Sarah Butler

Hall and Maitland shortly after construction almost a hundred years ago and below as it is today.  The building was designed by Edward Fisher (brother of historian and politician H.A.L.Fisher) and built in 1913 to house a dining hall, senior common room, private dining room, kitchen and a block of twenty new student rooms and allowed the College to dine together in one… Read More »Hall and Maitland, c.1913

The cast on the steps of the library loggia, featuring Edith Pearson (1903) as Dis, Octavia Myers (1903) as Persephone & Henrietta Escreet (1903) as Demeter Demeter was the College Masque, performed to celebrate the opening of the Library in 1904. It was written by Robert Bridges (husband of Margery Fry’s cousin Monica) with music by Sir Henry Hadow, brother of… Read More »Demeter, 1904

In the early days of Somerville Hall, the grounds were described in the College Log book as being quite rural and included a meadow, cows and a pig which were later replaced with a donkey and a pony.  The pony, pictured here, was ocasionally pressed into service to transport  students and staff on weekend outings. Back to Snippets from the Archives

Approach to House in the early days of Somerville, almost unrecognisably rural!  The cottages on the right were originally used to house students but were demolished in 1930s to make way for the East quadrangle which is now known as Darbishire.  Below is the roughly equivalent view today. Back to Snippets from the Archives

Many Somervillians have gone on to great things and in this photo from 1915 we see Somerville College students Dorothy L Sayers (first standing row from the front, far left) and Vera Brittain (same row but at the far right).  Dorothy L Sayers went on to write fiction including the well-known detective novels featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane.  One… Read More »Dorothy L Sayers and Vera Brittain at Somerville in 1915

There was a strong dramatic tradition at Somerville in the first half of the twentieth century with plays being written and performed in College most years.  In its dramatic heyday, the College could boast a Second Year play in Michaelmas Term, a First Year play in Hilary and The Going Down Play (by the finalists) in Trinity.  This scene is taken… Read More »Twelfth Night

An unremarkable view of House, at first glance, taken in high summer. But instead of a student wheeling her bicycle on the right, it’s an injured soldier in his Bath Chair, and hospital beds have been placed in the shade of the tree. This is from a postcard series of ‘No.965 Somerville Section 3rd Southern General Hospital’, issued after the College was… Read More »Somerville Section – 3rd Southern General Hospital 1914-18

In this group from 1891, Miss Maitland the Principal (with dark bonnet) is surrounded by her staff and students, including future principal Emily Penrose (3rd from the right in the 3rd row), pioneering Indian lawyer Cornelia Sorabji (far left end of the second row from the front) Indian princesses Bamba and Catherine Duleep Singh (front row far left) and Clara Pater… Read More »Two Principals, two princesses and a pioneering Indian lawyer

A group of tutors and students from 1921 under the Principalship of Emily Penrose (seated in the second row from the front directly under the central pillar). Sitting next to Miss Penrose is Professor Gilbert Murray, noted Classical scholar, internationalist and strong supporter of women’s higher education.  He was a member of the Somerville Council from 1908 to 1957 and chaired the Library Committee… Read More »1921 Group with Professor Gilbert Murray