Cambridge Historian: college

Showing posts with label college. Show all posts

Thursday, 18 September 2014

A Walk Around King's College - 26/02/2013

A short video taking a walk around King's College and King's College Chapel, filmed on Tuesday 26th February 2013.

Filmed by Fonz Chamberlain

Saturday, 14 June 2014

Doctor Who in Cambridge

In October 1979 the BBC began filming location scenes for a new six part Doctor Who adventure called Shada in Cambridge, but due to strikes it was never broadcast..This is it's story ...

Doctor Who - Shada

Story Synopsis

The story revolves around the lost planet of Shada, on which the Time Lords built a prison for defeated would-be conquerors of the universe. Skagra, an up-and-coming would-be conqueror of the universe, needs the assistance of one of the prison's inmates, but finds that nobody knows where Shada is any more except one aged Time Lord who has retired to Earth, where he is masquerading as a professor at St. Cedd's College, Cambridge. Luckily for the fate of the universe, Skagra's attempt to force the information out of Professor Chronotis coincides with a visit by the professor's old friend, the Doctor.

Cast

The Doctor - Tom Baker
Romana - Lalla Ward
Voice of K9 Mk II - David Brierley
Chris Parsons - Daniel Hill
Clare Keightley - Victoria Burgoyne
Professor Chronotis - Denis Carey
Skagra - Christopher Neame
Wilkin - Gerald Campion
Dr. Caldera - Derek Pollitt
Voice of the Krargs - James Coombes
Passenger - David Strong
Police Constable - John Hallett
Voice of the Ship - Shirley Dixon
Krarg - Harry Fielder, Lionel Sansby,James Muir, Reg Woods & Derek Suthern

Crew

Writer - Douglas Adams
Assistant Floor Manager - Val McCrimmon
Costumes - Rupert Jarvis
Designer - Vic Meredith
Film Cameraman - Fintan Sheeham
Film Editor - Tariq Anwar
Make - Up - Kim Burns
Production Assistants - Olivia Bazalgette & Ralph Wilton
Production Unit Manager - John Nathan-Turner
Special Sounds - Dick Mills
Studio Lighting - Mike Jefferies
Script Editor - Douglas Adams
Director - Pennant Roberts
Producer - Graham Williams

Shada ended up being an unbroadcast story planned the 17th series of Doctor Who ( 1979-80), Which featured Tom Baker in the role of the Doctor.

The story was written by Douglas Adams (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and contained 6 episodes. It is estimated that only 50% of the story was filmed because of strikes at the BBC.

In total only the full location filming in Cambridge was completed and one of three studio sessions.

The location and filming dates in Cambridge were...

Monday 15th October 1979 - The Backs, Clare Bridge, St. Edward's Passage, Botolph Lane, King's Parade & Trumpington Street.

Tuesday 16th October 1979 - High Street, Grantchester & Grantchester Meadows.

Wednesday 17th October 1979 - Emmanuel College & Free School Lane.

Friday 19th October 1979 - Blackmoor Head Yard, Bridge Street, Garret Hostel Lane, Portugal Place, Portugal Street & Trinity Lane.

If filming had been completed 'Shada' would of followed on from the story 'Horns of Nimon' and been the final story in the 17th series. It would also have been the last story to have the original version of the theme tune and Tom Baker's original title sequence first used on 28th December 1974.

These where the planned broadcast dates...

Episode 1 - Saturday 19th January 1980

Episode 2 - Saturday 26th January 1980

Episode 3 - Saturday 2nd February 1980

Episode 4 - Saturday 9th February 1980

Episode 5 - Saturday 16th February 1980

Episode 6 - Saturday 23rd February 1980

1992 VHS release with script

2013 DVD Release

In the story The Doctor visits Professor Chronotis at St. Cedd's College, this is of course a fictional college and filming was done at Emmanuel College. For more information on St. Cedd's College click HERE.

Even though filming was not completed it was released on VHS in 1992 and DVD in 2013.

An attempt was made on creating an online animated version of Shada in 2003 with the 8th Doctor ( Paul McGann ) taking the place of the 4th Doctor ( Tom Baker ) and that can be watched HERE

Sunday, 9 February 2014

Queen Victoria & Prince Albert's Visit to Cambridge: Wednesday 25th & Thursday 26th October 1843

Queen Victoria & Prince Albert
1st March 1861

On Wednesday 25th October 1843 Queen Victoria and Prince Albert set out from London to visit Cambridge. As they arrived just beyond Royston, at the Cambridgeshire county boundary , they were reported to have been greeted by between 2000 - 4000 horsemen. Almost every parish in the county had sent out riders to escort The Queen to Cambridge.

It is recorded that Cambridge was in a carnival mood, determined to give a rapturous welcome to the first reigning British monarch to visit the town since 1728. The Queen and Prince were greeted by huge crowds, decorations everywhere, and a triumphal arch set up in Trumpington Street along their route to Trinity College, where they were to stay the night.

On arriving at Trinity The Queen and Prince were greeted by a brief moment of silence, followed by a loud cheer, that is said to have reverberated across every corner of the court.

The welcome was followed by 'loyal addresses' in the college hall. The Queen sat on what was called a 'throne' ( really Richard Bentley's old chair ). Next was a service at King's College Chapel. The Queen sat, so she was told, in the same chair in which Queen Elizabeth had sat in 1564. It was then back to Trinity and an impromptu by candlelight. That night the townsfolk celebrated with a firework display on Parker's Piece.

The next morning The Queen and Prince arrived at Senate House at 10am, where they were met with a massive explosion of applause from the crowd. The Queen, who was no Latin scholar, could not quite conceal her boredom at the lengthy Latin speeches which took place as Prince Albert received a honorary doctorate of law from the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. William Whewell.

After leaving the Senate House The Queen and Prince were taken to the Geological Museum close by, where they were greeted Adam Sedgwick.

Adam Sedgwick later said: ' I bowed as low as my anatomy would let me... The Queen seemed happy and well pleased, and was mightily taken with one or two of my monsters, especially with the Plesiosaurus and gigantic stag.'

The Royal couple then decided before they leave Cambridge they must see King's College Chapel again. From King's the carriage drove along the backs, to enter St. John's College at the rear. A tour of St. John's and the Wren library, was to conclude the morning for The Queen, but The Prince found time to visit another four colleges before lunch.

After lunch large crowds gathered as they watched the Royal couple journey to Corpus Christi College in the afternoon, before going on to the Round Church. Prince Albert found time to visit King's College Chapel for the third time, before the royal couple left for Wimpole Hall, where they spent a day.