Downing College 2004 - University of Cambridge

paramount importance – they manage to do so much more, frequently excellingin artistic and sporting activities. Music in Downing is, well, exceptional. Our organscholar, David Pipe, was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Organists duringthe year – an astonishing achievement for a second year (or any other year)undergraduate. He has led the choir and musical activities in the College with realdistinction. There have been memorable concerts, frequent recitals in the Master’sLodge (ranging from operatic arias, Schubert’s Winterreise, songs from musicalsto exquisite piano virtuosity) and a final performance from our barber shopensemble, the Downing Gents, all attended by Fellows, staff and students. Thedrama society has been revitalised with excellent performances of Abigail’s Partyand The Brothers Menachmus and yet another Cabaret evening that was a fineshowpiece of the musical talent in the College.In sport, the Boat Club has had a very successful year with both men’s andwomen’s first eights winning the Fairbairns and the women’s first boat going headof the river, followed by a memorable boat-burning, in the Lents. This is the firsttime in the College’s history that our women have had such success. The women’shockey team also came within a whisker (one goal in extra time) of winning theCuppers final. Many Downing sports men and women gained blues in Universitysports. I am also very happy to report that the Segreants thrive (with Julian Childsas President) and the Griffins continue to flourish with the Senior Presidency havingpassed from Flemming Heilmann, who has been and is such a strong supporter ofthe College, to Phil Boulding – distinguished former rugby blue and lawyer with afirst class degree. He certainly brings a larger-than-life feel to the Griffins and itis a pleasure to welcome him back to active engagement with the College. Theacademic societies in the College – Whitby, Danby, Cranworth, Maitland, LordGuildford also thrive with frequent and successful lectures combined with moresocial gatherings. The Cranworth Law Society held a special dinner in thespectacular Middle Temple Hall in London earlier in the year to mark John Hopkins’retirement and, for good measure, did the same again in College in June.Among other memorable events during the year, a most special one wasinauguration of a College telescope purchased through donations in memory ofan Old member, Thomas Rymer. Not only did Thomas’s widow, daughters andgrandchildren visit the College, they did so during the transit of Venus, when thetelescope was used to dramatic effect with a live viewing via a camera link fromthe telescope to a large screen – enabled by our resident astronomer PeterDuffett-Smith, ably assisted by Holly Hedgeland, a graduate student and DavidSwan, an undergraduate. Once Peter worked out the time of day, so that thecomputer driven telescope searched the sky rather than the ground beneath theCollege, all went spectacularly well during a brilliantly clear day.Another pleasure this year has been to meet many Old Members (I am neversure about the attractiveness of that description; many were younger than me!)15