The Pembrokian Issue XIV
News and Views from the Pembroke College Development Office
Summer 2000
The Master announces his retirement
`We are moving, with all
Captured in Pastel
deliberate speed, in the right
Renowned for her
Of Pembroke he says
`cartoons' of characters at
direction,'
Old Bailey trials, Priscilla Coleman has used her
The Master of Pembroke Dr Robert Stevens has
prestigous drawing and
announced his intention of stepping down from his
sketching talents to
post as Master next April now that the future of the
illustrate the profile of her
College has been assured.
husband, David Fell, which appears on page three
hen Dr Stevens became Master in 1993, Pembroke was the poorest college in Oxford and faced significant academic and educational problems. With the support of Fellows, staff, old Members and friends, Dr Stevens led a major Fundraising Campaign that raised more than ÂŁ12 million in gifts. As a result, the College is now running a surplus on its current budget, with quadrupled endowments and trusts. This has also enabled the College to establish an essential major refurbishment and maintenance programme. College buildings have been cleaned and upgraded. Over a third of the staircases in the old part haVe now been renovated. 'We are now moving, with all deliberate speed, in the right direction.' Dr Stevens said. `The last few years have been a time of exciting achievements in every area of College life. Our academic results have been excellent. Our men and women either have been Head of the River or close thereto. We have had two Presidents of the Union and some wonderful actors,
musicians, journalists, artists and poets. The College rightly deserves its reputation, both as a serious Academic Institution, and as an educationally broadening and supportive one.' Dr Stevens said that though the last few years had been tough he had enjoyed the experience because of the wonderful support of the Fellowship 'who go the extra mile as teachers and scholars,' the 'incredible loyalty' of the staff, and the students, `who are so marvellously talented'. 'However eight years is enough' he says. The problems are changing and the College needs new younger leadership'. In his retirement, Dr Stevens does not intend to 'become a vegetable'. He will continue to lecture at Yale where he was a professor and to hold a research appointment in London. He also hopes to spend more time at Gray's Inn where he is a bencher and to remain associated with his Washington law firm, Covington and Burling. Most importantly, he is committed to complete three books before `the inevitable memorial service catches up with me.'
Dr Stevens and his wife, Kathie, look forward to continuing their association with the Pembroke Fellows, staff, students, and Members. Their daughter, Robin, who can remember no other home but the Master's Lodgings,
will be 13years old when they leave. Dr Stevens says his daughter tells him that she will be applying to Pembroke in six years time. As she puts it, 'it is after all, my college'. It is a view her parents share.
The Vicegerent, Professor Brian Howard, writes:
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he Governing Body is very sorry to learn of the impending early retirement of the Master in 11 months time. He has had a very powerful influence on the life of Pembroke College and we owe him a deep debt of gratitude. When Dr Stevens arrived in Pembroke in 1993, the College was in a serious financial situation. There was a real risk that the College might go bankrupt. However, Dr Stevens immediately set about the serious task of ensuring the survival of Pembroke. Significant efficiencies were made; a major Visiting Student scheme was introduced and realistic rents and charges were introduced. Then there was the Campaign. Through the phenomenal efforts of the Master and the magnificent support of Old Members and friends of the College, the situation has dramatically changed. Some ÂŁ12 million has been raised and the College can now face the future with confidence. As we look towards Pembroke's future we know that there will be continued pressures on the Colleges of Oxford from Government and other outside sources. However, as a result of the superb efforts of the Master, the College is now leaner, fitter and in a far better state of health to face whatever difficulties Government and others may confront us with.'
Sports
Oxford Crew Triumphant Despite being regarded as the underdogs, the Oxford Blue Boat, with two Pembrokians, ended a seven year winning stretch by Cambridge
C
were far from ideal on the Tideway the afternoon of the 25th March, strong winds had whipped up the surface of the Thames favouring the efforts of the heavier crew. Oxford, with Pembrokians modern linguist Kajsa McLaren ONDITIONS
steering and chemical engineer Ben Burch (his father was a member of
"Oxford needed this victory -we got it and it feels great" Kajsa McLaren, cox (Pembroke)
the Goldie crew in the '70s) rowing in the number three seat, overcame
the elements better than their 'stylish' opponents. Cambridge, having won the toss, chose the Surrey side in the hope of establishing an early lead and thus being able to take full advantage of the long bend around Duke's Meadow. Oxford, half a length down at the start of the Fulham bend, had negated Cambridge's inside station advantage and gradually pulled away. Barnes Bridge saw the Dark Blues firmly two lengths in the lead and looking much the stronger crew. Oxford increased their lead and they crossed the finishing line at Mortlake some four lengths ahead, to record a memorable win in a Boat Race that proved to be the most exciting for some years.
