MAN-10265 MAGAZINE.indd - Mansfield College - University of Oxford

Mansfield
The Mansfi eld College Magazine
WINTER 2009

Principal’s Welcome
At last! I have fi nally discovered why, with my otherwise
irrelevant background in the control of infectious diseases,
I was elected Principal of the College. No, happily there have
been no epidemics whilst I have been here, but a student
exam howler, reported in the Times Higher Education,
explains that “Control of infectious diseases is very important
in case an academic breaks out.”
Actually, three of our academics have broken out recently and
have scaled the dizzy heights of academia, to be awarded the
title of Professor, by the University, in recognition of their
outstanding research and teaching. Ros Ballaster, Fellow and
Tutor in English, becomes Professor of Eighteenth Century
Studies; Steve Biller, Fellow and Tutor in Physics, becomes
Professor of Particle Physics; and John Sykes, Professorial
Fellow and Tutor in Materials Engineering, becomes Professor
of Materials. Indeed, Mansfi eld’s small Fellowship can now
boast a grand total of twelve Professors and we expect shortly
to welcome one more, when an appointment is made to
the newly-established Chair of Energy Materials, which will
be associated with the College. Come to think of it, such a
cluster of ‘cases’ could reasonably be called an ‘epidemic’
of excellence.
Talking of which, our students excelled themselves
academically, this year. Over 93% of our fi nalists achieved
either a First Class Honours degree (14) or an upper second
(50). No one achieved less than a 2.2. Nine of our fi nalists
won University prizes for outstanding performances in the
fi nal examinations. These were in English, Law, Materials
Science, Physics and Oriental Studies. And 12 of our students
received Distinctions in their fi rst Public Examinations.
As far as our graduate students are concerned, their numbers
are slowly expanding – we now have 53 – and we can
truthfully say that Mansfi eld plays a full part in support of
postgraduate study in the University. In recent years our
graduate students have become more and more involved in
College life, with the MCR/SCR dinners now a very popular
feature of each term. As we build up the cultural activities
within the College, we aim for even greater involvement of
our graduate students, to the benefi t of the whole Mansfi eld
community.
In this Edition…
1 Principal’s Welcome, Contents
2-3 Senior Tutor, JCR & MCR
Presidents, Bursar: Reports
4 Access at Mansfi eld
6 Personnel changes: SCR/staff
7 Law Society and PPE Society
8 Women at Mansfi eld
9-12 Fellows’ articles
The three new Non-
Stipendiary Junior
Research Fellows
who have joined us
this year are adding
further lustre to that
community. They are:
Drs Carl Anderson,
Jörn Dunkel and
Nilu Goonetilleke,
each with a brilliant
research record already
established.
13 Feature: Mansfi eld Sports Past
and Present
16 From the archives:
the changing landscape of
Mansfi eld College
17 Alumni Relations
and Development Report
19-28 Alumni articles and news
Diana Walford presents Paul Ruddock
with his Bancroft Fellowship on 16th
June 2008
Records of a different
kind are being made by our Development Offi ce, thanks
to the huge generosity of our alumni. During the all-toobrief
time that Paul McCarthy was with us as Development
Director, some £1.2m was raised for our 125th Anniversary
Appeal, with a target of £2.8m by 2011, the year of our
Anniversary. Paul has now, regrettably, left the College, but
the Appeal goes on! Please help if you can.
As far as gifts are concerned, all gifts are delightful, but very
large gifts are absolutely delightful (with apologies to Lord
Acton)! So it was with great pleasure that the Governing Body
acknowledged Paul Ruddock’s recent magnifi cent donation,
and his many years of support for the College, by electing
him to a Bancroft Fellowship (see photograph). Paul read
Jurisprudence at Mansfi eld and graduated with First Class
Honours, the fi rst Mansfi eld Law student to do so. Since
then, his career has taken him into the realms of high fi nance,
but his love of art, particularly medieval sculpture, has led
him to the Chairmanship of the Board of the Victoria and
Albert Museum. Paul’s philanthropy, towards the V&A,
towards his old school and to Mansfi eld, is inspirational; and
his wife, Jill, too, is a tireless fund raiser for good causes; we
were delighted that she was here, with Paul, at the Bancroft
Fellowship award ceremony and dinner.
Times are undoubtedly hard for everyone at the moment,
but the College’s affairs are, happily, going against the trend,
and we are making very good progress on all fronts. I hope
you will enjoy reading about some of our successes in this
edition of the Magazine. ●
29 Obituaries
31 College events
32 Mansfi eld Association
33 Exam results
Back cover: events calendar 2009
Designed by: Holywell Press Ltd., Oxford
Edited by: Emily Henderson, Stephen Blundell, Katherine Morris
We welcome suggestions and contributions from our readers. Please contact the Development Offi ce (see back cover) for further information on any item in Mansfi eld.
Cover image: Keiko Ikeuchi
1 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Student Academic Successes
2007-2008
Lucinda Rumsey, Senior Tutor
We are delighted with the academic
success of our students this year.
Twelve of our fi rst years were
awarded distinctions and fourteen
fi nalists achieved fi rsts, one of
Mansfi eld’s best performances
in recent years. Nine University
prizes were awarded to our
students. Amongst our scientists
four prizes were awarded in Materials Science: third-year
Michael Dowling was awarded the Ironmongers Prize for
the best Presentation in the Part II examination; third-year
Manuel Schnabel was awarded the QinetiQ prize for best
third-year team design project, and also the Gibbs Annual
prize for best overall performance in Part I, and fi rst-year
Robert Clough was awarded the Armourers’ Rolls Royce
Prize for outstanding marks and distinction in fi rst-year
examinations. Harry Kennard (Physics fi nalist) was awarded
an essay prize for the best third-year essay. Amongst our
students in the Humanities two prizes were awarded to our
English fi nalists, with Fay Skevington being awarded the
Gibbs Prize for best Course II extended essay, and Kirsty
Stanfi eld the Gibbs Prize for best Course I extended essay. In
Law, third-year David Johnson was awarded the Simms Prize
in Criminal Justice & Penology, and in Oriental Studies
fi rst-year Angelina Lonnqvist was awarded the Pusey &
Ellerton Junior Prize.
We also award a number of College prizes each year for
excellent academic performance, or to provide students
with the opportunity to travel, in order to study or pursue
cultural interests abroad.
Of our academic awards, Mansfi eld’s College Essay Prize
was awarded to second-year lawyer Nicholas Broomfi eld.
The Principal’s Prize for academic progress was awarded to
English second-year Paul Maiden, who was also awarded
the Mason Lowance Prize for the best second-year essay in
English, an award held jointly with Lotty Spurrell. As well
as winning a Gibbs prize in English, Kirsty Stanfi eld was
awarded the Mason Lowance Prize for the best performance
in English Schools. Of our other subject specifi c prizes the
Mahony Prize in History was awarded to second-year Alex
Brayson; the Horton Davies Prize in Theology was awarded
to second-year Tom Carpenter; the Worsley Prize in Law was
awarded to third-year Rebekah Finch, and Fred Price was
awarded the Henty Prize for best second-year performance
in Geography.
We awarded Nathan Whitley travel scholarships to Paul
Silcock (second-year Engineering), Simon Bowcock
(second- year Materials Science), Melvin Chen (second-year
Materials Engineering and Management), Shaolong Cheng
(second-year Materials Science). Proctor Travel scholarships
were awarded to Richard Phelps (third-year Oriental
Studies), Ben Williams (fi rst-year Geography), and to Luke
Jessop (third-year Geography), who was also awarded the
Henty Prize Travel Bursary. Robert Wellburn (secondyear
Geography), Richard Pope (second-year Geography)
and Daniel Butchart-Kuhlman (second-year Geography)
benefi ted from the Geography Dissertation Fund.
Many of these College prizes and awards were established
many years ago by generous donations from past members
or friends of Mansfi eld College, to encourage the academic
endeavour of our students. We are fortunate this year to be
able to offer two new awards, the Sarah & Peter Harkness
Prize for best performance in fi rst-year examinations and the
Sarah & Peter Harkness Bursary, both to be awarded to a
Mansfi eld student living and having completed sixth-form
studies in Yorkshire or the North East of England. The fi rst
recipient of the Harkness Prize is Robert Clough (fi rst-year
in Materials Science) and the Bursary will be awarded
later this year. Sarah and Peter Harkness
made these awards so that students from
the North of England, a group currently
under-represented at Oxford University,
will see that Mansfi eld actively encourages
their application to the College. Mansfi eld
is very active in its outreach and access
activities; as a result we have the highest
proportion of state-sector students in the
University, and our students come here
to study from all parts of the country and
JCR President
James Naish
Robert Clough,
winner of the new
Harkness Prize
across the world. It is a great pleasure for us as tutors to see
them thrive at Mansfi eld and achieve academic success in
their studies. ●
At the end of Michaelmas, my time as JCR President will
come to an end. All in all, it has been an eventful and
productive year. In Hilary, we redesigned the JCR website
and worked closely with the Bursar and Catering Manager
to ensure that the college bar stays afl oat. There was also a
demonstration over proposals to change the college shield.
This was a highly emotive issue that saw alumni, tutors and
students all voicing opinion over the proposals. The JCR
held a meeting attended by more than seventy students,
who overwhelmingly opposed change. The decision taken
by Governing Body not to change the shield was very well
received. At Governing Body in the last week of term, a
JCR paper proposing the introduction of a Senior Tutor for
Welfare was well received.
In Trinity, more than £3000 was spent on refurbishing
the JCR. As I write, we await delivery of three sofas and
a screen that will divide the room into more comfortable
quarters. A new 47-inch LCD screen has been installed on
the wall and three huge beanbags occupy the space around
➥ ➥
COLLEGE REPORTS AND NEWS 2

it. I look forward to seeing the end result in November.
Trinity also saw intensive rent negotiations. Again, this was
an emotive issue that was debated extensively and saw an
active demonstration on the college quad. I remain gravely
concerned about the disparity in the increase in the student
loan and the increase in accommodation prices
but the foundation of a college/student committee to look
at the long-term schedule of price rises is a step in the right
direction.
Four weeks into Michaelmas, further gains have been made.
Under the eye of the JCR Vice-President Leah Wolfe,
academic review sessions have been established which give
students the opportunity to give verbal feedback on tutorage
to JCR representatives. Coupled with this has been the
extension of a seat on the Academic Strategy Committee
to both the JCR and the MCR. For this I am extremely
grateful. Finally, we have attained college membership of
the PULSE Gym at the Iffl ey Road Sports Centre. This will
be of benefi t to all undergraduates, graduates and visiting
students.
I have enjoyed my time as JCR President – re-writing the
constitution and attending three-hour OUSU Council
meetings hasn’t been enthralling but I remain convinced that
the JCR has made huge strides this year. I hope that similar
steps can be made next year and that the undergraduate
body at Mansfi eld will continue to play an active role in
the decision-making process that affects the future of this
great college. ●
MCR President
Katie Moore
In contrast to James, my time as MCR President has only
just begun. We’ve had a great start to the term with the
MCR growing in size yet again with 45 freshers this year.
We continue to have a diverse group with students joining
us from 20 different countries and studying everything from
African Studies and Theology to Computer Science and
Clinical Medicine. This makes the MCR a great place to
meet people from different backgrounds and fi elds and this
range and variety is what makes the MCR especially fun and
interesting.
Mansfi eld offers graduate students a lively social scene and
through the many MCR events there is always a chance for
members to get involved. This term alone we’ve had high tea
at the Randolph Hotel, exchange dinners with Lincoln and
Exeter Colleges, grad nights at Kukui and of course we’ve
got many more events lined up including an international
potluck dinner. This year’s MCR is also active in college
activities and after a long hiatus graduates now have a large
presence in rowing and football again.
The MCR’s location at the top of the tower is perhaps a
fi tting symbol of our contribution to the college – the centre
➥
of the Mansfi eld’s welcoming community, but also with
a view to infl uencing many nations. In months to come
you will defi nitely be hearing more from the MCR, as our
members become an ever more integral part of Mansfi eld
College life. ●
Bursar’s Report
Steve Waterman
We were pleased in October to be able to attend the
Oxford City Council Area Planning Committee Meeting
at St. Barnabas First School in order for the Principal to
present our plans for the proposed Love Lane Student
Accommodation building. The Councillors were very
complimentary about the scheme and gave consent with an
almost unanimous vote. The building with its additional 78
ensuite rooms, together with our existing accommodation,
would be able to provide rooms for all students who wished
to opt for College accommodation. There is also provision
for a new JCR and MCR and other facilities on the ground
fl oor, and in all represents a major step forward for the
College. The Rick Mather design will allow for a generous
amount of grassed area and tree cover to remain in that area
of the College, and the proposed energy arrangements are
based on heat exchange technology which has been used in
many of his previous buildings.
Meanwhile, the bread and butter of buildings-related work
continues within the College, with more now being spent
on the improvement of the estate than ever before. Much
of this work is ‘hidden’ such as new boilers, roof repairs,
and improvements to our IT networks, but we have also
managed to achieve a lot of visible improvements to student
accommodation both on the main site and in the annexes –
and at the moment we are planning for signifi cant increases
to the maintenance and redecoration programme for the
2009 season.
The books also continue to balance as far as our annual
accounts are concerned, and the 2007-08 fi nancial year
ended with another (small) surplus. As with all colleges we
watch with ‘interest’ the effect on our endowments of the
recent fi nancial turbulence, trying to second-guess what will
happen next. In this respect it is almost comforting not to
be so reliant on endowment for income as some of the older
colleges – but it does mean that we need to ensure that other
sources of income remain buoyant. It was therefore pleasing
to see that our conference turnover grew again last year, and
in particular the wedding trade was remarkably successful
over the summer with 11 successful unions in all – an
exhausting process for our accommodation and catering
staff who nevertheless continue to receive excellent feedback
from the happy couples. ●
3 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Access at Mansfi eld:
Oxford Further Education
Access Initiative
Helen Etty
The Further Education Access Initiative is dedicated to
increasing applicant numbers to Oxford from Further
Education and Sixth Form Colleges, and to increase
applicant support. The project was launched by Mansfi eld
College in 1999 with its Access to Excellence campaign,
when academic staff discovered that the Further Education
sector was a particularly under-represented group at Oxford.
Mansfi eld obtained funding for the project from the Sutton
Trust, Atlantic Philanthropies, and its own alumni, and
convened the Further Education Consortium, which was
a group of seven Oxford Colleges working in and outside
Oxford to remove barriers, to work with FE staff and to
encourage able students to consider applying to Oxford.
Over the last decade, the FE Initiative has grown to become
Oxford University’s largest outreach project, and we are now
in annual contact with over 400 Further Education, Tertiary
and Sixth Form Colleges across the UK. Lord Patten,
Chancellor of Oxford University, named the Initiative “one
of Oxford’s most important and imaginative initiatives,” and
the latest OFFA agreement called it “the most signifi cant of
Oxford’s access programmes.”
The Further Education sector represents 12% of Oxford’s
annual intake, and includes Sixth Form Colleges (where
most students study A levels), Further Education Colleges
(centres for academic and vocational post-GCSE courses),
and Tertiary Colleges, the main providers of post-16
education in areas where schools typically have no sixth
forms. Students in the FE sector may face diffi culties that
students in school sixth forms do not: for various reasons,
they have experienced a fracture in their education, they
may be studying for non-traditional qualifi cations, and
the large size of the institutions they attend can inhibit the
access of information. Consequently, we work to provide
staff in every FE College with a contact at Oxford, and to
offer an accessible service for prospective Oxford applicants,
giving them information and advice about their choices.
I have managed the FE Initiative for fi ve years (I studied
A levels at Franklin Sixth Form College in Grimsby before
reading English at Somerville), conducting over 600 College
visits to speak to staff and students about the realities
of studying at Oxford. For students already applying to
Oxford, we run over 70 Interview Workshops at Colleges
each autumn.
We arrange many other events in Oxford, including two
Open Days and an annual summer conference for FE
staff, Interview Information Days, Study Days where sixthformers
experience the tutorial system, and opportunities
for group visits throughout the year. We also co-ordinate the
University’s largest e-mentoring project, a support system
Helen (far right) running an interview workshop at St. Francis Xavier
College, London
whereby current Oxford students email sixth-formers who
are interested in their courses. Students from 57 FE and
Sixth Form Colleges are participating in 2008.
Since it is often by meeting current undergraduates that
potential applicants’ misconceptions are dispelled, recruiting
student volunteers is key to our work. My volunteer list
numbers over 300 undergraduate students, many of them
from FE backgrounds, who take part in e-mentoring,
Open Days, and meeting prospective students.
Student Perspective: Lois Thomas
One of the FE colleges with which we have built up
new links is Carmarthenshire College in Wales, where
we have worked with teachers over a number of years
to help them encourage their bright students to see that
Oxford is possible and affordable. Lois Thomas came to
Mansfi eld in 2006 from Carmarthenshire College.
“The response from my friends when
I told them I was applying to Oxford
was mainly laughter! I was studying
for A levels at a Sixth Form College,
had been to a local comprehensive,
and the prospect of studying at Oxford
University seemed an unreachable target. However,
I had a great teacher who encouraged me to apply
and helped me look into the fi nancial help that the
university could offer me. I am now in my third
year of my degree and despite fi nding it challenging
and diffi cult, my tutors have been helpful and I
have made lots of friends. I am glad I applied to
Mansfi eld: a smaller college where everybody makes
an effort to be friendly and there is a strong sense of
community. I have been able to experience Oxford
life and learning, from within a friendly, supportive
network.”
COLLEGE REPORTS AND NEWS 4
➥

