Page 1 - Linacre 50 years

Linacre College

Through the Decades: 1962—2012

ELCOME TO THIS EXHIBITION OF

LINACRE THROUGH THE DECADES

Despite its youthful half-century (in comparison with older Oxford We hope you will learn something

colleges), Linacre nevertheless has a rich and significant history, and one new about Linacre, will find a

that cannot truly be covered within the bounds of this space. memory that reverberates with

We are all too aware that much has not been included – be it events, your own, and will also realise what

people, or milestones. However, as we have prepared the exhibiƟon, three an audacious proposal an

important points have become very clear, and it is this which we hope you insƟtuƟon such as Linacre was at

will take away with you today. the Ɵme. May Linacre conƟnue to

be a forward-looking insƟtuƟon!

First, the establishment and Finally, Linacre was, in the words of

development of Linacre has never John Bamborough, ’a deliberate Our warm thanks for their

been easy or straightforward. The idea experiment by the University to see substanƟal help in compiling this

of an all-graduate multi-discipline whether the needs of graduate exhibiƟon go to:

college for both men and women has students could be met by a new

had its naysayers. The College’s early type of society’. Mr Simon Bailey, Keeper of the

leaders had to work extremely hard to University Archives & Vice-Principal

establish such a radically different As Colin Newbury, an early Fellow, (to September 2012)

institution, and much of that work pointed out in his account of the Mr David Connell, for his design

involved painstaking hacking away at early history of the College, ’It was experƟse and advice

the most mundane details of college leŌ preƩy much to the Delegates, Dr Colin Newbury, Linacre Archivist

administration. the Senior Members and the & Emeritus Fellow

graduate students to make what Old Members, Fellows and Friends

Second, there are so many individuals they could of that model with who shared their memories and

who, in ways both large and small, limited means.’ Every aspect of it photographs

have contributed toward making the had to be designed. In this respect The generous anonymous donor

th
College what it is today. They were, or the founders of Linacre were who underwrote the College’s 50

are, influential members of the parƟcularly significant in shaping Anniversary CelebraƟon weekend

University who backed the College for the College. They couldn’t follow a in Oxford, and this exhibiƟon;

its own sake; kind donors over the blueprint which had been tried and Linacre would not have flourished,

years who made impossible goals tested over centuries, as in older or perhaps even survived, without

attainable; senior members, Fellows, colleges. the generous support of its friends.

administrators and staff who gave

their talents and their hearts to the As Bam wrote about thinking up ExhibiƟon Curators

College; and of course the students policy on the hoof, ‘At one stage Marsaleete Anderson

who constantly refreshed and often I invented at least one tradiƟon a (Alumni Rela ons Officer) &

challenged the status quo. day.’ Ros Connell (Development Officer)