Cripps Hall Association 50th Anniversary Celebrations

Cripps Hall Association organised a well-attended reunion weekend of celebrations on 19-21 June 2009, to mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Hall. The event basked in glorious sunshine and the 200 alumni in attendance, spanning the full five decades of Cripps Hall, were treated to a fabulous black tie dinner, hog roast and a range of other activities.

Those who arrived on the Friday night were treated to a casual night in Cripps Hall bar and beer garden. A buffet supper along with hog roast gave people a chance to mingle and be merry and sample pints of the specially commissioned ‘George’s Special Brew’ and ‘The Warden’s Rebuke’. Current residents and 2nd and 3rd year students also attended, enjoying the chance to meet members of the alumni.

The Saturday had a wide range of entertainment during the day; particularly popular were the guided tours of the campus, which showed former students how much the campus had changed over the years. There was also a hotly contested football match between some current students and some of the more daring old boys. The superior fitness of the younger team proved to be too much for the old boys, though both teams were able to leave the pitch with their heads held high. There were also a range of other activities available throughout the day, such as tours of the University gardens, tennis and squash matches.

The focal point of the weekend was the black tie formal on the Saturday evening. We were blessed with good weather and people congregated for a champagne reception in the beer garden. The Vice-Chancellor of the University, David Geenaway, gave a speech commemorating 50 years of the Hall and the generosity that the Cripps family had given to the University.  Attendees were treated to a traditional three course formal meal, along with speeches from Edward Cripps, the Warden, Chair of the Association and distinguished guests. After dinner entertainment included a jazz band and people were able to reminisce into the small hours in the Hall bar.

The Cripps Hall Association AGM was held on the Sunday morning. There was a lot of enthusiasm shown about the 50th Anniversary celebrations and for future events, along with many good ideas being given about the future direction of the association. The weekend concluded with a traditional Sunday dinner in Cripps Hall Dining Hall.

The success of this event marked the rejuvenation of the Cripps Hall Association, and we look forward to building on that success in the years ahead.