Initially, the Consortium comprised seven Oxford Colleges.
Today, there are twenty-two members and the number is
rising (St Anne’s, the newest College, joined in November
2008). Applications to Oxford from FE have risen by 70%
since the project began, and the number of offers given to
FE students has increased by 12%. There is much to be
done, but we aim to build on our successes and to enable
all prospective candidates from the FE sector to make a
competitive application to Oxford.
New Addition to the Team:
Danielle Cluer
Danielle Cluer, a recent graduate of Mansfi eld College and
former student of Wyggeston & Queen Elizabeth I College
in Leicester, has recently joined the FE Access Team:
As no other member
of my family had been
to university, let alone
Oxford, the FE Access
Initiative informed me of
the opportunities that were
available to me nonetheless.
While I value the
experiences I had during
my AS/A-levels, studying at
Oxford gave me the chance
to explore my subject in new and challenging ways.
The support of my tutors – Ros Ballaster and Lucinda
Rumsey – made the transition a steady one and their
continued guidance throughout the duration of my
degree ensured that I got the most out of my time here.
Now, working for the FE Access Initiative gives me the
chance to help students see past certain preconceptions
and to make informed decisions about their education.
For more information about the Further Education Access
Initiative, please see our website www.fe-access.org.uk or
email helen.etty@mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk. ●
Participants in a Masterclass and personal development programme
in Newcastle-under-Lyme Schools pose before the Radcliffe Camera
Mansfi eld Populace
SCR Leavers
Dr Michael Freeman Stipendiary Lecturer in Geography
Dr J Rowland Non-stipendiary JRF
Dr F Marchietti Non-stipendiary JRF
Adrian Viens Non-stipendiary Lecturer
Liam Condon Junior Dean
Dr Romola Davenport Stipendiary Lecturer in
Human Sciences
Dr Julian Templeton Assistant Director of Ministerial
Training
SCR College Offi cers and Posts
Tutor for Admissions: Ms Lucinda Rumsey
Tutor for Graduates: Dr Tony Lemon
Senior Tutor: Ms Lucinda Rumsey
Dean: Dr Paul Lodge
Fellow Librarian: Dr Kathryn Gleadle
IT Fellow: Prof Steve Biller
Tutor for Women: Prof Ros Ballaster
Welfare Offi cer Dr Helen Lacey
SCR Steward: Dr Tony Lemon
Junior Dean: Ms Maria Garcia-Lineira
Personnel Changes
Newcomers:
Terry Greenwood joined the Mansfi eld Porters’ Lodge in
May from Lady Margaret Hall.
Emily Henderson joined Mansfi eld in June in the new role
of Alumni Relations Manager.
Monika Dziasek rejoined the Mansfi eld team as Hall
Supervisor in June. She had been taking a Masters in Poland.
Danielle Cluer, a Mansfi eld Graduate, joined Helen Etty in
the Access Offi ce in August.
Leavers:
Carrie Fehr, Development Offi cer, left Mansfi eld in May for
Lady Margaret Hall.
Paul McCarthy, Development Director, left in October.
Wendy Cameron, Accommodation Manager, left in
January 2009.
5 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

SCR Newcomers
Dr Carl Anderson
Junior Research Fellow
Carl is a postdoctoral
research fellow within
the Genetic and
Genomic Epidemiology
Group at the Wellcome Trust Centre
for Human Genetics, Oxford.
His research is aimed at characterising
the genetic factors which underlie
human disease susceptibility.
Dr Andy Gosler
Supernumerary Fellow
in Human Sciences
Andy is Director
of the Institute of
Human Sciences
where he lectures in Evolution, Ecology
and Biological Conservation, and
is University Research Lecturer at
the Edward Grey Institute of Field
Ornithology where he teaches and
researches in bird ecology. He was
awarded a Teaching Excellence Award
in 2007 for his contribution to the
Human Sciences degree.
Personnel Profi le
Terry Greenwood: Porter
In May we welcomed
Terry Greenwood to
Mansfi eld from Lady
Margaret Hall. In his
spare time, as well as
studying calculus and
geology, Terry mends
antique wireless sets, and
has his own amateur radio
station: call-sign G4AYR.
Above:
Antique
valvetester
Rght:
Terry’s
amateur
radio
station
Col Alexander
Alderson
MOD Defence Fellow
A serving Army
offi cer, Alexander is a
visiting fellow with the
Leverhulme Changing Character of
War programme and the Department
of Politics and International Relations.
His research is aimed at examining the
impact that Britain’s military operations
in Iraq have had on the way the Army
should approach future operations of
this kind.
Ms Michelle Buckley
Stipendiary Lecturer in
Geography
In addition to her
post as Lecturer in
Human Geography
at Mansfi eld, Michelle is currently
a doctoral candidate at the Oxford
School of Geography and the
Environment. Her research explores the
fi rms, fi nance and labour involved in
urban construction and development in
the Persian Gulf.
Revd Tanya
Rasmussen
Chaplain
Tanya was ordained in
the United Methodist
Church in the USA.
Prior to moving to Oxford she served as
co-pastor of a United Church of Christ
congregation on the South Shore of
Boston from 2002-2006.
Dr Nilu Goonetilleke
Junior Research Fellow
Nilu is an immunologist investigating
the T cell response to HIV-1 and
M.tuberculosis infections. She leads
a research team for Professor Andrew
McMichael, that is part of the
international Centre for HIV-1/AIDS
Vaccine Discovery (CHAVI) network.
CHAVI aims to answer outstanding
questions in HIV-1 immunobiology
with the view to developing a
prophylactic HIV-1 vaccine.
Dr Tom Lancaster
Stipendiary Lecturer in
Physics
Tom is researching the
physics of magnetism
and superconductivity
by implanting subatomic particles
(called muons) into materials. He was
previously a research fellow for the
Royal Commission for the Exhibition
of 1851 and a lecturer at St Catherine’s
College, Oxford.
Dr Jörn Dunkel
Junior Research Fellow
Jörn is a postdoctoral
fellow in Prof Julia
Yeomans’ group at
the Rudolf Peierls
Centre for Theoretical Physics of the
University of Oxford. His current
research interests cover various topics in
statistical physics and thermodynamics.
Visiting Fellows
Dr G Hyman: Theology
(Michaelmas Term)
Professor Natsuki Natake
(Kanto Gakuin Fellow)
COLLEGE REPORTS AND NEWS 6

Law Society
Law Society President
Nick Broomfi eld
Mansfi eld College has a proud
legal tradition, and has helped lay
the foundations from which many
successful practicing lawyers and
academics have built their careers,
boasting alumni in all aspects of the
legal profession across the length and
breadth of the country. Last year’s
students have been no exception to
this and everyone involved in the Law
programme at Mansfi eld wishes David,
Becky, Lloyd and Alexis the very best
for the future. I’m sure this is not the
last we shall hear of them! We are also
delighted to welcome Pavlos back from
his sabbatical, and we would all like to
take this opportunity to congratulate
him on the publication of his new
book, Legal Rights, by the Oxford
University Press.
Law at Mansfi eld is a diverse,
cosmopolitan experience; with only
thirteen undergraduates, studying Law
makes you one of a close-knit group
of people made up of students of
different ages, cultural backgrounds,
life experiences, outlooks on life and
aspirations. It is an experience which
offers far more than a legal education,
PPE Society
Mansfi eld PPE Society Dinner,
8th November 2008
The inaugural PPE Society Dinner, held on Saturday of IV
week, was a splendid affair, enjoyed by all fi fty who attended.
Not only were there the usual top-quality Mansfi eld food
and welcome, but an exciting and memorable mix of alumni,
current students and fellows.
Our speaker was Mansfi eld alumnus Mr. Justin Rowlatt,
BBC Newsnight Journalist and renowned ‘Ethical Man’,
following his year living on a low-carbon existence with his
wife, Bee. Mr. Rowlatt gave an engaging and provocative talk
about the future of carbon change and how we can (and need)
to make a difference. Just as lively – and controversial – was
the question and answer session that followed.
Truly, a good time was had by all!
Paul Fleming, PPE Society President
offering the opportunity to work
alongside people from all academic
years, graduate or undergraduate, whose
knowledge and friendship you soon
realise to be equally valuable.
Student activity at Mansfi eld isn’t
just restricted to working side by side
in the Law library: as well as having
students representing both the college
and the university in all kinds of
sports and extra-curricular activities,
Mansfi eld Law Society has become a
fl ourishing force in the Law Faculty,
becoming increasingly involved in
offering Mansfi eld students, both
those presently studying Jurisprudence
and those interested in converting to
Law after university, opportunities to
plan for the future and to take part in
events which they would otherwise
have not had the opportunity to
participate in. Michaelmas Term this
year will have seen Mansfi eld play host
to representatives from several City
Law fi rms keen to speak to students
about life as a solicitor, and we plan
to continue this trend into Hilary and
Trinity term.
The main date, however, on the Law
Society calendar is always the annual
Mansfi eld Law Dinner, which will
take place on 21st February 2009.
This event traditionally sees Mansfi eld
College welcome back alumni for
the Law Society’s traditional black
Stella Mitchell speaking at Law Dinner,
February 2008
tie dinner, which is a really enjoyable
evening alongside old friends, current
students and college professors.
The 2009 dinner promises to be
another truly great event, and I look
forward to seeing both past and present
students alike in the new year! ●
Annual Law Dinner,
21st February 2009
Speakers:
Martin Collier – 1978-81
Kathleen Russ – 1986-89
Richard Ellison – 1976-79
Brian McDonnell – 1989-92
Amanda Sanders – 1987-1990
Left: Speaker Justin Rowlatt with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Right: Paul Fleming introduces the speaker at the PPE
Society Dinner
Forthcoming PPE Society Events
VI Week Michaelmas: A forum on ‘Britishness’,
attended by academics and politicians
Christmas Dinner: VIII Week, Michaelmas Term
Hilary Term: A marathon West Wing series viewing!
7 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Women at Mansfi eld
Tutor For Women: Ros Ballaster
Women remain in a signifi cant minority at Oxford among the undergraduate, graduate, and
fellowship communities. Most colleges therefore designate one female tutor ‘tutor for women’,
with special responsibility to represent the needs or concerns of that minority. I think it is also
important that we celebrate the energy and success of our female members, and to focus on our
positive achievement.
Women’s Dinner
14th November 2008
Rather than host another ‘Women’s Drinks’ session,
Ros decided to organise a Women’s Dinner for students
and tutors past and present, and staff. Designed to bring
together all the women involved in Mansfi eld, this dinner
fi lled the Hall with a variety of age-groups and occupations.
Three of our illustrious alumni gave short talks describing
how they got from Mansfi eld to their current positions.
“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.”
Margaret Fuller
Speakers
Sarah Harkness
PPE, 1980-1983,
Guardian of
Mansfi eld,
Executive
Chairperson,
Keyways Publishing
Sarah began her
speech with the tale of her days at
Mansfi eld, where she was one of the
second year of women at the college,
when a total of seven were admitted.
The girls of the year were actually put
on the ground fl oor of B and C blocks,
and there were no gates or CCTV back
then! The theme ran through all three
speeches that, whilst at Oxford, it is
diffi cult to see why being there is going
to be an asset, but that afterwards it
never ceases to be of use. Speaking as a
successful businesswoman, the advice
Sarah gave was to attend women’s
events and enjoy them, but to always be
a presence vying with men in what is
still an overwhelmingly male world.
Nell Freeman
Human Sciences,
1999-2002,
Photojournalist
with Getty images
Nell’s profession
has taken her
to 23 countries,
exhausted 3 passports, led to 12
exhibitions, ended a few relationships,
and laid her up with a selection of
tropical diseases. Recently she has
been working in the Sudan with the
Sudanese Liberation Army, and has
been on an all-night vigil with the star
wizards of Kenya. Currently she is
working on the portrayal of AIDs. Her
pictures depict the beautiful simplicity
of the everyday, an everyday where
‘négatif’ in blue biro is the signal of
hope and life: an everyday that marks
out those sipping rosé in the Council
Room as ‘other’ in their own home.
Nell tells us that, as a woman, she can
be a neutral presence in ultra-sensitive
situations, and so can photograph the
otherwise unseen.
Maddie Rowe
English, 1995-
1998,
Mills and Boon
Editor
Maddie moved
through Georgette
Heyer to Aphra
Behn to Kate Millett, and through
these early infl uences she pursued a
long Mansfi eld career in the study
of gender identity, embarking on a
doctorate after an English BA and
Masters in Women’s Studies. At a
critical moment during her thesis she
made a list of what she really wanted
to do, and lit upon editing Mills and
Boon. Maddie interrogates how, as a
feminist and literary reader, she can be
a Mills and Boon editor. Her answer
to this seemingly-rhetorical question is
twofold: this is a milieu where female
desire is taken seriously. It is also a
genre that is widely-read, often by those
whose fi rst language is not necessarily
English: it can be seen as encouraging
literacy.
EH
COLLEGE REPORTS AND NEWS 8

Fellowship Profi le: Janet Dyson
For as long as I can remember I wanted to do Maths, and I
could never really imagine doing anything else. It can be an
intensely frustrating business, but when it goes well it gives
me a tremendous buzz. So, despite the fact that at my direct
grant school in Brighton, young ladies didn’t do science,
and my Chemist parents felt that it wasn’t a suitable career
for a woman, I came up to Oxford (St Hugh’s) in 1967 to
read Maths, and I’m still here.
I’ve been at Mansfi eld since 1977, when I was recruited
to teach the fi rst four undergraduate mathematicians to
be admitted. We have come a long way since then as we
built up expertise in spotting talent, and in the best ways to
support students. Our students are doing extremely well
and in the past fi ve years more than 55% have got Firsts.
Former Mansfi eld students are working successfully in a
wide variety of occupations all over the world.
In my research I apply rigorous mathematical methods to
differential equations arising from various applied Maths
problems. In my doctoral thesis I worked on a problem
now known as the ‘pantograph equation’. This arose
from the modelling of wave motion in the overhead wires
delivering electricity to a train pantograph. The pantograph
tended to bounce off the wires, unless the wire supports
were close enough together. The aim was to fi nd out how
close the supports should be, but I was more interested
in the Mathematics. The basic equation is a very elegant
delay differential equation: y’(t)=ay(kt)+by(t), where t is
nonnegative, and a, b, k are constants with 0

