The Revd Christopher Jones

Before I started officially as Master of the college in October 2010 I met many of the  Fellows currently at the college - and a few, like Christopher, who had left but were still closely associated with St Peter’s.   None gave me a more jovial welcome.

It has been one of the pleasures of this place that you end up meeting new people  who very often turn out to be terrific company – at a time in one’s life where one might not expect that sort of stimulation.   And Christopher was , for me and Rosie, a joy to know, to talk to and  to laugh with .

He had clearly been a hugely popular chaplain and tutor – scholarly, benign – and puckish.   He had a pronounced sense of mischief – shorn of malice.  His verbal reports on the intellectual musings of various bishops he encountered in his work as a policy advisor on public affairs for the Archbishop’ s Council were  a particular pleasure – part Trollope, part Private Eye.   He clearly liked virtually all of the bishops but  was sometimes perplexed by their public statements.  Occasionally Christopher would inform me of something a senior churchman had been about to say –  until he had intervened with advice that stopped the man  concerned from doing something  – in Christopher’s word – ‘batty.’

He came to as many college events as he could – concerts in particular. Because apart from his considerable intellectual gifts he was a musical man – and had had a good voice. He preached last term in the chapel a lovely sermon about St Peter – and in the middle of it  burst into tuneful song -  certainly the only time that has happened since I have been here. The choir (Christopher adored the choir) was suitably stunned and impressed.

As his illness progressed he wanted to make sure that the college had a present from him and thus we have our new, specially constructed, chamber organ. Christopher came to the inaugural concert last term and beamed from ear to ear.

I was reminded of his expression that day when our Director of Music and Tutor,  Dr Allen,  was playing  the chamber last month at an Evensong service.  He had the same expression on his face as had Christopher a few weeks earlier.  I wrote to tell Christopher this and you could sense his delight.

Throughout the time I knew him he was struggling with the cancer. He continued to live an astonishingly energetic existence (at least to my eyes) and his talk remained varied as well as amusing. I remember a conversation about the English cricket team over tea in Canal House.  I regarded his faith in the team’s qualities as crazy optimism. He wagged his finger at me. The jury is out on that one.

So a great member of this college has died and it is a sad thing. But he did a great deal for it .  He was tolerant, sociable, clever and wise.  I will miss his presence a great deal.

A slightly delayed set of reflections on the Oxford University North America Reunion – held in New York in mid-April.

Once every two years a host of University panjandrums fly to New York to meet friends and alumni of the collegiate university. There are dinners, talks, speeches, ceremonies, receptions. Hundreds of people turn up – and the Oxford contingent is led by the Chancellor and Vice Chancellor  though I assume, like royalty, they are not allowed to travel on the same plane.

I attended a fabulous lecture about genetics and statistics – given by Professor Peter Donnelly – but there were quite a few other competing attractions.  Some valuable exhibits from the Ashmolean were put into an upmarket crate and exhibited in a room in the Waldorf Astoria . The presence of a Titian, a Raphael and a Michelangelo – and other sundry morsels – improved the Waldorf’s real class by an order of magnitude.

Two years ago everyone present from Oxford got stuck in New York because of the Iceland ash cloud . This does not strike me as a hardship – but there was no such act of God this year and so we all had to resume normal life – rather than wander around Manhattan.  My bank manager was doubtless relieved.

The college dimension of all of this is important. The Reunion weekend is a way of North Americans, within and across cohorts, finding out about each other and finding out too what is going on at St Peter’s. We had a busy reception in the hotel on the Saturday night  (graciously funded by an alumnus, Patrick Turner) and, as with all these things, I learn a great deal about the college’s history – in particular its characters and spirit.  Not everything said is verifiable – or publishable – but nearly all of it is entertaining and instructive.

We have impressive alumni in America and Canada – interested in the college and often grateful for what they gained from St Peter’s.  The English-born contingent seem largely (but not always) to have arrived in America by accident. In one case someone came for six months and stayed for – thus far – forty-eight years.  The Americans and Canadians under the age of 60 all seem to have memories of Matthews Building in particular.  I can’t think why.

Karl Hudspith

We were then ushered into a launch as guests of our own Karl Hudspith – who by now you all know is this year’s President of the OUBC – and joined the flotilla following  the two crews on the river.   There were a dozen of us on board and sitting opposite was the lean figure of Karl’s father, Richard, armed with a camera and, as it turns out, a zen-like temperament.

