Hughes for Hughes Professor Masatsugu Ohtake, Honorary Fellow, has generously donated to Hughes Hall a wonderful and unique collection of books by the late Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes. The Ohtake collection includes rare first editions of Ted Hughes’s works. Many of these are beautifully bound, numbered limited editions, often inscribed by Ted Hughes and other notable contributors. The collection represents the different stages of Hughes’s career, including his early collections of animal poetry, children’s books, translations of the Classics, and his later poetry. Ted Hughes was a prolific children’s author, and the collection includes books such as his popular fables How the Whale Became and The Iron Man. There is also a treasure trove of material relating to Ted Hughes’s life and work: newspaper cuttings and magazine articles, and many articles by Ted Hughes himself. Professor Ohtake has also donated other items to the College, including Siegfried Sassoon’s manuscript diary of his schoolboy reading. From the President When I took up my new role as President last October I was returning to the University after 30 years away, spent working in British Embassies around the world. One thing which often struck me when I was overseas was the high regard felt for British higher education. Now back in Cambridge, at Hughes Hall, I can see why. This place has so much to offer, both to its students and those who teach them. The members of this college, of all ages, are clearly seizing the opportunities. Our students, who this year come from 63 different countries, seem well able to manage the traditional Cambridge balancing act between highly demanding course work and an equally demanding social, cultural and sporting life – with great achievement in all these spheres. As we develop we hope that, through this Newsletter, we can keep you, our wider membership, in touch with progress. I do hope that as many of you as possible will find your way back to see us. After 121 years of sometimes precarious existence, Hughes Hall has made the transition from ‘Approved Foundation’ to the status of full College of the University. This major achievement confirms that the University recognises us as a mature, efficiently run institution, fully worthy of the status of College within the University. The President Sarah Squire Professor Ohtake with a sample from the collection News from Hughes Newsletter of the Hughes Hall Society Winter 2007 Issue 6 To all whom these presents shall come, Greeting! The opening salvo of the Royal Charter. Winter 2007 Issue 6
News from Hughes Issue 6 Winter 2007
Mar 23, 2016
Newsletter for Hughes Hall members
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Calling all Hughesians in IndiaThe Vice Chancellor, Professor Alison Richard, will be visiting India in January 2008. She hopes to meet as many Cambridge alumni as possible – and we hope that many of them will be from Hughes!
Please make sure we have your up-to-date contact details (email, telephone and postal address) and current professional engagement. And if you know any fellow students who may not be in contact with us, please send us their details too. Email Anna ([email protected]) in the College Alumni office.
Research Fellow Nidhi Singal, who is in the working group planning the visit
Hughes for HughesProfessor Masatsugu Ohtake, Honorary Fellow, has generously donated to Hughes Hall a wonderful and unique collection of books by the late Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes.
The Ohtake collection includes rare first editions of Ted Hughes’s works. Many of these are beautifully bound, numbered limited editions, often inscribed by Ted Hughes and other notable contributors. The collection represents the different stages of Hughes’s career, including his early collections of animal poetry, children’s books, translations of the Classics, and his later poetry. Ted Hughes was a prolific children’s author, and the collection includes books such as his popular fables How the Whale Became and The Iron Man.
There is also a treasure trove of material relating to Ted Hughes’s life and work: newspaper cuttings and magazine articles, and many articles by Ted Hughes himself.
Professor Ohtake has also donated other items to the College, including Siegfried Sassoon’s manuscript diary of his schoolboy reading.
From the PresidentWhen I took up my new role as President last October I was returning to the University after 30 years away, spent working in British Embassies around the world. One thing which often struck me when I was overseas was the high regard felt for British higher education. Now back in Cambridge, at Hughes Hall, I can see why.
This place has so much to offer, both to its students and those who teach them. The members of this college, of all ages, are clearly seizing the opportunities. Our students, who this year come from 63 different countries, seem well able to manage the traditional Cambridge balancing act between highly demanding course work and an equally demanding social, cultural and sporting life – with great achievement in all these spheres.
As we develop we hope that, through this Newsletter, we can keep you, our wider membership, in touch with progress. I do hope that as many of you as possible will find your way back to see us.
After 121 years of sometimes precarious existence, Hughes Hall has made the transition from ‘Approved Foundation’ to the status of full College of the University. This major achievement confirms that the University recognises us as a mature, efficiently run institution, fully worthy of the status of College within the University. The President Sarah Squire
Professor Ohtake with a sample from the collectionLearning the lingoThe British, Australians and North Americans all speak the same language – allegedly! In fact, my friends and I have found language differences that cause confusion, mirth or incredulity.
At the Hughes Christmas Dinner, I exclaimed, ‘Ah! they’ve got bonbons!’ Hearing this, my American friend was expecting ‘small balls of ice cream, roughly the size of a cherry, coated in chocolate’. But the rest of the table were perplexed because what they could see were Christmas crackers, not small wrapped sweets.
When I arrived in Cambridge, I went looking for footwear to protect myself against veruccas (and other such unpleasantness) in the communal showers. After lots of amused smiles, I stopped asking for ‘thongs’ as we Aussies call them, and asked for ‘flip-flops’ instead. I learnt that I’d been asking for rather flimsy underwear.
Which brings me to the biggest stumbling block – ‘pants’. An Aussie friend got a rip in his new trousers and took them back to the store. Imagine the shop assistant’s horror when he told her apologetically, “I’ve had an accident with my pants. Can I show you?’’.
Apparently, ‘pants’ means ‘underwear’ here…
News from HughesNewsletter of the Hughes Hall Society
Winter 2007 Issue 6
News from Hughes is edited by Annemarie Young, with help from Anna Marino.Design by Andy Wilson ([email protected])
Contact us with your news at Hughes Hall, Cambridge CB1 2EW; by email at [email protected]; or on the web at www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhsPhotographs courtesy Michael Derringer, Ray Godwin, and contributors
Printed in England.
Winter 2007 Issue 6
Roll of HonourThe following elections and awards have been made:
ELIzabETH CHERRy RESEaRCH STudENTS’ MajOR SCHOLaRSHIP White, SLJ
ELIzabETH CHERRy RESEaRCH STudENTS’ SCHOLaRSHIP Wang X
E M buRNETT PRIzES ON THE RESuLTS OF uNIvERSITy ExaMINaTIONSAnglo Saxon, Norse and Celtic Bonner, A C
Economics Sethi, N
Law Orphanidou, C Oskierski, J-T
Mathematics Gomes-Rosa, J P T Losi, M Monteiro, R J F Santos J E Solveen C Wang X
Medicine Simunovic, M P
Social and Political Sciences de Villiers B R Woodhead, J C
HELENa POwELL PRIzE FOR RELIgIOuS STudIES Schoettl, J T
NEw FELLOwS City Fellow Mr Nigel Brown
Fellows Dr Mary Buckley Professor Neil Mercer (May 2006)
Research Fellows Dr Amit Bhave Dr Jennifer Bui Dr Michelle Moram Dr Natalie Plank Dr Sovan Sarkar Dr John Durrell
Hughes HallHughes Hall Cambridge CB1 2EW
Tel: +44 (0)1223 334898 Fax: +44 (0)1223 311179 Email: [email protected]: www.hughes.cam.ac.uk
The first graduate college of the University of Cambridge
Asiya is my first cousin and we come from a very close family. When I was five my parents divorced and my mum went to university – I went to stay with my auntie, who raised me as a second daughter, until I was about 13.
