French painter and portrait artist. As "T", he was one of the artists responsible for occasional caricatures of Vanity Fair magazine, specialising in French and Italian subjects.
Studied at the Royal College of Art, where he won a Travelling Scholarship. Married to the sculptor Mary Gillick. Exhibited RA, RSA and Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.
Gillick was awarded the RBS medal in 1935, three years later becoming a fellow. Was master of the Art Workers’ Guild in 1935, served on the faculty of sculpture of the British School in Rome and on the Imperial Arts League’s council. Gillick completed a large volume of public sculpture, including the Frampton memorial in St Paul’s Cathedral, London; medals for the Royal Mint, RA and Inner Temple; London’s Lord Mayor’s seal; plus a variety of work for Commonwealth countries. Lived in London. The Henry Moore Institute archive, Leeds, holds a huge postcard collection documenting sculpture, monuments and paintings by Gillick from around the world.
An archaeologist, geologist and Royal Air Force (RAF) veteran who pioneered the use of aerial photography as a method of archaeological research in Britain and Ireland. He was Professor of Aerial Photographic Studies at the University of Cambridge from 1973 to 1980.
1926 she went to St Hilda's College, Oxford, and in 1929 obtained First Class Honours in English language and literature.
1929 -1931 accepted a temporary post at the University of Birmingham.
1931-1934 worked as an assistant lecturer at the Royal Holloway College, London before returning to Birmingham where she joined the English department (1934–41).
In 1941 she returned to Oxford to become a tutor (1941–54), and later Fellow (1942–66), at her old college.
In 1954 she was made reader in Renaissance studies and after one set-back was elected in 1966 Merton professor of English language and literature, with a fellowship at Lady Margaret Hall. The distinction of being the first woman to hold this chair gave her special satisfaction. She exerted herself as a supervisor and was as successful as she was strict.
To her Oxford DLitt (1963) and Cambridge honorary LittD (1981) she added honorary degrees from eight other universities.
She was appointed CBE in 1962 and a DBE in 1967.
She was made a Fellow of the British Academy in 1958, twice won the Crawshay prize (1952 and 1980), and was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1962.
In person Helen Gardner was small and sturdy. Vivacious, temperamental, and occasionally overbearing, she appreciated good food and drink, liked to dress well, and revelled in parties where she talked well but, as she herself knew, too much. She was kinder in her actions than in her wit.
She retired in 1975 and died, unmarried, on 4 June 1986 in a nursing home at Bicester, Oxfordshire.
Arthur Guy Lee known informally as Guy Lee, was a British Classical scholar and poet. He was particularly notable as a Latinist for his work on the Roman poets Ovid, Propertius, and Catullus; he also translated Virgil's Eclogues, Tibullus, and Persius.
He was an undergraduate at St John's College, Cambridge. He taught at the University of Cambridge for most of his career, where he was admitted as a Fellow of St John's in 1946.
In the Second World War, he joined the British military, and was posted in Iceland, where he learned Icelandic and earned a military award for his work on ciphers. He was later posted to French North Africa, Belgium, Italy, Norway, and Germany.
He returned to Cambridge after the war and served as a librarian, tutor, praelector, and lecturer of classics at various times.
He died in Cambridge in 2005, and is buried at Ascension Parish Burial Ground.
Thomas Riddel was the cook of Magdalene College, 1799-1826.
On his appointment in 1799 (succeeding William Winder) he secured a substantial rise in the cook's wages from £7 to £12 10s 0d along with £5 for coals.
In 1826 he left the College and set up as a beer retailer in Magdalene Street.
His name is written in the front of the Buttery Books [MCAD/14/2]. The first time it is written on the inside page is in MCAD/1/4/2/3 which covers 1672-76.
Born in Helston, Cornwall in 1778, son of Edward
Schools - Helston and Shacklewell
Admitted sizar at Jesus College on 10 July 1794
Matriculated Michaelmas 1795; Scholar, 1796; B.A. 1799; M.A. 1802
Fellow of Magdalene, 1803; Tutor
Vicar of Bishopstone, Wilts., 1816
Vicar of Constantine, Cornwall, 1817-56
Prebendary of Salisbury
He married:
(1) Sophia
(2) 22 Nov, 1821, Catherine Groube, daughter of John Boulderson, of St Mawnan, and had issue
Died at Constantine on 25 Aug 1856
Born in 1856 the second son of Jeremiah Creswell (Magdalen Hall, Oxford), of 5, Lansdowne Villas, East Down Park, Lee.
