Pembroke Co-Hosts The Smithsonian UK Charitable Trust Symposium

NEWS |

On Friday 16th September, Pembroke co-hosted The Smithsonian UK Charitable Trust symposium, welcoming 45 guests to the College. The Trust was established to advance the work of the Smithsonian Institution, a legacy of Pembroke alumnus James Smithson (1782).

Attendees were greeted by Pembroke’s Master Dame Lynne Brindley, after which Heather Ewing discussed her biography: ‘The Lost World of James Smithson: Science, Revolution and the Birth of the Smithsonian’. The Smithsonian Institution’s Dr Scott Miller and Dr Julian Raby then proceeded to convey the depth and breadth of the museums and research activities of the Institution.

A programme of stimulating, brief presentations were given by current or former UK associates of the US Smithsonian Institution.  Diverse topics were explored, including Pembroke Fellow Professor Jonathan Rees’ speech on ‘The evolution of the human shoulder blade’ and Pembroke Senior Associate Fritz Vollrath’s presentation on ‘Spiders, Webs and Silks’.

Other topics included ‘The work of the science fiction writer and techno-prophet, Arthur C. Clarke’ (Prof Robert Poole); ‘Ice Age peopling of North America’ (Prof Bruce Bradley); ‘TeV Gamma-ray Astronomy’ (Dr John Quinn); ‘Exploring museums with people with intellectual disabilities’ (Dr Helen Graham); ‘Global biodiversity loss and how protected areas can reduce it’ (Dr Jorn Scharlemann); and ‘All the mammals of Africa, including humans’ (Jonathan Kingdon).

The event was an opportunity to celebrate the College’s connection with Smithson and its ongoing relationship with the institution.

The Pembroke Archivist provided a small display of material relating to Smithson, including:

College Battels Book (Dec 1782) – contemporary volume recording Smithson’s expenditure on various domestic goods and services.

Caution Money Book (May 1782) – caution money (£24 in Smithson’s case) was a form of insurance for good behaviour that was returned to the student when they went down if there were no transgressions.

Copy Matriculation Register – Probably a later Victorian copy, made from University records, this shows Smithson’s matriculation on 7 May 1782 with some biographical notes on the opposite page.

A volume of Governing Body minutes showing an entry from 30 Jan 1896 when it was agreed that the College would accept a gift from the Smithsonian of a memorial tablet which now hangs on a wall of Broadgates Hall.

Guests were able to view a raised plaque commemorating Smithson, which was installed at Pembroke in 1896 - on the Smithsonian’s 50th Anniversary - on the Old Quad next to Broadgates Hall. The bronze plaque was originally one of three commissioned by Smithsonian Secretary Samuel P. Langley and created by William Ordway Partridge.

Today, it is the only one still in existence – the others were placed at Smithson’s original grave site, just outside of Genoa, and at a Protestant Chapel in Genoa itself. The plaque at the grave site was stolen and then replaced with a marble version. During World War II, the Protestant chapel was destroyed and the plaque was looted.

 

Many thanks to Leslie Scott, Pembroke Associate and Founder of The Smithsonian UK Charitable Trust, for her contribution to this article.