My family is very religious, and quite political as well. Asiya and I talked about the hijab and we would ask each other, ‘When you’re older will you wear the niqab and cover your face?’
I made the decision not to wear a scarf or a veil in the context of being a British Muslim.
Wearing the veil is a personal and a political thing – it’s about identity. The question I had to ask myself was how did not wearing a veil impact on my being a good Muslim, and I concluded that I didn’t think it did. It’s easier in a non-Islamic country not to.
I’m the only woman in my family who doesn’t cover her face, apart from my mum. I dress modestly though and wear
a headscarf at family occasions out of respect, and because it feels safe.
But no one has ever forced me to cover myself. I love my family for the fact they follow Islam to a T, but in an environment of discussion and questions.
Asiya and I have a lot of respect for each other and recognise that we both have our challenges, some similar, some different. It’s ridiculous to assume there would be conflict between us because she covers up and I don’t. For us it’s the very essence of tolerance.
From an article by Anna Melville-James in The Guardian, Saturday December 9, 2006, in which she talked to three families divided by their beliefs.
© Guardian News & Media Ltd 2006.
why we beg to differ
joan Ko, pondering the oddities of our international language. Joan is a Gates Scholar, studying for an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development.
Seema yasminHughes Hall medical student, and Senior Officer of the Cambridge Union Society for Easter term, 2007
To all whom these presents shall come, greeting! The opening salvo of the Royal Charter.
thongs trousers ? stroller ? flip-flops ? pants pushchair ? buggy ? pram ?
a man of many parts……and enormous energy. As well as being Chairman of NW Brown Group Ltd, the company he started in 1974, Nigel Brown is involved with thirteen (at last count) other organisations in various capacities. He has close links with classical music, art and the theatre. He continues to raise money for the purchase of fine stringed instruments for gifted players (beneficiaries include Nigel Kennedy, Steven Isserlis and Natalie Clein), and funds a music prize awarded by the Faculty of Music. He is also a keen sportsman – he plays real tennis and built an endurance motorbike race team around his son Benjamin.
amazon – amazing!You can help Hughes every time you shop at Amazon. Go to the Alumni site (www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/), log on and click on the Amazon logo on the home page.
If you’ve forgotten your password, just click on the link below the ‘login now’ box and we will forward you your login and password.
4% of the purchase price comes back to the College as a general donation – at no expense to you!
Hughes Hall is an Associate of amazon.co.uk
What prompted you to set up your own company at 29?‘I was always pre-disposed, but was pushed to it when my philosophy began to clash with my colleague’s. I wanted to give people the best advice whether or not it was of immediate financial benefit to me.’
What gives you most satisfaction in your work?‘My golden rule is – business first, but it has to be fun! I get most pleasure from knowing that the firm is meeting the aspirations of its members. We try to be the best as defined by clients – mutual trust and good service.
What’s your main professional interest? ‘Getting early stage companies off the ground by helping with advice and funding.’
How do you fit in so many interests and responsibilities?‘I’ve always done lots of different things, even at school. I’m fortunate in having a very retentive memory and the ability to compartmentalise – I put everything into different ‘silos’ and focus on one at a time.’
Which of your many interests do you most enjoy?‘Whichever one I’m doing! But probably music is the most important. I’m always amazed when I’m holding a Stradivari or Guarneri, and know this privilege is not given to many.’
How do you relax?‘Sleep occasionally! No, for me relaxation is as much about change – when I’m playing real tennis I’m not thinking about anything else.’
www.hughes.cam.ac.uk
www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs
Nigel brown new City Fellow
Winter 2007 Issue 6
Mill Road winter Fair
Hughes Hall has continued its tradition of fine music-making, both within the College and on the University stage.
During the summer, Hughes Hall pianist Alex Reid gave a professional performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.1 with the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra at West Road, under Peter Britton, Director of Music at Hughes. His confident and masterful playing was notable for its daring brio, dynamic expression and breathtaking but accurate speed. Over the last four years, Alex has been an excellent asset to Hughes Hall music, having founded the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra and getting College musicians involved.
The music society garden party was a relaxed afternoon, where guests were entertained by fine music provided by violinist Andrew Lawrie, with Alex Reid, jazz pianist Eivind Stordal and classical pianist Alongklot Maudang.
In Michaelmas term, the Freshers’ Concert saw the revival of the College Choir under Peter Britton. New members of College demonstrated their talents, including some very entertaining music from Bach to Poulenc. We look forward to hearing much more from them. And College audiences continue to enjoy a wonderful recital series played by our own professional musicians, Ian de Massini (Senior Member) and Peter Britton.If you’d like to contribute to College music please get in touch with Peter by e-mail on [email protected]
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
varsity match victoryThe 125th Varsity Rugby Match, the first to be sponsored by Lehman Brothers, resulted in a hard fought win for Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club. Once again, one might say traditionally, Hughes Hall provided many of the key players in the squad. In captaining this year’s team, John Blaikie completed a unique fraternal double for Hughes Hall by following in younger brother Duncan’s footsteps – Duncan captained Cambridge University to a 15-13 victory over Oxford in 2002.
In 2006, the College was represented by a total of 7 students: John Blaikie – Captain, Ross Blake – Scrum Half, Richard Schwikkard – Prop, David O’Brien – Flanker and second Blue, Rhys Evans – Scrum Half, Daniel Stewart – Utility Back, Trevor Boynton – Lock. The team’s results during the season had shown a steady but significant improvement, with a pack of forwards becoming increasingly effective, reflecting the work and vast experience of the Coach, Tony Rodgers (Hughes Hall Life Fellow). Ultimately, it was the forwards, so ably led by John Blaikie from the second row, that dominated the game and delivered a 15-6 victory.
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
The portly porter (as described by his daughter!)
Tony jones with some of his models
Tony Jones, Hughes Hall’s first ever porter, started in September 06. Tony was in the RAF for 22 years as an aircraft technician, and spent 5 years travelling around the world – including accompanying the Queen to Rio de Janeiro and the Black Watch to Colombia. He left the RAF in 1982 and went into financial services for 15 years, before joining Herbert Robinson, selling cars. The firm was sold and Tony was made redundant. Unfazed, he sent his CV to Hughes, got two new knees, and went to work for Tesco, until the call came from the Bursar to come and join us at Hughes.
What made you interested in becoming a porter?‘The University seemed to be a good employer, and I thought my people skills and discipline gave me a good background for the job. I’d like to keep working into my 70s.’
How do you like the job? ‘I love the people, staff and students, and the ambience at Hughes. It’s a pleasure to work here and very rewarding. Students say they feel more secure in the evenings.’
What’s the funniest thing that’s happened since you started?‘A student complained that a strange smell in his room was affecting his asthma. An MCR member offered to put him up for the night, but they lost each other in the bar, and the problem seemed to vanish!’
