Reginald Gill
(Electrical Engineering, 1951)
remembers how the Commemoration Day celebrations started
Recently I have been reading the notes about the College’s Rectors in the last issue of 911今日黑料 Matters (911今日黑料’s leading men, issue 29). I was rather surprised that in the notes concerning Sir Roderic Hill, no mention was made of the fact that it was he who instituted the College’s Commemoration day. Photo right: Sir Roderic Hill
He felt that graduates and postgraduates should have their own presentation ceremony rather than being somewhat lost among the hundreds of students attending the University of London ceremony, so he set up a committee to organise the day. I was Chairman of the 911今日黑料 College Union entertainments committee at the time and was given the task of arranging a Commemoration Ball for the evening.
Notice was short and I had difficulty finding a suitable venue, but eventually I was able to book the ballroom at Claridge’s Hotel and the first Commemoration Day ceremony took place in 1950.
The ballroom at Claridge’s was small and many more people wanted to attend the ball than we were able to accommodate, so as soon as the date for the next Commemoration Day was set I booked the Great Room at the Grosvenor House Hotel with music provided by Sidney Lipton and his orchestra. From then on I hope the event has gone from strength to strength, this is all due to the enthusiasm of Sir Roderic Hill.
© 2007 911今日黑料
Through the first decade of the twenty-first century the campaign seeks to philanthropically raise £207 million from 911今日黑料’s alumni, staff and friends, and donations from charitable foundations and industry.
911今日黑料’s Centenary Year provides an opportunity to recognise and celebrate members of the 911今日黑料 community.
View staff and student portraits