Reunion to celebrate fifty years of the Lennard Bequest Cornwall Reading Party
Date Published: 29.04.2026
We were thrilled to welcome over 80 alumni back to Wadham in March to celebrate more than half a century of the Reading Party, which was founded by Emeritus Fellow Ray Ockenden and funded by a generous bequest from Reggie Lennard.
The gathering was hosted by Ray Ockenden and Fellow in Ancient History Peter Thonemann, and brought together alumni from across the years, with matriculation dates ranging from 1966 to 2022.
The celebration opened in the late afternoon in the Holywell Music Room, where both Peter and Ray reflected warmly on their experiences hosting and attending reading parties at Lamledra House over the years.
Fenella Gentleman (PPE, 1975) then spoke about her own memories of attending two reading parties, the experiences of which proved rich inspiration for her novel, The Reading Party, which was published in 2018.
After opening to the floor, alumni from across the generations spoke fondly and movingly of their own time spent on reading parties over the years. The annual event is now in its 53rd year and has built a strong sense of community which was clearly felt among the reunion’s attendees.
Alumni then moved on to a drinks reception and formal dinner in Hall. Those who stayed over in College were invited to wave off this year’s cohort, led by host Peter Thonemann. This year’s students set off bright and early the following morning as the Reading Party continues on into what we hope will be another happy fifty years.
