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No. 885 Friday 27th November 2020 varsity.co.uk
Cambridge’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1947
University Library makes public appeal to find Darwin’s notebooks Gaby Vides Senior News Editor Two of Charles Darwins manuscripts, one of which contains Darwin’s famous 1837 ‘Tree of Life’ sketch, have been reported stolen by the Cambridge University Library, following the largest search for lost items in the library’s history. The notebooks were first reported missing in January 2001 with curators recently concluding that they have most likely been stolen. For years it was simply assumed that the notebooks had “been misplaced in the vast storerooms and collections” of the University Library. The value of the notebooks is difficult to estimate but it is thought their worth runs into the millions of pounds. The University Library launched an appeal on Tuesday (24/11) to try and recover the notebooks. The appeal was intended to coincide with ‘Evolution Day’, which recognises the anniversary of Darwin’s publication of ‘On the Origin of Species’. The appeal follows an extensive search, led by an “expert team conducting fingertip examinations where necessary″, and which included “a complete check of the entire Darwin Archive,
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which contains 189 archive boxes.” As part of their appeal, the University Library released a video where Dr Jessica Gardner, University Librarian and Director of Library Services, said: “I am heartbroken that the location of these Darwin notebooks, including Darwin’s iconic ‘Tree of Life’ drawing, is currently unknown, but we’re determined to do everything possible to discover what happened and will leave no stone unturned during this process.” Gardner emphasised the importance of the public appeal in seeing that the notebooks are safely returned and urged “anyone who thinks they may be able to help to get in touch.” She continued: “We would be hugely grateful to hear from any staff, past or present, members of the book trade, researchers, or the public at large, with information that might assist in the recovery of the notebooks. Someone, somewhere, may have knowledge or insight that can help us return these notebooks to their proper place at the heart of the UK’s cultural and scientific heritage.” Cambridgeshire Police have been informed of the disappearance of the noteContinued on page 2 ▶
▲ The notebook contains Darwin’s famous “tree of life” sketch (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS, ALEX LEGGATT)
Survey of College portrait collections confirms legacy of inequality and colonialism Martha Bevan, Martha French, Kit Treadwell, Olivia Emily and Alex Haydn-Williams CN: This article contains detailed discussion of racism, segregation, colonial violence and torture, eugenics, and sexism. A Varsity investigation into the portrait collections of Cambridge Colleges reveals that individuals with ties to eugenics, racial segregation and colonialism continue to be commemorated. Meanwhile, statistical analysis shows that only 1.87%
of individuals depicted are people of colour and only 15.3% are female. The findings are based on data compiled on over 1700 portraits on ArtUK, as well as information supplied by college archivists. Of the 31 colleges in Cambridge, only Magdalene, Jesus and St Catharine’s did not respond to Varsity’s request for information. King’s declined to offer any statistics on the modern collection and instead provided historic data. The investigation collected data on
the overall race and gender breakdowns of college collections. Overall, only 32 (1.87%) of the figures depicted in the collections surveyed are people of colour. By way of contrast, the colleges collectively hold 1682 portraits depicting white people. Meanwhile, 50% (14) of the colleges surveyed have no portrait depicting a person of colour in their collection. Moreover, though four named women of colour are memorialised across the collections at Girton, Clare Hall and
Churchill, none of them have any ties to the university. There are, therefore, no portraits of female students, alumnae or fellows of colour in any Cambridge college. This is despite the fact that twentieth-century Cambridge alumnae include — as highlighted by 2018’s ‘Black Cantabs: History Makers’ exhibition at the University Library — the first female Black MP, the first female East African barrister in Britain, and the first Black woman to have a composition performed at the Proms.
According to the data compiled, only 15.3% of figures depicted in portraits were women, a proportion that dropped to 9.22% when portraits from Newnham, Murray Edwards, Lucy Cavendish and Girton - the historically female colleges - were not included. Both Fitzwilliam and Selwyn display no portraits depicting women, according to their ArtUK pages. They are the only colleges to display no portraits of Continued on page 4 ▶
Inside ● Learning to value emotionality Pg.12 ● The power of musical theatre Pg.23 A history of fur in fashion Pg.25 ●