An Interview with Dr Mary King
Fellow of the Rothermere American
Institute, member of Mansfi eld College SCR
To Mary, being a member of Mansfi eld means a great
deal personally, in terms of both enduring friendships
and collegial relations. The size of the College brings
people together, facilitating relationships, and its history is
unique. She cites the Wednesday Chapel service followed
by dinner as exemplifying an important part of the ethos
of the College, and thinks the Nonconformist origins and
history of the College are to be protected and preserved.
To Mary, an institution is defi ned by the individuals
associated with it, and Mansfi eld has provided her with
a special aperture on Oxford University. Given tensions
in the relationship between Britain and the United States
of the past few years, Mary feels that the proximity of the
neighbouring Rothermere American Institute (RAI), literally
next door to Mansfi eld, can be a focal point for formal and
informal exploration of major, topical issues that face both
countries – and the relationship between them that had
been trivialized and weakened in recent years. Now that
the RAI is well-established, it can fulfi l a broader role in
offering opportunities for engagement with ideas, and share
in the intellectual life of the College and University through
its frequent seminars and conferences. For Mary, the RAI
unlocked the riches of Oxford University, and ‘inside I
found the secret garden of Mansfi eld College’.
During the Carter Administration in the United States,
Mary was in charge of overseeing the US Peace Corps. She
has worked with President Jimmy Carter since 1971, when
he was still governor of Georgia. When he swore Mary
into offi ce in the White House Rose Garden in March
1977, he said that Mary ‘has a sensitivity and courage that
is absolutely superlative’. I asked her if she and Carter had
infl uenced each other’s views of world peace. ‘Jimmy Carter
is not a man given to baroque embellishment’, Mary states,
but by inference she thinks she can answer this question
affi rmatively. On a practical level, for nearly a decade of
his post-Presidency, she acted as his envoy with business
and political leaders in the Middle East. On a deeper level,
Mary says they share values, backgrounds, and worldviews.
The U.S. civil rights movement was signifi cant for both of
them, in different ways: Mary worked at the heart of the
movement for four years, handling the national news media
for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee;
Carter could not have been elected President until the
movement began to lift the stain of racial segregation from
the American South. In Carter’s introduction to Mary’s
2007 book, A Quiet Revolution: The First Palestinian Intifada
and Nonviolent Resistance (New York, Nation Books, 2007;
London, Perseus Books, 2008), he says the 1960s civil rights
movement ‘made it possible for white citizens to hold their
heads high, because white southerners could feel proud that
their region had resolved a predicament of centuries, with
relatively little bloodshed. . . . The long journey for civil
rights became . . . a national struggle for rights and reform,
and made it possible for me
as a white southerner to be
elected by the entire nation as
the thirty-ninth President of
the United States’. Moreover,
both Mary and Carter come
from southern Protestant
backgrounds – Mary’s father
was the eighth Methodist
minister in six generations in
Virginia. Their mothers were
each in the nursing profession.
This means a collegiality in
their philosophical and ethical
frameworks, Mary says, and
when they communicate the
conversation is not about
values, but on concrete steps Mary and Jimmy Carter,
and practical solutions.
during his visit to Mansfi eld
in 2007.
Carter – Mary tells me –
thinks deeply about the meaning of honour, justice, Truth,
standing up for what you believe, taking risks, making one’s
life count, and confronting injustice.
Mary is Professor of Peace and Confl ict Studies with the
University for Peace, an affi liate of the UN, which specializes
in Irenology (the study of peace). I asked her to delineate
her personal defi nitions of peace, and peace education.
Peace is one of the deepest yearnings of the human psyche,
Mary tells me, yet defi nitions differ according to cultural
traditions, and pressures such as food insuffi ciency,
environmental degradation, impoverishment, and injustice.
An exponential increase in knowledge on how to build
more peaceable societies has occurred since 1978, when
the concept of ‘peace-building’ was fi rst used, by the UN
in Namibia. Today, the fastest growing area of the social
sciences world-wide is peace and confl ict studies, which
is expanding both the generation of knowledge and its
dissemination. Africa has 26 centres for peace and confl ict
studies, and in the United States 400 centres or departments
for peace and confl ict studies are at work. Insights from
the fi eld are affecting many sectors of human society, from
international relations among nation-states to industrial
disputes to local matters. Peace education may involve
all segments of a society. It teaches in the broadest sense
of the word the prevention, management, and resolution
of confl icts, and thus may involve the media, mass
communications, and non-formal education.
An article entitled ‘Sex and Caste’, written by Mary King
and Casey Hayden in 1966, is credited by historians with
having sparked what is now called second-wave feminism.
Feminism has passed through three waves since the 1960s
(the bid for equality, the claim of difference, and the
search for less restricting defi nitions). I asked Mary where
feminism is now. ‘The question of whether women are
different or equal to men is still vexing, but probing the
question remains important, although it will become less
so in the future. Feminist work is centred on women and
FELLOWS’ ARTICLES 10
➥

generally emancipatory. Yet it is possible to analyse gender
in political activity from perspectives other than that of the
feminist’. The last thirty years have seen an exponential
growth of gender studies, Mary says, which, along with
peace and confl ict studies (in which gender plays a central,
cross-cutting role), are likely to have long-term impacts on
the leadership and organization of human societies. ‘Gender
is neither a variable, nor a special addition, but is central
to understanding fundamental power dynamics. Human
rights violations have been germane to foreign policy ever
since President Carter put them on the table of international
diplomacy in the late 1970s, yet violations pertaining to
women’s rights are not – a defi cit that must be faced’.
Gender, Mary states, has more to say to the human race than
feminism: feminism in a word means choices, whilst gender
affects all spheres and aspects of human life. ‘Patriarchy has
been a principal method of organizing human society for
millennia, yet emphasizes the interests and needs of only
half the population. Important insights came into confl ict
resolution from gender studies, including appreciation of the
costs to societies of the exclusion of women, and the value of
non-hierarchical relationships’. Today, internationally, Mary
notes, ‘generative ideas in gender studies often come from
Africa, where men are frequently leaders for gender equity in
universities and parliaments – having seen the poor results
from societies organized around extreme patriarchy’. Much
of Mary’s work with the University for Peace in the past six
years has been with academicians in African universities and
civil-society organisations, where, she reports, they often
have a keen grasp of the effects on society from socialising
young males towards warrior roles, at the expense of other
dimensions of human capability. According to Mary, her
African colleagues are sophisticated in their appreciation
of the need to change existent negative attitudes towards
women, in order for Africa to achieve its promise. She also
maintains that they are less self-consciousness about the
need to probe the salience of gender, in comparison to her
Western colleagues. Whether male or female, in Africa civil- civil-
society leaders are often ahead of their Western counterparts.
Mary has two forthcoming books: The New York Times and
Democratic Transitions in Former Soviet States, 1977-2004 1977-2004, ,
concerns the nonviolent revolutions of Eastern Europe
(Poland, Hungary, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, the three
Baltic nations, Serbia, Ukraine, and Georgia) that brought
about peaceful transitions to democracy, as viewed by Times
correspondents. For university students, it aims to encourage
the study of History through newspapers. In addition, with
a grant award from the United States Institute of Peace,
she is completing the fi eld work for a book on an historic
struggle against untouchability in India: Conversion and
the Mechanisms of Change in Nonviolent Action: The 1924- 1924-
25 Vykom Satyagraha Case Case. . It is the story of a 603-day
nonviolent struggle against the caste system that deserves
better historical analysis than has been offered to date, she
says, and is relevant because of the persistence of exclusion
and caste. ●
EH
Review:
The Geography of Human Confl ict
Neville Brown
[Sussex Academic Press, 2008]
Reviewed by Tony Lemon, Geography Fellow
Neville Brown has had a fascinating and richly varied career,
all stages of which have helped to inform his latest book.
He came to Mansfi eld having taken early retirement from
his Chair in International Security at Birmingham, but
his earlier career has spanned, inter alia, naval service as an
aviation meteorologist, defence journalism overseas,
and research at what was then the infant Institute for
Strategic Studies.
As its title suggests, this is an ambitious book. Human
confl ict could be interpreted in many ways by different
disciplines – anthropology, sociology, theology, philosophy,
politics and international relations, for example. Social
geographers might focus on class or ethnic confl ict at
national, regional or local scales, and today’s political
geographers would probably employ behavioural
approaches. Most of these perspectives appear at some
point in Neville Brown’s work, which has a remarkable
inter-disciplinary breadth, but the predominant standpoint
is strategic studies – albeit with a call for a more inclusive
‘survival studies’. This is in keeping with some of the other
works he has published while at Mansfi eld, including New
Strategy through Space (1990), The Strategic Revolution:
thoughts for the 21st century (1992), Global Instability and
Strategic Crisis (2004) and Engaging the Cosmos (2006).
Neville’s engagement with climatic infl uences, refl ected
in his 2001 volume History and Climate Change, is also
apparent at many points of the book.
It is diffi cult in the space of a short review to convey
the immense scope of this 160,000-word book. The
underlying question is no less than that of human survival
in the shrinking global village, in the face of, inter alia,
the fragility of the international fi nancial order (foreseen
here and brought home to us all even since this volume
was completed), the global information explosion and the
menace of biowar. Chapter 1 includes the telling observation
that the most serious blind spot in our understanding of
world order is not the physical environment but our inner
selves. The inevitability of human confl ict is tacitly assumed
throughout the book, whose lessons and plea for ‘survival
studies’ relate to coping mechanisms rather than offering
any recipe for fundamental change in human behaviour.
The political geography is cast in a traditional mould,
largely untouched by the behavioural perspectives that have
infl uenced ‘critical geopolitics’. In the disciplinary speak of
international relations, the assumptions are ‘realist’.
The style is often conversational, and those who know
Neville will almost feel as they read this book that he is
speaking to them over High Table! There are many attractive
turns of phrase – Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, for ➥
11 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

instance, is ‘the morning star of youthful environmentalism’.
There are innumerable nuggets of wisdom: in discussion
of religious faiths, for example, the notion of an earth
with neatly defi ned belief systems is dismissed in favour
of more refi ned ‘geographical expression of the nuances
and ambiguities within belief and commitment’; arms
controllers are ‘always striving to prevent the last war’;
space reconnaissance ought to have allowed more measured
assessment of Iraq’s possession or otherwise of Weapons
of Mass Destruction. There are also sweeping, confi dent
generalisations: ‘the Mongols were never inclined to tarry
long, individually and collectively, in alien taiga landscapes’;
the ‘resilient toughness of East Asia’ has benefi ted from ‘the
absence of Church-versus-state dichotomies’.
Much attention is paid throughout to environmental
infl uences on human action, sometimes explicitly, as when
refl ecting on Karl Wittfogel’s ‘hydraulic despotisms’ or the
infl uence of climatic changes on the Mongols, but often
without warning: thus Orgerd, a fourteenth-century Grand
Duke of Lithuania, is driven back from two advances ‘along
the great morainic ridge’, Israeli forward defence against
Syria in 1973 rested on fourteen telal (small hills of volcanic
origin), and the Arab world lacks ‘the geographical strength
in depth’ of Europe, Russia or China. Surprising linkages
sometimes appear, as when the original sites of Rome and
Stockholm are compared. The author’s meteorological
experience enables him to discourse knowledgeably about
carburettor icing on aircraft or radiation fog on runways.
Throughout the book there is a remarkable combination of
inter-disciplinary breadth and empirical grasp across time
and place, whether the Miocene, the Vikings, Vietnam, the
Cold War or ‘the highest frontier’ (space). The text skips
nimbly across time and place in a manner that is exciting
if intermittently bewildering: the direction and structure
of the argument might sometimes be clearer, but interest,
excitement and sheer surprise are consistently maintained.
Where else would one learn in the same volume the origin
of the term ‘fi fth column’ (Franco’s military strategy in 1939
Madrid), that silver was mined in the uplands of the Abbasid
caliphate in ninth century Mesopotamia and that half of
Nazi Germany’s production of ball and roller bearings
came from Schweinfurt, Bavaria? Where else might one
be invited to compare the ‘strategic revolutions’ ushered in
by Martin Luther and Mikhail Gorbachev, fundamentally
transforming the complexion and structure of Christendom?
A single chapter on ‘Peripheral Wars’ spans the Greek civil
wars of 1944-9, the defeat of the Kuomintang by Chinese
Communists, the Korean war, the Indo-China wars of 1946-
75 and early Israel-Palestine confl ict including the Suez war
of 1956, each treatment rich in empirical information as
well as informed judgements. Later, the penultimate chapter
returns to a detailed discussion of Israel and Palestine, whose
confl ict is rightly seen as playing a central role in potential
planetary confl ict.
Inevitably in a work of such scope, specialists in particular
disciplines, periods or regions will fi nd assertions to dispute,
judgements to contradict, and no doubt small factual errors
to correct. As a southern Africanist I would question the
description of overcrowding of the tribal reserves as ‘one
determinant of the South African situation’, regarding it
rather as an outcome of white colonial, segregation and
apartheid policies. As an Oxford geographer throughout
I have a rather more positive take on Mackinder’s
geopolitics. But such quibbles should not detract from
the magisterial nature of such a survey, and the sheer
fascination of the subject matter. It is also ‘geographical’ in
the broadest traditional sense of that term, uniting concerns
of environment, space and place in the earth as the home of
humankind. Not since Isaiah Bowman’s 1921 classic,
The New World, has a political geographer aspired to
a global survey within the terms of his or her own
geographical discipline. Neville Brown’s book does
something similar but goes far beyond the confi nes of a
single discipline and with far greater sense of history. Such
breadth is deeply unfashionable in our fragmented academy,
and will no doubt be assaulted from many directions.
It is however deeply refreshing, an intellectual adventure
which will surely challenge the reader to fi nd out more
about some, at least, of its myriad strands and to ponder the
challenges posed by human confl ict and survival in present
and future generations. ●
The Geography of Human Confl ict: Approaches to Survival,
Neville Brown
Hardback £55/$75 , ISBN: 978-1-84519-169-6
Paperback £17.50/$32.50, ISBN: 978-1-84519-170-2
FELLOWS’ ARTICLES 12