The tradition of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race was born on the 12th March 1829. The first race was held not on the Tideway in London but at Henley-onThames as part of an event which eventually became the Henley Royal Regatta. The race was transferred to the Thames with its start at the village of Putney in 1845. Famous crew members have included the comedian Hugh Lawrie (1980) and Lord Snowden (Anthony ArmstrongJones) (1950) both of whom represented Cambridge. The race enjoys a world-wide TV audience of some 400 million people, and dramas over the years include the famous mutiny in 1987, a crash before the race in 1984 and six sinkings. Ben Burch pictured with the Cheltenham College new boat named in his honour
Homes Dudden
Six of the Best
an admission
'Varsity Hockey
HE Chaplain was pleased recently to hear the following anecdote from Geoffrey Barrow (1948) recounted about one of his contemporaries' admissions' interview with the Master, Dr Homes Dudden, who apparently asked the same three questions of every candidate. It must be recalled that many of these at this time were men who had served for a number of years in the armed services; also that Homes Dudden had written his two volume magnus opus, The Life and Times of St. Ambrose (1935), and for years had been working on a very different subject which was to give rise to the publication of The Life and Times of Henry Fielding shortly before his death in 1955.
T
The Master: `What can you tell me about St Ambrose, Mr L.?' Mr L: `Never heard of him, Sir.' The Master: `What can you tell me about Henry Fielding, Mr L.?' Mr L: `Never heard of him, Sir.' The Master: `Do you row, Mr L.?' Mr L: `I rode in the Indian Cavalry for three years, Sir!' The Master: `Mr L. you are the most ignorant candidate I have ever encountered!' Mr L. was nonetheless admitted to the College. (The Editor would be delighted to receive any anecdotal stories worthy of publication concerning Pembrokians. Please write to Roger Bracey at Pembroke College Development Office or e-mail rogerbracey@hotmail.com)
O
Shrove Tuesday, the National Hockey Stadium at Milton Keynes was the scene of the men's and women's Varsity matches and that of a double-headed record for Pembroke; the Oxford sides each fielded an unprecedented three of our members. The second year engineers, Edward Bevan and David Sellick, started the match - the 100th in the series - and were soon joined by graduate theologian, Simon Wenzel. Edward had played in last year's fixture, which David had missed because of injury. The latter, an England under-21 international, made up for lost time by scoring the first goal in Oxford's 2-1 victory and by being named 'man of the match'. Although the women's side had to N
Inter-Collegiate Golf Tournament
be content with a 1-1 draw, Pembroke's Emma Kingstone was 'woman of the match' for the second year running and Vicky Pope, a former Oxford captain, who had had this honour herself in 1997 and 1998, scored Oxford's goal. The third member of the College trio was fresher historian, Thomasin Kemp. Emma is reading Geography while Vicky is an Economics and Management finalist. Earlier in the day, Pembroke was represented in the old Blues match by Keith Howick (1972) who was a member of the last College side to win Cuppers in 1974 as well as being a member of the University cricket team. This year's Cuppers saw our men lost 1-2 to Brasenose in a closely contested semi-final, which went to extra time.
Pembroke Golf Society
Frilford Heath Golf Club on Friday 14th April.
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he event was won by University College with Pembroke tying for fifth place out of ten colleges entering. Each college enters a team of up to ten players, with the best six scores counting. Not all teams were at full strength, whilst others came with reserves! Pembroke was able to field eight, and their performance, though average, was not discreditable.
