The Ship 2019 - 2020 St Anne's College Record 2019 - 2020 Number 109 Annual Publication of the St Anne's Society - St Anne's College, Oxford
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The Ship
2019 – 2020
St Anne’s College Record 2019 – 2020 • Number 109 • Annual Publication of the St Anne’s Society
www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 1
Contents
Editorial: Judith Vidal-Hall 2 Jill Rutter: Migration 49
From the SAS President: Stella Charman 3 Sister Frances Benedicta: Oxford Letter 52
From the Principal: Helen King 4 SAS Branch Reports 54
H Salisbury: Should Doctors Take Sides? 62
COVID 19: WHAT WE DID UNDER LOCKDOWN: Sarah James-Short: Estranged in Oxford 64
a range of pieces from students trapped in College
From the JCR: Joseph B Murphy 67
to inventions and doctors on the frontline
JCR Amy Langer, Women’s Rep: Appeal for Memoirs 69
Shivani Chauhan 7
E Longrigg: Memoir 70
Hannah Dafforn 9
E Morgan: Memoir 73
Jessica Still 11
From the MCR: Lise Cazzoli 75
Will van Noordt 13
Student News: Results 77
Diane Ackerley: ‘Exovent’ – a Breath of Life 14
College News 80
C Kiire: Doctor on the Front Line: 18
Fellows’ news 85
Robert Stagg: What do we Mean by ‘Normal’? 21
Bonnie Chau: 594 Ways of Reading Jane Eyre 88
Alumnae Publications 91
Hadley Freeman: Graduation Moments 22
No Going Back: A Holocaust Story - Anna Patrick 94
100 YEARS OF DEGREES FOR WOMEN
Alumnae news 97
St Anne’s College Record 2019-2020 Bristol and West Branch – Eve Phillips Front and back covers: © St Anne’s From The Ship 1919/1920 24
Number 109 Annual Publication of the Cambridge Branch – Sarah Beeson-Jones archive collection. October 1920: Gilia Slocock: St Anne Teaching the Virgin 98
Clare White: ‘Degrees by Degrees’ 27
St Anne’s Society (formerly known as the London Branch – Clare Dryhurst first degree ceremonies for women Alumnae Weekend and Feedback Request 99
Midlands Branch – Michele Gawthorpe Senia Paseta: Why Did it all Take so Long? 32
Association of Senior Members) In Memoriam 100
North East Branch – David Royal Inside back cover:
North West Branch – Lizzie Gent Obituaries 101
Committee 2019-2020 © St Anne’s archive collection. From the Development Office: Edwin Drummond 39
Oxford Branch – Hugh Sutherland Donations 113
President – Stella Charman 1906: Home students take to the water Libby Purves: Whither the BBC 41
South of England Branch – Stella Charman
Vice President – Hugh Sutherland
Honorary Treasurer – Mary Martin Sian Lawrence: Extinction Rebellion 45
Honorary Editor – Judith Vidal-Hall P Farmer: XR, The Grannies’ View 47
Ex Officio – Helen King
2 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk
From the Editor From the SAS President
JUDITH VIDAL-HALL
‘Lord! How empty the streets are Despite everything, they came forward career there while speculating on its
A year of challenges
and how melancholy … Jealous of with ideas and contributions: from the future as a national public broadcaster; STELLA CHARMAN
every door that one sees shut up, centre-piece of this issue – the granting an activist granny from Extinction
lest it should be the plague; and It’s not been the easiest of years harder to put it into practice. Before the existing
of degrees to women – to the memories Rebellion makes the case for the older for our new SAS president, but she
about us two shops in three, if coronavirus entered our lives we had ones such as
of some themselves approaching their generation alongside the challenges looks ahead undaunted with plans
not more, generally shut up,’ says begun to make progress, with an initial participation
own century, by way of some refreshing thrown down by a younger member; for a renewed SAS
Samuel Pepys in his Diary for 1665. focus on The Ship itself. This has always in the careers
news from contemporary students and Jill Rutter reminds us that immigration
This past year, my first as President of been an important way in which the SAS network, CV
Following Pepys’ lead, I had thought to graduates trapped in College during is not going away any time soon but
the St Anne’s Society, has been nothing has linked alumnae with the College and clinics and
begin my editorial for this issue of The lockdown, plus inspiring accounts is likely to increase as refugees from
less than extraordinary – and not in a illustrated our collective contribution fundraising
Ship with a gloomy appraisal of the hard of a doctor working on the front line poorer countries flee the impact of the
good way. Like so many members of to knowledge about the world. With a initiatives. The College is facing a
times our present plague has created for throughout the pandemic and another spreading plague.
our worldwide community of alumnae, circulation of 9,000, The Ship is widely challenging time ahead and needs
the University, our College in particular who spent her time working with
And finally: an appeal from Amy Langer, the newly elected SAS Committee has praised and valued. This year we have our support to survive and thrive. It
and the world generally. With regrets colleagues on the invention of a new-
women’s representative for the JCR. had to place its plans and aspirations on confirmed our commitment to keeping would be greatly helped by a more
for the absence of several ‘normal’ – but style ventilator. Our members have yet
She is supervising the collection of hold for the time being. Nevertheless, it as a printed document, but also to active body of alumnae, working within
check what we should understand by again delivered in infinite variety, from
memoirs from former students to form some progress has been possible and developing an interactive online version local communities and alongside OUS
this word in Robert Stagg’s illuminating the extraordinary travels of Jane Eyre to
a long overdue College archive. See her the ‘new normal’ offers a number of we hope will encourage younger readers colleagues, to widen participation in
piece – columns, in particular the the inspiring story of a current student.