Do you have a hobby?‘My passion is Formula One racing, and I build scale models of cars. I’ve been making models seriously for about 6 years; each one takes between 3 to 6 months. My piece de resistance is a 1/12th scale Alfa Romeo. I also read a lot, particularly fantasy and science fiction.’
The Hughes HallTheatre Society
Theatre Society
Break a leg! Hughes has an active theatre society – despite a lack of facilities – with a production team drawn entirely from College members (though acting auditions are open to all students). Last year, the Hughes Hall Theatre Society staged Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, using Queens’ College’s Fitzpatrick Theatre as a venue. Patrick Bannister and Andrew Smith (both at Hughes) took the principal male roles, with Keir Shiels directing.
Most students interested in theatre have found opportunities outside College as well. Keir Shiels’s recent production of Terry Pratchett’s Maskerade at Queens’ received excellent reviews and audiences, and starred MCR Religious Officer Salvador Lloret Fariña. Davina Barron, now president of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society, directed Iolanthe at Robinson College. Matthew Johnson is resident producer with Swan Theatre Co., which recently staged three plays at the ADC, starring Hughes Hall’s Andy Smith. Patrick Bannister designed and produced the poster artwork for all these productions. Bernadette de Villiers (MCR secretary) has started her own graduate drama society – The Players – and is planning the eagerly anticipated first production.
Hughes students are making a real impact on the university stage and seem cemented there.
MUSIC AT HUGHES Events Diary
THE MaRgaRET wILEMaN MuSIC SOCIETy – in the Pavilion Room Friday 23 February 07 8:00 pmRavel’s Piano Trio and Kurt weill’s Little Threepenny Music, directed by Peter britton
Thursday 8 March 07 6:00 pmFlautist Michael Copley and Pianist Ian de Massini present bach’s Flute Sonatas
Tuesday 13 March 07 8:00 pmConcert by Hughes Hall students
Sunday 18 March 07 8:00 pmElgar’s Piano Quintet played by Cerberus
SPORTS duRINg LENT TERM 2007Friday 16 February 07 7:00 for 7:30 pmboat Club black Tie dinner
Tuesday 27 February to Saturday 3 March 07 River CamLent bumps
Saturday 10 March 07 Homewomen’s varsity Rugby Match
Saturday 7 April 07 LondonThe boat Race and varsity Football Match
CITy LECTuREMonday 23 April 07 6.00 pm Pavilion RoomNick butler, group Policy adviser to bP, will speak on ‘International Energy Security – Challenges and Responses’
May baLLSaturday 16 June 07
PHOTO COMPETITION – last entries 11 May 07, judging 18 May 07
gRaduaTE Law SOCIETy dINNERFriday 4 May 07
COLLEgE RECEPTIONFriday 15 June 07
MCR Club Room gets a MakeoverThe MCR Club Room finally got its face lift in summer 2006. Gone is the condemned, grey-upholstered furniture that marked the memories and late nights of countless generations of Hughes students!
The room now boasts two of the finest brown leather sofas in the city (chosen by three Hughesians after a long afternoon of sofa-testing), matching chairs, a Persian rug, plants and a coffee table. And special thanks to the Hughes Hall maintenance crew, who fitted a shelf for the new 42-inch plasma screen television, and did lots of other helpful jobs. The MCR also bought a hot drinks machine, paired the ever-popular pool table with a table football machine, reinstated the MCR’s daily newspaper subscriptions and even obtained snazzy recycling bins.
A well attended grand re-opening celebration took place in late September. The refurbishment was financed by funds from the MCR Senior Treasurer’s account, and was commendably kept to a strict budget of £5,000. The planning and implementation of the project was orchestrated by Stuart Easton (current MCR President) and Deborah Hayden (Bar Manager), with advice and support from Jenni Woodhead and Shamus Husheer. Stuart and Deborah succeeded (not without some lost sleep!) in pulling it all together just in time to plan Freshers’ Week 2006.
Winter 2007 Issue 6Winter 2007 Issue 6
May BallA night in the opulence, style and glamour that is Parisian chic!
Saturday 16 June will be an evening of sumptuous cuisine, live bands and cabaret performances. There are two ticket options:
Non-dining at £70 or Dining at £90 (including a 4 course meal).
We would love to see as many current and former Hughesians as possible on what promises to be a memorable night.
If you would like to know more about the May Ball, or are interested in buying tickets, please feel free to email this year’s May Ball President Toby Percival at [email protected]
Hughes Hall helped sponsor the successful local Winter Fair.
before …
… and after
Log on to the alumni website for more information www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs
grad Meds Let’s keep in touch! Sara Melville – [email protected]
Hughes Hall Student Research Evenings Call for papers from Hughes Fellows. For more information, or to offer a paper, contact Elizabeth Pender – [email protected]
Quondam Fellow Nicholas O’Shaughnessy has become Professor in the School of Management at Queen Mary, London. Congratulations!
Hughes Hall Boat Club Black Tie DinnerThe Boat Club is proud to present its second black tie fundraising dinner, on Friday 16th February 2007. This will be a fantastic occasion to reminisce and relax, catching up on those unforgettable memories and experiences!
The evening will include a champagne reception, followed by a three course dinner, and port and cheese. We look forward to welcoming back our previous crews to meet the current crews and celebrate the continuing success of the Boat Club.
All proceeds raised will go towards the Boat Club’s new equipment!
Tickets: Students £25, Staff/Alumni £38 Lydia Ferguson [email protected]
aLuMNI wEEKENd 21–23 SEPTEMbER 07
art in Fenners
Cambridge artist Orlando johnson has kindly loaned his paintings to the College. Orlando spends part of each year on the Atlantic coast in Maine, USA, and some of the paintings on display reflect this influence.
CAllIng All AluMnI! THe HugHes HAll soCIeTyPlease send us your up-to-date email address so that you can keep in touch with your friends and enter our Hughes Hall Society pages!
You can: l Email your old friends. l Add your own profile for your friends to see. l Create and share your own photo galleries.
Register online at http://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/contact-form.html
If you later forget your login and password, just let me know and I will send it to you.
Anna MarinoAlumni and Communications Coordinator
we very much hope to see you here!
Mill Road winter Fair
Hughes Hall has continued its tradition of fine music-making, both within the College and on the University stage.
During the summer, Hughes Hall pianist Alex Reid gave a professional performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.1 with the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra at West Road, under Peter Britton, Director of Music at Hughes. His confident and masterful playing was notable for its daring brio, dynamic expression and breathtaking but accurate speed. Over the last four years, Alex has been an excellent asset to Hughes Hall music, having founded the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra and getting College musicians involved.
The music society garden party was a relaxed afternoon, where guests were entertained by fine music provided by violinist Andrew Lawrie, with Alex Reid, jazz pianist Eivind Stordal and classical pianist Alongklot Maudang.
