased sales of baby milks. One of the key characters in the story is a doctor called Diamond Emmanuel (Dr Faiz in the film) who Aamir befriended. When Diamond left to attend a course in Karachi he learned for the first time about the critical importance of breastfeeding. On his return he showed Aamir a malnourished baby close to death. When Aamir asked why the baby was so sick, Diamond immediately blamed Aamir, his company and all the bribes that made the doctors prescribe the formula - formula that was virtually a passport to death for the millions of babies who live in poverty.

Diamond had seen that when the Karachi hospital banned formula and helped the mothers to breastfeed - the babies simply stopped dying. Aamir left the hospital in a state of shock unable to comprehend the enormity of what he had been doing.

Tigers is the story of what happens next.

Tigers got standing ovations at its premieres at the Toronto and San Sebastian Film Festivals.

San Sebastian is in the Basque region of Northern Spain and is a fabulous place to stay with nice architecture, sea, clean air, sunshine and great food. Our top floor apartment had balconies on two sides overlooking the sea and the old city that was packed with with bars laden with 'Pintxos' (a local speciality).

The Festival theatre was within sight of our flat, just over the bridge spanning the river that flows in to the sea.

On the night of the showing we walked the red carpet and watched as 1,800 people rose to their feet for the standing ovation.

Above left: the grand stairs, San Sebastian.

Above right: Diamond and Aamir at the Press Conference.

Above: one of the bottle-fed sick babies, filmed in Pakistan in 2013. Right: The True Story brochure.

As we left the auditorium Patti and I and Mike and his wife Sonia joined the film people for a grand descent down a long wide staircase - with cheering crowds on either side (top picture). It was an extraordinary experience!

After the press conference we left for the poshest 7-star hotel and the best gin and tonics we’ve ever had. Patti and Mike went on to dinner with the film people - the rest of us ended up eating nearby.

It was such a pleasure to meet Amir and Dr Diamond again. I knew the story but seeing it up on a huge cinema screen really drove home how courageous both these men were and still are, and why this story simply has to be told.

Checkout Baby Milk Action's website for showings: London Indian Film Festival (17th & 19th July), Glasgow, Edinburgh and London (September). General Release, October - fingers crossed!

www.babymilkaction.org/tigers rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 17

The Lost Prince

by John Murrell

A

t 6.20pm on 12th August, sixty year ago, Michael Muttitt, a nine-year old boy, who was a keen aircraft spotter, and his brother were in the garden of their home at Dressers Cottage in Darsham, Suffolk, and witnessed an event which was to have a significant effect on our world. They heard a formation of aircraft coming from the southeast and in a later account he wrote:‘As the aircraft passed at about one mile to the East I could see a thin trail of smoke or vapour coming from the rear of the Liberator’s weapon bay. My eyes were still firmly fixed on this odd assortment of aircraft as it headed North towards Blythburgh when the lead aircraft suddenly disappeared in a giant ball of fire which rapidly changed to a swirling black mushroomshaped pall of smoke with flaming wreckage plummeting earthwards and then the sound of the explosion reached us with an ear shattering thunderclap…..

This giant explosion brought my parents running into the garden and by this time all the wreckage had reached the ground and the enormous pall of black smoke had changed its form to that of a giant octopus with ugly black tentacles formed by the trails of smoke left by the earthwards plunge of blazing wreckage.’

The death of the pilot of that aircraft led, among other things, to Jack Kennedy

becoming the President of the United States of America.

During the latter stages of the second world war, one of the major threats faced by the Allies was the danger posed by what were referred to as Germany’s secret ‘wonder weapons’. The first of these was the V1 flying bomb, nicknamed the ‘Doodlebug’.

Although creating considerable damage and loss of life, these were relatively easily contained by a mixture of anti-aircraft artillery, along with piston and jet aircraft which were able to either shoot them down or find some other means of causing them to crash over the channel. The development of the V2 rocket, which could travel faster than the speed of sound and attack targets from an altitude above that which any aircraft of the day could reach, caused a much greater problem.

The only effective defence came from attacking and destroying the sites where these rockets were being made. Intensive bombing by conventional bombers proved ineffective, and it became clear that an alternative was needed. The knowledge that there were four V2 sites in the Pas de Calais capable of raining rockets on to an unprotected London, and intelligence suggesting that German scientists were working on a rocket ominously called “The New York Bomb’” gave the project some urgency.

By the summer of 1944,

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 18

Allied bombers had already experimented with radiocontrolled gliders, fitted with 1000-pound bombs, against bridges in France and against the Japanese-held island of Truck.in the Pacific. In both cases however, these methods had met with relatively little success. So, the idea was taken one step further and it was decided that the bombers themselves, known as ‘drones’, would be packed with high explosives. At an appropriate point after take off, the drone’s pilots would bale out and the flying bomb would be guided to its target by radio signals from a ‘Mother Ship’. An early form of television camera was installed in the nose of the drone, with a receiver set in the Mother plane. This made it possible for the operators to control the flight of the drone as if they were in the nose of the plane itself.