message and respond, please, before it opportunities to re-frame and re-boot to read it and all alumnae to keep in the top quality education offered by
ever popular Russell Taylor with his
1920 was the year the University finally is too late! the SAS! touch with comments, suggestions and Oxford and specifically to raise the
inimitable Alex and the Careers column,
decided to grant degrees to women, ideas. Sadly we will now be unable to profile of St Anne’s among aspiring
both victims of these turbulent times. My thanks to Jay Gilbert, who manages In last year’s Ship, Hugh Sutherland, who
who, despite almost half-a-century of deliver on this aspiration until 2021. potential students. We want to generate
communications in the Development was then President of the SAS, reflected
But on second thoughts, and bearing in sitting finals and gaining firsts, had been a dialogue about this with as many
Office. Though this is her first full on its role and purpose, and suggested A second aim for this year was to grow
mind what Daniel Defoe implies in his denied the privilege of officially taking of you as possible and, paradoxically,
experience of putting The Ship together, it was time to rethink its mission. So our an active Branch of the SAS in the
Journal of the Plague Year (1722) – that their degrees. Our invaluable librarian coronavirus restrictions may assist us
she rose above my demands and was first task following the 2019 AGM was North East of England in support of
the plague was characterised more by Clare White and Professor of Modern in reaching out more widely via online
invaluable in getting this to you while to reformulate our purpose in the light College’s outreach activity and the ‘Aim
fortitude and resilience than by mob History, Senia Paseta, celebrate this, platforms. With the ‘Meeting Minds’
working from home. of the outcome of the St Anne’s ‘2025 for Oxford’ programme. However, our
behaviour – it seemed more appropriate accompanied by excerpts from the Alumni weekend now going entirely
Conversation’, and to align our activity plans for a launch event in April had to
to begin with a heartfelt expression of 1920 issue of The Ship, then in its tenth Judith Vidal-Hall (Bunting 1957) digital and global in September, our
more closely to that of the College as be cancelled, but we will return to this
thanks to all those who have contributed year. The feelings of satisfaction and 2020 AGM will likewise be available to
a whole: 'to engage St Anne’s alumnae in the coming year and would love to
to the issue to make it so much jubilation at this long-awaited right are you in your own home and I hope will
all over the world with the College in its hear from any alumnae in the area who
more than my grim expectations had evident in its pages, excerpts from which mark a new beginning for the SAS with
aspiration to understand the world and would be willing to join this enterprise.
supposed. As Camus expressly says in La we include here. its updated role and purpose. Please
Peste (1947): ‘What's true of all the evils change it for the better'. More broadly, we have also begun to make contact and join in!
Among many outstanding pieces, Libby
in the world is true of the plague as well. However, it is relatively easy to express explore ways in which alumnae can
Purves, long-time reporter, presenter Stella Charman (Rees 1975)
It helps men to rise above themselves.’ something in the abstract, rather actively support College, beyond the
and host at the BBC, reflects on her own
4 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 5
From the Principal From the Principal
to review and develop our plans. Fellows process. Depending on the course this meant that 99 per cent of St Anne’s
Triumph over adversity are working with their Departments
to adapt old practices to mitigate new
subject, conditional offers for Oxford
now require applicants to achieve
offer holders had their place confirmed
As a result, we face the term ahead
HELEN KING risks and our College Officer team is results ranging from AAA to A*A*A.
excited to be welcoming a larger than
It’s hard to deny the disruption of been trying to adjust to living, working remarkably adaptable. Tutors and additionally involved in the work that is The College over offers by about 15
usual Fresher intake of undergraduate
lockdown, but difficult times can and studying during a pandemic. With students tell me that tutorials translate being done to prepare at a University per cent, knowing that a proportion of
and graduate students. We’re also
bring out the best in people, and many students going home but others especially effectively onto video level. This includes a University Covid-19 candidates each year do not get the
delighted to be welcoming back our
there is much to be proud of in the needing to stay in College, going into conferencing platforms, especially testing service and protocols to contain grades required. This year, through the
second, third and fourth years who, with
way past and current members of suspected and confirmed cases. University, we raised concerns that the
lockdown back in March and making when you already have the personal the consistent and creative input of their
the College have stepped up to the approach Ofqual was intending to take
rapid preparations to weather the understanding of each other that all Difficult times can bring out the best in JCR and MCR Committee members, have
challenge would disadvantage exactly those high
impending threats for the duration alumnae will remember developing with people, and there is much to be proud provided tremendous support to each
was stressful and hard work. The St their tutors. Students even prefer online achieving outliers in otherwise poorly
of in the way past and current members other in this unprecedented year and
Anne’s community, as you would hope, lectures: that opportunity to repeat the performing schools that we work so hard
of the College have stepped up to help in helped the College with its planning.
responded calmly, showing common hard bits, or pause to catch up with to support in our outreach work. That
their communities, in key worker roles,
prediction proved correct. So when the Our trepidation about the term ahead
sense, maturity, good humour and your notes or make a cup of tea, that in the NHS and in contributing to the
grades produced by the algorithm were is balanced with the confidence of
compassion. a traditional lecture does not cater for. world leading research Oxford is doing
shared, tutors knew that every decision knowing that St Anne’s, and previously
Some tutors have admitted to missing to quell the pandemic.
Then it became apparent that for the to confirm or reject an offer holder the Society of Home Students, has
the opportunity to ‘perform’ for the
first time in the history of the College we Alongside these challenges, world events required very careful consideration of always been here for the long haul. A
audience from the front of the lecture
would have a Trinity Term with tutors’ and issues closer to home identified by all the information available to us about century ago the College had worked for
theatre, but they may be glad a year on
rooms empty, no congenial lunches and Black Lives Matter campaigners, have candidates who had not been awarded over 40 years for its members to receive
to be able to rely on updated recordings
sumptuous dinners in Hall, no punting rightly caused us to focus anew on what the required grades. This led to offers degrees. Later, Bertha Johnson and
of their lectures from 2020 when they
or Summer Eights and, most shockingly, progress we are making as an institution being confirmed for 70 per cent of subsequent Principals steered it through
come to teach the same course once
no sub fusc and three hour exams in in becoming the ‘diverse and inclusive students who had not been awarded world wars, obtaining College status
If asked at the start of 2020 what the again.
