Dr Vernon Butt: Emeritus Fellow

It is with great sadness that the College has learned of the death of Emeritus Fellow Dr Vernon Butt.

Vernon Butt was elected as Fellow and Tutor in Botany at Pembroke in 1965.  He was interested and involved in all areas of College life, serving for a decade as Tutor for Admissions, taking up the post of Vicegerent in 1978-79 and spending time as Curator of gardens.

An active member of the College community, Vernon was often seen enthusiastically cheering on biologist rowers in their endeavours on the river.  He was involved in the life of the College Chapel, and in College music. 

Vernon was tutor to his successor, Professor Mark Fricker, and to current Fellow in Biology Professor Nick Kruger.  Mark wrote in the College Record 1990:

Vernon has won the devotion of many generations of biologists by his combination of great gentleness and great determination.  The top of staircase 4 would often harbour a trembling student, fearing intellectual devastation in the ensuing hour.  However, Vernon was adept at nurturing even the faintest glimmer of understanding and coaxing thoughts from reluctant minds.  In lectures he would boil a subject down and entertain his audience with a polka (something to do with the mobility of lipids in a membrane).

A plant biochemist, with interests in plant metabolism and enzymology, Vernon continued his work in retirement.  In his 80s he published several influential papers on the apoplastic oxidative burst with the late Professor Paul Bolwell (another Pembroke alumnus).

A keen sportsman, Vernon took up marathon running in his 60s, after spending a sabbatical year in California where he began running for several miles along the Pacific shoreline.  He followed cricket, and was known as a mean all-rounder on the College’s SCR team. 

Following his retirement in 1989 Vernon was elected to an Emeritus Fellowship.  He lived in Abingdon, where he was deeply involved in his local community, including as a local Councillor and Mayor of the Town.  In 2004 he was awarded the Freedom of the Town and his wife Glynne later also had this honour – probably the only time in the history of Abindgon that a married couple have both been Freemen.

Vernon remained in touch with many former students and the College, and was frequently in attendance at gaudies and other special occasions.  He will be very much missed by those who knew him.