Feature: Mansfi eld Sports
Past and Present
Mansfi eld College Boat Club
www.mansfi eldrowing.co.uk
Mansfi eld College Boat Club has had another successful
year on the river. Most notable is the continued achievement
of the Women’s 1st VIII. Torpids took them to the top of
Division III and Summer Eights brought a second set of
blades in as many years, bumping LMH, Corpus, Trinity
and Lincoln. The Men recovered from a nightmare crash
in Torpids to reach the highest fi nishing bungline in Eights
for any Mansfi eld crew, 11th in Division II. There were also
solid performances from both Men’s and Women’s 2nd VIII,
showing that despite its small size, Mansfi eld continues to
punch well above its weight.
A positive year for the Boat Club wasn’t confi ned to the
Isis, either. Mansfi eld was proud to see Felicity Hawksley
represent the University at the Henley Boat Races, where
her Lightweight crew were narrowly beaten by the Tabs in
shocking conditions on the Royal Regatta course. Flic has
inspired others in the boat club to try to take their rowing
to the next level, with fi ve rowers trialling for one of the four
Oxford squads this year.
The Boat Club has also benefi ted this year from the
purchase of 8 sparkling new Concept 2 ergometers for the
Longbridges boat house, bringing the working total to
12 and providing one of the best facilities on the Isis.
Partly funded by MCBC, the machines are sure to provide
copious amounts of pain for our rowers for years to come.
The cost of purchasing these machines brought into sharp
focus the heavy investment that is required for a boat club
to run well. MCBC benefi ted from the fi re of 2005 by being
able to replace almost all of its equipment, boats and blades.
The long-term down side is that all of our equipment
will reach the end of its serviceable working life at around
the same time. With this future fi nancial burden in mind,
we have started planning now. The Boat Club is looking to
raise £100,000 to invest in an endowment that will provide
annual income to be saved towards replacing our equipment.
By planning now we hope to secure the future of Mansfi eld
College Boat Club for many, many more successful
years to come. For more information visit our new website
(www.mansfi eldrowing.co.uk) or contact the President.
Daniel Harvey, President 2008-2009
mcbc-president@mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk
MCBC 80 years ago...
This is the Mansfi eld/St Catz combined VIII in 1929.
John Marsh (former Principal of Mansfi eld) is back right,
and CE Dean (1924-1930), who gave the College this
photo, is sitting on the second row, second from the right.
MCBC 100 years ago...
“A powerful and lusty crew...”
This extract comes from the JCR notes of the 1909
Mansfi eld Magazine (Winter edition).
“The strong crew which formed the Mansfi eld fi rst eight last
year has disbanded, and its various component parts are now
to be found sculling and whiffi ng in various strange waters.
They were a powerful and lusty crew, and though they
splashed a good deal and did not always keep perfect time,
yet they carried the boat along well, and we miss them more
than we sometimes think. As to their present doings, we are
glad to know that they are nearly all ‘planted’ ministers, and
doing well.”
MCBC Today
Above: Mansfi eld W1 celebrate Eights blades for a second year
running.
13 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Donald MacDonald
English 1984-88, Patron of Mansfi eld College
A few years after leaving Mansfi eld I was
back in Oxford, and I bumped into one
of my tutors. “Well”, he asked, “was it all
worth it in the end?”. “Worth it?”
I said, “It transformed my life.” He seemed
genuinely surprised by my reply, and
genuinely pleased. I came up to Mansfi eld
in the Autumn of 1984, to read English. I imagine it is the
same for everyone arriving at Mansfi eld for the fi rst time.
The beauty of Champney’s buildings, and the expansive
open quad, meeting tutorial partners, receiving reading
lists, exploring the town. In those fi rst weeks, nothing about
Oxford failed to match up to my dream. I loved reading
English, and the experience has remained with me ever
since. I still return to the texts, and my enjoyment of all the
arts has been hugely enriched.
However it was rowing that dominated my time at Oxford.
I remember turning up for trials at the OUBC boathouse in
Michaelmas. My kit was somewhat threadbare. They were
all gathered there in one of the bays, these huge athletes
in tracksuits saying “GB”, “USA”, “Australia”. I was pretty
terrifi ed, but as the term played out I learned some valuable
lessons. Everyone in the squad had talent, but no one was
unassailable across the board. I would have to keep my
nerve, refuse to be intimidated, and stay in the game. As the
term wore on, many of the apparent leaders fell away and
others came through. Before long I emerged as one of the
leading scullers in the group. Others may have been bigger,
or stronger, but my boat went faster through the water.
Dates for the Diary
We would like to warmly invite all our
friends and Alumni to this year’s racing:
Torpids 25th-28th February 2009
Eights 27th-30th May 2009
Eights Black Tie Dinner 30th May 2009
Above: Mansfi eld M1 close in on Merton.
After the Boat Race, I could spend time with the Mansfi eld
Boat Club. It was refreshing to be coaching and rowing,
with everyone getting so much pleasure from the sport.
The thing about high-level competition is that day to day
it is relentless and often grim, but you do it for that one
glorious moment when you might capture the ultimate
prize. I remember one early summer morning on the Isis.
The sun was rising and a layer of mist covered Christ
Church meadow. As we turned the boat round at Folly
Bridge we stopped to hold the moment. Everyone knew that
this was special.
I can’t really avoid mentioning the Boat Race mutiny, since
it dominated my time at Mansfi eld. Twenty years on it
is hard to imagine how big the thing became over a few
short weeks, with journalists and TV crews camped outside
college, and even in my front garden. Mansfi eld’s position
was particularly delicate, since three of the protagonists
were Mansfi eldians, and we weren’t all on the same side.
Throughout the dispute, the college never wavered in its
even-handed, calm and dignifi ed support.
My short time at Mansfi eld was fi lled with the most
extraordinary experiences. I learned a great deal about myself
and others. I learned about setting big goals: Oxford was a
huge goal for me, and seemed quite unattainable. From the
moment I fi rst started looking, Mansfi eld was consistently
welcoming and helpful, and I was never in any doubt about
making it my fi rst-choice college. I left Mansfi eld a more
complete person than when I arrived, with a perspective and
a sense of self that has underpinned everything since – and
as time has gone on, I have come to realise, more than I
could then, what a special time it was in my life. ●
Fundraising Appeal
We are seeking Friends of the Boat Club to help us build
an endowment of £100,000, so as to secure the future
of MCBC. We rely heavily on the generous donations of
alumni to renew our equipment, all of which has a limited
life span. An endowment of £100,000 will provide £5,000
per annum to be saved towards the following purchases:
Two new racing VIIIs can be purchased with £35,000
£4,000 is the cost of two new sets of eight oars
Two new cox boxes would be obtained with £1,500
A new ergometer can be obtained with £1,500
Each donation will make a real difference.
E: development@mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk
T: +44 (0)1865 270998
MANSFIELD PAST AND PRESENT 14

Football
Mansfi eld-Merton football seems to be
undergoing something of a revival. After
several years spent languishing at the bottom
of the JCR Second Division, in 2007-8
the Firsts stormed to the league title and
promotion, while the Seconds also went
up, in their case to the top reserve division.
The start of the 2008-9 season has also been
promising, with the Firsts lying second in
the table at the time of writing. Full results
can be found at www.ouafc.com.
Also encouraging was the creation of a
Mansfi eld/Merton women’s football team
at the start of this season. The ladies are
improving with every game, and now realise
that you aren’t allowed to run up and score
when the goalkeeper places the ball on the
ground before taking a goal kick.
Robbie Coleman
Cricket
Mansfi eld Second Year Theologian Henry
Fox with a chance against University
College in one of the crunch matches of last
season. He missed.
Mansfi eld Football:
100 years ago...
Following Merton/Mansfi eld’s (M and Ms) unbeaten season in div. 2
in 2007, the newly-promoted team were written off early by pundits
and students alike and were expected to have a tough 2008 with
college cricket’s fi nest teams. However, what resulted was perhaps the
best performance from an M and M cricket team in recent history.
Beginning our campaign against Teddy Hall, we soon found our feet
and beat them easily by 92 runs. Our next game was against Balliol but
in a tight encounter the M and Ms were victorious by 14 runs. Special
mention should go to Chris Lloyd and Kohi whose acceleration towards
the end of our innings posted an insurmountable total.
We then moved onto Pembroke who, in another tight match, we
defeated by 2 wickets with “Bowler” Brown and “Rookie” Bowcock
seeing us home. Our fi rst, and only, loss of the season came against
Worcester. We then moved onto Keble who, after an easy victory against
us in cuppers in 2007, perhaps expected us to capitulate. However, after
some fi ne performances we came out winners by 20 runs. We also had
two games rained off and Queens conceded leaving us with 5 wins and
a loss to bring us to the last game of the season.
News spread quickly on the Monday of 8th Week that Worcester, the
division leader and champions, had lost heavily to St. Anne’s. This loss
left them trailing the M and Ms on bonus points and the championship
would be assured if we could defeat New College in the last game of the
season. What resulted was a fantastic team performance, bowling New
out for 116 and putting on 100 for the fi rst wicket (Harjhit Bhogal
with a magnifi cent half century). Miles Tompkins hit the winning run
to seal victory and the championship by 9 wickets. This victory, under
pressure, is testament to the group of players who turned out week in
week out. Special mention should go to the captain Greg Betts but more
importantly to Miles Tompkins and “Happy” Andy, fi nalists in 2008
but fantastic stalwarts for M and M cricket over their years here. They,
and those others that left in 2008, will be missed. However, the 2009
season looks to be just as exciting, as the M and Ms take to the fi eld as
defending champions.
Dan Brodie
games were more keenly contested
than the score would show. Our great
diffi culty has been in getting a line of
forwards together. Nearly every match
has seen a different line out, with
the result that it has been all at sixes
and sevens, and no goals have been
scored.”
From the Mansfi eld Magazine,
Winter 1908
110 years ago...
“The football team has not been
having a very brilliant career this term.
So far we have not won a single match,
our most successful performance being
against Jesus, with whom we drew, 3-3.
To Christ Church and Leighton Park
School we lost by six goals, but both MCFC 1898 Team
The day the Mansfi eld Cricket Team won the
league against New College
Cricket Club:
Founded 1896
Mansfi eld Cricket Club was formed in 1896 and,
according to the records, the above photo was the
fi rst photograph to be taken of the newly-formed
club. The 1897 Mansfi eld Magazine records the
budding success of the Club:
“The Cricket Club which was formed last year still
continues to exist, but under far more favourable
circumstances. Last year we had no ground, and
consequently could only play a few out-matches and get
a little practice; this year we have played more matches,
and have had regular practice. We owe our best thanks
to the Council for their very kind grant of £50 for this
year, which has enabled us to hire the Old White House
Ground.”
15 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE
➥

From the Archives: the Changing Landscape of Mansfi eld College
Anyone for tennis?
This photograph, (left) dating from 1950, shows four members of the Congregational Society (including Elaine Kaye, second
left, then at St Anne’s, and Trevor Watt, fi rst right, a Mansfi eld Ordinand) enjoying tennis on the College Lawn. The postcard
(right) shows the old tennis nets on the lawns.
The Principal’s Lodge
The Principals of Mansfi eld used to live
in a Lodge that lies where the Porters’
Lodge is situated today (see below,
and on the left above). The Lodge was
demolished in the early 1960’s to allow
the construction of the John Marsh
buildings.
The Mansfi eld Obelisk
The Mansfi eld Obelisk (see above on the right of the Lodge,
and see right) was presented to the College in 1928. It was
discovered in the grounds of Spring Hill College, which was
of course the original site of Mansfi eld. The Obelisk bore
a motto, Dux femina facti*, which referred to Sarah Glover
(née Mansfi eld), who was one of the founders of the College.
The original magazine entry from July 1928 reads:
“One piece of news gave an unexpected fl avour to the dish
– that an obelisk discovered on Spring Hill property is to
be presented to the College. We understand that it is to be
set up in a sacred “grove”**, and foresee the possibility of the archaeologists
of another era claiming it is an interesting relic of the ancient ritual of
Nonconformity in the Dark Ages.”
* [“Woman leader of the deed” – from Virgil’s Aeneid, said of Dido.]
“**Or perhaps it would be more correct to say “as a grove” – though it would seem to bear more resemblance
to Mazzebah that Asherah.”***
***[This footnote refers to the fact that Mazzebah, or pillar, is used to refer to the male genital organ, whilst
Asherah, or grove, refers to the female genital organ.]
Unfortunately, and contrary to the 1928 prediciton of longevity, the obelisk
crumbled as it was moved to make way for the new buildings.
EH
MANSFIELD PAST AND PRESENT 16

Development News
In last year’s magazine we saw the launch
of Mansfi eld College’s 125th Anniversary
Fund Campaign. In the run-up to the
College’s 125th Anniversary in 2011, we are
implementing a scheme which simultaneously
encourages alumni and friends of the College
to renew involvement with Mansfi eld, and
to lend their support to the development
of the College. Participants can choose one
of four levels, from Guardian to Patron
to Friend to Supporter, or they can select
their own level of giving. At every level, the
College seeks to recognise the contributions
made. For example, Guardians are entitled to
become members of the Development Board.
Guardians and Patrons are invited, each year,
to a gala dinner in College, unique to their
group. Friends of the College can have their
names inscribed on a plaque and receive a
limited edition print of a painting
of Mansfi eld, and so on.
Donations given as part of the 125th
Anniversary Fund are spread across three
areas. We aim to safeguard the tutorial
system, the jewel in the crown of an Oxford
education. Our second aim is to ensure that
Mansfi eld’s support for its students, in terms
of bursaries, hardship funds, scholarship,
travel and other awards, library and IT
provision can match the best on offer in
other colleges. The same applies to our third
aim, in terms of the quality of the physical
environment in which our students live
and study.
Our progress in this campaign has been
inspiriting. At just over a year into the
campaign and we have twelve Guardians,
and over sixty Patrons: most of those donating
at the higher levels are alumni or parents of
alumni, and it has been a moving experience
to fi nd that so many of our past students
still hold such a warm place in their hearts
for their old College. We would like to offer
heartfelt thanks to all of our donors for their
dedication and support.
The success of our 125th Anniversary Fund
is a great tribute to the splendid work of Paul
McCarthy, in his all-too-brief time as our
Development Director. The College owes
Paul a great debt for what he accomplished.
We are currently recruiting for a new Director
and are looking forward to another successful
year in 2009. ●
DW&EH
Little Sue Keane
Richard Hargett (Maths 1994-97, Patron
of Mansfi eld, below right), decided to name
his old bedroom, A15 (see above), after
Sue Keane (top right, in A stairwell). Sue
has been a Scout at the College since 1981.
She is extremely touched by the gesture.
Richard now works for Merrill Lynch.
Guardians’ Dinner, 28th June 2008
Patrons’ Dinner
18th October 2008
We invited all of Mansfi eld’s Patrons
to a gala dinner in College, attended
also by several members of the SCR.
The evening was a great success.
Most of Mansfi eld’s
Guardians gathered in the
new Garden Building for
a dinner given in gratitude
for their generosity and
support.
Top: Giles Harrison (Geography
1986-89, left) and Geoff Fuller
(Law 1980-83, right)
talk to Tony Lemon (Geography
Fellow).
Left: Stephen Sayers (History
1972-75, centre), with Pam
Berry (Geography Fellow, left)
and Diana Walford (right).
Above: Patrons and guests at dinner
in the Dining Hall.
Left: Andrew Hurst (Law 1984-87),
with Tamsin Wilkinson (wife of Stewart
Wilkinson, English 1988-91).
E: development@mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1865 270998 W: www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk Development Offi ce, Mansfi eld College, Oxford, OX1 3TF, UK
17 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

We aim to do much more than
stand still!
Tony Lemon, Geography Fellow
It has been enormously encouraging to see the level and the number of
alumni who have supported Mansfi eld in the past year. People frequently
ask why we need support – a simple question, to which the answers are
complex, but essentially twofold. First, levels of government support
have declined since the withdrawal of the direct college fee and reduction
of the overall amount received by the University, which now has to be
shared between the centre and the colleges. This threatens to undermine
the tutorial system – the fi rst thing mentioned by most Oxford graduates
when asked what they most valued about their academic experience, but
a system which is much more labour-intensive than the lecture-based
teaching of most universities. Hence we are giving a high priority to
endowing our Tutorial Fellowships – two in Theology, one in Physics
and one in Materials are already fully endowed, and we are past the
half-way mark in Geography. Secondly, Mansfi eld has a much smaller
endowment to fall back on than almost all the other colleges, thanks to
its history as a relatively recent foundation and a small theological college
for most of its history. If we are to compete with wealthier colleges in
terms of numbers of Tutorial Fellows, provision of accommodation,
facilities and bursaries for students from poorer backgrounds we have to
raise increasing amounts of money: it is a matter of running to stand still
– but we aim to do much more than stand still!
Fortunately the success of so many of our graduates in their chosen
careers is now reaching the point where increasing numbers of you are
able and eager to give something back to Mansfi eld, so that the College
may give others an environment in which academic, sporting, social and
intellectual activity can fl ourish. We are hugely grateful. ●
Left:
Gaudy for
Matriculation
Years 1990-
1999
Below left:
London
Drinks, April
2008
Below:
London
Drinks,
October 2008
Details of forthcoming events can be found on the back cover.
Alumni
Relations
News
In order to keep
up with the growth
of development at
Mansfi eld, and to
cater for the growing number of alumni
who wish to return to and keep in touch
with their old College, we created the post
of Alumni Relations Manager. This means
that the Development Offi ce is run by the
Development Director, the Alumni Relations
Manager, and a part-time Database Manager,
Vinca Boorman.
I began at Mansfi eld in June, in the eighth
week of the Trinity Term during which I had
taken my Finals in English and French at
Wadham College. I leapt over the wall into the
welcoming arms of Mansfi eld, who took a leap
of faith in employing me fi rstly as a temporary
Alumni Relations Manager, and then in the
permanent position. I am delighted to be here,
and have found Mansfi eld to be the friendliest
of colleges.
My aims for the future of Alumni Relations
Manager include getting as many alumni
involved with College as possible, and to
include students in these activities. I believe
that encouraging the mixing of students
and alumni in a social setting leads to the
reunion of old friends, as well as the chance
for students to discover the possibilities that lie
before them. This idea had already been put
into practice before my arrival with the fi rst
Annual Law Dinner, but, as the PPE Society
Dinner and the Women’s Dinner have proved
such successful events, I have decided to run
a Theology Dinner and an English Dinner, as
well as Law Dinner, in Hilary Term.
Other events have included October London
Drinks, a Gaudy, dinner for Mansfi eld alumni
following the Law Faculty Mansion House
event in London, and the Summer Reunion.
So far planned for next year are April London
Drinks, a Gaudy in March, and an extraspecial
Summer Reunion to mark the end
of Ordinand training at Mansfi eld. We have
also decided to extend our hospitality into
further corners of the isle, with the intention of
holding regional events in Scotland, Wales, and
Northern England.
Emily Henderson
E: development@mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1865 270998 W: www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk Development Offi ce, Mansfi eld College, Oxford, OX1 3TF, UK
DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI NEWS 18