Examination Schools! Everything had to community’ we identified as a key part the grades of their offer, prioritizing and admitting men. Maybe, after all, the
main theme of my piece for The Ship
go on line – and so it did. Everything has Now, in August, our preparations to of our ambition for St Anne’s. Consulting the most disadvantaged. In the finest centenary is in one sense the theme for
would be this year, I would have told
been done remotely: tutorials, lectures, welcome the physical return of tutors, with our black students and our Advisory traditions of St Anne’s this included this piece: however long the pandemic
you with confidence that nothing would
library resources, revision classes, open students and staff to College are well Fellow, Tom Ilube, Governing Body students from schools and colleges who lasts, St Anne’s College, its people, and
surpass the centenary year of women
book exams, outreach events with in hand. To be frank, preparing to keep unanimously signed up to nine practical had never sent anyone to Oxbridge its ethos, will continue to prove itself
receiving degrees from the University of
schools, ‘open days’ for prospective everyone safe and well, supporting an recommendations to accelerate the before, students with a care background as a supportive and forward looking
Oxford, with our first Principal, Bertha
applicants and also social activities such unexpectedly large cohort of Freshers, change we were already seeing. I look or experience of homelessness or other community playing its part in Oxford’s
Johnson, being the very first.
as bake offs, quizzes, talent shows, whilst simultaneously preserving the forward to being able to share with you significant disadvantage. Even though mission to lead the world in education
Important as the centenary is (and I do seminars, and even leaving drinks as we most important aspects of what it progress on these recommendations. this exceeded the usual capacity of the and research. St Anne’s College’s
hope you enjoy the articles linked to said goodbye to colleagues we hadn’t means to be at Oxford University is College we felt this was the right thing aspiration is to understand the world
this) we all now realize that I would have Then, most recently, this year’s A-level
met in four months. going to be an even greater challenge to do. When the Education Secretary and change it for the better and that will
been wrong in thinking that it would be fiasco (I don’t think anyone can object
than going into lockdown. We watch later announced that school submitted still be true 100 years from now.
The Oxford system, with credit to to that description) caused major
the stand out event of the year. Instead, what has been happening at US predicted grades would be recognized,
our tutors and students, has proved disruption to the usual admissions Helen King Principal
like the rest of this planet, St Anne’s has Universities with concern and continue
6 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 7
Life under lockdown
COVID 19:
The joys of a garden
SHIVANI CHAUHAN
WHAT WE
DID UNDER The joys of the garden. Credit: Shivani Chauhan
LOCKDOWN
that a similar surreal life under talked about our studies, supervisors
lockdown would soon become our very and friends. We had the pleasure
own reality. Although the new world of observing each other’s cooking
order has inevitably impacted every experiments. We sought travel advice
major aspect of my regular life from and churned our heads on politics in
Renewed realizations of the value studies to social exchange, it has also our native countries. I relished those
of friends and family, plus time to been instrumental in my acquiring new convivial meetups so dearly since they
observe the delights of nature, are perspectives and insights. were indispensable to my emotional
Over 70 students, many of them from abroad, were trapped in among the more positive aspects of
lockdown First, sharing the delights and
well-being and a delightful respite from
rigorous academic work.
disappointments of the day with my
College by the lockdown. Some of them share their experiences. It seems like only yesterday that my
flat-mates at Robert Saunders House, St But once the current public health
friend and flat-mate Sasha was giving
Anne’s graduate accommodation centre emergency urged us either to return
us daily updates on the spread of novel
in Summertown, had been a consistent to our homes or be shifted to en-
coronavirus in her home country, China.
source of joy in my normal routine. We suites in the Ruth Deech Building to
We, however, were far from imagining
8 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 9
Life under lockdown Life under lockdown
‘Funhouse mirrors’
practice social distancing in alignment further research material that one needs such as tulips, crocuses, bluebells
with government regulations, being to incorporate in the work. Following etcetera, and various kinds of fragrant
in close proximity with friends was this fundamental exigency related to shrubs and trees with cherry and apple
not a plausible option anymore. This the rhizome-like structure of research blossoms beaming gracefully against the HANNAH DAFFORN
temporary deprivation of human seems almost impossible in the absence picturesque college site. I also happened She and her family have suffered
contact has made me more appreciative of main libraries at the university. This to make friends with four handsome more than most from Covid-19.
of the beautiful bonds of family and has impelled us to improvise with the black cats who could be seen strolling Though all have survived, it
friendships and also brought the available material and find creative ways around the college together in the highlighted the importance of family
realization that we can only survive of staying productive and keeping our evening. Whereas in a normal term- units, friendships and neighbours as
and thrive through mutual support and research going, albeit at a snail’s pace. time coupled with a hectic schedule, never before
cooperation. I could hardly manage relaxing walks Though I had organized to stay on at
As life gradually de-accelerated in the
and photography sessions, the current St Anne’s for the duration of the Easter
Second, library closure and travel wake of shutdown, we were bound
situation offered an opportunity to Vac before a Global Health Crisis was
restrictions turned out to be serious to find new ways of recreation and of
cherish surrounding green life bursting announced, I got ‘stuck’ when, on
impediments to the overall academic interacting with the world around us.
into a nourishing energy to start over. the cusp of renouncing this plan and
progress, be it regular work on For me, St Anne’s magnificent garden
However, this time it was with a greater heading back home, I began to present
my dissertation, conferences or offered a tranquil space to meditate
degree of reflection and thoughtfulness symptoms and had to self-isolate at
publications. While developing an and to appreciate the enchanting hues
towards the animal and plant life. College for a week. A couple of days
argument in one’s research, for instance, of nature in spring. It has been a true
one is very likely to come across multiple delight to marvel at green patches of Shivani Chauhan is working on a DPhil in into this, my 70-year-old father became
references and new suggestions for land carpeted with colourful flowers German. Her family is from India. seriously ill with Covid-19, and soon my
mother, who was nursing him through
this, followed suit. For context, they
live in rural West Wales and at the time
had no recourse to getting groceries, as
well as experiencing power shortages
because of failures in coverage by the
National Grid. When I came out of
quarantine, I was exceedingly grateful
to College for allowing me to stay on. In
the first couple of weeks ‘stranded’ at St
Anne’s, I spent sleepless nights manning
my phone, bracing for the worst and
praying, pleading with them to get
medical attendance.