In Michaelmas term, the Freshers’ Concert saw the revival of the College Choir under Peter Britton. New members of College demonstrated their talents, including some very entertaining music from Bach to Poulenc. We look forward to hearing much more from them. And College audiences continue to enjoy a wonderful recital series played by our own professional musicians, Ian de Massini (Senior Member) and Peter Britton.If you’d like to contribute to College music please get in touch with Peter by e-mail on [email protected]
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
varsity match victoryThe 125th Varsity Rugby Match, the first to be sponsored by Lehman Brothers, resulted in a hard fought win for Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club. Once again, one might say traditionally, Hughes Hall provided many of the key players in the squad. In captaining this year’s team, John Blaikie completed a unique fraternal double for Hughes Hall by following in younger brother Duncan’s footsteps – Duncan captained Cambridge University to a 15-13 victory over Oxford in 2002.
In 2006, the College was represented by a total of 7 students: John Blaikie – Captain, Ross Blake – Scrum Half, Richard Schwikkard – Prop, David O’Brien – Flanker and second Blue, Rhys Evans – Scrum Half, Daniel Stewart – Utility Back, Trevor Boynton – Lock. The team’s results during the season had shown a steady but significant improvement, with a pack of forwards becoming increasingly effective, reflecting the work and vast experience of the Coach, Tony Rodgers (Hughes Hall Life Fellow). Ultimately, it was the forwards, so ably led by John Blaikie from the second row, that dominated the game and delivered a 15-6 victory.
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
The portly porter (as described by his daughter!)
Tony jones with some of his models
Tony Jones, Hughes Hall’s first ever porter, started in September 06. Tony was in the RAF for 22 years as an aircraft technician, and spent 5 years travelling around the world – including accompanying the Queen to Rio de Janeiro and the Black Watch to Colombia. He left the RAF in 1982 and went into financial services for 15 years, before joining Herbert Robinson, selling cars. The firm was sold and Tony was made redundant. Unfazed, he sent his CV to Hughes, got two new knees, and went to work for Tesco, until the call came from the Bursar to come and join us at Hughes.
What made you interested in becoming a porter?‘The University seemed to be a good employer, and I thought my people skills and discipline gave me a good background for the job. I’d like to keep working into my 70s.’
How do you like the job? ‘I love the people, staff and students, and the ambience at Hughes. It’s a pleasure to work here and very rewarding. Students say they feel more secure in the evenings.’
What’s the funniest thing that’s happened since you started?‘A student complained that a strange smell in his room was affecting his asthma. An MCR member offered to put him up for the night, but they lost each other in the bar, and the problem seemed to vanish!’
Do you have a hobby?‘My passion is Formula One racing, and I build scale models of cars. I’ve been making models seriously for about 6 years; each one takes between 3 to 6 months. My piece de resistance is a 1/12th scale Alfa Romeo. I also read a lot, particularly fantasy and science fiction.’
The Hughes HallTheatre Society
Theatre Society
Break a leg! Hughes has an active theatre society – despite a lack of facilities – with a production team drawn entirely from College members (though acting auditions are open to all students). Last year, the Hughes Hall Theatre Society staged Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, using Queens’ College’s Fitzpatrick Theatre as a venue. Patrick Bannister and Andrew Smith (both at Hughes) took the principal male roles, with Keir Shiels directing.
Most students interested in theatre have found opportunities outside College as well. Keir Shiels’s recent production of Terry Pratchett’s Maskerade at Queens’ received excellent reviews and audiences, and starred MCR Religious Officer Salvador Lloret Fariña. Davina Barron, now president of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society, directed Iolanthe at Robinson College. Matthew Johnson is resident producer with Swan Theatre Co., which recently staged three plays at the ADC, starring Hughes Hall’s Andy Smith. Patrick Bannister designed and produced the poster artwork for all these productions. Bernadette de Villiers (MCR secretary) has started her own graduate drama society – The Players – and is planning the eagerly anticipated first production.
Hughes students are making a real impact on the university stage and seem cemented there.
MUSIC AT HUGHES Events Diary
THE MaRgaRET wILEMaN MuSIC SOCIETy – in the Pavilion Room Friday 23 February 07 8:00 pmRavel’s Piano Trio and Kurt weill’s Little Threepenny Music, directed by Peter britton
Thursday 8 March 07 6:00 pmFlautist Michael Copley and Pianist Ian de Massini present bach’s Flute Sonatas
Tuesday 13 March 07 8:00 pmConcert by Hughes Hall students
Sunday 18 March 07 8:00 pmElgar’s Piano Quintet played by Cerberus
SPORTS duRINg LENT TERM 2007Friday 16 February 07 7:00 for 7:30 pmboat Club black Tie dinner
Tuesday 27 February to Saturday 3 March 07 River CamLent bumps
Saturday 10 March 07 Homewomen’s varsity Rugby Match
Saturday 7 April 07 LondonThe boat Race and varsity Football Match
CITy LECTuREMonday 23 April 07 6.00 pm Pavilion RoomNick butler, group Policy adviser to bP, will speak on ‘International Energy Security – Challenges and Responses’
May baLLSaturday 16 June 07
PHOTO COMPETITION – last entries 11 May 07, judging 18 May 07
gRaduaTE Law SOCIETy dINNERFriday 4 May 07
COLLEgE RECEPTIONFriday 15 June 07
MCR Club Room gets a MakeoverThe MCR Club Room finally got its face lift in summer 2006. Gone is the condemned, grey-upholstered furniture that marked the memories and late nights of countless generations of Hughes students!
The room now boasts two of the finest brown leather sofas in the city (chosen by three Hughesians after a long afternoon of sofa-testing), matching chairs, a Persian rug, plants and a coffee table. And special thanks to the Hughes Hall maintenance crew, who fitted a shelf for the new 42-inch plasma screen television, and did lots of other helpful jobs. The MCR also bought a hot drinks machine, paired the ever-popular pool table with a table football machine, reinstated the MCR’s daily newspaper subscriptions and even obtained snazzy recycling bins.
A well attended grand re-opening celebration took place in late September. The refurbishment was financed by funds from the MCR Senior Treasurer’s account, and was commendably kept to a strict budget of £5,000. The planning and implementation of the project was orchestrated by Stuart Easton (current MCR President) and Deborah Hayden (Bar Manager), with advice and support from Jenni Woodhead and Shamus Husheer. Stuart and Deborah succeeded (not without some lost sleep!) in pulling it all together just in time to plan Freshers’ Week 2006.
Winter 2007 Issue 6Winter 2007 Issue 6
May BallA night in the opulence, style and glamour that is Parisian chic!
Saturday 16 June will be an evening of sumptuous cuisine, live bands and cabaret performances. There are two ticket options:
Non-dining at £70 or Dining at £90 (including a 4 course meal).
We would love to see as many current and former Hughesians as possible on what promises to be a memorable night.
If you would like to know more about the May Ball, or are interested in buying tickets, please feel free to email this year’s May Ball President Toby Percival at [email protected]
Hughes Hall helped sponsor the successful local Winter Fair.
before …
… and after
Log on to the alumni website for more information www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs
grad Meds Let’s keep in touch! Sara Melville – [email protected]
Hughes Hall Student Research Evenings Call for papers from Hughes Fellows. For more information, or to offer a paper, contact Elizabeth Pender – [email protected]
Quondam Fellow Nicholas O’Shaughnessy has become Professor in the School of Management at Queen Mary, London. Congratulations!
