Cambridge Letter

May Week, 1977

The intrepid band of Old Peterites in Cambridge, who over the past two years have built up a strong fellowship, again report the more memorable of their doings. Over half of us have been involved with rowing but other activities have been infinitely varied.

Angus Bowie (Temple, 1962-67), our longest standing member, entertained several of us with his Faculty lectures on obscene Greek iambics. He made his last resident appearance at an O.P. party in March, as he leaves his Research Fellowship in Emmanuel for a lectureship at Liverpool University. There he joins the tireless archivist Andrew George (Temple, 1967-72), who graduated from Trinity last year but returned on 5th November to commemorate Guy Fawkes's exploits, fireworks at Corpus attracting some attention from the Dean.

Also graduates, Steve Coverdale (Queen's, 1967-72) and John Mitchell (Temple, 1967-72) have just completed the LL.B. degree. Steve's all Blue career in Emmanuel and University sports has continued unabated, and we send our best wishes to him and Jane for their marriage in July. After the end of the football season, John joined the rowing fraternity. He organised Corpus IVth Boat and helped it to two bumps in the Mays, in spite of heavy demands made on his time by the ballrooms of Cambridge.

Left over from last year as a 4th year undergraduate, Richard Sharpe (Temple, 1967-72) achieved more success in Trinity's IVth May Boat than in the IVth Lent Boat, and has recently rowed the Marathon to Ely and back. He has just published his first book, Raasay: a Study in Island History, and his vast thesis for the Anglo-Saxon Tripos has convinced the examiners that in future a word limit is essential.

Of the 3rd year, Dick Harland (Manor, 1968-73) has had a successful year in Natural Sciences and in Clare College J.C.R. and soccer squad. Simon Atkinson (Temple, 1968-73) has studied psychology and social sciences at Pembroke, with whose 2nd May Boat he went down three places. Phil Challis (School House, 1968-73) rowed for Trinity Hall 1st Lent and May Boats and has been successful enough in talking to and tending his plants to be invited back for three years research into rogue sugar-beet.

Paul Withers (Rise, 1969-74) has spent an exhausting 2nd year in Trinity. Our most distinguished oarsman for many years, Paul's frightening training schedule culminated in a fine performance at no. 6 in the victorious Goldie, and he also did lots of sums for his supervisors and still sings deafeningly. The host of several excellent lunches and dinners in St. John's, Chris Smith (Queen's, 1969-74) has been much in demand as a coach for Girton Boat Club. His fluent jive has won him a tap on the shoulder and the chance of University honours. Also a rowing coach, James Harrison (Queen's, 1969-74), classicist and expert in sleepdom, has been one of the most powerful members of Corpus 1st Boat and 1st XV pack. His sporadic conflict with the porters, mentioned last year, has threatened to escalate into all-out war with the Dean.

Ian Heavens, reading Maths in Clare, has been converted from Scottish and Newcastle to Greene King and regularly makes appreciative appearances in the better-equipped college bars, while also being an active member of the notorious Clare-Homerton Badminton Club and 110