My black cat companions. Credit: Shivani Chauhan
Hannah Dafforn
10 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 11
Life under lockdown Life under lockdown
As my parents, though still debilitated, the road – as well as greetings from just And yet, there seems to be little wisdom in and the responsibilities we have, as Spring sunshine turns the fresh leaves
showed signs of recovery and managed, about anyone I passed walking – for a
Drinking in forgoing what joy and rest is available ‘non-essential’ as they may be. luminous green, casting dappled
a shot
with a friend’s help, to get supplies in, I sense of living in and being seen in a to me in this time. Life is full of suffering, shadows on the vacant pavements. As
The birdsong lifts more loudly and
began to develop a routine and adapt community. The importance of family and we are especially aware of it now. the world glides glacially through the
sweetly with no traffic to compete
to life in Covid-era Oxford. I alternated units, friendships and neighbours was We must each choose how to respond to doldrums, we wait with expectation for
JESSICA STILL with, the church bells resonate more
early-morning runs with late-evening thrown into relief as never before, as it, taking into account the contexts we’re an olive branch, signalling the return
deeply through the unhurried air and
walks through Jericho and Port Meadow, was the capacity of social media and Staying indoors more, buzzing of normality. But inside each of our
trying to avoid peak times when virus- the digital sphere to act as funhouse around less, has forced one cabin-rooms it remains, in many ways,
sceptics treated public spaces like mirrors, distorting our personal criteria student to reassess how she’d business as usual.
like to spend her energy going
beaches on a bank holiday Monday. I for what constitutes ‘belonging’ and
forward An Oxford term can be compared to
was thankful to have a bathroom and propagating a mentality of prioritizing
drinking a shot. You have to brace
a desk in my temporary Ruth Deech insular as opposed to communal values. It is difficult in the present moment
yourself, it tastes awful and electric and
Building lodgings, but while the un- I was inspired to work on a piece for the to imagine a Corona-free world,
then it’s over and you wonder what has
personalized, transitory space and Jericho Arts Review, a cultural magazine just as it might have been difficult
happened. An online Oxford term is like
paucity of personal possessions had established by St Anne’s students, on in January to imagine a Corona-
drinking the same shot, but alone in
me rethinking the importance of stuff the latter theme: www.issuu.com/ ridden one. The world is on fire, so
your room. It tastes just as bad but there
to happiness, I couldn’t help but feel thejerichoartsreview. Otherwise, I to speak. The global economy is
are no pressured stares, glaring lights
pangs of jealousy walking through mostly tried to give my vac work the struggling and millions of the world’s
or cacophonies of clinking glasses to
Jericho and along the canals in the attention it was due and forego the most disenfranchised are having
egg you on. There is less Oxford-esque
evenings, seeing couples drinking wine trappings of Netflix parties until evening. to eat into what little savings they
charm, or propaganda (depending on
on balconies, neighbours sitting chatting At least my intentions were good. might have, if they are able to eat
what mood you’re in), to butter you up
on their doorsteps, families shutting the at all. Hundreds of thousands are
Hannah Dafforn (2019) is reading while you brood over your work. It is just
curtains on living rooms adorned with mourning the loss of loved ones, and
Classics and English. She lives in Wales. you and your degree.
pianos and portraits, hearing the faint still more fear what and who is yet to
sounds of television laugh tracks and be lost to this strange new foe. And yet, God has used this time for
catching glimpses of ample bookshelves my good. Life, including university, is
And yet this is not how I have been
and paintings through light-suffused overwhelming. Staying indoors more,
experiencing my every-day life...
windows. and therefore buzzing around less,
There is a strange disparity between
has forced me to reassess how I’d like
It was difficult to walk through College the peacefulness of Oxford’s empty
to spend my energy going forward.
without feeling the absence of the streets and the price being paid for
As someone prone to anxious over-
student body’s tangible presence that peacefulness. My enjoyment
commitment, it has been remedial to
acutely, but I have to thank (socially of the absurdity and humour of
reflect and pray more, to spend more
distanced) conversations with the small moments stings like a stolen
time in nature, to re-appreciate the
porters, other students stuck in RDB pleasure as I understand that my
substance in existing friendships rather
and the staff at grocery stores down experience is a privileged one.
Jessica Still
12 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 13
Life under lockdown Life under lockdown
The city of silent spires
than rushing nervously, and almost
insatiably, to accumulate new ones
(a disastrous combination with Oxford’s
endless social calendar), to mend some WILL VAN NOORDT
of my belongings and to re-experience Along with over 70 other students Lockdown at St Anne’s began with an over again, no matter how relevant.
the slow-joy of cooking meals – unable to go home, Will found refuge email containing a strong message: Calls to stay home and practice social
something I’ve missed since relying in College go home if you can. Given the state distancing were demoted from vital
on the dining hall as a time-saver. I’ve of global transportation at the time, practices to mere platitudes. The crisis
learned better to savour the sometimes for many that choice was not simple. had brought with it the end of a long
small, sometimes surprising connections Singapore had already been through and wet winter, and beautiful, sunny
that can be made in shared spaces, as the early stages of shutting borders, afternoons beckoned everyone outside.
in our communal kitchen, with other Australia and New Zealand had
Stanners, including members of staff. I For those who do not have robust self-
mandatory quarantine on arrival and
am grateful that I have a degree to work discipline, working remotely naturally
the USA had stopped accepting foreign
on at all, which I know is a gift from God, tips the scales of work-life balance.
national travellers from Europe. Every
even though I don’t always understand Without the need to travel more than
day, the news contained troubling
it as such. I am a student of philosophy two metres to work every morning, and
stories of overrun ICUs, short supplies
and so for me, bizarrely, one of my with all necessities within arms’ reach, it
and, most tragically, an unyielding
duties is to philosophize well. This time is easy to slip into a routine that doesn’t
death toll. And as 71 students unable
is teaching me, inter alia, that all work, involve much more than academic work.
to go home moved into the Ruth Deech
and rest, done to the glory of God will Without care, the late hours can tick
Building, life was unusually chaotic for a
last, even philosophy, and even in a away into the early morning, and only
couple of days.
Corona world. the sound of twittering birds indicates
Will van Noordt After chaos died down, new routines that is time to get off the Zoom call.
Jessica Still is studying for a BPhil in were settled into. It was comfortable
Philosophy. Her home is in Johannesberg, Cycling around the uncharacteristically Fortunately, as the ‘curve’ flattens, the
at first; for those whose work could
South Africa silent streets of Oxford is bizarre. university is beginning to reopen parts
be done remotely, there was no need
Cornmarket Street, usually full of of labs and buildings, and while pubs
to leave their rooms. The dining hall
tourists, street performers, and and restaurants remained closed until
offered a safe and higher-quality
pedestrians, is more like something July, there is some indication that things
alternative to braving supermarkets full
from a ghost town. As one stands in will eventually return to normal. But for
of people with mixed levels of concern
solitude among the old buildings of the the time being, it is important that we all
for the newly-implemented social
High Street, it wouldn’t seem unusual to take care of ourselves and each other.