‘A bridge between East & West’:
the long march of George Ling
Theology (DPhil) 1964-67
By John Whitley (Theology 1963-69)
In autumn 1967, after three years at Mansfi eld completing a
D.Phil in the Philosophy of Religion, George Ling with his
wife Jennie and three young children left for China where
they lived through nine of the ten years of the Cultural
Revolution. This decision was viewed by friends with
admiration and alarm, among them John Whitley who, after
early correspondence, lost touch for almost 40 years until a
reunion in 2006 in Oxford, when George was writing his
book, eventually published as China Developing: Cultural
Identity of Emerging Societies (World Scientifi c, March 2008,
ISBN 978-981-277-863-5). From that meeting and recent
emails John has constructed this sketch of the life behind
the book.
Family Background and Early Years in China
George Fusun Ling was born in 1932 in Qingdao,
Shandong Province. His family background included
Chinese tradition (‘the incense aroma from the ancestral
altar’), Christian missions, pioneering education and
engineering. Three generations before him studied in
America and his parents met there. His father was an
engineer and his mother became a doctor, aged 48, after
bringing up her six children. George’s early education was
in a home school run by his mother and friends, followed
by middle school in Shanghai. He says this background
defi ned his spiritual and cultural outlook and linguistic
ability: “It seems that I am destined to be a bridge between
the East and the West.”
‘American Blue-blood Education’
In 1949, with the Cold War looming, George aged 17
was sent to America, to Northfi eld Mt Hermon School,
Massachusetts, where he learned the dignity of physical
labour working on the school farm to subsidise the
fees – a recurring feature of his student days. He then
studied architecture fi rst at Oberlin College, Ohio, then
at University of California, Berkeley. There he met Jennie,
a history student from Hong Kong with memories and
education scarred by the Japanese occupation. They moved
on to Yale Divinity School, Jennie for an M.A. in Religious
Education, George for a B.D., leading to ordination as a
Congregational minister. George speaks of his thirst for
knowledge after his unsettled war years in China. “Coming
from a family of engineers, but with a strong interest in art,
architecture was a compromise. Delving into architecture
I found I had to understand human needs, psychological,
social and spiritual as well as physical. That led me to
probe deeper into philosophy and religion.” Though
later doubtful about a career as a clergyman, he remains
convinced that studying Christian history and theology was
essential to his understanding of Western culture.
In 1964, after 3 years in Hong Kong as Assistant Dean of
Students at the Chinese University,
George came to Oxford for his
D.Phil studies on “Reason and
the Absolute Claim of Biblical
Revelation”.
The Return to China
(The Cultural Revolution)
In autumn 1967 George, Jennie
and their three children prepared to return to China,
following the family tradition of returning to serve in China
after education abroad. With the Cultural Revolution in
full swing, George saw its ideals as close to Christian ideals.
They travelled to Chengdu in Sichuan province, where
George’s mother still lived, having served many years as a
country doctor. They worked for over fi ve years in a rubber
factory, where George’s health suffered. They lived in the
factory compound, sharing everyday life with other families.
The children became Little Red Guards. Hardest was not
the expected material discomfort but the deep suspicion of
their motives in returning to China, fi nding their dedication
misunderstood and contributions unrecognised. Never
physically abused but closely watched, they deliberately
kept doors and drawers unlocked, “hoping that somebody
would go into our fl at while we were at work to satisfy their
curiosity.” Later their talents were enlisted for teaching
English at Sichuan University.
Opening Doors through Business and IT
In 1976, the Cultural Revolution over, they returned
to Hong Kong where George worked for 3 years as an
architect. In 1979, under its open-door policy, the Chinese
government asked the Lings, with their unique experience,
to serve as a bridge between China and the West. So,
inspired by the cultural exchanges achieved through trade on
the Silk Road, they entered the world of business, wanting
“to introduce positive facts about China to the West, while
helping to fi ll gaps in China and introduce what was more
advanced in the Western world.” The fi rst project was to
introduce the manufacturing of maritime cargo containers
through their Hong Kong company. Then from the early
1980s they worked in IT, pioneering the introduction
to China of microcomputers, computer-aided design,
networking and integrated systems. Using a technical
manager, they set up their own company, with George as
Chairman and Jennie as General Manager. Now George is
semi-retired chairman of two companies providing computer
services to industry. He refl ects that “without this business
experience I would not have the breadth of observation that
went into my book.”
The Book and Beyond
Refl ecting on what he has observed during his long journey,
especially how treasured Western values and institutions
have proved unhelpful in developing democracy in Asia,
George’s book considers which values are or are not
applicable to Asian emerging societies. Using his knowledge
of Chinese culture, history and efforts to modernize, he
offers a methodology which could help other developing ➥
19 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

countries: examining one’s own culture to discover its
essential relevant values, while analysing critically key
concepts (respect for individuals, human rights, freedom,
equality, democracy and law). He hopes the book may be
useful to potential leaders of developing countries and help
others understand their concerns. His concluding remarks
address young China’s own search for identity in the current
‘spritual vacuum’. Continuing their ministry, George and
Jennie now serve as mentors to needy rural students in
Beijing, within a scholarship programme they run for the
Yale Club of Beijing.
George will be pleased to hear from Mansfi eld friends and
from anyone interested in discussing his book.
W: www.georgeling.com
E: georgefs5@163.com ●
John Whitley
“Saga of a Late Developer”
Ken Coombe
Geography (MSc and DPhil) 1990-96
Ken Coombe matriculated in 1943, and fi nally fi nished his studies
at Mansfi eld in 1996. Here, as well as describing the quintessential
college experience, he tells the story of a life spent returning to
Oxford.
In 1943 I was still at VIth form, and I had secured a place
at Oxford to read History – Hitler permitting, of course,
because, like all my male peers, I was liable for conscripted
military service. Miraculously, or so it seemed, there was
“a short university course” service scheme for all conscripted
males who had secured a university place. Such a course
would last six months, prior to complete service entry with
training in the service of one’s choice. Success thereby
would entitle one to return after the war to complete one’s
degree… In 1929 at the age of four, I had fl own to Paris
from Croydon, where the airstrip was a grass fi eld with
a tent for passenger boarding. I was taken by an intrepid
grandmother; my airborne memories of sitting on her lap
amidst an array of some ten or so basket chairs nonetheless
convinced me that one day I would like to fl y as a born
aviator, so my choice of the RAF was an utter sine qua non.
So it was that at Worcester in April 1943 I matriculated and
was thus joined by many other conscripts under the wartime
university short course, all of us wondering what lay ahead.
The scheme was intended for suffi ciently fi t undergraduates
who were able to do the basic RAF initial training syllabus
for pilots and navigators, on top of the ‘normal’ university
workload. This meant that all subsequent training was
shortened and hence operational conditions speeded up.
Thus in a period of six months we had to complete three
academic terms (without vacations), and do two full days’
military training per week in the University Air Squadron,
then in Manor Road. We had to be on parade for 7am
for physical training, prior to running back to Worcester
for breakfast, and then we
returned to Manor Road in
Uniform by 9am.
Uniform was standard RAF,
but with shoulder fl ashes
as ‘Oxford University Air
Squadron’, and our service
caps with white fl ashes
indicating aircrew cadets
under training. All other
days we dressed as civilians
with the usual undergrad
gowns. All tutorials and lectures had to be attended in
gowns, which also had to be worn in the street when going
between venues of such. At the end of our fi nal term we
took our Prelims (or ‘Honour Mods’ as they were variously
known) on the understanding that failure or success would
determine whether we could resume after ‘the duration of
the present emergency’ – the term under which we were
conscripted. Whether one came back at all was highly
circumspect, but at 18, optimism is widespread.
Life was indeed pretty full: two essays per week with the
necessary reading, tutorials and lectures, and the RAF
syllabus of Principals of Flight, Airmanship, Air Navigation,
Meteorology, Signals, Engines, Armament etc, together with
‘square bashing’ (drill training) et al. We had no service pay
of course, but my father was able to give me an allowance to
cover just my battels. College conditions were nevertheless
enjoyable – especially the food in Hall. Practically all of us
had come from boys’ public schools as boarders, where the
rationed war-time food standard was pretty low. We made the
most of Hall, having to dine in every night properly dressed:
gown, jacket and tie, etc. Drinks were liberal, due to the now
long-gone practice of ‘sconcing’ (drinking as a penalty for a
breach of etiquette), and it meant that one could get virtually
legless in College, but we were not allowed to drink in the
town pubs. The Proctors, replete in Bowler hats, attended
to such matters, and one could be sent down if so caught.
College gates were locked at 11pm, and there was no way
one could enter or leave by that route; others, however were
devised, of course. There were no mixed colleges – so perhaps
we probably had more fun than today, as the challenges and
attractions were greater, requiring more resource (and possibly
guile) than exhibited now.
September came, and so ended my fi rst Oxford sojourn and
following a week’s leave, I was in the RAF proper. After
various fl ying aptitude tests I was posted to Arizona, where
I did my fi rst (never to be forgotten) solo fl ight, and I
obtained wings on Jan 25th 1945. Thereafter I progressed
onto multi-engine aircraft, and fi nally served with four
Lancaster squadrons, being based in Italy when the war in
Europe ended. A posting to Egypt followed for re-grouping
and re-arming for the unsavoury prospect of operations in
the Japanese theatre, but the dropping of two atomic bombs
on Japan ended the hot war for me, and I then became
redundant aircrew, and spent eighteen boring and tiresome
➥
ALUMNI NEWS 20

months ‘fl ying a desk’ – awaiting my demobilisation. This
fi nally occurred in 1947, and I then applied to Worcester for
re-admission under the scheme.
The then tutor for admissions confi rmed that they
supposed they would have to take me back in due course –
but I would have to take my turn, there being many more
eligible for re-entry ahead of me on demobilisation and
that it was likely that there would be at least a seven year
delay. I was then aged 22, so I got married to a childhood
sweetheart: among other things, I thought it a better option.
However I had to keep a wife (invariably non-working then)
and body and soul together. My father had just restarted the
family quarrying business, and I was persuaded to join this.
I soon decided that I was the world’s worst businessman, and
I kept re-applying to Worcester, but without success, so for
22 years I managed a quarrying business learning a lot about
quarrying Portland stone, but knowing little of lithology and
applied geology. Moreover, it seemed to me that practice
without theory was irrational, and that theory without
practice was sterile, so I gave up and decided to become a
school master, by means of a four year B.Ed degree course at
Southampton University (1970-74). Incidentally, my only
daughter graduated at St Hilda’s in 1974; so I attended her
graduation, and she attended mine.
I taught Geography until 1979 in a small public school, and
thereafter – as a last desperate throw, applied to Worcester
to take me back – which they did at the mature age of 54,
to read Geography. They conceded that I would need to
do only two years (as my fi rst war-time successful 6 months
was counted acceptable). So in 1981, I obtained my fi rst
Oxford degree, some 38 years after matriculation. (Some
studying the date sequences of my Oxford debut must have
concluded that either this chap must have been extremely
thick or similarly indolent). So at 56 I resumed teaching
in boys’ public schools. Time was running out for aging
schoolmasters, and I so missed Oxford and its ambience that
I applied there to do a D.Phil.
I applied to Mansfi eld, and was accepted there at the hoary
age of 65 (I am sure to the grave doubts of the then Fellow
for Admissions, Dr. Lemon). So after six further years of
enjoyable (but dirty) fi eld work in Coastal Geomorphology,
in 1996 I fi nally completed my doctorate. Better late than
never I suppose: an Oxford span of 1943-96 invites scrutiny!
Now at the age of 83 I still lecture twice weekly in Coastal
Geomorphology at the Poole and Ferndown branches of the
‘University of the Third Age’. ●
Ken Coombe
Ruby Wedding
David Parry
History 1965-68
David Parry married Jill in 1968 at Mansfi eld. This summer,
they returned to College for their Ruby Wedding Anniversary
celebration.
More than 60 friends and family members joined David
and Jill Parry at the College on 14 September for their
Ruby Wedding Anniversary – exactly 40 years to the day!
The weather was wonderful – unlike the rain in September
1968 – and the College quad and buildings made the
perfect backdrop to the occasion. All three children, Rachel,
Jonathan (Mansfi eld, PPE 1994-97) and Judith, contributed
to a service of celebration and worship at which the Rev Shaun
Atkins gave a typically insightful thought for the day based on
Ephesians 5: 21-31. Joyful orchestral music was provided by
Judith and John Brearley and wonderful choral music, sung
by members of the New London Singers brought together
especially for the day by Susie May, echoed round the College
Chapel. Philip Burley, Jill’s brother and David’s best man in
1968, read Psalm 128 and Nerys Parry, one of David’s sisters
and Jill’s bridesmaid, presented Jill with a surprise bouquet of
fl owers at the start of the service. The service was followed
by a drinks reception during which the three grandchildren,
Wesley, Lydia and Megan, were watched over proudly by their
great-grandmother, Mrs Cicely Burley. Lunch followed in
the College Dining Room which looked magnifi cent. A sung
Gaelic Blessing sent guests on their way at the end of a really
memorable celebration. ●
David Parry
21 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

A Year in the “Chain Gang”
Bob Skelly
English Language and Literature 1965-68
Patron of Mansfi eld
I retired from teaching in 2001 at 55 whilst still having
the energy to have a go at something else, and in 2002
to my surprise was elected to Southwark Council at the
10th attempt. After two and a half years as the Executive
Member for Education and Culture in the Borough and
then spells in Planning and Scrutiny, just over a year ago
I was, at very short notice, presented with the opportunity
of becoming Mayor of the Borough. I was immediately
plunged into frenetic activity with only fi ve days off during
the year, but it was a dream come true and I loved every
minute of it. There were numerous opportunities to listen
to people’s life experiences and to get involved with the
rich diversity of life in Southwark. I met schoolchildren,
pensioners, volunteers, charity workers, bishops, business
people and many others from all communities and ages,
most of whom are unsung heroes of one sort or another.
It is a tremendous privilege to be able to tell them that it is
impossible to put a price on what they do. The Mayor is
usually asked to say “a few words” and it has been another
privilege to fi nd the words to encourage and vastly challenge
such different groups of people.
It is amazing how pleased everyone is to see the Mayor.
He or she takes an impartial interest in everything that
goes on in the Borough and is a non-threatening, nonpolitical
presence who represents everyone. Like most
municipalities, in Southwark we still have the old concept
of the Civic Mayor who gives up politics for the year, rather
than the new breed of highly political elected Mayors. One
of the most interesting duties I have had to perform is to
preside over Citizenship Ceremonies. In Southwark alone
approximately 250 people a month are becoming British
citizens and, in groups of about 60, after sitting through a
speech from the mayor, they pledge their allegiance to the
Queen and loyalty to the United Kingdom before singing
the national Anthem. The preponderance is from West
Africa but with representatives from all over the world
except Western Europe. Not surprisingly, Iraq, Afghanistan
and Eastern Europe are well-represented, but so are Australia
and New Zealand. Southwark has the largest Sierra Leonean
community in the country, and it was an honour to welcome
the President of that nation to the Town Hall. We have
welcomed people from everywhere in the world where there
is war and confl ict, famine and starvation or oppression
and denial of human rights, and their children are in our
schools – 106 mother tongues at the last count! The world
has come to us, and what is remarkable is that everywhere I
go in the Borough I am touched by the generosity of spirit
and tolerance of everybody. I particularly pay tribute to the
churches and other faith groups who contribute so much
to the life of a Borough where 80% of the population claim
to have a faith. Not only do they proclaim their faith, but
are a virtual second tier of social service, particularly when
it comes to nurture the
young people of the
Borough and helping
them to fi nd themselves.
By and large we get on
very well together.
Nevertheless it is
impossible to ignore
the notorious incidents
of gun and knife crime
in the Borough and
in South London
generally. Peckham particularly, in the heart of Southwark,
has acquired an unenviable reputation, generally quite
unjustifi ed, for violent incidents. I have been tremendously
impressed with the energy, talents and accomplishments of
Southwark’s young people in music, art, sport, drama and
many other areas, but I decided at the beginning of the year
to make my charity appeal – another Mayoral tradition –
for the Damilola Taylor Trust. This is named after the ten
year-old schoolboy who was attacked and killed on his way
home from Peckham Library after school, having only been
in the country for four months. He had come here for
better educational opportunities. The Trust was set up by
his parents to try to reach the kind of youths who attacked
their son, and the most vulnerable young people in the area.
Their work concentrates on mentoring within schools and
using reformed gang members from the same background to
speak to the teenagers and show them better ways of gaining
respect and self esteem. I made a rather daring pledge at the
beginning of the year that we would raise £50,000 for the
Trust – daring because it was nearly three times what any
other Mayor had raised in the past. Our confi dence was
justifi ed however, and the fi nal total will be in the region of
£60,000.
One of the delights of being a member of the “Chain
Gang” is the collegiality with the other Mayors of the 32
London Boroughs. We meet and share experiences on
many occasions during the year at events as diverse as
concerts, funerals, anniversary celebrations, receptions, balls
and occasions such as the Mayor’s Service in Westminster
Abbey, dining in the painted Hall at Greenwich and the
“Whittington Walk” from Highgate Hill to the Mansion
House in the city – fortunately all downhill – are lifetime
memories. People didn’t believe I could walk fi ve miles
but I’ve got a certifi cate to prove it! The London Mayors
Association is a very active and vibrant body which keeps
present and past Mayors in fellowship and organises a trip
abroad to a major city every year. This year many of us went
to Vienna where we were received at the Rathaus and by
a number of Mayors in small towns in the Danube Valley,
happily in wine producing areas. Being Mayor has been
tiring but more importantly an inspiring and humbling
experience and I would recommend a year ‘in chains’
to anyone. ●
Bob Skelly
ALUMNI NEWS 22