Hughes Hall Boat Club Black Tie DinnerThe Boat Club is proud to present its second black tie fundraising dinner, on Friday 16th February 2007. This will be a fantastic occasion to reminisce and relax, catching up on those unforgettable memories and experiences!
The evening will include a champagne reception, followed by a three course dinner, and port and cheese. We look forward to welcoming back our previous crews to meet the current crews and celebrate the continuing success of the Boat Club.
All proceeds raised will go towards the Boat Club’s new equipment!
Tickets: Students £25, Staff/Alumni £38 Lydia Ferguson [email protected]
aLuMNI wEEKENd 21–23 SEPTEMbER 07
art in Fenners
Cambridge artist Orlando johnson has kindly loaned his paintings to the College. Orlando spends part of each year on the Atlantic coast in Maine, USA, and some of the paintings on display reflect this influence.
CAllIng All AluMnI! THe HugHes HAll soCIeTyPlease send us your up-to-date email address so that you can keep in touch with your friends and enter our Hughes Hall Society pages!
You can: l Email your old friends. l Add your own profile for your friends to see. l Create and share your own photo galleries.
Register online at http://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/contact-form.html
If you later forget your login and password, just let me know and I will send it to you.
Anna MarinoAlumni and Communications Coordinator
we very much hope to see you here!
Mill Road winter Fair
Hughes Hall has continued its tradition of fine music-making, both within the College and on the University stage.
During the summer, Hughes Hall pianist Alex Reid gave a professional performance of Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.1 with the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra at West Road, under Peter Britton, Director of Music at Hughes. His confident and masterful playing was notable for its daring brio, dynamic expression and breathtaking but accurate speed. Over the last four years, Alex has been an excellent asset to Hughes Hall music, having founded the Cambridge Graduate Orchestra and getting College musicians involved.
The music society garden party was a relaxed afternoon, where guests were entertained by fine music provided by violinist Andrew Lawrie, with Alex Reid, jazz pianist Eivind Stordal and classical pianist Alongklot Maudang.
In Michaelmas term, the Freshers’ Concert saw the revival of the College Choir under Peter Britton. New members of College demonstrated their talents, including some very entertaining music from Bach to Poulenc. We look forward to hearing much more from them. And College audiences continue to enjoy a wonderful recital series played by our own professional musicians, Ian de Massini (Senior Member) and Peter Britton.If you’d like to contribute to College music please get in touch with Peter by e-mail on [email protected]
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
varsity match victoryThe 125th Varsity Rugby Match, the first to be sponsored by Lehman Brothers, resulted in a hard fought win for Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club. Once again, one might say traditionally, Hughes Hall provided many of the key players in the squad. In captaining this year’s team, John Blaikie completed a unique fraternal double for Hughes Hall by following in younger brother Duncan’s footsteps – Duncan captained Cambridge University to a 15-13 victory over Oxford in 2002.
In 2006, the College was represented by a total of 7 students: John Blaikie – Captain, Ross Blake – Scrum Half, Richard Schwikkard – Prop, David O’Brien – Flanker and second Blue, Rhys Evans – Scrum Half, Daniel Stewart – Utility Back, Trevor Boynton – Lock. The team’s results during the season had shown a steady but significant improvement, with a pack of forwards becoming increasingly effective, reflecting the work and vast experience of the Coach, Tony Rodgers (Hughes Hall Life Fellow). Ultimately, it was the forwards, so ably led by John Blaikie from the second row, that dominated the game and delivered a 15-6 victory.
Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport • Sport
The portly porter (as described by his daughter!)
Tony jones with some of his models
Tony Jones, Hughes Hall’s first ever porter, started in September 06. Tony was in the RAF for 22 years as an aircraft technician, and spent 5 years travelling around the world – including accompanying the Queen to Rio de Janeiro and the Black Watch to Colombia. He left the RAF in 1982 and went into financial services for 15 years, before joining Herbert Robinson, selling cars. The firm was sold and Tony was made redundant. Unfazed, he sent his CV to Hughes, got two new knees, and went to work for Tesco, until the call came from the Bursar to come and join us at Hughes.
What made you interested in becoming a porter?‘The University seemed to be a good employer, and I thought my people skills and discipline gave me a good background for the job. I’d like to keep working into my 70s.’
How do you like the job? ‘I love the people, staff and students, and the ambience at Hughes. It’s a pleasure to work here and very rewarding. Students say they feel more secure in the evenings.’
What’s the funniest thing that’s happened since you started?‘A student complained that a strange smell in his room was affecting his asthma. An MCR member offered to put him up for the night, but they lost each other in the bar, and the problem seemed to vanish!’
Do you have a hobby?‘My passion is Formula One racing, and I build scale models of cars. I’ve been making models seriously for about 6 years; each one takes between 3 to 6 months. My piece de resistance is a 1/12th scale Alfa Romeo. I also read a lot, particularly fantasy and science fiction.’
The Hughes HallTheatre Society
Theatre Society
Break a leg! Hughes has an active theatre society – despite a lack of facilities – with a production team drawn entirely from College members (though acting auditions are open to all students). Last year, the Hughes Hall Theatre Society staged Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, using Queens’ College’s Fitzpatrick Theatre as a venue. Patrick Bannister and Andrew Smith (both at Hughes) took the principal male roles, with Keir Shiels directing.
Most students interested in theatre have found opportunities outside College as well. Keir Shiels’s recent production of Terry Pratchett’s Maskerade at Queens’ received excellent reviews and audiences, and starred MCR Religious Officer Salvador Lloret Fariña. Davina Barron, now president of the Gilbert and Sullivan Society, directed Iolanthe at Robinson College. Matthew Johnson is resident producer with Swan Theatre Co., which recently staged three plays at the ADC, starring Hughes Hall’s Andy Smith. Patrick Bannister designed and produced the poster artwork for all these productions. Bernadette de Villiers (MCR secretary) has started her own graduate drama society – The Players – and is planning the eagerly anticipated first production.
Hughes students are making a real impact on the university stage and seem cemented there.
MUSIC AT HUGHES Events Diary
THE MaRgaRET wILEMaN MuSIC SOCIETy – in the Pavilion Room Friday 23 February 07 8:00 pmRavel’s Piano Trio and Kurt weill’s Little Threepenny Music, directed by Peter britton
Thursday 8 March 07 6:00 pmFlautist Michael Copley and Pianist Ian de Massini present bach’s Flute Sonatas
Tuesday 13 March 07 8:00 pmConcert by Hughes Hall students
Sunday 18 March 07 8:00 pmElgar’s Piano Quintet played by Cerberus
SPORTS duRINg LENT TERM 2007Friday 16 February 07 7:00 for 7:30 pmboat Club black Tie dinner
Tuesday 27 February to Saturday 3 March 07 River CamLent bumps
Saturday 10 March 07 Homewomen’s varsity Rugby Match
Saturday 7 April 07 LondonThe boat Race and varsity Football Match
CITy LECTuREMonday 23 April 07 6.00 pm Pavilion RoomNick butler, group Policy adviser to bP, will speak on ‘International Energy Security – Challenges and Responses’
May baLLSaturday 16 June 07
PHOTO COMPETITION – last entries 11 May 07, judging 18 May 07
gRaduaTE Law SOCIETy dINNERFriday 4 May 07
COLLEgE RECEPTIONFriday 15 June 07
MCR Club Room gets a MakeoverThe MCR Club Room finally got its face lift in summer 2006. Gone is the condemned, grey-upholstered furniture that marked the memories and late nights of countless generations of Hughes students!
