The Malcolm Robinson Memorial Fund Lunch, held at Radley on Sunday 26th April, brought together supporters of the fund and its beneficiaries to celebrate the impact of one of Radley’s most admired dons.
Established in memory of Malcolm Robinson, Head of History at Radley from 1967 to 1974, the Malcolm Robinson Memorial Fund has enabled selected 6.1 historians to spend three weeks studying Early American History at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, USA. Over the years, the scholarship has benefitted generations of Radleians, encouraging intellectual curiosity and a lasting love of history.
The day began with a service in Chapel before guests gathered for the unveiling of new Malcolm Robinson Memorial Fund honour boards in the History Department, recognising every award recipient since the programme began in 2008.
These boards are a permanent and visible testament to the values Malcolm Robinson championed throughout his life as a teacher: intellectual ambition, and the belief that education should open horizons beyond school.
Following the unveiling, guests moved to Coffee Shop for a drinks reception, where current and former beneficiaries, and donors, had the opportunity to meet informally. It was wonderful to see recipients from completely different years connecting with one another over their shared experience in the USA, and those preparing to travel to William & Mary rubbing shoulders with ORs who had made the same journey years earlier.
Tim Schmalz, Head of History, led a discussion with former and current award recipients about their experiences in Virginia. Throughout the conversation, it became clear how much the scholarship had stayed with many of those who had taken part. Even recipients who had travelled to William & Mary over a decade ago could still vividly recall particular seminars and friendships.
Guests then gathered for a three-course lunch, combined with reflections and speeches from the Warden, supporters of the Fund and former pupils including Mike Hodgson (1965, C) and Simon Eccles-Williams (1966, E). Alongside tributes to the scholarship, they shared memories of Malcolm Robinson as a teacher whose influence extended well beyond the History classroom – pushing boys to success on Bigside and at Oxbridge.
There were also more colourful (and unexpected!) recollections of Malcolm’s extraordinary life beyond Radley, including stories about his work with British Intelligence. One OR remembered Robinson leaving the sidelines of a Saturday rugby fixture to catch an evening flight to New York for intelligence work, before returning, somehow, in time to teach on Monday morning.
Nearly two decades after the Fund was established, the scholarship continues to broaden horizons and inspire young historians to look outward at the wider world with curiosity and confidence.