The task was allocated to both the United States Army Air Corps and its Navy Air Corps. Seventeen Army pilots and crew volunteered initially from bomber groups based in England and, after first being based at Woodbridge, in Suffolk, the project, for which they chose the codename “Aphrodite”, was relocated to Ferfield in the same county. A parallel project, named “Anvil” was proposed by the U.S. Navy.

The Anvil project would be based at Dunkeswell, in Devon and the first naval volunteers came from the navy squadron, which had

used Dunkeswell as its base for anti-submarine patrols.

One of the first of these volunteers was a certain Lieutenant Joseph Kennedy, Junior.

Joe Kennedy, Junior, had joined the navy in 1941, after attending Law School at Harvard. Previous to that, he had served in 1938 and 1939 as a Private Secretary at the American Embassies in London, (where his father Joseph P. Kennedy was Ambassador at the time) and then Paris. It was an open secret that his father was grooming him as a future candidate for the Presidency of the United States. By the summer of 1944 he had completed his required tour of operations (35 missions).

Nevertheless, he volunteered for a further tour, and despite being promoted to Lieutenant and offered a post at the U.S. Embassy in London, he leapt at the chance to put his name forward as one of the pilots of the proposed drones. Despite attempts by his Commanding Officer to dissuade him, he was granted his wish.

On 30th July 1944 Kennedy and the small ‘Anvil’ contingent of 22 officers and 16 crewmen moved from their Devonshire base to what had become a substantial establishment comprising over 3000 men at Ferfield. After two Aphrodite attempts in August had resulted in total failure, it became the turn of the Navy.

The chosen target was the weapon site at Mimoyecques.

Though the purpose of this site was unknown at the time, it would be realised later that the target was the base for what was to be the V3, a three-barrelled 150mm ‘rocket gun’. Had this become operational it would have been capable of pouring 600 tons of explosive a day on central London, ninety-five miles away, and its intended development was to eventually aim rockets at New York.

On 11th August, 21,170 pounds of explosive was loaded onto a Liberator.

The British weather intervened, however, and fog caused the mission to be delayed until the next day. By 1800hrs both mother ships were airborne and circling the airfield when Joe Kennedy with his co-pilot ‘Bud’ Willy took off, followed by other aircraft, which had been allocated various tasks such as filming the raid and acting as fighter escorts.

Kennedy and Willy had insisted that, contrary to existing practice, they would not bale out of the drone ten minute after take off, but would wait until it had reached the coast at Dover. Both men wanted the lethal weapon to be their responsibility until it had passed London, which would be a mere fifty miles to the right of its flight path. At 18.15hrs the drone was approaching Framlingham, and its first control check. The plan was that Kennedy would hand over control to the lead mother ship and the drone would be turned left towards Beccles by remote control. He gave the codeword ‘ Spade Flush’ and repeated it to indicate that his handover procedure had been completed. The controller in the mother ship duly turned the drone left onto a course for Beccles. With seventy miles to go before Kennedy and Willy had to bale out, the plane and its entourage were passing over Blythburgh, slightly left of their intended flight path. The time was 18.20hrs, and on the ground Michael Muttitt and his brother had come into their garden.

An investigation started immediately, handicapped though it was by taking place under the necessary cloak of wartime secrecy. With some degree of irony, by the time the lessons from the disaster had been learned, the need for both the Aphrodite and Anvil projects had disappeared. The Saint Lo breakthrough by Allied troops, combined with the deployment of Barnes Wallis’s ‘Tall Boy’ bomb, capable of penetrating deep into the earth before exploding effectively removed the threat from the V sites. Any person who has served in the armed forces will tell you that one of the first pieces of advice you are

given as a recruit by more experienced members is: “Never volunteer”. It is one of those essential rules of survival, which is espoused, yet fortunately not observed, by all service men and women.

So it is worth considering what it was that made Joseph Kennedy Junior break this unwritten golden rule. There are a number of possible factors.

Firstly, there was almost certainly a political reason. His father Joseph Kennedy Senior had been the US Ambassador to London in 1939, and had advised the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt , that Britain would be defeated by Germany in a matter of weeks and that America should not get involved in the war against Nazism. In many ways, such advice was not surprising. Certainly Britain was in a parlous state, standing alone in Europe after the fall of France.

It might also be the case that being an Irish Roman Catholic American, with strong links and love for Ireland, he shared the view of the Prime Minister of that country, Eammon DeValera, who had refused Winston Churchill’s offer of a united Ireland in return for assistance in fighting Nazi Germany.

There is evidence that DeValera thought the question of united Ireland would be solved once Hitler had quickly conquered Britain. (Eire remained neutral throughout WWII, though many of its citizens volunteered to serve in the British forces. When Hitler eventually ended his own life, Devalera went to the German Embassy in Eire and presented his condolences.) Nevertheless, the suggestion is that Joe’s father, in making and stating publicly this judgement and other pro-Nazi statements, found himself politically out of step and thought his sons might re-establish the family’s political credibility by achieving a name for themselves in the resulting war.