The room now boasts two of the finest brown leather sofas in the city (chosen by three Hughesians after a long afternoon of sofa-testing), matching chairs, a Persian rug, plants and a coffee table. And special thanks to the Hughes Hall maintenance crew, who fitted a shelf for the new 42-inch plasma screen television, and did lots of other helpful jobs. The MCR also bought a hot drinks machine, paired the ever-popular pool table with a table football machine, reinstated the MCR’s daily newspaper subscriptions and even obtained snazzy recycling bins.
A well attended grand re-opening celebration took place in late September. The refurbishment was financed by funds from the MCR Senior Treasurer’s account, and was commendably kept to a strict budget of £5,000. The planning and implementation of the project was orchestrated by Stuart Easton (current MCR President) and Deborah Hayden (Bar Manager), with advice and support from Jenni Woodhead and Shamus Husheer. Stuart and Deborah succeeded (not without some lost sleep!) in pulling it all together just in time to plan Freshers’ Week 2006.
Winter 2007 Issue 6Winter 2007 Issue 6
May BallA night in the opulence, style and glamour that is Parisian chic!
Saturday 16 June will be an evening of sumptuous cuisine, live bands and cabaret performances. There are two ticket options:
Non-dining at £70 or Dining at £90 (including a 4 course meal).
We would love to see as many current and former Hughesians as possible on what promises to be a memorable night.
If you would like to know more about the May Ball, or are interested in buying tickets, please feel free to email this year’s May Ball President Toby Percival at [email protected]
Hughes Hall helped sponsor the successful local Winter Fair.
before …
… and after
Log on to the alumni website for more information www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs
grad Meds Let’s keep in touch! Sara Melville – [email protected]
Hughes Hall Student Research Evenings Call for papers from Hughes Fellows. For more information, or to offer a paper, contact Elizabeth Pender – [email protected]
Quondam Fellow Nicholas O’Shaughnessy has become Professor in the School of Management at Queen Mary, London. Congratulations!
Hughes Hall Boat Club Black Tie DinnerThe Boat Club is proud to present its second black tie fundraising dinner, on Friday 16th February 2007. This will be a fantastic occasion to reminisce and relax, catching up on those unforgettable memories and experiences!
The evening will include a champagne reception, followed by a three course dinner, and port and cheese. We look forward to welcoming back our previous crews to meet the current crews and celebrate the continuing success of the Boat Club.
All proceeds raised will go towards the Boat Club’s new equipment!
Tickets: Students £25, Staff/Alumni £38 Lydia Ferguson [email protected]
aLuMNI wEEKENd 21–23 SEPTEMbER 07
art in Fenners
Cambridge artist Orlando johnson has kindly loaned his paintings to the College. Orlando spends part of each year on the Atlantic coast in Maine, USA, and some of the paintings on display reflect this influence.
CAllIng All AluMnI! THe HugHes HAll soCIeTyPlease send us your up-to-date email address so that you can keep in touch with your friends and enter our Hughes Hall Society pages!
You can: l Email your old friends. l Add your own profile for your friends to see. l Create and share your own photo galleries.
Register online at http://www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/contact-form.html
If you later forget your login and password, just let me know and I will send it to you.
Anna MarinoAlumni and Communications Coordinator
we very much hope to see you here!
Calling all Hughesians in IndiaThe Vice Chancellor, Professor Alison Richard, will be visiting India in January 2008. She hopes to meet as many Cambridge alumni as possible – and we hope that many of them will be from Hughes!
Please make sure we have your up-to-date contact details (email, telephone and postal address) and current professional engagement. And if you know any fellow students who may not be in contact with us, please send us their details too. Email Anna ([email protected]) in the College Alumni office.
Research Fellow Nidhi Singal, who is in the working group planning the visit
Hughes for HughesProfessor Masatsugu Ohtake, Honorary Fellow, has generously donated to Hughes Hall a wonderful and unique collection of books by the late Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes.
The Ohtake collection includes rare first editions of Ted Hughes’s works. Many of these are beautifully bound, numbered limited editions, often inscribed by Ted Hughes and other notable contributors. The collection represents the different stages of Hughes’s career, including his early collections of animal poetry, children’s books, translations of the Classics, and his later poetry. Ted Hughes was a prolific children’s author, and the collection includes books such as his popular fables How the Whale Became and The Iron Man.
There is also a treasure trove of material relating to Ted Hughes’s life and work: newspaper cuttings and magazine articles, and many articles by Ted Hughes himself.
Professor Ohtake has also donated other items to the College, including Siegfried Sassoon’s manuscript diary of his schoolboy reading.
From the PresidentWhen I took up my new role as President last October I was returning to the University after 30 years away, spent working in British Embassies around the world. One thing which often struck me when I was overseas was the high regard felt for British higher education. Now back in Cambridge, at Hughes Hall, I can see why.
This place has so much to offer, both to its students and those who teach them. The members of this college, of all ages, are clearly seizing the opportunities. Our students, who this year come from 63 different countries, seem well able to manage the traditional Cambridge balancing act between highly demanding course work and an equally demanding social, cultural and sporting life – with great achievement in all these spheres.
As we develop we hope that, through this Newsletter, we can keep you, our wider membership, in touch with progress. I do hope that as many of you as possible will find your way back to see us.
After 121 years of sometimes precarious existence, Hughes Hall has made the transition from ‘Approved Foundation’ to the status of full College of the University. This major achievement confirms that the University recognises us as a mature, efficiently run institution, fully worthy of the status of College within the University. The President Sarah Squire
Professor Ohtake with a sample from the collectionLearning the lingoThe British, Australians and North Americans all speak the same language – allegedly! In fact, my friends and I have found language differences that cause confusion, mirth or incredulity.
At the Hughes Christmas Dinner, I exclaimed, ‘Ah! they’ve got bonbons!’ Hearing this, my American friend was expecting ‘small balls of ice cream, roughly the size of a cherry, coated in chocolate’. But the rest of the table were perplexed because what they could see were Christmas crackers, not small wrapped sweets.
When I arrived in Cambridge, I went looking for footwear to protect myself against veruccas (and other such unpleasantness) in the communal showers. After lots of amused smiles, I stopped asking for ‘thongs’ as we Aussies call them, and asked for ‘flip-flops’ instead. I learnt that I’d been asking for rather flimsy underwear.
Which brings me to the biggest stumbling block – ‘pants’. An Aussie friend got a rip in his new trousers and took them back to the store. Imagine the shop assistant’s horror when he told her apologetically, “I’ve had an accident with my pants. Can I show you?’’.
Apparently, ‘pants’ means ‘underwear’ here…
News from HughesNewsletter of the Hughes Hall Society
Winter 2007 Issue 6
News from Hughes is edited by Annemarie Young, with help from Anna Marino.Design by Andy Wilson ([email protected])
Contact us with your news at Hughes Hall, Cambridge CB1 2EW; by email at [email protected]; or on the web at www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhsPhotographs courtesy Michael Derringer, Ray Godwin, and contributors
Printed in England.