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he Pembroke Golf Society is holding its inaugural meeting at Frilford Heath Golf Club on Wednesday 28th June. So far fifty golfers have been circulated. If anyone else is interested please contact Richard Thompson, Hon. Sec. Pembroke Golf Society, at 10 Orchard Way, Send, Woking GU23 7HS. Tel 01483 225832: e-mail- richardthompson@btconnect.com
Pembroke profile
David Fell (1972) A personal profile left Pembroke in the summer of 975 I joined the London office of a exan bank, RepublicBank Corporation (sic), in the summer of 1978 and somewhat to my surprise I was posted to Dallas for the whole of 1979, thus missing the worst rigours of the `winter of discontent'. Although the United States was going through deep feelings of self-doubt during the latter half of Jimmy Carter's presidency, I could not but contrast the entrepreneurial spirit and drive of the people generally with the defeatist, negative outlook of the British. From that transatlantic viewpoint the United Kingdom appeared to be a second-world, impoverished country steadily falling further and further behind the other leading developed countries. That year in Texas had a real formative effect and one thing that I cemented in my mind was that I wished to set up and run my own business in the future. AVING
H1T
Returning to London in 1980 the bank gave me a challenging role developing its British business and the next few years passed quickly and very pleasantly. During this period I helped coach Pembroke's oarsmen and women, the men's Torpids crew moving tum-a lowly position in division 2 to-third in the lst division. In 1984 the bank has asked me to transfer to Houston to run its European division where I duly arrived in March 1985 having been delayed by the customary visa problems. Whilst there I saw first hand the effects of the slump in oil prices in the mid 1980's. Houston was and remains the capital of the world oil industry and the massive increase in the oil business in the early 1980's brought about by the first OPEC price hikes resulted in Houston enjoying an enormous boom, a huge influx of population and an associated construction bonanza. By 1985, though, the boom had turned to bust, people were leaving (Houston had run out of U-haul trailers) and commercial property was virtually impossible to sell or lease. Conditions were so bad that it was riot unknown for property to have negative value. Things were little better in the residential market and the whole problem was exacerbated by the collapse of the savings and loans industry as a result of imprudent lending practices. It was a harsh lesson in raw capitalism but an incredible learning experience, forever etching on my mind the importance of ongoing, regular and reliable cashflow. I was impressed by the ready availability of affordable residential property to rent. Unlike the U.K. at the time, Texas, in contrast to the city of New York, had no rent controls nor did tenants have security of tenure beyond the term of their agreed tenancy. However, as a result of these controls, New York and the U.K. had a serious shortage of good quality property to rent. In Texas there was a large supply and at reasonable prices — on one's first day
"that year in Texas had a real formative effect"
Returning from Texas, I moved to the Amalgamated Metal Corporation for three years and gained some experience of industry. However it appeared to me that following the 1988 Housing Act (which permitted the establishment of market-based tenancies for newly-let property) there was a real opportunity to develop a genuinely service-orientated residential property letting and management business. Tax considerations assisted the simultaneous development of a property investment business. Setting up the enterprise from scratch in 1990 was like starting a career from the beginning again and it was not without risk. Priscilla was a very positive support since she was so used to people starting up their own businesses due to her Texan background. I also received valuable support from friends and colleagues, not least old Pembroke friends such as Rod Burgess (1973), Jeremy Hicks (1972), James Stewart (1980) and others. Today the business is firmly established through a number of arms and associated companies. The first company, Fell Property Management, is now a division of F.R.P. Group plc, and it specialises in letting property to young-professionaLpeople often moving to London for the first time. Great care is taken to provide good quality property at a fair price to tenants and to ensure that the property is well maintained and that matters that need attention do receive attention.
in town one could view a selection of property and immediately agree to rent. It appeared a much better system than the one pertaining in the U.K. During my second spell in Texas I met and became engaged to Priscilla Coleman, an artist working for the ABC affiliate in Houston. Priscilla's father was a rancher and her mother an artist. Relatives from both sides of the family were amongst the earliest settlers in Texas, sheltering from tornadoes in holes in the ground, experiencing conflict with native Americans and enduring the privations of a new country. Despite the change in climate, Priscilla was happy to move to London and rapidly established herself as I.T.N.'s courtroom artist through the simple expedient of approaching the I.T.N. reporter at the Old Bailey. A phone call to ABC in Houston and Priscilla was offered a contract immediately. Today she is still I.T.N.'s court artist and she has covered many memorable cases including recently the Hamilton v. Fayed libel case and Dr. Shipman's trial for murder. English legislation precludes any photography or sketching in court so all Priscilla's sketches are drawn from memory outside the court, often under severe time constraits to meet news and TV deadlines.