distancing policies. But it wasn’t long
The silent streets of the city. Credit: William van Noordt see a passing tumbleweed, or perhaps before Coronavirus fatigue settled in. Will van Noordt, PhD Student,
hear the soaring screech of a hungry One stops paying attention to the news Department of Engineering Science, is from
hawk. after hearing the same stories over and New Zealand
14 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 15
What we did under lockdown What we did under lockdown
millennia as a common mild disease in students and nurses hand ventilated
Drains, Planes and Breathing Machines young children who often recovered fully
but were occasionally left with some
patients day and night using devices
normally used for supporting breathing
DIANE ACKERLEY paralysis and natural lifelong immunity. during anaesthetics. Later, mechanically
How to build a ventilator over the layer sack; the thin layer of fluid within within your lungs go above atmospheric The polio virus came from sewage- driven positive pressure ventilators were
Internet – and save many more lives this sack distributes the pull from the pressure. Atmospheric pressure is the contaminated water. Better drains and also brought in and proved useful.
around the world diaphragm – and the chest wall when pressure of the air around us due to the cleaner water meant that fewer young
The new positive pressure ventilators
you’re breathing harder – to the surface weight of the atmosphere above us. children contracted polio and grew
Have you ever thought about how you were less cumbersome, cheaper
of the lungs by the magic of surface up without immunity. A large enough
breathe? Until about 70 years ago, most and easy to operate. Anaesthetists
tension, spreading the force evenly. proportion of the population became
ventilators were negative pressure Above and below: The Exovent were using them every day to give
Take a moment. Relax. susceptible, herd protection reduced,
When you’ve breathed in enough air, the ventilators that drew air into the lungs anaesthetics, so they became the
so regular epidemics started to occur in
Feel your tummy go out, as your diaphragm relaxes and the air comes by making a partial vacuum around the devices of choice for ventilating patients
Europe and the USA. The disease was
diaphragm contracts and descends. The out. Then there is a pause, until your torso. The first devices were described in intensive care. Negative pressure
much more severe in older children and
diaphragm pulls the lungs downwards brain tells your diaphragm to contract about 200 years ago. They ventilated ventilators were regulated to niche uses
adults with one in 75 adults becoming
and the air inwards through your again. At no point does the pressure the patient by lowering the pressure in in specialist units and polio survivors
paralysed. Paralysis would sometimes
nose. Each lung is enclosed in a double a chamber, which pulled on the outside who needed assistance with their
impair breathing thus causing death.
of the torso and pulled down the breathing, some for many decades.
The 1952 USA polio epidemic killed 5 per
diaphragm as in natural breathing. Iron The iron-lung tank ventilators were
cent of those recognized as infected, and
lungs are the best-known devices. large and covered the whole body.
left 37 per cent with paralysis.
Nursing the patient was difficult. The
Positive pressure ventilators started In the UK in 1938 there was a severe positive pressure ventilators also had
voice box into the trachea, and for the
to become popular in the 1950s. In polio epidemic, which exposed a severe some problems – especially when the
positive pressure machine to ventilate
a positive pressure ventilator the air lack of ventilators. Lord Nuffield, founder inflating pressures had to be increased.
the patient. The patient also needed
is pumped into the lungs at above of the Morris Motor Company, stepped About one in 12 patients would get a
sedative drugs to tolerate the tube and
atmospheric pressure, pushing out the forward to offer to mass manufacture pneumothorax (burst lung) due to the
the paralysis.
chest wall, pushing down the diaphragm 1,700 iron lungs, which were distributed above atmospheric pressure and, as
and squashing the heart and the large Before the mid-nineteenth century, in the UK and Empire. These devices time went by, the condition of ventilator-
veins in the chest, which reduces the drinking water was often contaminated undoubtedly saved the lives of many associated lung injury was recognized in
effectiveness of the heart as a pump. In by bacteria and viruses from sewage. Dr polio victims who needed short- or long- some patients who were ventilated for
1942, purified curare, developed from John Snow, famous for identifying the term support with their breathing. longer periods with positive pressure.
a South American traditional hunting Broad Street water pump as the source
poison, was first used in a human to of a cholera outbreak in 1954, founded In 1952 there was a severe polio In 2020 a novel coronavirus emerged
paralyse the muscles of breathing. the science of epidemiology and initiated epidemic in Copenhagen. At one point, from China, spreading around the
This made it easier for the patient to the provision of a water supply not 70 patients needed ventilating but there world quickly in people taking cheap
tolerate the breathing tube passing contaminated with sewage. Before the were only seven negative pressure international flights. SARS-CoV-2 was
through the mouth, the throat and the twentieth century, polio was known for ventilators. Teams of doctors, medical perfectly designed to cause a pandemic:
Nuffield iron lung assembled at Morris Motors, Cowley
16 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 17
What we did under lockdown What we did under lockdown
there was no herd immunity, people In Cornwall a civil engineer thought negative ventilation could be treated We called the device, the Exovent. WhatsApp groups and Zoom meetings. The next step is clinical trials for
were infectious before they had that maybe, rather than trying to build without sedation and paralysis, they Our engineers, who have built their own which we need MHRA (Medicines and
As I write this, it is 12 weeks from the
symptoms, it spread by breathing, more positive pressure machines, he could talk, eat and drink while being units, seals, pumps and controllers of Healthcare products Regulatory Agency)
first social media posting and first
talking and coughing, the symptoms should try to re-engineer the iron lung, ventilated, they could move themselves different sorts, can offer advice from and HRA (Health Research Authority)
conference calls. Marshall ADG have
were many and varied. Unfortunately, which would use a different supply chain around in the cabinet. The devices used their own experience and share images ethics approval, and money (we are
become our commercial partners,
in some people the virus causes from the positive pressure systems. He a mains electricity supply and only as and videos of their units. The pioneers applying for grants). Making a good
working free of charge, and have built
pneumonia, in about one in 20 a very thought it should be easier to build as much oxygen as the patient needed. send back videos of their devices idea into an approved and evidence-
prototypes. They truly became part of
severe pneumonia that needs critical the vintage models predated modern In fact, the oxygen needed could also working. In the future the pioneer based device costs a great deal. It’s quite
our team on a conference call a few
care treatment and often ventilation. electronics and sensors. be supplied by an oxygen concentrator groups will be able to maintain and possible that our pioneer teams will be
weeks into the collaboration. One of our
Graphic images on the television and on – another mains electricity device repair their own machines. ventilating patients in devices approved
Somehow, his appeal for engineers anaesthetists, who was on a shift in the
social media, first from China and then extracting oxygen from room air. in their own countries before that can
and medics to come together in this COVID ICU at a major London hospital The first working prototype from
from Italy, made it clear that there would happen in the UK. The Exovent team will
endeavour was posted on a Facebook Within a week there was a team that had been featured on a widely Marshall has been used for healthy
be a global need for more ventilators. be delighted.
