A Visit to Kings College, Cambridge

What a legacy I've received from my university friend Archie Mafeje! And it wasn't just his political mentoring I'm talking about.

I visited him twice in the 1960's at King's College, while he was studying there for his PhD. More than 50 years later, even though I'd invited myself, I was treated like an honored guest - all because of the photograph I have of him, which I'd scanned and sent to the University at the request of Tamsin Starr. She contacted me on behalf of The Black Cantabs Research Society, who wanted to have a photo exhibition of black graduates from Cambridge to counteract the mass of portraiture around the university, which is largely of white men and monarchs.

I was given my own personal guided tour by her, mischievously photographed on various illustrious senatorial thrones, interviewed for almost 2 hours by an academic in the Department of Social Anthropology and finally invited to High Table as the guest of the interviewer, who is a Fellow of the College.
It was an extraordinary day.




     

The Fellow who offered to host me was Dr Perveez Mody - a petite Indian woman who does research into love marriages in India. Even before I met her, when we were corresponding, I knew we would get on well. Why? Because she understood immediately that my big question about dining at High Table was sartorial. What was I going to wear? I was not going to spend days trying on dresses when I never wear them. Did I have to pack an extra pair of shoes? She reassured me - it was just before Easter so it would not be formal. Whew!

The college system - something I'd never paid attention to in my life - seemed on this occasion, to have a lot going for it. Even for retired academics - once a Fellow, always a Fellow - even if you are a woman! And this means that if you live in Cambridge or are visiting, you are welcome at High Table. I discovered that this bunch were good to talk with - they were actually interested in me! I found myself talking about Relational Psychoanalysis, EMDR and even Re-evaluation Co-counselling! I had a wonderful time learning from a Palestinian educational historian. If the conversation flagged, there was always college history to fall back on and the retirees were full of tales from days gone by.
I came away, with a lot of respect for how valuable a resource this system might be for an older academic who may have made her home in Cambridge and wants to have an evening of good food, wine and stimulating conversation!