Professor Mark Moloney (Pro-Proctor), Andrew Hamilton (Vice-Chancellor), Dr Huw Dorkins (Senior Proctor), Dr Roger Allen (Pro-Proctor), Mark Damazer (Master)

A day of high ceremony, fine pageantry, tradition and college pride.  In some ways the most formal occasion I have been to here – but done with wit , grace and knowingness.

It is St Peter’s turn to provide a proctor to the university .  There are two Proctors and an Assessor, appointed for a year each, and the jobs rotate among the nearly 40 colleges – so we only get our moment once every dozen years or so.

Last year the college chose Dr Huw Dorkins  as the Proctor for 2012/13 and from 14 March 2012 he will serve 364 days as the University’s senior proctor – presiding over disciplinary matters, exam regulations, appeals ,representing the university  at many ceremonies and ensuring the university’s rules and  procedures are upheld.

We also have two pro-proctors who deputise for Huw -  Dr Roger Allen  and Professor Mark Moloney .  They too were sworn in today.

The St Peter’s contingent at the ceremony in Convocation House was, I think, the largest from the colleges whose turn it was to appoint this year.  Fortified by coffee (for most of us nothing stronger at this stage) and dressed in every conceivable form of academic garb we processed from the college led by the Bedel , elegantly holding a mace , while we were photographed by a mix of professionals and amateurs, the latter  doubtless hugely excited by spotting the Oxford tribe in full plumage. An anthropologist’s dream. It was chilly – so the gown and tie turned out to be useful. 

The ceremony itself has a certain amount of Latin – but few of us are Latinists and so bluff is in order.  We all speak loudly to cover pronunciation crises.  The departing (‘demitting’) senior proctor gives an oration. This year it fell to Laurence Whitehead from Nuffield.  He talked eloquently about the university’s rhythms of continuity and change and its multiple and conflicting objectives.  And he looked back on the year – with points about exam setting (‘Too many cases of poorly set exams conflicting with the syllabus’), and mis-transcription of results – but also of too many cases of ingenious plagiarism. Laurence felt he had mastered the art of simultaneous bowing and cap doffing – and indeed the outgoing proctors provided a significant display of this not very crucial art.

And then we processed back to St Peter’s  – with the vice chancellor who was our guest at lunch.  We ate the best meal I have eaten since I came here and there was a terrific turn out of all sorts of Fellows and friends of the college.

Huw has left us for the Proctors’ Office – and will now be in the breeze block eyesore at Wellington Square – where he will dispense justice with calm and measured assurance – aided by Mark and Roger.  We look forward to the stories.

Andrew Marr

A packed chapel on Wednesday for a tour de force by Andrew Marr  his second St Peter’s appearance in six months. (Last time was for a recording of Radio 4’s Start The Week  on Vasily Grossman  and his great novel ‘Life and Fate’ )  He spoke for half an hour without hesitation, deviation or repetition and no notes – about the economic and regulatory pressures on the media, about his own early career, his love of newspapers (“I am an unreformed newspaper romantic”), on the revival of the monarchy.

He went at it with characteristic verve and wit. His description of his arrival at the Scotsman newspaper , following a tricky train journey from London with an inebriated Scot was topped by a rousing impersonation of John Prescott  in an angry mood, and a gentle impersonation of the Queen.

Andrew has just finished a big BBC 1 series about the monarchy (‘The Diamond Queen’) and contrasted its current fortunes to the institution’s  position in 1997 after the death of Princess Diana. Rupert Murdoch was then at the height of his powers – and his hostility to the monarchy was echoed by aspects of the public mood.  And now – fortunes have been reversed. There was discussion about the Leveson inquiry   and the future shape of self-regulation. Andy is not a fan of direct state regulation. Not many journalists are.

The q and a session lasted the best part of 45 minutes with some thoughts about the monarchy after the Queen, the value of student journalism, the importance of the BBC, Scottish nationalism (“ The political debate about it in Scotland is of a very high standard”) – and much else.

The applause at the end was very warm. Talent plus passion – a formula for a memorable early spring evening.

And Matthew Parris  to look forward to in May (details on the website).

 On Wednesday the college chapel was packed with family, friends and colleagues of Steve Rawlings  – one of our Tutorial Fellows in Physics and one of Britain’s leading astrophysicists.

Steve died at the beginning of the year in his prime. Last year he was one of those responsible for ensuring the Square Kilometere Array Telescope  would have its headquarters in the U.K.  At least he lived to see that success.

But Wednesday was about the man – and the picture drawn was consistent.  Brilliant and talented as he was – he was down to earth, friendly, supportive, approachable, modest, engaging, informal and competitive (about some things).