Secondly, there is reasonable evidence to suggest that sibling rivalry played a part. Joe’s younger brother, Jack, had consistently been promoted in the Navy ahead of his brother. In addition, unlike Joe, Jack had seen action, in the Pacific, when his torpedo boat was rammed by a Japanese destroyer and, as a result he, and his crew, were missing for a week until rescued. This episode resulted in Jack receiving a medal and becoming a well-known hero. Joe, meanwhile, had the important but possibly less eventful task of making anti-submarine patrols from his base in Devon. By the time he had completed 35 missions (no mean achievement in itself) he had sunk no

U-boats and shot down no enemy planes.

Signing on for another tour of operations gave him the chance to be involved in the protection of the Normandy landings, but again he had been frustrated by the lack of any specific action.

Thirdly, it is suggested that another reason for his strong wish to remain in England was that he had fallen in love with an Englishwoman he met through his sister, Kathleen, who was married to the Marquis of Hartington. His affection for the lady was well known to his friends who gave her the title “the girl with sky blue eyes.” What they may not have known, was the fact that she was married already to an English army officer serving in the army in Italy.

The news of Joe Kennedy’s death came to this lady when she was expecting him to visit her at a friend’s estate in Yorkshire. Two days later, she received official notification that her husband had also been killed in Italy. Two weeks after that, Joe’s sister Kathleen was notified that her husband had died fighting with his Guards regiment in Normandy.

The secrecy surrounding the Aphrodite and Anvil projects (the official full story was not released to the press and media until 24th October 1945) inevitably led to rumour and myth, which seems to have plagued the Kennedy family. One of these questions was whether his name is rightly on the ‘Wall of the Missing’ at the American War Memorial Cemetery in the village of Madingley, just outside Cambridge. There is evidence that amidst the wreckage of the plane, scattered over an area of heathland known as Blythburgh Fen, human remains were recovered from the crash area by the American Air Force Fire and Crash party, which attended the scene. Given that there are at least two graves at Madingley, which contain the combined remains of crews of aircraft, it would not have been unique for what remains there were of Kennedy and Willy to be buried together. There are unsubstantiated claims that what was left of Kennedy was buried on an estate belonging to “a friend of the family”.

Whatever the reasons for his volunteering for the mission which cost him so dearly, one simple truth is that he was a courageous young man, who hated the evil regimes he was fighting and was prepared to pay the ultimate price to see the world rid of them. We should be grateful for the bravery and sacrifice, which he and his colleagues in the Aphrodite and Anvil projects displayed.

Continued on Page 20

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 19

Emeritus and roundup

Above: Members of Emeritus rehearsing for the Christmas 2014 gathering at Pauline and Godrey Curtis' new home. Right: RSMs on a garden tour with Stephen Tomkins in May.

T

he Choir continues to meet regularly in term time under the inspirational leadership of Jane Edden who manages, with infinite patience, to coax us into singing not only with great enjoyment but also in harmony.

We are steadily extending our repertoire and have added another dimension to our talents with an instrumental group which comprises guitars, mandolin, cello, xylophones, glockenspiels and an eclectic, not to say, eccentric selection of percussion instruments from around the world. We launched this new venture in our programme for the annual Christmas Gathering at the home of Pauline and Godfrey Curtis.

In December we were invited to accompany carol singing at the Carers’ Trust Dementia Support Group held at the David Rayner Centre on the Scotsdale's Garden Centre site, and also at

a Future Care Solutions Lunch Club in Fulbourn.

Thus have we entered the world of ‘gigs’. It was great fun for everyone present.

Sadly, the Choir has recently lost one of our most stalwart and loyal members. Barry Jones, with his rich voice, his gentle humour and his irrepressible sense of fun, will be greatly missed.

We had prepared and recorded a medley of French songs as a Tribute to him and he and Gwenneth were able to listen to it with great enjoyment just four days before he died.

If you would like to sing with us please get in touch. You will find your voice and we promise you a rewarding experience.

rsm newsletter, july 2015, page 20

Patricia Cooper

Philip Rundall meets his guitar teacher Bryan Sutton, while in California in June. He also attended a 5-Day Mandolin Symposium, held on the beautiful campus of the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Continued from Page 19

Both Kennedy and Willy (whose name is also on the Wall of the Missing) were posthumously and rightly decorated. Joe Kennedy Senior received the Navy Cross on his son’s behalf. The citation stated: ‘For extraordinary heroism and courage in aerial flight as a pilot of a United States Navy Liberator bomber on August 12, 1944. Well knowing the extreme dangers involved and totally unconcerned for his own safety, Lieutenant Kennedy unhesitatingly volunteered to conduct an exceptionally hazardous and special operational mission. Intrepid and daring in his tactics and with unwavering confidence in the vital performance of his task, he willingly risked his life in the supreme measure of service and, by his great personal valour and fortitude in carrying out a perilous undertaking, sustained and enhanced the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.’