Winter 2007 Issue 6
Roll of HonourThe following elections and awards have been made:
ELIzabETH CHERRy RESEaRCH STudENTS’ MajOR SCHOLaRSHIP White, SLJ
ELIzabETH CHERRy RESEaRCH STudENTS’ SCHOLaRSHIP Wang X
E M buRNETT PRIzES ON THE RESuLTS OF uNIvERSITy ExaMINaTIONSAnglo Saxon, Norse and Celtic Bonner, A C
Economics Sethi, N
Law Orphanidou, C Oskierski, J-T
Mathematics Gomes-Rosa, J P T Losi, M Monteiro, R J F Santos J E Solveen C Wang X
Medicine Simunovic, M P
Social and Political Sciences de Villiers B R Woodhead, J C
HELENa POwELL PRIzE FOR RELIgIOuS STudIES Schoettl, J T
NEw FELLOwS City Fellow Mr Nigel Brown
Fellows Dr Mary Buckley Professor Neil Mercer (May 2006)
Research Fellows Dr Amit Bhave Dr Jennifer Bui Dr Michelle Moram Dr Natalie Plank Dr Sovan Sarkar Dr John Durrell
Hughes HallHughes Hall Cambridge CB1 2EW
Tel: +44 (0)1223 334898 Fax: +44 (0)1223 311179 Email: [email protected]: www.hughes.cam.ac.uk
The first graduate college of the University of Cambridge
Asiya is my first cousin and we come from a very close family. When I was five my parents divorced and my mum went to university – I went to stay with my auntie, who raised me as a second daughter, until I was about 13.
My family is very religious, and quite political as well. Asiya and I talked about the hijab and we would ask each other, ‘When you’re older will you wear the niqab and cover your face?’
I made the decision not to wear a scarf or a veil in the context of being a British Muslim.
Wearing the veil is a personal and a political thing – it’s about identity. The question I had to ask myself was how did not wearing a veil impact on my being a good Muslim, and I concluded that I didn’t think it did. It’s easier in a non-Islamic country not to.
I’m the only woman in my family who doesn’t cover her face, apart from my mum. I dress modestly though and wear
a headscarf at family occasions out of respect, and because it feels safe.
But no one has ever forced me to cover myself. I love my family for the fact they follow Islam to a T, but in an environment of discussion and questions.
Asiya and I have a lot of respect for each other and recognise that we both have our challenges, some similar, some different. It’s ridiculous to assume there would be conflict between us because she covers up and I don’t. For us it’s the very essence of tolerance.
From an article by Anna Melville-James in The Guardian, Saturday December 9, 2006, in which she talked to three families divided by their beliefs.
© Guardian News & Media Ltd 2006.
why we beg to differ
joan Ko, pondering the oddities of our international language. Joan is a Gates Scholar, studying for an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development.
Seema yasminHughes Hall medical student, and Senior Officer of the Cambridge Union Society for Easter term, 2007
To all whom these presents shall come, greeting! The opening salvo of the Royal Charter.
thongs trousers ? stroller ? flip-flops ? pants pushchair ? buggy ? pram ?
a man of many parts……and enormous energy. As well as being Chairman of NW Brown Group Ltd, the company he started in 1974, Nigel Brown is involved with thirteen (at last count) other organisations in various capacities. He has close links with classical music, art and the theatre. He continues to raise money for the purchase of fine stringed instruments for gifted players (beneficiaries include Nigel Kennedy, Steven Isserlis and Natalie Clein), and funds a music prize awarded by the Faculty of Music. He is also a keen sportsman – he plays real tennis and built an endurance motorbike race team around his son Benjamin.
amazon – amazing!You can help Hughes every time you shop at Amazon. Go to the Alumni site (www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/), log on and click on the Amazon logo on the home page.
If you’ve forgotten your password, just click on the link below the ‘login now’ box and we will forward you your login and password.
4% of the purchase price comes back to the College as a general donation – at no expense to you!
Hughes Hall is an Associate of amazon.co.uk
What prompted you to set up your own company at 29?‘I was always pre-disposed, but was pushed to it when my philosophy began to clash with my colleague’s. I wanted to give people the best advice whether or not it was of immediate financial benefit to me.’
What gives you most satisfaction in your work?‘My golden rule is – business first, but it has to be fun! I get most pleasure from knowing that the firm is meeting the aspirations of its members. We try to be the best as defined by clients – mutual trust and good service.
What’s your main professional interest? ‘Getting early stage companies off the ground by helping with advice and funding.’
How do you fit in so many interests and responsibilities?‘I’ve always done lots of different things, even at school. I’m fortunate in having a very retentive memory and the ability to compartmentalise – I put everything into different ‘silos’ and focus on one at a time.’
Which of your many interests do you most enjoy?‘Whichever one I’m doing! But probably music is the most important. I’m always amazed when I’m holding a Stradivari or Guarneri, and know this privilege is not given to many.’
How do you relax?‘Sleep occasionally! No, for me relaxation is as much about change – when I’m playing real tennis I’m not thinking about anything else.’
www.hughes.cam.ac.uk
www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs
Nigel brown new City Fellow
Winter 2007 Issue 6
Calling all Hughesians in IndiaThe Vice Chancellor, Professor Alison Richard, will be visiting India in January 2008. She hopes to meet as many Cambridge alumni as possible – and we hope that many of them will be from Hughes!
Please make sure we have your up-to-date contact details (email, telephone and postal address) and current professional engagement. And if you know any fellow students who may not be in contact with us, please send us their details too. Email Anna ([email protected]) in the College Alumni office.
Research Fellow Nidhi Singal, who is in the working group planning the visit
Hughes for HughesProfessor Masatsugu Ohtake, Honorary Fellow, has generously donated to Hughes Hall a wonderful and unique collection of books by the late Poet Laureate, Ted Hughes.
The Ohtake collection includes rare first editions of Ted Hughes’s works. Many of these are beautifully bound, numbered limited editions, often inscribed by Ted Hughes and other notable contributors. The collection represents the different stages of Hughes’s career, including his early collections of animal poetry, children’s books, translations of the Classics, and his later poetry. Ted Hughes was a prolific children’s author, and the collection includes books such as his popular fables How the Whale Became and The Iron Man.
There is also a treasure trove of material relating to Ted Hughes’s life and work: newspaper cuttings and magazine articles, and many articles by Ted Hughes himself.
Professor Ohtake has also donated other items to the College, including Siegfried Sassoon’s manuscript diary of his schoolboy reading.
From the PresidentWhen I took up my new role as President last October I was returning to the University after 30 years away, spent working in British Embassies around the world. One thing which often struck me when I was overseas was the high regard felt for British higher education. Now back in Cambridge, at Hughes Hall, I can see why.
This place has so much to offer, both to its students and those who teach them. The members of this college, of all ages, are clearly seizing the opportunities. Our students, who this year come from 63 different countries, seem well able to manage the traditional Cambridge balancing act between highly demanding course work and an equally demanding social, cultural and sporting life – with great achievement in all these spheres.