Many of us found out aspects of Steve that we had not known. I had not realised he had a very good voice as a boy and sung in his local church choir in Worthing – nor how good he was at sport in school, nor his penchant for the colour orange, nor his love of mischief (“Let’s have a football game – Protestants v Catholics”  or “Private v State Schools” ).   I knew he enjoyed (in moderation I should stress) a pint – but not that he had switched from beer to cider.  I had not known at all that he was a good pianist.   When he died his wife, Linda, told me of his musical tastes – but he didn’t merely seem to like groups like Yes but was an anorak about Prog Rock  in general.

He was clearly an inspiration for PhD students. Several times we heard stories of how he had coaxed people through their dissertation – involving unorthodox tactics – on the lines of ‘Let’s stop the physics and go to a pub to watch the World Cup.’)

There were three tributes  – one from a friend,  Steve Baily, with whom Steve was at school and at St John’s Cambridge, one from one of his grateful former PhD students – Dr Matt Jarvis – now himself an Astrophysics Professor – and a final one from Father Philip Miller – another astrophysicist but now a Catholic priest.  Their love for Steve was palpable.

There was a poignant guitar solo of Pink Floyd’ s  ‘Wish You Were Here ‘ ( LINK ) from Dr Ewan Mitchell of Brentwood School. Not a cough.  There was Bach from Dr Allen and the choir sang hauntingly  a ‘Gaelic Blessing ‘ (John Rutter ) and ‘In Paradisum’ from Faure’s Requiem.

Afterwards we went to the Hall for drinks, sandwiches and cakes – and affectionate stories about Steve swirled around the room.  He will be hugely missed.

On Friday Jessica Campbell’s  (2nd Year English) production of Mephisto, based on a Klaus Mann  novel, at Oxford’s main theatre – the Playhouse.  Almost totally full – and many St Peter’s  students there in support.  The play, about a radical cabaret and theatre company, The Peppermill, is set in Germany as the Weimar Republic  begins to buckle and the Nazis rise.   It is about loyalty and betrayal, politics, the art of acting – and much else. It is a wrenching evening and your sympathies move as the characters respond differently to the destruction of their political ideals – and careers.

The piece flips between snapshots of the Peppermill’s performances and the relationships between members of the company – and between them and outside officialdom.  It requires considerable production and direction skill to ensure that you can follow the framing of each scene.  This was superbly achieved over the course of the best part of three hours – and there were some bravura performances.  Of course you end up musing over which  student actor/actress might end up in the West End in a few years’ time – but I wouldn’t  go public with hunches which are more likely to be wildly inaccurate than prophetic.

Saturday morning – the Oxford v Cambridge Women’s Lacrosse weekend.  St Peter’s had three players in the Swifts (the second University team), Claire Sweet, Gina Allchorn and Hannah Wright.  I had not been to a Lacrosse game before and it took me some time to decode it.  By which time we were 2 – 0 down.   (The big secret is that you can run behind the goal).  Thereafter Oxford rallied, looked like winning easily and then ended up squeaking home 6 – 5. So a triumph.  I have no idea how they manage consistently to catch the ball so easily in their nets – and then flip it out again.  A subject for later research.

And then Torpids . The beautiful weather held and the riverbanks were the most crowded I have seen them.   We have not had the most successful week but I saw my first ‘live’ bump. The Women’s  Boat arranged  things perfectly – to bump directly in front of a small cluster of us basking in the sun just after The Gut (part of the course – towards the beginning).

The Men’s First Boat – having been knocked back to Division 3 – managed to hold their place and so got back to the bottom of Division 2.  The Men’s Thirds had a good day…. and the Men’s Seconds did not.  But no serious damage done and again we had a very large contingent of supporters booming away  – enjoying the action while getting the first tan of the year.

Tonight is the second night of the student Marriage of Figaro  in the chapel.   And there is another performance on Saturday (11 Feb).  And  dear reader, come .  It was marvellously achieved.  And Figaro is – and I say this with no sufficient professional justification, the opera of all operas.

St Peter’s students are at the core of the enterprise . Our current senior organ scholar, Theo Lester, is the conductor – Paola Cuffolo, the director, is a recent graduate.  Two of the principals graduated last year – Lucy Cox as Susanna and Matthew Tomson as Basilio and Don Curzio – and they are both still here. And many in the orchestra are current students – not all of them studying music. And a highlight – the Dean and Director of Music, Dr Roger Allen, as a splendid yokel gardener in act 2 – waving his daffodils with unalloyed indignation.