“Life in the fast lane”
John Moulton
Physics 1965-68
Member of Mansfi eld 500
On returning to Mansfi eld recently for Eights week and
the Boat Club Dinner, I was reminded of how long it took
me to discover that industry and commerce are not dirty
words, and that they can actually be quite fun and very
rewarding in more ways than one. My slow start in reaching
this conclusion was not helped by coming from an academic
family which knew and understood virtually nothing outside
academia.
Having spent most of my student days either rowing,
punting, playing the organ, playing hockey or organizing
balls and parties, I graduated with little interest in pursuing
a career in Physics. A discussion with a friend of my sister
persuaded me that qualifying as a chartered accountant would
give me a much better basis for a career and would open
doors in a variety of fi elds. So having sworn after fi nals that
I would never take another exam in my life, I found to my
surprise that I was signing up for another three years of hard
grind. As I had fallen in love with Oxford by then, I stayed on
for my articles with a fi rm on the corner of St Giles and Keble
Road. For some unknown reason, having never really worked
hard before, I took to it like a duck to water and sailed
through the course with fl ying colours.
On qualifying I decided to join a big international fi rm which
meant moving to a big city, and I chose Bristol as being quite
a nice place, joining what is now KPMG, as I had worked
with them on a joint audit during my articles and liked
what I saw. I rapidly began specializing in corporate fi nance,
which involves things like acting for the sale and purchase
of companies and fl otations on the Stock Exchange. That
was a good time, but I did not like the bureaucracy of the
profession and didn’t want to stay there. So when my boss
told me he was leaving to form a new small merchant bank
and asked if I wanted to join him, I leapt at the chance.
Within a short space of time we had set up two venture
capital companies, putting risk money into emerging
businesses. When they then ran out of money and needed
more, I began for the fi rst time to understand what makes
businesses tick. I began to acquire a number of non-executive
directorships in diverse businesses including aluminium
investment casting, fl exible hose manufacture and motor
dealerships (of which more later). Through a connection with
the organisation which funded our bank, I suddenly got asked
to step in as acting fi nance director of a fascinating company
called Dartington Glass, which employed over 200 people
in the manufacture of hand-blown lead crystal glassware.
So, quite by chance, having thought all my life to date that
industry was not the place to be, I found myself right in the
middle of it and loved every minute: I made the discovery
that it is far more interesting to be involved in running a
business rather than just acting as a professional adviser on
the outside.
23
The untimely death of my sister at the age of 41 shocked
me into realizing that we’re only here once, and if I wanted
a change I’d better get on with it. So when two people we
had done work for asked me if I knew anyone who might be
interested in being fi nance director of their racy small public
company, I put myself forward for the job. My timing was
abysmal – I joined 6 weeks before the Stock Exchange crash
of 1987. Everything went pear-shaped including our share
price crashing, one of our factories burning down and the
MD dropping dead from a heart attack. At fi ve minutes’
notice we had to agree an effective takeover by a chap who,
it quickly transpired, operated in a manner which I did not
feel was appropriate for a public company. So I had to rapidly
negotiate my exit, and joined another much more solid public
company as fi nance director, staying there eight years until,
following another takeover approach, we sold the major part
of the business to the largest company in the world in that
fi eld. Over the years I have worked in Italy, France, the USA,
Eire and all over the UK, and been a director of companies
in businesses such as road building, computers, restaurants,
electrical wholesaling, lighting manufacture et al. But the
fi nancial dynamics of all businesses are essentially the same
with minor variations, and so the role of fi nance director is
much the same, regardless of the business.
Some people say that you make your own luck. Maybe that’s
true. I certainly feel lucky to have ended up where I am now
as fi nance director of Dick Lovett, one of the most prestigious
privately owned motor groups in the UK. We only deal in
premium marques, namely BMW, MINI, Porsche, Ferrari,
Maserati and Lotus. We operate along the M4 corridor from
Hungerford in the East through Swindon and Bristol to
Cardiff in the West. We employ around 500 people and have
a turnover well in excess of £250 million. My connection
with the business goes back right to its beginnings in 1962.
The company has a wonderful ethos created by the owner
who is one of the most honourable people I have met in
business. We are totally focused on looking after the staff and
the customers and I can honestly say I look forward to going
to work every day. With a board of just three comprising the
chairman (the owner), the managing director and myself we
have no bureaucracy and take decisions quickly, though not
always easily, and without the tedium of being a public ➥

company, trawling through the City talking to investment
analysts and journalists.
In my increasing spare time I continue to enjoy my lifelong
passion for mountaineering, which started when I was a
schoolboy in Lancashire living near the mountains of the
Lake District and North Wales, although nowadays I tend
to go abroad more where the mountains are bigger and the
weather warmer. In the winter, I return to the mountains for
skiing. At home I enjoy living in the lovely Mendip hills with
my wife and our menagerie of animals including dogs, horses,
chickens and guinea fowl.
So what is the moral of the tale? Firstly that I owe Mansfi eld
a great debt in helping to turn an immature schoolboy into
a slightly less immature adult and in teaching me a lot about
morals and decency. Secondly that you should keep an open
mind to things you may start off by knowing nothing about,
and lastly not to be afraid of trying new things. I am now
looking forward hopefully to giving a bit of time back to
Mansfi eld which has given me such a foundation in life. ●
Tying the Knot
at Mansfi eld
Paul Jackson
Geography 1992-95
Member of Mansfi eld 500
John Moulton
August 18th – not a date
I will ever forget! Apart
from the fact that my now
wife, Carter, would never
let me live this down if I
did, whenever I go back to
Mansfi eld, I will always remember this day with excitement.
Mansfi eld was the perfect venue to tie the knot. It brought
back wonderful memories on my part and completely fi tted
the bill for my American wife, in that all her friends and
relatives could get a touch of the heritage and tradition that
is the Oxford University experience. A chance to check out
a ‘real’ academic institution...
Full credit to Lynn Partridge (Food and Beverage Manager)
and Lynne Quiggin (Conference and Events Manager).
They had inspiring ideas and ironed out all pre-marital
organizational concerns. This included fi nding the best
marquee for the Quad, delivering the perfect sticky toffee
pudding for dessert, and (not the least of which) helping us
stay on budget.
Walter Houston was also critical to making the day a success
– he generously allowed us to use the chapel and navigated
the bureaucratic waters of getting married with relaxed
authority.
We were very lucky that many Mansfi eld alumni were able
to return to Mansfi eld and I know that Dr. Tony Lemon
➥
was extremely happy to have more than half his Geography
class of 1995 back in residence. Well, when I say ‘happy’
I think more from a conversational point of view rather than
an academic one!
The illustrious Mansfi eld alumni roll-call included: Brenda
McKenna, Jess Tomlinson, James West, Paul Sutton, Stuart
Ferguson, Ellen Loughnan, Sarah McKeown, Tim Millson,
Andrew and Sian Croxson, Jon Davies, Shazia Mirza, Will
and Caroline Elderkin and Anne and Mark Evans. Great
to see them all standing in the Chapel singing their hearts
out and great to see them in the college bar much later that
night, still standing – how times have changed!!
During the reception, the marquee saved us from a
torrential downpour. The band was on great form, and
everyone packed in to dance the night away. It was a little
disconcerting that, apart from my own smooth moves, most
people’s dance styles hadn’t improved since the heady days of
the Mansfi eld bops over ten years ago.
Great fun, wonderful memories and a superb time was
had by all. Now we’re expecting our fi rst child! Thank you
Mansfi eld. ●
Paul Jackson
Since writing
this article,
Paul and
Carter have
had a baby
girl, Imogen.
ALUMNI NEWS 24

Transalpine Triathlon
Ian Howard
Law 1974-77
Patron of Mansfi eld College
Ian Howard set off on July 1 on a mission to raise £10,000
for Marie Curie Cancer Care. His challenge was to cycle,
run and swim his way from “the Med to Bled” in a
mammoth 2,000 mile triathlon across the Alps. 52 days,
2,308 miles and 241,377 feet of ascent later, and Ian
completed his “transalpine triathlon” with the total raised
well in excess of his original target. The total raised currently
stands just short of £17,000.
Ian, who was the British long course triathlon champion
for the over-fi fties age group in 2007 and has competed in
four Ironman competitions, took a sabbatical from work
as Director of M&A and Corporate Pensions at Siemens in
Frimley, in order to complete the feat.
His route took him from Nice through the Maritime Alps
on to Switzerland, through the Dolomites in Italy, then up
to Austria and fi nally across to Slovenia. There was lots of
zig-zagging around because Ian wanted to take in the 12
highest passes in the Alps, all of which are more than 2,500
metres high; Ian cycled or ran across each one and swam in
the lakes he encountered along the way as well. The latter
included Lake Geneva, Lake Annecy, and at the end, Lake
Bled. He used no motorised transport for the duration of
the challenge. The highest point reached by road was at the
foot of the Tiefenbach glacier in the Oetztal in Austria at
just over 2,800 metres. The total height climbed on that day
exceeded 4,000 metres – around 13,000 feet.
The back-up crew consisted of Ian’s wife Judith, Rosie, the
black labrador, and their camper van, affectionately known
as Vanessa, which provided accommodation along the way.
Judith had the unenviable task of guiding the van up and
down extreme gradients and around numerous hairpin
bends day after day, and navigating at the same time.
The couple had various friends joining them along the way,
some of whom were able to accompany Ian on various stages
of the journey.
Ian, Judith and Rosie kept a blog
each day so family and friends
back home could keep up to date
with their progress. In the fi nal
diary entry Judith wrote: “After
a mammoth 124-mile fi nal cycle
leg Ian reached Lake Bled about
8.00pm on Thursday 21 August,
tired but happy, and immediately
jumped into the lake with Rosie in
hot pursuit.”
Ian and Judith had many
adventures and experiences.
These ranged from crossing the
Jaufen Pass in Austria in a severe thunderstorm on foot,
to watching the Tour de France on Alpe d’Huez from the
luxury of the CSC team’s corporate hospitality marquee!
Ian was a keen runner at Mansfi eld and in his second year,
when he was captain of the University Second Team, known
as the Tortoises, the combined Mansfi eld/Merton college
team with Ian in it, won the University Cuppers crosscountry.
In recent years triathlon has become his favoured
sport. He chose to support Marie Curie Cancer Care after
his mother died from cancer last year. The charity provides
totally free nursing night care to terminally ill people who
have made the choice of dying at home supported by their
families.
Ian and Judith are both back at work now and thinking
about their next challenge.
If you would like to help Ian raise even more for
Marie Curie Cancer Care you can still donate at
www.justgiving.com/ianhoward2 ●
Ian Howard
Rachael Westgarth
née Molsom
English 1992-95
Congratulations to Rachael, whose twins were born on
19th September 2008. Emily Grace is on the left, and
James Allen is on the right.
25 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Dana Dunne
PPE 1983-84 (VSP)
Patron of Mansfi eld College
Dana Dunne was featured in The Times in
March this year and The Financial Times in
July. Mr Dunne is a Patron of the college and
a dedicated alumnus, with an exceptionally
interesting and successful career record that pays
tribute to his strength of mind and ambition.
Both newspaper articles are fi t to burst
with the accolades of Mr Dunne’s career.
Combining an education at prestigious colleges
– the Wesleyan University, Middletown,
Connecticut, and Wharton College, University
of Pennsylvania – with a year of learning
Spanish in Madrid, this born entrepreneur
was aware of the future need for a foreign language in the
increasingly global economy. At the Wesleyan University
he demonstrated an astonishing diversity of interests,
studying, among other things, astronomy, British politics,
and genetics. He also trained himself preemptively and
instinctively in technology; whilst at college he was already
developing computer programmes for legal contracts during
a Vacation job. He came across his own now-established
programme years later, when he was working as a leader of
McKinsey and Company’s telecommunications practices in
their London, Brussels and Madrid offi ces. Mr Dunne also
spent some time working for the corporate banking arm of
JP Morgan Chase in New York in order to learn the banking
business.
The major steps in Mr Dunne’s career include being
appointed vice-president of strategy development, and then
overall president, at US West International, followed by a
move to the Business Division of the $10 billion Belgian
Above: Brook Hall
Below: Joanna and Stephen
Brook Hall Cookery School
Joanna Bulmer née Shannon
PPE 1980-83
operator Belgacom, as general manager. A stint at a private
equity group in London preceded Mr Dunne’s recruitment
at AOL, where he was in charge of US transformation.
Thriving on the changeability of the situation
for AOL, Mr Dunne told the Financial Times,
“I love the sense of waking up each day to
something different”. In 2007 he became the
CEO of AOL Europe, and, whereas AOL was
present in three European countries when he
started in the role, its presence has now increased
to thirteen countries.
Mr Dunne’s business attitude is a good indicator
to the path of his success. He is positive,
personable, thorough: “My responsibility is fi rst
and foremost to the people I lead and making
sure they are comfortable with these changes. I
have to make sure we have the right people in
the right place doing the right things”(Financial Times). He
is also primarily of an enthusiastic disposition; in March Mr
Dunne told The Times that an economic slowdown would
not necessarily affect internet business: “The shift online
will continue for years to come and there is no sign of it
plateauing.”
A high achiever on all levels, Mr Dunne runs marathons
in his spare time. He has run the London, Paris and
Washington marathons. His father worked for US company
AT&T, a telecommunications giant, and Mr Dunne
was inspired as a child by the early forms of computer
technology that he saw in his father’s offi ce. His mother,
Diane C. Dunne, was featured in last year’s magazine. She
is a real estate broker with Corcoran in New York. Not only
is Ms Dunne also a Patron of the college, but she is also a
member of the core group of alumni who are helping to set
up Mansfi eld’s North American Alumni Organization
(see back cover). ●
EH
Joanna Bulmer (née Shannon, PPE 1980-3) and her husband Stephen opened Brook Hall
Cookery School in Winslow, near Buckingham, last year. The school offers one-day courses
for amateur cooks, as well as corporate events/entertaining, private dining at Brook Hall and
outside catering. Stephen was previously chef director of the Raymond Blanc Cookery School
at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and has worked at Michelin-level restaurants all over the world.
Joanna’s previous career was in advertising, but she has maintained her interest in good food
which evolved during her time at Mansfi eld, attempting to cook dinner parties on a two-ring
stove on C staircase. Running a cookery school in their home has enabled Joanna and Stephen
to balance work with spending more time with their children, Oliver (6 yrs) and Emily (4 yrs).
Brook Hall is a Grade II-listed, Queen Anne townhouse. Facilities include two state-of-the art
teaching kitchens, period dining room seating up to 16 guests, drawing room, separate meeting
room, three guest bedrooms and a walled garden with outdoor swimming pool. Cookery
courses are run four days each week across a broad range of subjects including Fish & Shellfi sh,
Meat & Poultry, Game Cookery, Flavours of the Orient, Italian Cookery and Delicious
Desserts. For further information, please see www.brookhall.net or call 01926 712111. ●
Joanna Bulmer
ALUMNI NEWS 26