A sister company, Residential Property Investment Management (of which Rod Burgess, previously Head of Corporate Development with Tarmac Ltd, is a director) provides a complete service for individuals and City institutions wishing to invest in residential property. Residential Property Investment Management advises and agrees an investment strategy with its clients and then carries out the agreed strategy on their behalf. The aim is to secure good performance and to make life as easy as possible for clients so that they do not have to do anything. To date, investment results have been good though they do not compare with the 'dot coms'. Possibly they are a little safer! Over time we believe results achieved will ensure that residential property will become another conventional asset class such as equities, bonds and commercial property. I have much enjoyed developing a new enterprise. The challenge is enormous, the risk has to be measured and managed and indeed has caused sleepless nights. But the satisfaction of building up from nothing and the fun to be had are addictive. Finally I am pleased that our businesses provide good quality employment opportunities ranging from builders through to management. ,JES
College Social Events
Gaudy Nights UDY, from an old French term gaudie meaningjoy or wantonness, is a reunion dinner.
Gaudies are found to be the best means of nurturing relationships between Pembrokians themselves and Pembrokians and College. For a full or traditional Gaudy, the College issues invitations to all members of two or three adjacent matriculation years to a black-tie dinner in Hall together with many current and emeritus Fellows. After a speech by The Master everyone adjourns to the Bar for afterdinner drinks. They remain the most popular event for Members and long experience has shown the College that about a third of each matriculation year manage to return to College for this special event. The Gaudy provides an opportunity to renew old friendships, view improvements and get a feel of the
direction that the College is moving.Overnight accommodation followed by breakfast in Hall is provided. In recent years the question of charging members to attend gaudies has arisen. Gaudies are expensive events to put on and at a time when Pembroke is striving to support its current students through the hardship fund, and to invest in teaching staff and building restoration programme, it has been necessary to follow the lead of other Oxford Colleges and levy a charge for dinner and accommodation.
Gaudy Nights: Friday 30th June 2000 Matriculation years 1990 & 1991 Friday 5th January 2001 Matriculation years 1992 & 1993
Sir Roger and Lady Bannister at the 1996 North American Reunion
North American Millennium Reunion 31ST July — 3rd/ 4th August 2000
Eights' Week Garden Party Saturday June 3rd 2 - 4.30 pm Pembroke College
Main Events Monday 31" July
Single Adult £15 Child under 16 5 Family (2 adults & 2 children) £35 The annual Pembroke Eights' Week Garden Party is second only to Gaudies in popularity among members. Attended by many of the Fellows, current and former students and their families, the 2000 Garden Party promises to be something special. As usual the theme is the 'best of Pembroke', the style elegant but informal with live music performed by Pembroke musicians, with wine and strawberries, tea and cakes served on the Chapel Quad lawn. For the children other attractions will include a bouncy castle! With both the men's and women's crews starting in second place in their respective 1st divisions, support at the river will be most welcome in the hope of seeing them both finish as Head of the River.
Welcome Buffet in Hall followed by coffee & port in Broadgates Hall Tuesday 1" August Symposium — The Future of Pembroke introduced by Dr. Robert Stevens Management at Pembroke and Oxford University Dr. Owen Darbishire (Sue Cormack Fellow in Management) Developments in Oxford Higher Education Dr. Helen Small ((Jonathan & Julia Aisbitt Fellow in English Literature) Impact of Pembrokians on the life of the USA Rev. Dr. John Platt Tour of College; Dr. Savile Bradbury (Emeritus Fellow) Visit to Sulgrave Manor built at the time of Henry VIII and the ancestral home of George Washington. Champagne Reception in Broadgates Hall. Formal Dinner in Hall (Black Tie) Wednesday 2" August How the British entered the First World War Dr. Adrian Gregory (Damon Wells Fellow in Modern History) Bird-Brained Economists Professor Alex Kacelnik (E. P. Abraham Fellow) Lunch at Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons (optional) Raymond Blanc's 15th Century Cotswold Manor House Restaurant which truly deserves its 2 Michelin Stars, plus a tour of the gardens by the Head Gardener.