School - Blackheath
Admitted pensioner at Magdalene 1 October 1874
Matriculated Easter 1875; Scholar
B.A. (Class. Trip., 1st Class) 1879; M.A. 1882
Fellow and tutor
Steward
Esquire Bedell, 1893-9
Fellow of King's College, London, 1885-99.
Author of Life and Poems of Lefroy
Died on 7 December 1899, aged 43, at Lugano, Switzerland
Born in Histon, near Cambridge, in 1855, son of William, an agricultural labourer, and Louisa.
In 1877 he was appointed under-porter [MCGB/4/2/1] and rose to Head Porter serving the College for 43 years before his retirement in 1918.
1881 census – he was living at 30 Albert Street. He was married, to Elizabeth Foreman who was five years older. Their first child, four-month old Sydney James, had been born around the turn of the year.
1891 census - they had moved to number 1 Albert Street. A second son, Ernest had been born in 1883, followed by two daughters, Louisa in 1886 and Laura in 1889.
1911 census - three children were alive and two had died, suggesting there had been a fifth baby that did not survive infancy. Ernest, their second son, was eighteen in 1901, and working as a kitchen porter, although the college that employed him is not known. We might expect him to disappear from the family home as he made his life of his own, but the fact that Sydney's death notice in 1917 describes him as "only son" of James and Elizabeth suggests that Ernest had died before 1911. Louisa and Laura both trained as dressmakers.
Sydney Stearn served in the Royal Navy during the First World War and was killed in 1917.
James Stearn found it hard to cope after the death of his son. He retired, early in 1918, at the age of 63. The Fellows presented their outgoing Head Porter with a clock.
He died on 10 July 1918.
For more information see Ged Martin's article James Stearn: The Head Porter who Died of Grief
https://gedmartin.net/martinalia-mainmenu-3/344-magdalene-college-cambridge-notes-james-stearn
Born in 1870 the son of Thomas Johnson, of Windermere House, Windermere
School - Heversham
Admitted pensioner at Magdalene on 16 July 1887
Matriculated Michaelmas 1887; Scholar
B.A. (28th Wrangler) 1890; M.A. 1897
Assistant Master at Bath College, 1891
Assistant Master at St Mark's, Windsor, 1895
Assistant Master at St Paul's School, London, 1902-32
Head Mathematical Master, 1924-32
Died on 26 February 1942
School - Charterhouse
Admitted to Magdalene in October 1928
November 1933 - Joined the India Civil Service and became a Judge in the Punjab until partition in 1947.
Moved to Canada where he owned a fruit farm in British Columbia before becoming a schoolmaster.
Moved to become a schoolmaster at Kings School, Wimbledon.
Joined the War Office (later the Ministry of Defence). Posted to East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zanzibar), and later Gibraltar.
Born in 1652 the son of John, clerk, of Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire
Admitted as a pensioner at Magdalene on 12 May 1669
Matriculated in 1672
B.A. 1672/3
M.A. 1676
Fellow, 1674 - mid 1680s
Ordained deacon (London) 11 March 1676/7; priest, 10 June 1677
Perhaps Vicar of Heversham, Westmorland, 1678-86
Rector of Bexhill, Sussex, 1686-1722
Major benefactor of the College. In 1722 he left £1,000 for three closed scholarships for boys from Halifax, Leeds, or Heversham in Westmoreland. His sister-in-law had a life interest in the capital, and so the College did not benefit from the benefaction until 1736 when she died, having herself augmented the original bequest so as to provide four scholarships.
Died 1722
Daughter of James Griffin, 2nd Baron Griffin of Braybrooke, sister and co-heir of Edward, 3rd Baron Griffin of Braybrooke. She was a direct descendant of Lord Audley.