For the Love of Animals
Sidney Blankenship
Theology 1967-69, MA (Oxon.)
Some people ask me how I ever got to Oxford. So here is a
glimpse into my life that may explain the basis of my current
work, and the photos that accompany this article. My father
raised sheep on the prairies of West Texas in the 1930’s,
following the environmental devastation known as the
“dust bowl,” caused by speculators who sold vast acreages
of grassland as suitable for cultivation. In the 1870’s, after
the Civil War, American bison were being eradicated, and
Indian tribes were being forced on to “Reservations.” The
massive infl ux of European cattle and other domestic
animals fuelled ecological disruption and the removal of
indigenous animals such as the gray wolf, and other species
whose natures confl icted with a settled society. My father
eventually gave up the sheep business (he had hundreds,
if not thousands, grazing on open range abandoned by
disillusioned settlers). He sheared the sheep, but we never
ate them. At this stage, he started farming on rented land.
I attended a rural public school in Adrian for twelve years.
After being valedictorian of a class of twelve students,
I attended Abilene Christian College. I was Student
Association Vice-President and graduated magna cum laude
with a B.A. in Bible and Greek in 1966.
My application to Oxford was too late for consideration for
that year, but I was accepted into the Bachelor of Divinity
course at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. I re-applied
to Oxford, and received a letter of acceptance to Mansfi eld.
I was also accepted by the University of Texas Law School,
but theology was a more powerful infl uence for me. My
experience did not disappoint me: with tutorials under
George Caird, Donald Sykes, and R.C. Zaehner at All Souls,
and the ever-caring Principal John Marsh, I received a B.A.
degree in the Honour School of Theology in 1969. The
camaraderie of my student days will always be with me:
rowing with the college eight, tennis cuppers, the diners’
club(!), President of the Junior Common Room... all made
life a pleasure which has never been equalled.
The farm’s landscape, with white-tailed deer in the foreground,
and bison in the distance.
Collared peccaries
When I came down from Oxford I did research in San
Francisco for a Dartmouth professor in kinetics and nonverbalcommunication,
after which I returned to the family
farm in Texas. My interest turned to the environment,
animals, and the spirituality of Native American culture.
In 1980 I became a vegetarian. I bought two bison calves
in South Dakota and began a restoration of this extirpated
species, presentlya viable herd of 65 animals. My long-lost
love of canids was revived with a closed population of dogs
evolving into a virtual family. All my animals (bison, bears,
African lions, whitetail deer, javelinas) are reared with a
view to their social needs as a factor of the preservation and
enhancement of species. They serve to keep my approach to
research up close and personal.
Mansfi eld has been very generous in respect to this pursuit.
As a member of the North American Development
Committee in the mid-1980’s, I returned for several College
events including a celebration of the Royal Charter for full
collegestatus in 1995. John Muddiman was instrumental in
directing me to the Interdisciplinary Research Network on
Environment and Society; and I gave a paper at Warwick
University on “Culture and Animals” in 1994.
I attended the University’s Columbus Quincentenary event
at the Guildhall in London in 1992. Having attended
several University alumni events in New York, Houston
and Oxford, and being personally acquainted with all
the Principals of Mansfi eld since I was a student all those
years ago, I am convinced that Oxford is an unparalleled
support system for original research. The inauguration of
the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics by Professor Linzey
in 2007, which I attended last year, and the work of the
University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, which
I explored more fully this year, lends proof to that
conviction.
My immediate research consists of a “Comparison of
Deuteronomy 14 and Leviticus 11.” It is being undertaken
concurrently with the compilation of a “Concordance
of Biblical Animals.” Both theological works have their
foundation in literary analysis, natural history and ethics. ●
27 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Alumni News
Dhruti Shah
English 2000-2003
Dhruti worked for BBC Radio 1 and Radio 1Xtra as a
broadcast journalist for six and a half months, and is looking
forward to starting a new adventure at BBC News Online.
John Lombard
PPE VSP 2001-02
John is currently living and working in Boston. He is
the budget manager for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
Massachusetts.
Neil Hastie
English&MSt 1996-00
Neil is currently a Senior Economic Policy Adviser to the
Scottish Government. He has held a number of high profi le
posts during a 7-year civil service career – including as Head
of Strategic Communications and Principal Speechwriter to
successive Scottish First Ministers. He lives in East Lothian
with his wife, Carolyn, and their two children, Hamish
and Molly.
Nigel Mottershead
English 1997-80
Nigel now lives near Farnham in Surrey and is Director of
Close Brothers Limited, running one of their divisions based
in Surbiton. Contact details nigelam@btinternet.com
Paul Worsley
Jurisprudence 1966-69
Paul is now a Senior Circuit Judge at the Old Bailey.
Philip Jones
Geography 1978-81
Philip Jones assumed the
appointment of Commander
UK Maritime Force in
September 2008 and holds,
primarily, a contingent
capability to command
UK, Allied or coalition
maritime forces worldwide,
when assigned. He is also
accountable for the delivery
of a Battle Staff , at both 2* and 1* level, capable of meeting
the requirements of a Joint task Force Commander and
acting as a Maritime Component Commander. Promoted
to Rear Admiral (2*) in February 2008, he had previously
served a short tour as Flag Offi cer Scotland, Northern
England and Northern Ireland, where he was responsible
for the four Commodores who command Naval Regional
activity across the UK, and also for Naval Security,
Recruiting, Reserves, Youth and Cadets.
Lindsey Mitchell
English 1983-86
After practising as a Lawyer for fourteen years, Lindsey
retrained as a psychotherapist and counsellor. She is
delighted with the change and is living in Devon with
her partner.
Ian Jackson
Jurisprudence 1994-97
Ian has moved from Ashurst to Herbert Smith, where he
is a Senior Associate Solicitor. Herbert Smith is a leading
and full-service international practice, which deals with
transactions, projects and disputes.
Laura Baggaley
English 1996-99
Married Michael Caines (Somerville), baby daughter Mina
in August.
Elizabeth Hillman née Pennington
Law 1987-90
Elizabeth had her fi rst child, a baby girl named Olivia, on
August 9th.
John Glen
Modern History 1993-
96, Patron of Mansfi eld
John got married to
Emma on 5th August.
Dave Stainforth
Geography DPhil 2005-
Dave Stainforth has been
appointed to an Associate
Professorship in Physical
Geography and will take
up his post in August
2007. He is currently a
NERC Research Fellow
and is the Chief Scientist
for climateprediction.net at Oxford University, the largest
climate modelling exercise yet undertaken. David is a
world leading climate modeller. His research interests are in
climate physics and he works in the Middle Atmosphere and
Climate Dynamics group of the Oxford University Physics
subdepartment of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary
Physics. His research interests cover uncertainty analysis in
climate forecasts, coupled Ocean/Atmosphere computer
modelling and the analysis and review of renewable energy
projects and policies in developing countries.
ALUMNI NEWS 28

65 Years of Friendship:
Bennett – Thomas – Beck
by Geoffrey Beck (Theology 1942-46)
John Harrison Bennett
B: Ipswich, Suffolk, D: Canberra, Australia 2007
Congregational Minister, Headgate, Colchester 1950-55
Sydney, Australia 1955-59; Adelaide 1959-71, Canberra
1971-85.
Vernon Lloyd Thomas
B: Pencoed, South Wales, 1916, D: Pencoed, 2007
Further Education teacher, Banbury Tech. Lecturer in
Department of Overseas Management and Administration
Studies, Manchester University. Adviser to the International
Labour Organisation, and other bodies.
Geoffrey Beck
B: Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, 1918
Congregational Minister, Eccleston St. Helens 1946-50;
Summertown, Oxford 1950-65; Warden, Chapel of Unity,
Coventry Cathedral 1965-71; Central Free, Brighton (URC)
1971-84.
This article is about three Mansfi eld men who, aged 18, 24,
and 26, in the academic year 1942-43, shared lodgings in 20
Osberton Road, Summertown, and whose friendship lasted
65 years. Vernon (26), our senior, was a Cardiff Philosophy
Graduate, the youngest of eleven sisters and brothers,
a lifelong socialist, born and bred in South Wales, with
English his native tongue. Despite this fact, as a “theolog”
he was a Calvinistic Methodist, the mainly Welsh-speaking
Presbyterian Church of Wales. The SCM (Student Christian
Movement) coupled with Mansfi eld made him ecumenical
(ecumenism is the promotion of unity or cooperation
between distinct religious groups or denominations of
Christianity). In 1945 he went to study in Switzerland
under the psychiatrist Carl Jung.
John (18) was the youngest of four, a cheerful, energetic,
overgrown schoolboy, launching on his wartime History
degree at St. Catherine’s (before Mansfi eld gained status
as a Permanent Private Hall, students had to matriculate
through the non-residential St. Catherine’s Society, which
later became St. Catherine’s College) – at fi rst rather missing
his home, school and church in the Suffolk market town
of Framlingham. In 1949-50, when JCR President, he
did a thesis on “Congregationalism in Suffolk from 1870-
1940”. Writing in 1996 for our Golden Wedding album,
John recalled “the rigours of wartime rations and the pangs
of hunger”. Mrs Lupton, our Baptist landlady, strictly
divided everything into three portions to ensure fair shares.
It was a greatly matured young man indeed who returned
to Mansfi eld after his 1943-46 service as a Royal artillery
offi cer latterly in India, Burma, Thailand and Malaysia.
In contrast I was a conscientious objector, the only
child of 1914-18 Christian pacifi st parents whose stance
then had been costly in many ways: in comparison my
1939-42 saga of nine frustrating C.O.Tribunals was as
nothing. (Conscientious Objector trials were set up when
conscription was introduced in 1916 and again in 1939.
A committee chaired by a County Court judge assessed
each application.) At brief notice I was “allowed” to sit my
Sociology Finals at LSE-in-Cambridge. I had also met SCM
member and Anglican Joy Crookshank, my wife-to-be,
in Cambridge. She was training to be a psychiatric social
worker, ending with a placement in an Oxford clinic near
our lodgings. She brightened our lives with spring-time
visits. For our 1996 Golden Wedding Album Vernon wrote:
“She and I talked Psychology a lot, and I recall cycling along
together to the digs talking about the nervous system – we
wobbled along!”. I returned after a long illness in 1944 to
fi nd that he had a close Medical student friend, Elisabeth
Browne, who became a psychiatrist. Lifelong friends, but
they never married.
Vernon also reminisced in 1996, “Geoffrey and I were
keen members of the SCM”. Our weekly meetings were in
the Old Library of the University Church, and there were
stimulating sermons in the Church on Sunday evenings
– from Archbishop William Temple onwards. Thus the
Church of St Mary the Virgin in the High came to have rich
memories for all of us. In March 1952 John was married
there to Dorothy Burgmann, daughter of the Bishop of
Canberra and Goulburn. By then the vicar was Roy Lee, an
Australian, so he and his wife were a friendly home-fromhome
for Dorothy during her research studies. She and John
had met during his fi nal Mansfi eld year, and fi ve months
later he proposed marriage to her at Framlingham Castle.
John had promised to visit Australia “for two years at least”.
In 1955 the young minister, plus wife and two children (two
more to come) sailed for £5 on a boat for emigrants – the
“New Australians” of the 1950’s. The two years became
fi fty-two, with seven return visits, always by boat, to spend
time with family and old friends.
As for Vernon, I know that his work took him around the
world, from parts of Africa, to Bangladesh, Chicago, and
Czechoslovakia, for example – but telephoning, rather than
his inscrutable handwriting, kept us in touch, especially
when he retired to his Welsh birthplace, and up to a few
days before the end. And now I quote from two excellent
Thanksgiving services dedicated to John last November
in Tuggeranong United Church, Canberra and Pilgrim
Church, Adelaide, in part by his family.
“From his arrival in Australia Dad was part of the movement
towards Church Union [for he] was both a denominational
and an ecumenical leader [who] loved his own dissenting
tradition.” From 1959 to 1971 in central Adelaide and
similarly in Canberra, “apart from his pastoral care, for him
a city church and city pulpit was how he addressed issues
of state and national concern. But … once Dad retired …
he took other ways of making his views known on many ➥
29 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

issues.” Dorothy was still busy in Amnesty International.
There were rallies and marches of which he wrote, such as
opposition to war in Iraq.
Although from 1980 an Australian citizen, John remained
loyal to English cricket! But above all, “to think of John is
to be confronted with an image of a tenderness not found
in every man, or every woman…A remarkable forgiver, a
way of seeing in others what many could not see. A Jesuslike
capacity. Or, as John had said, “We don’t have to prove
ourselves worthy of God’s love…but gladly to accept it, to
live in it day by day, and to share it with others.” ●
Geoffrey Beck
The 1943 (Trinity Term) photograph of the Mansfi eld College Senior
and Junior Common Rooms. The back row from right reads
John Bennett, Vernon Thomas, Geoffrey Beck. Also of note are
Dr CJ Cadoux (Vice-Principal, front row 3rd from right),
Dr N Micklem (Principal, 2nd from right), John Marsh (Chaplain and
future Principal, far right), George Caird (future Principal, middle
row, far right).
‘Geoffrey
Beck and
John Bennett
enjoying a brief
interlude on
the Cherwell in
the Summer of
1943. Geoff is
the handsome
one.’ (!)
Obituary
David Kerr
1945-2008
Theology 1966-68
by Sidney Blankenship,
MA (1967)
Yesterday I received the
New College, Edinburgh,
Bulletin 2008 in which I
read with great sadness of the death of David Kerr who
was a contemporary (1967-1969) at Mansfi eld. I last saw
him in 1996 at the 150th Anniversary of New College
which houses the Divinity School on the Mound in
Edinburgh, an impressive week-long celebration with
HRH Prince Philip and the Patriarch of Constantinople.
Photo: Divinity School, Edinburgh
David Kerr was for a number of years Director of the
Centre for the Study of Christianity in the Non-Western
World at Edinburgh; and his perspective on Islam is
especially one which I can appreciate. Having received
his D.Phil. from St. Antony’s College after I left Oxford,
he concentrated on Christian/Muslim relations at Selly
Oak College in Birmingham and Hartford Seminary in
America. His openness to the positive history of other
traditions was a window into his soul. He came to
Edinburgh in 1995 and drafted the World Council of
Churches’ guidelines on “Dialogue and Community.”
He lamented the polemical approach of alienating
other faiths.
This is the fi rst I had heard of his death which occurred
on 14th April of this year, after a debilitating illness in
Sweden, where he had taken up a new appointment.
He was an inspiration to his fellow students at a unique
period in Mansfi eld’s history, having previously studied
Arabic and Islam at London’s School of Oriental and
African Studies. He was highly critical of the post 9/11
governmental response from the West. During our days
at Oxford, he and I shared notes from George Caird’s
lectures on Romans, the occasional tutorial, and one of
the intimate dinner invitations with John and Gladys
Marsh in the Principal’s Lodgings, as well as another
with Professor Zaehner at an Italian restaurant in Queen
Street. Long-lost friendships never really come to an end.
Once when I came back to Oxford, I decided to visit
Professor Zaehner at All Souls. I inquired for him at the
Porter’s Lodge, and was informed that he had “passed
on”; to which I replied without thinking, “Oh, well I
guess I’ll see him there.” Somehow, I would expect that
from David Kerr, as well. ●
Sidney Blankenship
ALUMNI NEWS 30