Tickets available from Development Office, Pembroke College, OX1 1DW Tel 01865 276478 Office or e-mail joanne.bowley@pmb.ox.ac.uk
or Lunch in the Forte Room, followed by a tour of Ashmolean Museum (Kathie Booth Stevens) Thursday 3'd August
N. B. Summer Eights Dinner: For further information please contact Leila Hudson on 020 7405 3404, or by e-mail lah@blt.co.uk
The Palace of Westminster. A guided tour to include the House of Lords and House of Commons. For those with strong constitutions it will be possible to visit the tower. The tower houses the most famous clock and bell in the world — Big Ben.
Fellowship
A Retired Fellow
The Whitehead Prize
Microscopes & Locomotives
for outstanding work in group theory
vile Bradbury retired in September 1990, having
/ T often comes as a surprise to the uninitiated to learn
S been a distinguished Fellow (Human Anatomy) of Pembroke College since
that there is no Nobel Prize for Mathematics. (An unsubstantiated claim attributes
1 966, and was elected Emeritus Fellow. During those years Dr Bradbury had
this to the fact that the love of Nobel's life ran away with a Swedish
held various other posts including Admissions Tutor 1983 - 1989 and served for six
mathematician.) Such surprise often turns into indignation on the part of mature
years on the Faculty Boards of Physiological Sciences, Biological Sciences and
listeners when they learn that the recognised substitute for the Nobel Prize in
Medicine. He was Chairman of the Physiological Sciences Board October 1986 -
Mathematics, the Field Medal, may only be awarded to mathematicians under forty.
88. His publications include nearly one hundred papers and thirteen books. He has
British mathematics, in the guise of the London Mathematics Society, is less harsh
told us:
than the International Mathematics Union and awards prizes to mathematicians of
Tor four years after retirement I gave anatomy and histology tutorials in the first preclinical year to undergraduates from a number of colleges.. I still occasionally demonstrate in the departmental histology classes and also teach on the RMS Summer School in optical microscopy. I sometimes act as a microscopical consultant. My current academic study is in the history of the microscope and scientific instruments and scientific analysis of their optical performance. Music has always played a major part in my life. I spent my National Service years as a musician in the Royal Air Force band and was a member of the National Youth
unbounded age. Nevertheless the award of one of its most prestigious prizes, the Whitehead Prize, is restricted by age. The Whitehead Prize is awarded each year in memory of the distinguished Oxford topologist Professor JHC Whitehead. It is awarded to British mathematicians under forty years of age 'for work in and influence on mathematics' In 1999, Martin Bridson, Rudgard-Lee Fellow of Mathematics at Pembroke and Professor of Topology was awarded the Whitehead Prize for 'his outstanding work in geometric group theory'.
Orchestra of Great Britain from 1948 to 1951. Until my heart trouble I enjoyed
The London Mathematical Society citation reads:
playing the flute and piccolo in various orchestras, especially for the Bury St Edmunds
`The work ofThurston and Gromov in the 1980's has transformed the study of finitely
Choral Society
generated groups . . .Bridson has pkyed a leadingrole in these developments. He is noted fir
Another of my interests is the construction of live steam models of locomotives and
his lucid exposition both in lectures and in print. His infectious enthusiasm fir the subject has
the operation of them at the Cutteslowe Park track of the City of Oxford Society of
resulted in his participation in numerous productive collaborations.'
Model Engineers. Many of my models have been exhibited over the years at the
Martin Bridson is the College's first Fellow in pure mathematics for some time.