site, with his phone number. He was of practising and retired clinicians, viewed special report on the television human volunteer trials. Those who have
Now the positive pressure ventilators surprised when people started to call engineers of all types, IT people, PR news, telephoned in to give us advice been ventilated remark how relaxing We think that the Exovent will become
are very sophisticated and expensive. him. Our GP daughter saw the Facebook people and people who knew other on some clinical issues. His voice was and normal it feels as the device takes another standard form of ventilator
They need lots of specialized sensors post and sent it to my physicist husband. people. We were spread geographically muffled from the PPE he was wearing. over your breathing. You can talk, support, not just for patients with
and controls because you have to be He joined a conference call and, within from Cornwall to Edinburgh. We He was treating patients at the height of drink and eat whilst being ventilated, COVID-19. The engineer who started the
very careful how much pressure and a day, was building a proof of concept communicated by WhatsApp, conference the epidemic. He knew that the current and lie in different positions. When Exovent project would like every patient
volume you use to ventilate patients in the garage. It really wasn’t hard to calls and then Zoom. Most of us have forms of positive pressure ventilation used just to keep the lung air sacs who goes in an Exovent to share their
to prevent problems. There are also pull a vacuum in a cabinet and vary the still not met in person. were not delivering the results that the open by constantly maintaining a small photo on our website.
positive pressure systems using tight pressure. Other engineers also built patients needed. Over the Internet his negative pressure outside the torso,
We have a mission to build a torso Wouldn’t that be great? All those people
fitting facemasks called CPAP. These their own successful units. concern about his patients and his belief the person doesn’t feel any effect at all.
only negative pressure ventilator that from different nations, treated in a
systems are simpler, and don’t need that the Exovent was a solution was The breathing tests done show that the
I had been sceptical that a technology I could be built and used around the device developed over the Internet and
an endotracheal tube, but patients crystal clear. After he left the meeting, device is very effective at supporting
associated with ventilating people with world. When set to a constant negative with social media, visible around the
often find them uncomfortable for the engineers we were working with normal breathing and ventilating normal
weak muscles and normal lungs would pressure it would keep the air sacs of world.
prolonged use. Often CPAP machines from Marshall changed their focus lungs. A small amount of negative
be effective in COVID-19 patients. I the lungs open, when the pressure
need very high flows of oxygen to make from developing a device to delivering a pressure exerted on the torso has a Dr Diane Ackerley (1975)
thought I’d check it out with an Internet cycled it would help people breathe in a
them work. And with so many patients solution. much greater effect than the same www.exovent.info
search. Within an hour I knew I was natural way, resting their muscles and
needing oxygen, it is in short supply. amount of positive pressure delivered
wrong: there were good and recent allowing their bodies to heal. Engineers Many low resource countries have
through a breathing tube. Exovent
These ventilators depend on global clinical trials showing that negative and clinicians in low-resource countries a handful of ventilators to treat
supports the patient by helping them
supply chains, often starting in China, pressure ventilation did work for sick could build and repair their own units millions of people. There are Exovent
breathe in the same way that their own
which was locked down to control people with infected lungs. And it from local materials, using information pioneer teams in Ghana, Ethiopia and
muscles do – but the Exovent supplies
the virus. This was a pandemic so all was also much better for supporting packs we would provide and supported Bangladesh building their own devices
the energy. Anyone who has been really
countries wanted more ventilators now: the heart’s pumping action. I joined by our engineers and clinicians using with locally sourced materials with our
breathless for a significant period of
stocks of parts ran out. the conference calls too. Patients on modern communications. help. We communicate with them by
time knows how tiring breathing hard is.
18 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 19What we did under lockdown What we did under lockdown
opposite end of the spectrum too: footfall slightly and be less rigid about resources away from those who needed
Keeping an eye on things people with very mild, stable eye disease
and multiple underlying conditions who
who can accompany a patient into the
department.
them on the COVID-19 wards.
However, the Trust provided us with
CHRISTINE KIIRE insisted on coming in as frequently as
The changes made to our department all that we needed, including aprons
One of the first doctors to die of possible.
before. The secretaries bore the to avoid an old-fashioned paternalistic will probably be with us for a long and gloves for interactions with
COVID-19 in China was a young brunt of this work, knowing that approach to patient care. We like to Thankfully, we were generally able to time. As doctors, we’ve abandoned patients during the clinics. Our retinal
ophthalmologist, a warning to chaos would ensue as some patients involve patients in the decisions made persuade most of those who needed to our personal sense of fashion and photographers probably individually saw
those working in the same field were subsequently going to have to about their care, rather than just telling be seen to come in at the appropriate style and have embraced wearing more patients than anyone else in the
in the UK to take particular care.
be booked back into urgent clinics, them what we have decided on their time. Many commented that they felt scrubs for all patient interactions. department throughout the lockdown
As an ophthalmologist working in
frustratingly most likely at around the behalf. Informed consent is a key part of reassured to see the major changes Uncomfortable as masks are to wear because many traditionally face-to-
Oxford explains, it’s not only medics
working directly with Covid-19 time that their original, now cancelled, the way we interact with those we serve, that we had made to the environment all day, we appreciate having access face appointments were converted to
patients who had to meet the appointments would have taken place. so we tried to phone as many people as to make it as safe as possible. The Eye to them. As eye doctors, our work imaging only, which allowed patients to
challenge imposed by the virus Carrying out this work, with telephones we could, to discuss the changes to their Hospital is normally one of the busiest involves close face-to-face contact with be in the department for less time and
ringing constantly as patients phoned management. outpatient departments in the John many patients, so having high quality with less direct contact with doctors. The
us to cancel their own appointments Radcliffe. Anyone who has been there protective equipment is important photographers have worked tirelessly
It was, however, incredibly challenging
‘until this coronavirus thing is over’, was on a typical pre-COVID-19 weekday will for us. When it emerged that one of and without audible complaints, and I
to have to read so many patient records
incredibly stressful for all concerned. attest to how hectic an environment the first doctors to die of COVID-19 in am amazed and humbled by that. They
at speed, risk-stratify the patients
it can be, so those patients who came China was a young ophthalmologist, appear to be constantly smiling, but
As consultants, we had to go through according to their risk of a poor outcome
in during the peak of the lockdown we were understandably concerned behind a mask you never really know!