Her first marriage was to her cousin Henry Neville/Grey; her second in 1741 to John Wallop, MP (1690-1762), governor of the Isle of Wight, 1st Earl of Portsmouth (his second wife).
She secured the Mastership for her husband’s grandson, Barton Wallop; and meanwhile placed George Sandby in office under bond to resign when Barton Wallop was of age – the resignation duly took place in 1774.
Died without issue; the visitorship then passed to her nephew, Sir John Griffin Whitwell, later 1st Baron Braybrooke.
Born on 14 June 1950 in Swansea. Only child of Aneurin Williams and his wife Nancy Delphine
School – Dynevor School, Swansea
Undergraduate at Christ’s College and admitted to Wadham College, Oxford. He graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1975
1975-1977 - lectured and trained for ordination at the College of the Resurrection in Mirfield, West Yorkshire
In 1977 he returned to Cambridge to teach theology as a tutor (as well as chaplain and Director of Studies) at Westcott House and was made a deacon in the chapel
While there, he was ordained a priest
1980 – made curate at St George's, Chesterton, Cambridge
1983 - appointed as university lecturer in divinity at Cambridge
1984 – appointed dean and chaplain of Clare College
1986 - appointed to the Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford, a position which brought with it appointment to a residentiary canonry of Christ Church Cathedral
1989 - received the degree of Doctor of Divinity (DD)
1990 - elected a Fellow of the British Academy
1991 - elected Bishop of Monmouth
1992 - consecrated a bishop at St Asaph Cathedral and enthroned at Newport Cathedral
He continued to serve as Bishop of Monmouth after he was elected to also be the Archbishop of Wales in December 1999
2003 - he was enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral and served until 2012
On 17 January 2013, Williams was admitted as the 35th Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge and served until September 2020
On 4 July 1981, Williams married Jane, a writer and lecturer in theology. They have two children.
He speaks or reads eleven languages: English, Welsh, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Biblical Hebrew, Syriac, Latin, and both Ancient (koine) and Modern Greek. He is also a poet and translator of poetry.
Born at Clapton on 17 May 1856 the son of John, head of the firm of Charrington, Sells, Dale and Co. which firm he entered in 1880; subsequently chairman.
School - Haileybury (of which he later became a governor)
Admitted pensioner at Trinity on 25 May 1875
Matriculated Michaelmas 1875; B.A. 1879; M.A. 1885
Honorary Fellow of Magdalene, 1936
As a young man became interested in prints, and expert in the investigation of early examples.
In 1910 became the first Honorary Keeper of the Prints at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, where he undertook the examination of the whole collection of prints. In 1923 he published a catalogue of the 'Mezzotints after, or said to be after, Rembrandt'.
Undertook exhaustive researches in connection with the Pepys Library at Magdalene and in 1936 published a 'Catalogue of the engraved portraits in the library of Samuel Pepys, F.R.S., now belonging to Magdalene College.' Few other people, if any, could have accomplished the Pepys Library catalogue, involving, as it did, the identification of hundreds of portraits without any title.
In 1933 he presented to the Fitzwilliam Museum a great collection of engraved portraits, now housed in the new print Room built at his cost.
Made many important gifts of early printed books to Cambridge University Library.
Was always proud to be known as 'A great lover of Cambridge.'
Died on 24 February 1939, aged 82, at Shenley
Educated at Rugby School and Trinity College where he took Honours in History.
He held the Curacies of St Mary's, Bryanston Square, and Great St Mary's, Cambridge.
During the First World War he held a Mastership at Rossall.
Joined the College in 1919 as a Chaplain and lecturer in History and was elected as a Fellow in 1925.
As a Chaplain he was noted for his quiet and beautiful reading and excellent sermons.
Dean from 1924; intermitted during war (1940 -1946).
Tributes from three friends in the College Magazine, vol. XII, No. 84, pp.25-26
Educated at the Liverpool Institute High School and at Clare College (1952-1955) taking the Mathematical Tripos.