Other current and recent students were involved too –from all over the collegiate university – a medic from Brasenose, a historian from New College, an English Lit graduate from Regents Park College – and so on.

When Theo told me last term he was doing this I was aghast. Figaro is very great – and/but it is not very short.  There were no cuts that I could spot.  The only moment of doubt in the evening was Theo’s andante reappearance in the pit after the interval.  (I have yet to find out if he got stuck in a toilet).

For the umpteenth time I came away from an event here full of admiration for the way many students are able to juggle so many different things – study, music, sport , drama – or whatever takes their highly talented fancy . 

It is not an expensive night out.  The TV schedules over the next two days are not up to that much. So come.

 I have been remiss in not writing recently for which I apologise.  We were all shocked by the death of Steve Rawlings, our highly esteemed and modest Professor of Astrophysics. There will be a memorial event for him at St Peter’s later this month – it is a ticket-only occasion.  Many college friends and students (past and present) will be here – alongside many of this country’s leading astrophysicists.

The life of the college continues – with debates about admissions and a spirited one about some significant new art which we think might be loaned to us soon.  More on that another time.  On Admissions I spoke as part of a panel on Friday at the Exam Schools – organised by the university’s students’ union OUSU.  It was extremely well attended – with a range of questions about how best Oxford could widen access.  The panel included a speaker from Kidscape, David Gustave, who had been a mature student and spoke brilliantly how he had struggled to arrive here from a deprived background and how  the experience had changed his life.  James Turner came from The Sutton Trust , the charity focused on widening access to the top universities.

The conversation was not ideological – but practical.  How could Oxford persuade parents and teachers to get the really good students to apply. How could some of the press mythology be dispelled?  Could Oxford improve its welcome?  And much more.  Not for the first time I was struck that the university’s best advocates are its current students.

Prof Steve Rawlings

I resume this blog with reflections on the worst possible news. The death of Professor Steve Rawlings is profoundly shocking.

Many of you (indeed I suspect almost all of you) will have read, listened or watched news items about Steve’s death. The early reports were often speculative but most of the coverage by the weekend was more accurate.  We must now all wait for final clarity but the police were very keen to point to the coroner’s court – rather than any other form of court – as much the most likely venue for the facts to be explained further.

Steve’s wife, Linda, issued a remarkable tribute to her husband on Friday – which also contained some important words about the man who was with Steve when he died, his good friend Dr Devinder Sivia.

I reproduce that statement here:

“Steve was a well-loved, caring, intelligent, sensitive man.

 “Steve and Devinder were best friends since college and I believe this is a tragic accident.

 “Steve is a man of integrity, kindness and a very accessible person.

 “Steve was the love of my life and we have known each other all of these years and he has never changed, even though he has achieved so much and has all these qualities.

 “I will miss him more than anything else in the world. I do not believe that Steve’s death is murder and I do not believe Devinder should be tarnished in this way.”

Steve was  a  scientist of world renown and distinction. I could not hope to begin to explain the physics and maths of  his work as an Astrophysicist but I was gripped by his involvement in the Square Kilometre Array project – which will link thousands of telescopes to provide some answers to some of the most fundamental questions about the Big Bang and Dark Matter . I started speaking to him about it shortly after I was elected here and was totally captivated. Steve indulged my ignorance and patiently spent a couple of hours telling me how it could work and what questions it could answer. He was central to the bid to make the UK the scientific home of the worldwide project. He lobbied for it with massive conviction and knowledge and he was focused on making the UK the scientific home of the SKA.  Last April came the announcement . He succeeded.  He was  thrilled.  

When I met Steve nearly a year and a half ago he struck me as someone unlikely ever to seek the limelight.  But the media became increasingly interested in the SKA project and Steve was one of those who appeared on radio and television to advocate the cause – as he did before a Parliamentary Select Committee.  Meanwhile he was continuing with many of his other Oxford duties.

The Head of his Department wrote this about Steve last Friday.

Tribute  

Steve taught  first year undergraduates here at St Peter’s and was a very welcome presence for all of us.  No matter the size of his achievements - he was hugely modest, utterly lacking pomposity and always friendly.  He was also one of the Fellows who looked as if he could hold a cricket bat the right way around when it came to the students v Fellows summer cricket match.

So we have lost someone of great academic distinction who will not now see his immense work on the SKA come to fruition.  And we have lost too a colleague – and a very, very nice man.