Midlands Model Engineering exhibition. Friends who know my study will remember
Born on the Isle of Man, he read mathematics at Hertford. From there he was
the 5 inch gauge model of a Stirling Single loco which I built and is on display there. I
heading for a career in the City but at the eleventh hour decided to spend some time
also have a-5 inch gauge-battery-pewer-eâ‚Ź1-08-BR-shunting loco and-
ling A strange cocktail of influential conversations, hurried phone calls and
constructing a similar gauge French Crampton type single-wheel loco. I have also built
random acts of kindness led him to spend over four years at Cornell University in
many stationary steam engines over the years.
up-state New York. This was followed by three years at Princeton before taking up
Photomicrography of histological material and general macrophotography is also a
his fellowship at Pembroke in October 1994. Currently he is enjoying an extended research leave funded by an Advanced
major interest in my retirement I am still a regular visitor to the Pembroke, and I have taken a large number of
Fellowship from the Engineering and Physical Research Council of Great Britain.
photographs for the College, some of which have appeared in various publications
Martin is married to Julie, a lawyer from New York, and she has recently given birth
including this one. I now have a digital camera with special attachment for use with a
to their first daughter of whom Martin is justly proud. (An extensive account of
microscope; I can now produce colour photographs very rapidly using my computer.'
Martin's academic background appeared in the 1995 RECORD)
A New Fellow Michelangelo Zaccarello (Italian) orn in Florence, 23 October 1969, Michelangelo Zaccarello was raised in the traditional values of an Italian family, although with great freedom of choice. Regularly labelled a loner by his classmates, tennis, flute and fishing were among his earliest hobbies - the former two cultivated till the present day. Fuelled by a genuine passion for reading, after early interest in Zoology and Fine Arts, Classical secondary education added to his natural inclination towards Humanities. Admitted to the prestigious Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa as a student of Greek Philology, he soon turned to the History of the Italian Language, as an undergraduate and
then Terfezionando', under the "supervision of professor Alfredo Stussi, who recently discovered the earliest surviving Italian poem. Zaccarello then specialised in Renaissance authors, especially Torquato Tasso, before embarking in the critical edition of Italy's prime comic poet of the early Renaissance, Burchiello, due out later this year. This work has absorbed no less that ten years, from an early Normale seminar (1991), to a `tesi di laurea' (on Burchiello's manuscript tradition), to the subsequent Doctorate thesis (that constitutes the backbone of the forthcoming book) and a Study Day, organised in Florence last year to mark 550 years after the poet's death. While
extending his research interests backwards to Early Italian texts and related linguistic problems, Zaccarello was appointed a full-time lecturer of University College, Dublin in late 1996 and became CIMO Visiting Lecturer in the University of Helsinki (MarchMay 1999). 1999-2000 is his first academic year as an Oxford University Lecturer and a Fellow of Pembroke College.
Wightwick Arms
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shield on pages 3 and 4 and he Crest on the front page can be found amongst the stained-glass windows in Broadgates Hall. They are the arms of our co-founder, Richard Wightwick. Heraldic description: Azure, on a chevron argent, between three phaeons or, as many crosses patee gules. HE
Generous Donation to the Library
A
generous donation from Mr & Mrs H. Cowan of Leawood, Kansas, U.S.A., has enabled the librarian to purchase a much needed bookstack offering an extra 50 linear metres of shelving to house booktitles in Oriental Studies.
Here and There
Valete!