As we develop we hope that, through this Newsletter, we can keep you, our wider membership, in touch with progress. I do hope that as many of you as possible will find your way back to see us.
After 121 years of sometimes precarious existence, Hughes Hall has made the transition from ‘Approved Foundation’ to the status of full College of the University. This major achievement confirms that the University recognises us as a mature, efficiently run institution, fully worthy of the status of College within the University. The President Sarah Squire
Professor Ohtake with a sample from the collectionLearning the lingoThe British, Australians and North Americans all speak the same language – allegedly! In fact, my friends and I have found language differences that cause confusion, mirth or incredulity.
At the Hughes Christmas Dinner, I exclaimed, ‘Ah! they’ve got bonbons!’ Hearing this, my American friend was expecting ‘small balls of ice cream, roughly the size of a cherry, coated in chocolate’. But the rest of the table were perplexed because what they could see were Christmas crackers, not small wrapped sweets.
When I arrived in Cambridge, I went looking for footwear to protect myself against veruccas (and other such unpleasantness) in the communal showers. After lots of amused smiles, I stopped asking for ‘thongs’ as we Aussies call them, and asked for ‘flip-flops’ instead. I learnt that I’d been asking for rather flimsy underwear.
Which brings me to the biggest stumbling block – ‘pants’. An Aussie friend got a rip in his new trousers and took them back to the store. Imagine the shop assistant’s horror when he told her apologetically, “I’ve had an accident with my pants. Can I show you?’’.
Apparently, ‘pants’ means ‘underwear’ here…
News from HughesNewsletter of the Hughes Hall Society
Winter 2007 Issue 6
News from Hughes is edited by Annemarie Young, with help from Anna Marino.Design by Andy Wilson ([email protected])
Contact us with your news at Hughes Hall, Cambridge CB1 2EW; by email at [email protected]; or on the web at www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhsPhotographs courtesy Michael Derringer, Ray Godwin, and contributors
Printed in England.
Winter 2007 Issue 6
Roll of HonourThe following elections and awards have been made:
ELIzabETH CHERRy RESEaRCH STudENTS’ MajOR SCHOLaRSHIP White, SLJ
ELIzabETH CHERRy RESEaRCH STudENTS’ SCHOLaRSHIP Wang X
E M buRNETT PRIzES ON THE RESuLTS OF uNIvERSITy ExaMINaTIONSAnglo Saxon, Norse and Celtic Bonner, A C
Economics Sethi, N
Law Orphanidou, C Oskierski, J-T
Mathematics Gomes-Rosa, J P T Losi, M Monteiro, R J F Santos J E Solveen C Wang X
Medicine Simunovic, M P
Social and Political Sciences de Villiers B R Woodhead, J C
HELENa POwELL PRIzE FOR RELIgIOuS STudIES Schoettl, J T
NEw FELLOwS City Fellow Mr Nigel Brown
Fellows Dr Mary Buckley Professor Neil Mercer (May 2006)
Research Fellows Dr Amit Bhave Dr Jennifer Bui Dr Michelle Moram Dr Natalie Plank Dr Sovan Sarkar Dr John Durrell
Hughes HallHughes Hall Cambridge CB1 2EW
Tel: +44 (0)1223 334898 Fax: +44 (0)1223 311179 Email: [email protected]: www.hughes.cam.ac.uk
The first graduate college of the University of Cambridge
Asiya is my first cousin and we come from a very close family. When I was five my parents divorced and my mum went to university – I went to stay with my auntie, who raised me as a second daughter, until I was about 13.
My family is very religious, and quite political as well. Asiya and I talked about the hijab and we would ask each other, ‘When you’re older will you wear the niqab and cover your face?’
I made the decision not to wear a scarf or a veil in the context of being a British Muslim.
Wearing the veil is a personal and a political thing – it’s about identity. The question I had to ask myself was how did not wearing a veil impact on my being a good Muslim, and I concluded that I didn’t think it did. It’s easier in a non-Islamic country not to.
I’m the only woman in my family who doesn’t cover her face, apart from my mum. I dress modestly though and wear
a headscarf at family occasions out of respect, and because it feels safe.
But no one has ever forced me to cover myself. I love my family for the fact they follow Islam to a T, but in an environment of discussion and questions.
Asiya and I have a lot of respect for each other and recognise that we both have our challenges, some similar, some different. It’s ridiculous to assume there would be conflict between us because she covers up and I don’t. For us it’s the very essence of tolerance.
From an article by Anna Melville-James in The Guardian, Saturday December 9, 2006, in which she talked to three families divided by their beliefs.
© Guardian News & Media Ltd 2006.
why we beg to differ
joan Ko, pondering the oddities of our international language. Joan is a Gates Scholar, studying for an MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development.
Seema yasminHughes Hall medical student, and Senior Officer of the Cambridge Union Society for Easter term, 2007
To all whom these presents shall come, greeting! The opening salvo of the Royal Charter.
thongs trousers ? stroller ? flip-flops ? pants pushchair ? buggy ? pram ?
a man of many parts……and enormous energy. As well as being Chairman of NW Brown Group Ltd, the company he started in 1974, Nigel Brown is involved with thirteen (at last count) other organisations in various capacities. He has close links with classical music, art and the theatre. He continues to raise money for the purchase of fine stringed instruments for gifted players (beneficiaries include Nigel Kennedy, Steven Isserlis and Natalie Clein), and funds a music prize awarded by the Faculty of Music. He is also a keen sportsman – he plays real tennis and built an endurance motorbike race team around his son Benjamin.
amazon – amazing!You can help Hughes every time you shop at Amazon. Go to the Alumni site (www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs/), log on and click on the Amazon logo on the home page.
If you’ve forgotten your password, just click on the link below the ‘login now’ box and we will forward you your login and password.
4% of the purchase price comes back to the College as a general donation – at no expense to you!
Hughes Hall is an Associate of amazon.co.uk
What prompted you to set up your own company at 29?‘I was always pre-disposed, but was pushed to it when my philosophy began to clash with my colleague’s. I wanted to give people the best advice whether or not it was of immediate financial benefit to me.’
What gives you most satisfaction in your work?‘My golden rule is – business first, but it has to be fun! I get most pleasure from knowing that the firm is meeting the aspirations of its members. We try to be the best as defined by clients – mutual trust and good service.
What’s your main professional interest? ‘Getting early stage companies off the ground by helping with advice and funding.’
How do you fit in so many interests and responsibilities?‘I’ve always done lots of different things, even at school. I’m fortunate in having a very retentive memory and the ability to compartmentalise – I put everything into different ‘silos’ and focus on one at a time.’
Which of your many interests do you most enjoy?‘Whichever one I’m doing! But probably music is the most important. I’m always amazed when I’m holding a Stradivari or Guarneri, and know this privilege is not given to many.’
How do you relax?‘Sleep occasionally! No, for me relaxation is as much about change – when I’m playing real tennis I’m not thinking about anything else.’
www.hughes.cam.ac.uk
www.hughes.cam.ac.uk/hhs
Nigel brown new City Fellow
Winter 2007 Issue 6
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