1955-58 - Assistant in Research in Cambridge
1958-62 - Systems Development Engineer at BIC
1963-68 - Principal Scientific Officer British Rail
1968-69 - Assistant Director of Research, Cambridge University
1973 Fellow of Magdalene
1973-1975 Dean
1973-2000 College lecturer in Engineering
2001 Emeritus Fellow
1984-2001 - treasurer of C.U. Musical Society
1983-86 - Director of CADCAM Association (Chairman, 1984)
1974 President of the CU Engineering Society
Obituary, College Magazine, No. 45, pp. 19-20
Educated at St Edward's School, Oxford.
Admitted to King's College, Cambridge.
Called to the bar at Gray's Inn (where he was later a Bencher), and was in private practice as a barrister in Nairobi until 1960, when he joined the Lord Chancellor's Department.
He served as Private Secretary to three successive Lord Chancellors and also served as Secretary to the Beeching Royal Commission on Assizes and Quarter Sessions.
1982-89 - Permanent Secretary of the Lord Chancellor's Department and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
1984 - knighted
1985 - appointed Queen's Counsel
1989 - appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
He was awarded a University of Cambridge PhD
After retiring from the civil service he entered academia, becoming a Research Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge in 1990. He subsequently became a Life Fellow and, until his retirement in June 2007, supervised undergraduate students in constitutional law.
Sir Derek received a standing ovation from the College Law Society following his retirement at the Annual Lawyers' Dinner in 2007. A bench sits beside the River Cam in the grounds of the College in his honour.
In 1955 he married Margaret Oxley and they had four children.
He died on 1 August 2016.
Obituary College Magazine No. 61 (2016-17)
Supplied lamps, candles, oil, and sand to the College.
Born at Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand, the eldest son of Ernest Bennett, a foreman for a shoe manufacturer, and Alexandra, née Corrall, both born in Leicester, England.
School - Mount Albert Grammar School in Auckland, New Zealand. He notably wrote the Mount Albert Grammar School hymn, which is sung at school assemblies to this day.
Studied at the University of Auckland before going on to Merton College, Oxford.
Part of a loose kit group of extraordinarily gifted young men from New Zealand who studied at Oxford University before the Second World War. The link between them was to endure for the rest of their lives.
During the Second World War he worked with the British Information Service in America.
He became best known as a scholar of Middle English literature. He was editor of the journal Medium Aevum from 1957 to 1981 and was a colleague of C. S. Lewis at Magdalen College, Oxford.
1964 - he succeeded Lewis as Professor of Medieval and Renaissance English at Cambridge University.
He was one of the Inklings, an informal literary group that included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
He was made a Fellow of Magdalene College Cambridge.
Obituary - College Magazine No.25 (1980-81)
Article - College Magazine No.69 (2024-25)
Educated at Wesley College, Perth and University of Western Australia.
He was admitted to Magdalene in 1987 as a candidate for the PhD degree which was awarded in 1992.
1992 - appointed College Organist.
1995 - elected to a Fellow-Commonership and as Precentor of Magdalene in 1995.
Obituary - College Magazine, 2001-2002, pp. 23-26
College chef for 40 years.
Fellow-Commoner, 1993-2014
Cambridge University Press, 1976-2013
Managing Director, Academic & Professional Publishing, 2012-2013
Obituary: College Magazine No. 58 (2013-14)
Born on 11 July 1777, the 4th sone of William Bird of Hereford
Admitted a pensioner aged 16 Magdalene College 9 July 1794
Scholar 1794
BA 1799
MA 1802
Ordained priest Bristol, Litt. dim . from Hereford 1801
Rector of Dinedor, Herefordshire, 1801-54
Rector of Mordiford, Herefordshire, 1803-54
Rural Dean of Ross, Herefordshire
The son of Henry Beynon, merchant of Winchester Place, Winchester, Pentonville, Middlesex
Admitted as a pensioner at Magdalene College aged 16 on 31 October 1793:10:31 as Batley, E. T.
Matriculated in Michaelmas term 1794
Scholar 1797
BA 1798
MA 1801
Fellow, as Batley, E. T
In Holy Orders
Assumed the surname of Beynon in lieu of Batley on his marriage with Martha Beynon daughter of Edward Beynon of Carshalton, Surrey , 1 November 1805
Died aged 65 Carshalton, Surrey, 1842