all of our patients’ medical records to if they were to leave home and possibly
enjoyed a totally different experience: about making our work environment For these ‘virtual’ clinics, the doctors
make new plans for them. We urgently contract COVID-19 (be that en route to
one with space to sit down in and fewer safe for everyone. Having masks and subsequently review the imaging and
had to identify those who couldn’t or from the hospital, or in the hospital),
delays in getting around the nursing, other appropriate personal protective make a management plan remotely,
afford to have a delay in their follow and risk-stratify them according to their
imaging and medical teams and then equipment (PPE) is equally important for communicating this to the patient
up because the risk to their eyesight risk of vision loss if their follow up or
out again. At the peak of the pandemic, our allied health professional colleagues over the telephone, well within social
would be too great. For services like treatment was delayed. Most patients
all patients had a temperature and who also interact with patients on other distancing guidelines!
the one I am responsible for, this task were understandably terrified and said
symptom check at the front door and parts of their journeys through our
was made slightly easier by our use of things like, ‘I won’t come to the hospital One of the most alarming moments for
Consultant ophthalmologist Christine Kiire they had their hands cleaned before department. None of us takes this for
electronic notes. Other paper-based because that virus is there,’ or ‘I don’t our department was when, within the
they came in. Relatives were no longer granted. Many of us doubted whether
I work as a consultant ophthalmologist services had less accessible information want to die.’ The conversations were first few weeks of the lockdown, all of
allowed to accompany patients to their we would be given the appropriate
in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. to work with for this triaging task. Still, difficult because the level of panic in our junior doctors were redeployed to
appointments (to reduce footfall in the level of protective equipment and we
At the start of the lockdown, we had to sitting in front of a computer for over the community was so high and, as far work on COVID-19 wards. They were
department) except in very specific personally invested in our own masks
cancel two months’ worth of our booked 12 hours a day, reading hundreds of as I could tell, very few patients had afraid about this to begin with, but they
circumstances. That was tough for bought on websites such as Amazon,
patient appointments at a moment’s patient records to make new plans for considered the risk to their eyesight rose to the challenge brilliantly. I found
some, particularly for the elderly, the or we had masks shipped to us by
notice. This was a huge administrative their follow up, was a bit of a shock to from a delay in treatment when they it interesting to hear they generally
fearful and/or the hard of hearing. As generous friends and family members
and logistical challenge, the likes of the system for most of us. Consultants made up their minds about not coming preferred to work in intensive care
lockdown restrictions have been lifted a working abroad. Many of us bought our
which we had never encountered in our generation have been well trained in. There were several patients at the over working in the general COVID-19
little, we have been able to increase our own scrubs so that we wouldn’t take
20 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 21What we did under lockdown Living with the virus
wards because they felt better protected unit when I was on call with my junior of patients, but there are fewer doctors
against COVID-19 with the PPE used
in intensive care but inaccessible to
doctor hat on. I felt incredibly proud
of our ophthalmology junior doctors
doing this work and there are fewer
training opportunities for the juniors.
What do we mean by ‘normal’?
them on the general COVID-19 wards. as the intensive care consultants and Teaching is done via Zoom after the long ROBERT STAGG
While the junior doctors were away, registrars overflowed with praise for days of too-much-screen-time that we It’s a commonly used word, much Yet in post-classical Latin, ‘normalis’ language: the so-called ‘descriptivism’,
the consultants in the Eye Hospital them – for their work ethic and good are now all familiar with. We are trying thrown out at the moment by gradually came to mean ‘confirming to which aims to record how language is
had to cover the typical junior doctor humour, their willingness to learn new to remain upbeat and to be creative in government and others in authority. or governed by a rule’. It slowly shifted used, and the so-called ‘prescriptivism’,
responsibilities, including covering skills and to contribute whatever they the ways that we work. Interestingly, But beware: it may not mean quite from the organic to the artificially which aims to stipulate how language
the Eye Emergency Department. This could to help the patients and support there has been what seems like a COVID- what it seems
imposed. In other words, normality is at ought to be used. The ‘new normal’ of
was something most of us had not their colleagues. On my way out of related baby boom in our department,
least partly something that law-makers coronavirus, made up by regulations
done since we were junior doctors. intensive care, I was also impressed and I wonder whether other parts of the
legislate into existence. and ordinances and statutes, is closer to
The ophthalmology junior doctors by the care I received from a final year hospital are seeing something similar.
the OED’s second meaning than its first.
were reacquainting themselves with medical student who had volunteered If so, then staffing levels are likely to The Oxford English Dictionary still lists
Our law-makers, and law-upholders,
stethoscopes and chest X-rays, and to help those leaving the COVID-19 be significantly lower in 2021 when meaning ‘1a. Constituting or confirming
are ‘Normalizers’, a word the OED first
behind the scenes there was a lot of environment to safely ‘doff’ their PPE. these babies arrive. Let’s hope that the to a type or standard; regular, usual,
records in 1926: they are people who
apprehension and revision going on There was so much to remember, pandemic is on its last legs by then, and typical; ordinary, conventional’ as ‘The
‘normalize something’, who make a
on the consultant side too! Consultants especially for someone like me who that the flexibility, and the more efficient usual sense’ of the word ‘normal’ (and
normality happen.
were downloading medical apps and was effectively a visitor to the COVID-19 ways of working that we’ve rapidly had dates it back to the late-sixteenth
buying textbooks online to remind intensive care unit, a totally different to develop, will stand us in good stead century). This kind of normality is also One further glimpse of how the ‘normal’
themselves of how to manage eye environment from the Eye Hospital. for the next challenge. present in a suite of kindred words like is as much imposed as noticed. There
conditions that they no longer tend Having the student there to explain, ‘normalcy’, ‘normality’ and ‘normalness’ are two entries in the OED, partly
Christine Kiire (1997) is a doctor.
to see in their subspecialty bubbles. It step by step, the order in which to – intriguingly, all of them enter the fossils from an earlier iteration of
seems that we did a reasonable job, safely remove gloves and gowns and language around the middle of the the dictionary that might send your
perhaps it is like riding a bicycle, but mask and eye protection, and to clean nineteenth century (1857, 1839 and eyebrows skywards: ‘4. Heterosexual’
doing 24 hour on calls alongside all the my shoes (really), not to mention the Robert Stagg 1854 respectively). and ‘6. A heterosexual person’ (the first
admininstrative work, the telephone ophthalmology equipment balancing on recorded instance of item 4 is from EM
Apprehensive about ‘the new normal’? By contrast, the OED’s meaning ‘2.
calls, and seeing all the most complex my head, made me feel incredibly safe Forster’s novel Maurice (1914)).