A
seventeen years, I shall be leaving Pembroke at the end of May to take up the post of Librarian at New College. I am very glad to have this opportunity to say goodbye to all the Pembrochians who have been students since 1983 and also to the many older members and friends of college, whom I have had the pleasure to meet or correspond with. When I arrived at Pembroke, the library operated on a totally manual system - today it is computer dependent, having joined the Oxford Library Information System in October 1998. You can see at a glance on OLIS where copies of a particular book are located in the many libraries in Oxford and the vast amount of information, available on the internet at the click of a mouse, is extraordinary. The college book stock has expanded steadily, while the selection policy has changed - multiple copies of standard texts in the sciences, law and P.P.E. are now purchased as students can no longer afford to buy as many books as they used to. Subject FTER
coverage has also altered, such as the demise of classics and the introduction of management and Japanese (somewhat taxing for a librarian with a background of Classics and European languages). The library has benefited hugely from the generosity and support of so many people during my time at Pembroke: from donations for specific projects like the computerisation of the library and new book stacks, to purchasing texts in support of any subject and gifts of books for addition to the Alumnus, Local History and Samuel Johnson collections. I should particularly like to thank the McGowin family, Dr. K. Rigg, Jerome Berkowitz and Nicholas Griffin. Some of you will know me better as the College Archivist, or for the work I have done with the College and JCR art collections, or
possibly through Chapel Choir and other student musical activities. I have enjoyed wearing these subsidiary "hats" and made many friends through them, acquiring at the same time a most useful knowledge of the College history, a great love of twentieth century art and experience of performing music at any time of the day or night, often in unlikely venues - 3 am in the bicycle cellar comes to mind! I shall take away many happy and diverse memories of Pembroke, such as the magnolia grandiflora in Chapel quad; singing with the Chapel Choir in the first performance of a Pembroke music student's outstanding Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis; playing for the hockey team (when they were desperate for an eleventh player); a fascinating evening at Sotheby's with many members of the JCR and numerous episodes that left me helpless with laughter, including the rendition of "I do like to be beside the seaside" played in the style of Bach as the introit to Evensong in Chapel. With best wishes to Pembroke and all Pembrochians for the future, Naomi van Loo, Librarian/Archivist, 1983-2000
Pembroke JCR D
EMBROKE JCR is experiencing something of a 1 renaissance era at present. The inaugural JCR Arts Week currently taking place has heralded a cultural rebirth, and scotched stereotypical portrayals of Pembroke as merely a bastion of sporting and social prowess. A range of events in the visual and performing arts has showcased Pembroke's lurking and hitherto relatively-untapped creative vein, filling the quads with plays, poetry and choral recitals and the walls with raging colour or dark forms. The rebirth of Pembroke's long-dormant Drama Society has been one of the most encouraging spin-offs of the enterprise. The JCR as a student body retains its unique character and approach. Meetings remain the best attended of any Oxford JCR, and tend to veer from the profound to the surreal; sophisticated debate on, say, the funding of Higher Education sitting alongside the redeclaration of our war. with Iceland (the origins of which are lost in the fog of collective memory) without any apparent irony. The JCR ,despite its sometimes flippant musings, continues to provide its members with a serious range of services, from welfare to entertainments, from defending wayward students in front of fateful Tutors' Committees to the provision of the largest standing Punt Fleet outside St. Hilda's. I am particularly proud of the increased assistance that the JCR Art Fund has been able to offer to undergraduates experiencing financial hardship, and the participation of Pembroke students in charitable projects abroad made possible by Art Fund bursaries. John Steward (JCR President)
Reception at the House of Commons
0
VER 90 Pembroke Members and Benefactors attended an evening reception on the Terrace of the House of Commons on Monday 17th April. The occasion was hosted by the Rt Hon Michael Heseltine.
Annual College Dinner Pembroke, with permission of the University, has introduced a special Degree day at which all those completeing their courses in Trinity term may have their degrees conferred at a single ceremony. The ceremony will take place on Friday 29 September 2000. This has necessitated a change of date of The Annual Pembroke College Dinner from the above date to Friday 22 September 2000. Unfortunately, due to an existing booking on Saturday 23 September 2000, the Activity Day will not take place this year.
Budget 2000
I
Implications fir charitable giving N his budget report on 21 March 2000, Gordon Brown announced some significant improve - ments to the Gift Aid Scheme and other new tax incentives to encourage charitable giving.
The most important and generous tax change is that all donations of shares will receive income tax relief of 100% of their market value. This means that if you give shares worth £100,000 to Pembroke you will receive income tax relief based on this in full, i.e.140,000 at the higher -rate of tax. The only requirements to make such savings are that you must: * Claim the tax relief in your return. * Pay the amount deducted (i.e. the gift cannot give rise to a tax credit). * Give the shares intact to Pembroke. * Give listed shares or securities, units in authorised unit trusts, shares in open-ended investment companies holdings in foreign collective investment schemes or unlisted shares or securities dealt in on a recognized stock exchange, such as the Alternative Investment Market. In addition to the income tax savings, donors making gifts of shares will not attract any capital gains tax liability. There is no change from the existing situation. Currently, all shares donated to charity give rise to neither a gain nor a loss for capital gains tax purposes. Therefore if a taxpayer makes a gift with £100,000 worth of capital gains (after indexation, taper relief and the annual exempt amount) to charity there will be no capital gains tax on this gift, a potential savings of £40,000. Together these mean that a taxpayer making a gift of £200,000 with a capital appreciation of £100,000 could pay as much as £120,000 less in tax, compared to a non- charitable disposal.
