march 2009 - Fitzwilliam College - University of Cambridge

Foundation in Toronto and from 1965 to 1976 as
Professor of Physics at the Ryerson Polytechnical
Institute. He held Visiting Professorships at the
American University in Beirut and also in Nairobi
University. In his retirement he remained active
both as a scientific adviser and in the Estonian exile
community. After Estonia regained its political
independence in 1990 he visited his homeland three
times – the first time to receive an honorary doctorate
from the University of Tartu – and organised the
transfer of 7000 boxes of books to Estonian libraries.
In Canada he also helped to establish the Tartu Institute
Archives and Library, which is one of the most extensive
cultural treasures of Estonians abroad. He was awarded
the Republic of Estonia White Star V medal in 1998.
His memory and sense of humour will be recalled by
those who read his article for the Journal in 2001. He
died on 4 February 2008.
HARRY WARDLAW BITTON (1932)
Harry Bitton was born on 13 May 1914 in London
and was educated at Eltham College. He came up to
Fitzwilliam in 1932 to read Natural Sciences, changing
to Mathematics in his third year. He graduated in 1935
and became a schoolmaster at Blackpool Grammar
School. During the war he was a Scientific Civil Servant
in the Meteorological Office and later a member of the
RAF Volunteer Reserve. In 1950 he joined the staff of
Bedford Modern School, where he remained until
retirement. He was President of Bedford RUFC from
1978 to 1980. In 2003 he was made a Fellow of the Royal
Meteorological Society. He died on 23 December 2007.
HELEN MARGARET BLACKWELL (1980)
Helen Blackwell was born on 20 December 1960 in
Salford and was educated at Manchester High School
for Girls. She came up to Fitzwilliam in 1980 to read
Law, and had an outstanding career, gaining firsts in
Part IA and II; she was awarded the Whitlock Prize
and a Clothworkers’ Scholarship by the College, and
a University Squire Law Scholarship. She was already
a Queen’s Guide and held the gold Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award, as well as being a keen pianist, gymnast and
swimmer. After graduating she spent a year teaching
in Zimbabwe under the auspices of the Methodist
Church Overseas Division. After her return in 1984
the headmaster of the school and his wife were
assassinated in the guerrilla war and the school was
ransacked, which had a profound emotional effect
upon her. She worked with social services in London
and Cambridge, and in 1992 was employed briefly in
the university careers department at Oxford. For the
remainder of her life she suffered from bouts of
depression and underwent regular treatment, which
required frequent admission to hospital, thus limiting
her availability for employment. In the periods when
she was employed she worked at a mental health unit
run by Mind, and some time later she was instrumental
in creating a similar agency called ‘Loud and Clear’
in north London. Later she became a researcher,
consultant and trainer in mental health, doing work
for Mind, The Mental Health Foundation and The
Royal College of Psychiatrists. Helen combined
high intelligence and capability with generosity
and compassion, especially for those marginalised
in society. She died on 14 October 2007.
PROFESSOR MICHAEL GREGORY BUTLER (1954)
Michael Butler was born on 1 November 1935 in
Nottingham and was educated at Nottingham High
Pavement School. He came up to Fitzwilliam in 1954 to
read Modern Languages, playing for the first Hockey
team and graduating in 1957. After doing a PGCE at
Oxford he taught at the King’s School, Worcester,
the Reuchlin Gymnasium, Pforzhei, and Ipswich
School from 1958–70. In 1970 he was appointed to
a Lectureship at Birmingham University, becoming
subsequently Senior Lecturer, Professor and Head
of the Department of German from 1984 to 2001 and
Public Orator of the University (1997–2005). In 1979
he was a Visiting Fellow of the Humanities Research
Centre of the Australian National University. He was
President of the Conference of University Teachers
of German of Great Britain and Ireland 1996–99.
He published widely in the field of modern German
literature, especially German-Swiss studies, and
reviewed regularly in these areas for the Times
Literary Supplement. In 1999 he was awarded the
Bundesverdienstkreuz of the Federal Republic of
Germany for his contributions to UK German studies
and British–German relations. In the same year the
University of Cambridge conferred upon him the
degree of Litt.D. He was co-General Editor (with
William E Paterson) of the series, New Perspectives in
German. Butler distrusted much contemporary literary
theory as distracting attention from the text, which one
commentator said he regarded ‘as a kind of successor
to the ancient mythical epic’; thus literature, rather than
political, economic and cultural history disclosed the
deeper history of people and nations. He was a witty
raconteur, ideally suited for the role of Public Orator;
the publication of a collection of his speeches sadly
coincided with his death on 25 November 2007.
KENNETH GEORGE DARKE (1937)
Kenneth Darke was born on 5 June 1911 at Winchmore
Hill, Middlesex and was educated at Southend High
School and the Royal College of Music. He came up
to Fitzwilliam in 1937 as a member of Cheshunt
College to read History and Theology, graduating in
1940. However, after the war he decided to become
an Anglican, and so he joined the family accountancy
firm, where he spent most of his career. Latterly he was
also a Director of Sheed and Ward Ltd, the Catholic
publishers. He died on 26 June 2008.
KEITH ALFRED THOMAS DAVEY, CB (1939)
Keith Davey was born on 23 September 1920 in
Cambridge and was educated at the Cambridge
and County High School for Boys. He came up to
Fitzwilliam in 1939 to read Law, but was allowed a
year in respect of war service, graduating in 1942.
He served in the Middle East, reaching the rank of
Captain. After the war he was called to the Middle
Temple in 1947, and subsequently became Principal
Assistant Solicitor to the Department of Health and
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