Mansfi eld College Events 2008
Summer Reunion Garden Party
22nd June 2008
Blue skies (and periodic gusts of wind) smiled upon this year’s
Summer Renion, which was attended by a good number of
students, alumni, families, members of College, and friends of
Mansfi eld. A buffet lunch was served, the Mansfi eld Association
held their AGM and presented the Student of the Year Awards,
Pete Lay kept everyone entertained with live music, and during
the afternoon cream tea was served on the lawns. Prof. Ros
Ballaster gave the annual lecture in the Chapel, which was
entitled ‘Uncovering the mysteries of the Arabian nights entertainments in eighteenth
century England: a talk with dramatic interludes’, and which involved student acting.
Above left: Ros as storyteller Scheherezade, Paul Maiden (2nd year English) as Schahriar, and below them Dinarzade (Charlotte Spurrell, 2nd
year English). Top right: lunch on the lawn. Right: Guardians Sarah and Peter Harkness, and family.
Annual Parents’ Dinner
20th September 2008
This year, so many parents decided to come to the Annual Parents’ Dinner that we had to move it into the Chapel! Tutors and
senior admin staff also attended the dinner, allowing parents the chance to meet some of the names that they will hear recurring.
Many of the parents stayed in college accommodation, which allowed people to travel from the far reaches of the British Isles, as
well as Germany, Switzerland and France.
Parent’s Comment
“I was overwhelmed by the friendly atmosphere which pervaded the whole weekend. I
have a much clearer idea of what life will be like for my daughter at Mansfi eld, and was
left with the impression that it is supportive and caring while encouraging academic
excellence. It was so helpful to meet other parents and discuss common issues, while
relaxing over excellent food and wine in the marvelous Chapel. The personal touch was
so evident all weekend, from the Porter giving us a guided tour of the library to the
Principal and her husband speaking to as many parents as possible.”
Parents’ Network Meeting
20th September 2008
16 parents attended the meeting. Parents attending represented students of the
following matriculation years: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, and the following
subjects: Geography, English, Jurisprudence, Human Sciences, PPE, Theology,
Materials Science.
Principal topics of discussion were the contents of the Parents’ Welcome Booklet
and suitable events for Parents to attend.
www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk/alumni/mansfi elds-parents.html
Oxford University Alumni Weekend
19th-21st September 2008
Lord Stockton
(Patron of Mansfi eld
and father of Louisa
MacMillan, Oriental
Studies 2001-05)
participated in a
discussion panel entitled ‘Europe in a new
world order’.The panel also included Lord
Patten (far left), Baroness Nicholson (centre
left), and Dr Paul Flather (centre right).
Above: Pre-dinner drinks on the Chapel Lawn.
Above: Parents’ Network Meeting
Date for the diary: Next Parents’ Network Meeting: at the Summer Reunion, 27th June 2008. All parents welcome, even parents of alumni, no further
commitment necessary. We value your opinions!
Next year’s
Alumni Weekend:
25-28th September
Philip Rattle (English
1984-87, Guardian of
Mansfi eld) gave a talk
on ‘Private Equity in
the Global Economy’.
In his talk he covered
the basics of the fi eld,
whilst also delving
into the more complex
issues surrounding the
economic crisis that was
erupting as he spoke.
31 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Eighth Annual Hands Lecture
“AFTER IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN -
SHALL WE EVER INTERVENE AGAIN?”
Lord Ashdown of Norton-Sub-Hamdon
GCMG KBE PC
Tuesday 4th November 2008, 5:30pm
Mansfi eld College Chapel
Lord Ashdown began his speech by reading out, verbatim,
from the minute he had sent to Gordon Brown and David
Miliband when it appeared likely that he would be going to
Afghanistan as the UN’s Representative. The immediacy and
pertinence of this advice to Ministers set the tone for the
whole of his fascinating and deeply perceptive lecture, and
for the answers he gave to the wide-ranging questions that
followed.
No summary of Lord Ashdown’s presentation can do justice
to it and will not be attempted here, as the whole of his text
is available on the College website.
Lord Ashdown spoke to a packed Chapel, and his impressive
speech was followed by an enthusiastic question-and-answer
session. Given on the night before the US Presidential
Elections, the speech was rendered even more poignant.
At the dinner following the event, Ashdown took yet more
questions. Many thanks to Lord Ashdown for his dynamic
visit to Mansfi eld. ●
DW
www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk > college news
Mansfi eld Association
President: Gill Kirk
(English 1991-93, Mansfi eld 500)
As always, we began our new
year at the AGM, where we said
thank you to Geoffrey Roper
for giving us three years as
Association President. Gill Kirk
has taken the reins - and the
opportunity to call for members
(anyone who has been to Mansfi eld) to throw us ideas
for activities or services we can provide. As we said in the
October newsletter, all thoughts on college scarf macramé
evenings / over 50’s-Balliol-bashing / spot the stolen library
book nostalgia nights are welcome. All members can come
to meetings. They’re in College, 6pm, on 11 February and
21 May. Our AGM is on Saturday 27 June.
Presentation of Minute Book by
Moseley School, Birmingham
24 July 2008
Spring Hill College,
Moseley, Birmingham
trained ministers for
the Congregational
church from 1838 until
it closed and transferred
to Mansfi eld in 1886; in
1923 Birmingham City Council took over the buildings and
it became Moseley School. Pupils, teachers and members
of the Moseleians Association have made a number of
visits to the College over the years, keeping alive the links
between the two institutions. Their latest visit on 24 July
was special because of a chance fi nd of a Minute Book by an
antiquarian bookseller in Norfolk who contacted Professor
Carl Chinn at the University of Birmingham, a member of
the Moseleians Association. The Minute Book, dating back
to 1838, documents the education of many distinguished
Congregational ministers and is an invaluable resource for
the study of Nonconformity. The Association raised £200 to
secure the purchase of the Minute Book for Moseley School
and Richard Cobb, of the Moseleians Association, presented
it to the Bursar, Steve Waterman, so that it may be kept in
Mansfi eld College Library with other archives from Spring
Hill. The Bursar presented two books to Moseley School:
the 1890 memorial volume detailing the early history
and events at the offi cial opening of the College buildings
in 1889 and the 1996 centenary volume by Dr Elaine
Kaye ‘Mansfi eld College Oxford: its origin, history and
signifi cance’.
The College is very grateful to the Moseleians Association
for donating this important archive. ●
Alma Jenner, Head Librarian
We’re very much looking forward to working with the new
Alumni Relations Manager, Emily Henderson, and we hope
that together we can make sure alumni feel both up to speed
with what’s happening at Mansfi eld and able to tap into the
old student network.
Time for a very quick run-down of what we’re up to. We’re
working with College on marking the 50th anniversary of
Mansfi eld study holidays for pupils from London’s East End
for (aka Mansfi eld House / Settlement). We’re sorting out
our website – slowly but surely! Jocelyn Bell Burnell will be
speaking at the Association Dinner, which we hope will be a
big, enjoyable and interesting night, as part of the College’s
Midsummer Reunion Weekend (put Friday 26th June in
your diary!).
Feel free to get in touch with your thoughts and ideas:
gill_kirk@lyric-communications.com. ●
Gill Kirk
2008 EVENTS AND EXAM RESULTS 32

Examination Results
2008
DOCTORATE (DPhil)
Materials Science
Helen Marsh
Social Policy
Rodney Dacombe
MASTER OF
PHILOSOPHY
MPhil in Economics
Pass Nils Braun
MAGISTER JURIS
Pass Hiroko Okado
MASTER OF SCIENCE
MSc in African Studies
Dist John Gibbons
Pass Yvette Stephens
MSc Biodiversity Conservation &
Management
Dist Marta Lang
Pass Giorgi Lebanidze
Pass Travers McNiece
Dist Alexandra Webb
MSc Computer Science
Dist Michail Prusakov
Dist Hao Wu
MSc Maths Modelling
Pass Nathaniel Fenton
MSc Maths & Foundations of
Computer Science
Pass Stefanos Aivazudis
MSc Political Theory Research
Pass Banu Turnaglu
MASTER OF STUDIES
MSt in Jewish Studies
Dist Daniel Purisch
Huda Salih
MSt in English
Dist Fran MacDonald
Pass Hilary Havens
MSt in History
Pass Alice Pilkington
MSt in Historical Research
Dist Michael Wagner
MBA
Pass Alok Mathur
Felipe Saavedra
Daniel Stoddart
Sebastian Stoddart
Piyaphol Vudhivorn
MASTER OF
ENGINEERING (MEng)
Engineering Science
Class 2.i Matthew Morris
Engineering, Economics &
Management
Class 2.i Daniel Smith
Class 2.ii Zhengjia Zhou
Materials, Economics & Management
Class 2.1 Stanley Li
Materials Science
Class 2.1 Michael Dowling
Semjon Terehhov
MASTER OF
MATHEMATICS
MMaths Part C
Class 1 John McCarthy
Class 2.i Colin I Taylor
MMaths Part B
Class 1 Daniel Harvey
David Sims
MMaths & StatisticsPart B
Class 1 Valentina Iotchkova
MASTER OF PHYSICS
(MPhys)
Class 1 Paul Davies
Philip Merchant
BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA)
English Language & Literature
Class I Emma Gerrard
Fay Skevington
Kirsty Stanfi eld
Class 2.i Annie Catherall
Danielle Cluer
Kate Johnson
Fiona Murphy
Benjamin Shockley
Julie Skeat-Smith
Adam Watkins
History
Class I Alexander Morris
Class 2.i Alexander Craven
Thomas Foster
Guy Garden
Simon Lerner
Thomas Patterson
Bethan Williams
History & English
Class 2.i Melissa Julian-Jones
History & Politics
Class I Nezam Bagherzade
Class 2.i Rebecca Barnett
Fay Burton
Geography
Class I Luke Jessop
Class 2.i Gordon Campbell
Andrew Cook
Thomas Leverson-
Gower
Katharine Moore
Joseph Pickles
James Roylance
Daniel Thompson
Human Sciences
Class 2.i Charlotte Chilcott
Sean Leopold
Jurisprudence
Class I David Johnson
Class 2.i Rebecca Finch
Lloyd Thomas
Class 2.ii Alexia Kapranos
Mathematics
Class 1 Horatio Boedihardjo
Class 2.i Richard Collins
Richard Dyble
Maths & Philosophy
Class I Charolotte
Stonehouse
Maths & Statistics
Class 2.ii Pengzhu Xu
Oriental Studies
Class 2.i Sam Plumbly
PPE
Class 1 William Jefferson
Class 2.i Emily Davies
Julia Lerch
Thomas Mann
Julian Mansfi eld
Susannah May
Laura Zimmerman
Physics
Class 2.i Richard Harriss
Harry Kennard
Class 2.ii Martin Slater
Ying Soon
Philosophy & Theology
Class 2.i Thomas Crawshaw
Theology
Class 2.i William Burrows
33 MANSFIELD COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Roy Cooper
Alexander Dacre
Amy Icke
BTh
Class 1 Timothy Searle
Class 2.i Caroline Vodden
Class 2.ii Jennifer Mills
UNCLASSIFIED
HONOURS
Engineering, Economics &
Management Part I
Pass Mengru Qu
Engineering SciencePart I
Pass Xie Feng
Martin Moran
Thomas Smith
Materials, Economics & Management
Part I
Pass Sebastian Webb
Materials Science Part I
Pass Jennifer Brown
Luke Hanson
Pettengell
Manuel Schnabel
Mathematics Part A
Pass Reuben Holt
Lucy Mase-Robinson
David Putnins
Benjamin Rule
Mathematics & Statistics Part A
Pass Clayton d’Souza
Elizabeth Rae
Helbert Tsang
Quang Tran
Physics Part B
Pass Wojiech Rzepala
Physics Part A
Pass Anna Antoniou
Timothy Clarke
Paul Lam
Rory Morrison
Vassilis Pandis
Thomas Swinburne
HONOUR
MODERATIONS
Mathematics
Class I Tristan Grey-Davies
Class II Perry Asbury
Paul Carter
Melanie Hah
Bobby Sun
Mathematics & Statistics
Class III Jiaojiao Zhang
MODERATIONS
English
Pass Charles Alderwick
Luke Bullock
Sam Caird
Kathryn Davies
Laurence Dodds
Hannah Plant
Marianne Turner
Joanna Williams
Law
Dist Giles Rabbits
Martin Wood
Pass Noor Ashraf
Jack Baumgardt
T Mebratu-Tsegaye
Ian Montagu
PRELIMINARY
EXAMINATIONS
Engineering
Dist John Kerr
Christopher Mertlitz
Radoslaw Nowak
Geography
Dist Peter Harrison Evans
Pass Rachel Bowles
Catherine Connor
Christopher fort
Benjamin Lazarus
Robert Lee
Andrew Taylor
Ben Williams
History
Dist Tim Glebocki
Pass David Bruce
Nicholas Gomes
Alasdair O’Hare
Vishal Patel
Luke Webster
History & English
Pass Daniel Clarke
History & Politics
Pass Jonathan Brooks
Human Sciences
Pass Sara Bainbridge
Sonia Chandaria
Martha Swales
Materials Science
Dist Robert Clough
Jian Wang
Pass Helen Dugdale
Chirag Goyate
Jack Spawton
Oriental Studies
Dist Angelina Lonnquist
Harriet Publicover
PPE
Dist Duncan Lugton
Pass Emma Baddeley
Robbie Coleman
Sarah Collier
Khadija Gulamhusein
Beatrice Male
Physics
Pass Joseph Barnard
Tom Goodman
Louise Kwok
Robert Legg
Hira Virdee
David Wilkinson
Theology
Pass Rohini Bajekal
Richard Batty
Alastair Colin-Jones
Daniel Cowley
Henry Fox
Andrew Green
Orlando Lewis
2008 EVENTS AND EXAM RESULTS 34

Events Calendar
Saturday 7th February 2009
English Dinner
Invited: alumni, students, SCR
Type of event: subject reunion (guests welcome), a dinner to
celebrate the love of literature.
See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk >
alumni&development > events.
Book now!
Saturday 21st February 2009
Second Annual Law Dinner
Invited: alumni, students, SCR
Type of event: subject/profession reunion (guests welcome), dinner
followed by short talks from Law alumni.
See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk >
alumni&development > events.
See page 7
Book now!
Saturday 28th February 2009
Theology Dinner
Invited: alumni, students, SCR
Type of event: subject reunions (guests welcome), a dinner to
celebrate Theology at Mansfi eld
See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk >
alumni&development > events.
Book now!
Saturday 21st March
Gaudy 2000-2005
Invited: alumni who matriculated between 2000-2005, SCR
Type of event: reunion for year-groups 2000-2005, guests welcome.
Accommodation: rooms available in college - book early.
See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk >
alumni&development > events.
See page 18
Book now!
Thursday 30th April 2009
Alumni London Drinks
Invited: alumni, SCR
Type of event: alumni gather in a chosen bar for an informal
evening. Champagne to be won.
See who is attending: guest list will be posted online nearer the time.
See page 18
Saturday 30th May 2009
Summer VIIIs and Boat Club Dinner
Invited: alumni, students
Type of event: rowing enthusiasts are invited to Summer VIIIs or
just Boat Club Dinner, guests welcome.
See who is attending: guest list online www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk >
alumni&development > events.
See page 13-14
Book now!
Friday 26th June 2009
Mansfi eld Association Dinner
Contact: gill_kirk@lyric-communications.com
See page 32
Saturday 27th June 2009
Midsummer Reunion
Commemoration
Parents’ Network Meeting (see page 31)
Mansfi eld Association AGM
Type of event: the annual Mansfi eld get-together that gives alumni
the chance to reunite, and parents the chance to visit their offspring’s
College. This year’s reunion is held on a Saturday, and we are
celebrating Ordinand training at Mansfi eld.
See page 31
25th-27th September 2009
Oxford University Alumni Weekend
Type of event: events occur all over the university for the weekend.
See page 31
Saturday 17th October 2009
Guardians’ Dinner
Invited: Guardians, SCR
Type of event: an annual dinner held in gratitude to our
generous Guardians.
See page 17
Saturday 14th November 2009
Second Women’s Dinner
Invited: Alumni, students, SCR, staff
Type of event: an event to celebrate the successes of women at
Mansfi eld.
See who is attending: guest list will be posted online nearer
the time.
See page 8
Saturday 28th November 2009
Patrons’ Dinner
Invited: Patrons, SCR
Type of event: an annual dinner held in gratitude to our generous
Patrons.
See page 17
Other events planned:
Scotland Alumni Dinner
Wales Alumni Dinner
Nothern England Alumni Dinner
Annual Hands Lecture (see page 32)
North American Alumni Organisation
A group of Mansfi eld alumni, in conjunction with the Development
Offi ce, are currently setting up an alumni branch in New York.
Following a December meeting between core group members, an event
will be organized for early 2009. If you would like to get involved or
hear more about NAAO events, contact the Development Offi ce
(see contact details below).
Alumni Events: Alumni Bookings
Alumni events are organised by the Development Offi ce. Bookings
must be made through the Development Offi ce: by cheque, or by card
through the post or over the phone, 14 working days before the event.
After the 14 day deadline, refunds cannot be given on dinner tickets
or accommodation. Accommodation is only available
during vacation. During term, there is one guest room.
Contact the Development Offi ce for availability.
E: development@mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk T: +44 (0)1865 270998
www.mansfi eld.ox.ac.uk
Development Offi ce, Mansfi eld College, Oxford OX1 3TF, UK