It’s the ‘new’ bit that first chills the Having the function of prescribing
patients (with no light relief from and proud of the next generation of a course of action or way of living; Heterosexuality might – only might –
soul: a new way of living, a new frame
straightforward or stable patients in doctors. prescriptive’ is listed as ‘Obsolete’ (and be ‘usual’ and ‘conventional’, but it is
of mind, a new experience of the old
between) was exhausting for many of us. is slightly later than the first sense, not scarcely any of the other synonyms the
Even now that our junior doctors have and ordinary. Yet there is something
We were keen to have our juniors back finding its way into the language until OED gives for the word ‘normal’. We
returned, however, the work continues anxious-making about the ‘normal’,
again and when they returned to the Eye the seventeenth century). This is of should be careful, then, about normals –
at a high pace, mainly because of the too, which can be glimpsed through
Hospital, their home, we were delighted lexicographical interest itself, because new and old.
high administrative burden or running a tilt in the word’s history. In classical
and appreciated them so much more. the distinction between the OED’s two
the virtual clinics and ongoing triage of Latin, ‘normalis’ predominantly meant
Robert Stagg is Lecturer in English
I remember going to assess the eyes of who needs to be seen most urgently. We ‘right-angled’ – that is, it described a senses of the word ‘normal’ is also one
at St Anne's
a patient on the COVID-19 intensive care are seeing about half our usual number state of affairs, observable in the word. between two different attitudes to
22 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 23Graduating new style Graduating new style
walk in the park with my mother. Rock Instead, his characters grow through on Marvel movies, so you know that this
Big graduation moments? on, youth’s wild dream! This was also
how I celebrated my university finals,
their own individual, emotional and
often solitary experiences – from
is how superpowers work. Welcome to
the start of not just your future, but The
They're totally bogus. Take it because even though I was no longer
incarcerated, I was still quite mental:
Emilio Estevez admitting he is a bully
to impress his father in The Breakfast
Future: I’m so excited to see how you
shape it for all of us.
from an expert
actual fun was just beyond me. Club, to Molly Ringwald refusing to be
Hadley Freeman (English, 1996)
humiliated by the cool boys in Pretty In
None of this was how it was supposed to has a weekly column in the Saturday
Pink, to Alan Ruck having an emotional
HADLEY FREEMAN be, and for a long time I was pretty sad Guardian. This is her 14 June 2020 column
breakdown in front of a Georges Seurat
about never having experienced those reproduced with the kind permission of the
Teen movies perpetuate the myth right now, and I’ll explain why, using painting in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (the
classic markers of youth. I grew up on Guardian
that the end of school, or college, is a subject I understand better than greatest movie scene of all time, do not
The End. But it’s really the beginning teen movies, many of which were – and
anything I ever took an exam in, and @ me).
still are – structured around the idea
Hurrah for the Class of 2020! This is that subject is moi.
that the end of exams and graduation It took a long time, but I finally came
going out to all students who finished There were no lockdowns or plagues are the ultimate denouement, from round to my end-of-year stories. No,
any significant educational landmark when I was a teenager, and yet I the ridiculous (the Rodney Dangerfield they were not what I dreamed of,
this year: those who were supposed to still managed to lose all my big classic Back To School) to the sublime and they were not especially fun, but
take their GCSEs or A-levels, university end-of-year moments. When (last year’s Booksmart). Had I even they were very specific to me and that
students now doing final exams in their I was in the early years of finished school if I didn’t get my big time – and for that reason a lot more
parents’ kitchens, PhD students grinding secondary school, every moment? memorable than sitting with friends by
it out on their own at home instead of June I would watch the the canal would have been.
in the library. Nothing – not childbirth, It’s a natural narrative structure,
older girls walk into
not a global pandemic – ever caused me but it’s also a false one – because it You are a special generation, Class of
the exam hall – pale
more stress than end-of-year exams, perpetuates the myth that the end 2020: this experience is unique to you,
and strained, or
and even at the time I thought: ’Nothing of school, or college, is The End. and your memories of this month will
flicking their hair
will ever be harder than this.’ And I was But it’s really the beginning, and have multiple layers of meaning, and
with affected cool – and think how one
right! So bravo to all of you, it is (mostly) Maudsley, invigilated by a somewhat smarter movies recognize that, such will be a strong foundation on which to
day that would be me. I’d shuffle in to
easy coasting from here on in. bemused teacher sent from my school. as Cameron Crowe’s greatest film, build your future. You have probably got
take my exams, come back to school in
When my results came through, instead 1989’s Say Anything…, which opens with to know yourselves pretty well, and how
But this moment is probably looking August to get my results off the board,
of skipping excitedly to pick them up the graduation ceremony (kind of a you have reacted to a major change of
pretty different from what you and I’d go out afterwards with my
with friends, I stood alone in a phone letdown for the students, as it happens). plans will have taught you even more
envisaged and what you were promised: friends to celebrate by the canal nearby.
booth in the Bethlem hospital and called There is a reason that the late John about yourselves; there is nothing more
less triumphant, more unsettling, even Well, 0% for that prediction, Freeman. up the school secretary. Hughes – the finest writer ever of teen important than that as you head out
unfair, and probably pretty anticlimactic. Instead, by the time of my GCSEs, I was movies – entirely eschewed graduations into the world.
It’s true, you have been robbed of I was home by the time I got my A-level
two years into my extended national and exams, and that’s because he
something. But, honestly, this is not results, but had no friends due to the You didn’t ask to be exceptional, but
tour of Britain’s finest psychiatric knew they were bogus, an externally
the wholesale loss it might seem to be whole missing-multiple-years-of-school you’re also the generation that grew up
hospitals. I took them in a room in the imposed idea of youthful triumphs.
situation, so instead celebrated with a
24 www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk www.st-annes.ox.ac.uk 25You can also read
