Wadham's Alumni Weekend

Members of the 1610 Society and the Nicholas and Dorothy Circles joined us for our celebratory 1610 dinner on Friday 5 September. This annual event provides an opportunity for the College to thank our donors and legators for their generous support which underpins so much of the work we are able to do in support of students and researchers at Wadham.

Following afternoon tea and cakes, Prof. George Southcombe, Fellow in History, delivered a fascinating talk on his new research entitled 'Most Excellent Hocus Pocus: Writing a New History of English Witchcraft'. Guests were then invited to attend evensong in the Chapel where former Wadham Chaplain, Fr. Peter Allen, co-hosted with the present Chaplain, Rev. Doctor Jane Baun. The evening continued with drinks in the Cloister Garden and dinner in Hall. The formalities concluded with after-dinner speeches from the Warden, Robert Hannigan, and the President of the 1610 Society, Colin Drummond – they spoke of the special bond between alumni and the College, and optimism in the face of challenging circumstances.

On Saturday 6 September, we welcomed alumni from matriculation years 1998-2001 for their Gaudy reunion. The event was sold out and the energy was palpable. Guests reunited, reminisced, and refreshed themselves with cans of High Water – a hard seltzer kindly provided by alumnus, Nick Britton, to accompany the Champagne reception. Many fellows and emeriti joined through the evening to reconnect with former students. Dinner was hosted by the sub-Warden, Prof. Edmund Herzig, who was joined by alumna, Abby Ajayi, to deliver some energising and nostalgic words in her after-dinner speech.

It was a delight to see so many of the four cohorts back in College, rekindling the spirit of the millennium years.