Friends of the Library – Exhibition Taster Evenings

The third and final Exhibition Taster Evening before the summer break was a tremendous success. It was very well attended, with standing room only. The evening commenced with William Wood, School and Foundation Archivist giving a brief outline of the forthcoming exhibition.  Guests were then invited to hear talks given by Dr Matthew Lakin, Oxon, teacher of History and Politics at Whitgift, titled ‘Collective Memories and Meaning of the First World War’ and Zapryan Dumbalski, Oxon, main researcher for the exhibition, focusing on 1916 and the major battles of Verdun and the Somme. They were also given an opportunity to view some of the items to be used in the upcoming exhibition March of next year and speak with the three major collectors in person.

Amongst the OWs in attendance were John and June Lindblom (1945-48), Michael Symes (1954-62), David (1949-55) and Anne Stranack, Piers Hubbard (1944-52), Ian (1942-49) and Bridget Wray, Chris (1953-59) and Kate Wrigglesworth, Nick Somers (1985-89), Jonathan Bunn (1980-88), Sam Barke (2000-05) and John (1947-56) and Averil Trott.

The evening closed with Tia Afghan, Head Librarian, giving an emotional account of her research and personal discovery of a great uncle who served in the Royal Deccan Horse and was awarded a Croix de Guerre.

Atiya Afghan, Head Librarian
and William Wood, Archivist