Most Billygoats would surely agree that, after rowing, the second most important aspect of a university education is probably the opportunity to meet members of the opposite sex. As well as the 50th anniversary of the Headship and the 150th anniversary of the College, 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of the arrival of women at Fitzwilliam. Before the College was mixed, FCBC shared a boathouse with New Hall perhaps providing opportunities for romance, but before 1966, how did FHBC rowers meet the women of their dreams? Eagle eyed readers of the post on FHBC in the early 60s may have noticed a comment at the end of Secretary Guy Crofts report which I will repeat here as it was badly scanned before.
The Dorothy Cafe dance and its “excess of females” had first occurred a year before in Michaelmas 1961. David Knowles expands:
It was very different then.
The Captain, Mackness, having stated that it was time to put FHBC on the map and that part of his strategy was to have a Dance, he allocated jobs. Venue, band, bar etc was easily decided and delegates went off to fix. “But Robin, where do we get Women? Those few there are in Cambridge [at Girton, Newnham and Homerton] don’t go to Dances with men from Fitzwilliam, they go to Balls with men from Trinity and St Johns”? I distinctly remember Robin saying “leave it to me” with a knowing smirk. It had become a bit of a habit on fine days to have a pint at lunchtime and take it onto the pavement of Trumpington St and watch the talent leaving a Language School further up the street; a seed was sown. Robin went home for the weekend to Bedford where Dad ran the printing company and came back with the grandest invitations I had ever seen – crinkly gold embossed edges, colour embossed print, FHBC crest, the lot. Then he found his interview suit and a clean shirt, told me to do likewise and dragged me along in a support role to the School and asked to see the Head. I found it hard to keep a straight face as Robin explained that we were organising a Dance to further international understanding and maybe some of her nicer young ladies would appreciate the opportunity to meet some of the better type of Undergraduate. He could vouch for the behaviour of us lot; that it was to be a grand occasion and he hoped she would be prepared to recommend it to some of her nicest students; she, the Head, meanwhile running her fingers over the embossed writing and clearly impressed….
The girls that turned up out of the blue were glorious, uncomplicated and fun. After all they were in Cambridge to become fluent in English – not for them the earnest slog of lectures and essays. Native talent was unable to compete. We had opened a mine of international relationships and many long term friendships and more – I know of at least two marriages – came about. I still get turned on by [female] foreign accents! And the FHBC Michaelmas Dance became an instant traditional fixture.
Happy days,
David Knowles
Dec 2019