Issue 8, January 2004 (Back to Contents)

Radley says goodbye to Judy Longworth and welcomes her successor as Foundation Director, Luke Purser

Judy Longworth was an inspired choice as Radley’s first Foundation Director, but after four extremely successful years she has decided to accept a new challenge as Development Director of University College, Oxford. Judy’s vision and experience have meant that all the essential elements of the Foundation are in place. Her impact in establishing a strong database, organising social events and raising over £3 million in gifts and pledges has been considerable and we wish her well in her new role.

Judy’s successor is Luke Purser, an Oxford Historian who has experience in events management and fundraising. He is currently Development Manager at Magdalen College, Oxford. He will be joining us after Leave Away and looks forward to working with Jock Mullard and Hamish Aird, who we are delighted has agreed to take on a role as Foundation Adviser.

Change of Data

We were very sorry to say goodbye to Chris Propper, our Information Systems Manager, who has left to become Database Director for Rux-Burton Associates. We welcome his replacement, Paul Tucker, a recent graduate of New College, Oxford.

Paul Russell moves to Cambridge

Paul taught at Radley for 20 years during which time he was a most distinguished and knowledgeable Head of Classics, as well as being a highly competitive and well organised coach of rugby and athletics teams. Above all he valued classical scholarship and continued his research on his beloved Celtic Studies, but for nearly a decade Paul masterminded Radley’s University Entrance and became an acknowledged expert in this realm here and outside. His advice was always considered, sound and the product of a sure familiarity with the bewildering range of course and university permutations. His contacts and his experience informed a number of significant policy decisions here, notably in Radley’s commitment not to take AS levels in 6.1 and to take four rather than three A levels. Many Old Radleians safely embarked on Higher Education at good universities have cause to be grateful for his help and advice, and in Common Room we shall miss his opinions, sometimes trenchantly expressed, but reassuringly sound for all that. Paul goes to take up a lectureship in the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at Cambridge.

Malcolm Smithson

Generations of Radleians will be very sad to hear that Malcolm Smithson died on Friday 5th December. Malcolm and before him his father, Albert, were consecutively Head Groundsman from 1946 to 1995.