"Put me in the Middle ofthe Atlantic"
Where are they now?
Oxford North American Reunion HE taxi poured me into a hotel, The Waldorf Astoria, that was ringing with British and TAmerican voices. Oxford has a biennial North American reunion in New York City, this year it was 31st March and the 1" April. It's a time to socialise and catch up with the gossip, a time to meet new people, a time to listen to stimulating and witty lectures and to reacquaint yourself with that indefinable Oxford quality. This year the program looked intriguing. One of the fun things about the reunion is that I can learn a bit about something to which I normally wouldn't give a second thought. I missed the first lecture, but sat in on discussions about the way forward for medical research at Oxford, the new OED and the place of intelligence in the post cold-war era. Perhaps the presenters themselves thought this could be a little heavy because they seemed to go out of their way to make it amusing. As a result, each lecture was nicely spiced with anecdotes that made them sit lightly as well as give food for thought. Much of the reunion is spent socializing - Heather Wasserman did arrange a wonderful Pembroke dinner. We spent a lively time catching up with the Pembroke gossip and reworking the reunion for future years. There was also a long discussion about US telecommunications companies and the best way to reduce your long distance phone bill - so you see the conversation was indeed wide-ranging. The next day I joined Ray Rook and his family to take up Kevin Tierney on an invitation to brunch at his house in Bridgehampton, This is a beautiful area on the south coast of Long Island and Kevin's house is on an inlet. On arrival we blew out the cobwebs of the previous day by going for a long walk on the beach. Then after a sumptuous lunch we went for another walk, this time in a bird sanctuary. The day ended fittingly with a reviving cup of tea. It was all very British in the nicest possible way. I find that the North American reunion combines a lot of what I like about the US and Oxford. The organisers deftly entwine different aspects of both places and the attendees reenforce that flavour. This atmosphere makes for a weekend that is both stimulating and relaxing at the same time. Antonia Balazs 1991
We are seeking to find missing menbers. If you are able to provide us with any information regarding the whereabouts of anyone listed below please contact the Development Office or e-mail the Office Manager joanne.bowley@pmb.ox.ac.uk. A bottle of wine from the Pembroke cellars will be awarded to whoever can supply the most addresses
1986 Susan E Ashton Stephen P Avis James C Ayer Paul D Bromfield Derrick R Burns Stephen C Campbell Mary H Creagh Martin P Crowley Stefan N Gates Benjamin E Jackson Sally A Marker Mark B Mitchell Kevin E O'Marah Charlotte C Ooi Frederick P Phillips Paul A Sanders Charmaine S Ghafur Phillip J Taylor Nigel A Yateman
Biology History Management PPE Physics Philosophy Theology Modern Languages Modern Languages English Engineering Modern Languages Chemistry Management Philosophy Economics English Biochemistry Theology Applied Statistics
1987 Simon A Butler Stephen K Chua Katharine F Dickson Robert J Jones Andreas A Kindl Tanya H Lovett Helen S Margolis Sarah L Pegg Andrew P Roberts Gerald T Smith Rowland M Stephenson Ian M Townson Philip M Webster Sally E Wheeler Patrick P Wood Malcolm D Woolf
History Theology English Medicine Oriental Studies Theology Physics Medicine Oriental Studies Zoology Fine Art Biology History Law Mathematics Politics
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO DAVID FELL FOR HIS MOST GENEROUS SPONSORSHIP OF THIS EDITION OF THE PEMBROKIAN. WE ARE SEEKING MUCH-NEEDED SPONSORSHIP OF FUTURE PUBLICATIONS OF THE PEMBROKIAN. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO HELP IN ANY WAY, INCLUDING PLACEMENT OF ADVERTISEMENTS, PLEASE CONTACT THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE OR E-MAIL
mary-jane@pmb.ox.ac.uk