India Wright

A bit of fun for a Sunday evening. For those familiar with Cambridge, you will know that this was quicker to make than my previous gatehouses reel, which you can find in my reels tab.

For factual correctness, I should say that in the time honoured tradition of Oxbridge obscurity that one only becomes familiar with after being submerged in a subculture of privilege, two of these boathouses are in fact known by other names.*

Trinity’s boathouse is actually called First and Third Trinity, because in the nineteenth century Trinity College had three boat clubs. Second became obsolete and First and Third merged. They are believed to have hosted the first ‘May Ball’ (actually held in June!) and First and Third Trinity are still the official organisers of Trinity’s May Ball.

St John’s College boathouse is named Lady Margaret boathouse after the founder of the college. Legend has it that a St John’s boat killed another college’s cox during the Bumps contest one year, leading the boat club to be banned and reformed under a new name. However, this is generally thought to be untrue!

*I hasten to add, this information is beyond my knowledge as a mature student parent 😅, but I have acquired it on good authority!

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