Downing College Archives

The new British Normandy Memorial, commemorating those who lost their lives on D-Day and during the Battle of Normandy which followed, includes the names of two Downing members: Capt. Hugh Templeton Slight (1937, pictured left) who was killed in action on 16 July 1944 and Capt. Richard Carrick (1936) who was killed in action on 6 August 1944. Sub-Lt. Harry Orme Dooyewaard (1938, right) was killed when the tug boat he was on, towing sections of the Mulberry Harbour in preparation for D-Day, was torpedoed on 24 April 1944. Remembering them today and all those who served.

80 years ago today, David Holbrook (1941) commanded a Duplex Drive ‘swimming tank’ which landed on Sword Beach in Normandy. He was evacuated two weeks later after being wounded and wrote about his experiences in his semi-autobiographical novel, Flesh Wounds (1966). He later became Director of Studies in English at Downing and was a Fellow from 1981 (Emeritus from 1988).

A new archive exhibition in the Maitland Robinson Library Octagon case features photographs and other items from the archive relating to Downing graduations over the past two centuries, from the very first student to the present day. Such a beautiful case (although tricky to fill!)

From horse-drawn lawnmowers to electric tractors! This wonderful photograph, taken by Richard Reece (1888), is one of many in an album capturing life at Downing in the late Victorian period. It includes this earliest known staff photograph as well as images of student groups, rooms and the site of the Boat House before the original building was built. A real treasure!

All set up for the Cambridge Dissertation and Research Fair today at Jesus College. Come along from 11-4 to Elena Hall and find out about the many wonderful collections held by archives, libraries and museums across Cambridge and how they can be used to support your research.

The earliest Lent Boat photo in the Archive from 1886 for the first day of the Lent Bumps - although no information has survived about how they fared on the river, sadly!

Beautiful photo of the door to D staircase (and the College Office).

20th February 2019
Downing College.

The last Downing Baronet died on this day 260 years ago. Sir Jacob Garrard Downing was the cousin and last surviving heir of Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet, whose 1717 will should have led to the foundation of the College after Sir Jacob’s death in 1764. He had other ideas, sadly, and left his estates and fortune to his widow instead. The resulting litigation lasted beyond the eventual foundation of Downing College in 1800. (Image of Sir Jacob’s portrait courtesy of the Fullerton family.)

Beautiful blue skies above the Maitland Robinson Library this morning. (The ginko is clinging on for now.)

Happy 30th birthday to the Maitland Robinson Library! It was opened on this day in 1993 by HRH The Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Kent, the College's Patron.

A new online exhibition celebrates the building of the Library and its origins, with films showing the construction and opening speeches (made by Head Porter, Ron Wheeler) available online on the same page:
https://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/exhibitions/celebrating-30-years-maitland-robinson-library

On , remembering all those who have died in service and the Downing students, alumni, staff and Fellow who lost their lives in and . The online Rolls of Honour feature detailed profiles for all men who died in WW1, with research underway to create WW2 profiles, which will be linked to each man’s name over the coming year.
https://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/about/downing-college-archive/archives-college-history/first-world-war-roll-honour
https://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/about/downing-college-archive/archives-college-history/second-world-war-roll-honour

A timely find as the annual Staff vs Fellows cricket match gets underway: John Perkins (Fellow, 1861-1901) with cricket bat, c.1867-75 (1967 Alumni Association Newsletter).

The NHS was established on this day 75 years ago. Sir Lionel Whitby, Master of Downing, was President of the BMA that year in 1948, giving his presidential address on 'The Changing Face of Medicine'. (Image: Presidential address to Congress of Clinical Pathologists, 1951)

Happy 70th birthday to the College Chapel - dedicated on this day in 1953 and still looking fantastic!

On this day in 1807, the foundation stone of the College was laid. This extract from the first minute book describes the ceremony and procession through Cambridge which preceded it. (DCGB/M/1/1)

A new archive exhibition has been installed in the Maitland Robinson Library Octagon to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and the 30th anniversary this year of his visit to open the Library with the College’s Patron, the Duchess of Kent. The display includes photographs of their visit and items from the Archive relating to every monarch and many previous coronations dating back to Queen Victoria. Everyone welcome.

Very pleased to welcome the daughter of Horace John Coleman (1937) to Downing today. His daughters have kindly donated several sports photographs and other items relating to his time at Downing, including this magnificent rugby blazer and shirt, scarf and ties. We are very happy to add these items to the College Archive collection, with grateful thanks to the family for their generosity.

The first Downing Association dinner held in College (the second annual dinner) took place 100 years ago today. Amazingly, most of the 66 members attending stayed in their old rooms in College. A new archive exhibition in the Maitland Robinson Library celebrates the long history of the Alumni Association. A shorter, online exhibition is available at the link below.

Newest - and possibly strangest - addition to the Archive this morning…

A belated archival rabbit for - from former Master Prof. WKC Guthrie’s glass slides from his expeditions to record monumental inscriptions in Asia Minor, 1929-32. The digitised collection is available online via the University’s Digital Library: https://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/downing/1.

A timely Throwback Thursday, as the College experiences another cold snap - 60 years ago this month, Downing members were enjoying their very own ice rink (helped along by some enterprising students!) This photo, taken by John Roberts (1962) from his room in the North Range, includes the Master (Prof. Guthrie) skating on the right. With grateful thanks to John for sharing it with the Archive and the alumni who shared their memories about ice skating in 1963.

Sir Busick Harwood, Downing’s first Professor of Medicine, was interred on this day in 1814 in a vault under the intended site of the College Chapel. His memorial stone, beside the path between the Master’s Lodge and Hall, looks rather snowy today.https://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/from_the_archives_-_busick_harwood_information_sheet.pdf

Cold, crisp day in College today, but the beautiful Ginko tree next to the Library is holding on for now.

Remembering the students, alumni, staff members and Fellow of the College who lost their lives serving in the First and Second World Wars. Rolls of Honour for both wars are available on the College website, with individual profiles in memory of many of those named. (Research into the Second World War profiles is ongoing).

https://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/about/downing-college-archive/archives-college-history/first-world-war-roll-honour

https://www.dow.cam.ac.uk/about/downing-college-archive/archives-college-history/second-world-war-roll-honour